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Winding It Down
Port Hardy, Gabriola, and Victoria
Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9
The next morning, we decided to hang around for a bit in the Port Hardy area. We visited the Quatse River fish hatchery, situated immediately adjacent to our campground, and learned all about the life and mating cycle of the various salmon species that spawn in the rivers of the area, as well as the operations of the hatchery itself. When then took another walk down the Quatse river, down to its estuary, looking for more eagle-bear-salmon action. While we didn't see any bear, we did see an amazing number of bald eagles. I didn't think it was possible to see so many of them at one time - I'm guessing there were at least ten to twenty in the general area of the estuary.
Fish Hatchery Visit
Hatchery Welcome Sign
Fish Hatchery Museum
Coho Salmon
Hatchery Tour
Keeping an Eagle Eye Out
courtesy JInnes
So Many Eagles
Quatse River Estuary
Unwelcome visitor
courtesy JInnes
courtesy JInnes
Eagle Central
The weather breaks
We finished our Port Hardy visiting mid-afternoon, and decided that it was time to head south. Gosia had booked us in to a motel in Campbell River - our third overnight stay there on this trip. We weren't at all tired with Campbell River; it really is a nice town - scenic, good restaurants, comes across as clean and tidy. It has a nice feel.
courtesy JInnes
The North Highway
Highwayside Drying Stop
Back in Campbell River
courtesy JInnes
courtesy JInnes
More competition
The Hill Climb Racers
The next morning - or rather, the next day - was the penultimate for myself and Jenn on this trip. We had decided to spend our final evening with Jenn's parents on Gabriola Island, while the Hyndmans had decided to visit other Hyndmans (first with brother Kyle, on nearby Protection Island, and later with parents Roy and Jenn, near Victoria). Since both of these islands are reached from the same spot in Nanaimo, we drove down together, saying our final goodbyes in the parking lot of the Thrifty Foods / London Drugs parking lot across from the ferries. I received my 394th and final hug from Nel and Kai.

We spent a pleasant final evening with Jenn's parents on Gabriola. They insisted on going out to the local Woodfire Pizza and Grill again, but this time on their tab. Many thanks.
Return to Gabriola
Lingering Coastal Cloud
Ragged Skies
Ragged Skies
We spent the next morning cleaning off, drying off, and packing all of our stuff for our flights home. I left early on the Gabriola ferry by myself ; I had to return the rental car to Victoria and catch a plane from there, while Jenn had a different flight that left from Nanaimo.
Leaving Gabriola
Arn had left some of the gear he had carried from Ottawa in our rental car, and when I mentioned the possibility of dropping it back off to him on my way to the Victoria Airport (which was near his parent's house), one thing led to another: soon I was being offered both a ride from the car rental dropoff in Victoria to the airport, and a stop at the Hyndman household for a bit of dinner along the way. Exceptionally generous.
courtesy AHyndman
The Hyndman Estate
Dinner at Hyndman Estate
I dropped the rental car off in downtown Victoria at 5pm, and Arn's dad Roy was there - waiting to pick me up in his 1995 Honda Del-Sol VTEC. I attempted to impress with my detailed knowledge of his near-vintage car as we drove north out of Victoria towards the Saanich Peninsula, where both the airport is located and where Arn's parents live.

My visit to the Hyndman Estate was short but very pleasant. Arn's parents live on a huge, sloping tract of pastoral land. Part of that land is taken up by a sizeable vineyard that Roy and Jenn maintain.

The Hyndman family was in the middle of an already-planned dinner visit, with several extra relatives in attendance. The dinner was a delicious thinly-sliced roast beef with fresh bread, potato and regular salads.
The Resplendant Giant
After receiving an unexpected 395th hug from Nel and Kai, Arn drove me to the nearby airport, situated only a ten minute drive away, and we said goodbye (for real) for the final time on this trip. The short hop from Victoria to Vancouver provided another fine example of what Mount Baker can look like without clouds and rain. In Vancouver, I met up with Jenn, and we flew on the same flight home back to Ottawa.
Bye bye, West Coast
Despite the weather setbacks at the beginning and end, the whole two and half weeks in the northwest had been pretty successful. I certainly want to tackle either Baker or Glacier Peak again soon (see previous trip report for details on that outing), and Cape Scott definitely deserves a thorough look under better conditions. Logistically this was a complicated visit, with lots of different parties at different times, but happily, all of that worked out perfectly. I'd like to thank everyone who hosted us along the way, starting with Rosty in Seattle, Jenn's parents Roy and Barrie on Gabriola (multiple times), and Roy and Jenn Hyndman in Victoria (and at the end of the kayaking, when you saved us with the jumper cables). It was a pleasure, all of it. See you soon!
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