Monday, March 24, 2014

Port McNeill

We left Ucluelet around 10 am and arrived in Port McNeill at 5 pm. We didn't have a map so didn't really know what we would pass along the way.  It's about 1.5 hours past Campbell River on the north east side of Vancouver Island.   
I've been up there once before to hike the Cape Scott Trail but that was about 11 years ago!  The weather on the way up was wild; sun, rain, hail, snow, repeat. We were so excited to reach Port McNeill!  Our friends, the Voses, live there.  They moved there last summer so it was fun to see where their new home is.  Port McNeill has less than 3,000 people and there are islands around them with different communities and ferries connecting them all.
We arrived in time for dinner. Brent and Melissa spoiled us with yummy food the whole time.  So great!  Look at all those kids.  Our kids combined makes for 5 boys and 2 girls.  I was a little nervous how everyone would get along but it went wonderfully!
The view below is from their kitchen window in the morning.  So nice, hey?

Amarys and Nya, although 1.5 years apart, got along so well!
We went on a little hike to the beach.  I LOVE hiking and miss it so much.  The kids did a great job and our kids had to learn how to stick together a bit more due to the cougars and bears.
The beach was awesome.  So many varieties of seaweed!   Tons of crab, sea stars, mussels, clams, barnacles and chitins.
Chitin below (they have 8 bony plates which is how you can recognize them).
I should point out that it was sooooo sunny!!! So great.  Seriously.  The vitamin D was aplenty.
The boys played on the fort for a good hour.  Koen may have fallen through the roof.
My little assistant.  `Cheese'.
I'm so thankful that Nya did so well!  She didn't nap, was struggling with digestive issues, and was still pretty chill about everything.
Below is Team Vose.  Those guys can smile :)
And us.
I love the outdoors.  I always have.  I love the ocean (Kai's name means `ocean'), I love the rainforest, I love the sun.  I love BC.
The view below is also from their kitchen window.  Two bald eagles and a BC Ferry.  Beautiful, ya?
After lunch, we went for a walk down to the marina.  
The kids threw rocks in the water and we went to their fishing spot and then we went to Mugz for smoothies and hot chocolate.

It is so interesting to hear about how things work in a small town.  The hours, churches, ferries, schools, programs, resources, doctors etc.
The next morning, Nya and Amarys had a tea party and continued to play well together.  I was sort of surprised because they are both pretty strong willed girls.  So great.
It was then time to head home!  The trip back went so well.  Just a short 4 hour drive (I say short because the highway is such easy driving!) and then the ferry and another hour.  The kids did wonderfully.  I think in another year or so I'll actually be able to read a book on the ferry :)

I love visiting people in places I've never been too.  It allows you to get to know a place so much better!  Thank you to Team Vose for having us, we had a wonderful time.

Yay for Spring Break, friends, family and sunshine.

Love, Louise


3 comments:

  1. Wow - what a killer kitchen window view!! Looks like you guys had a great time!

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  2. Holy moly - that view is stunning! i could definitely get used to that. The small town living however...not sure about! I'm intrigued about their hours of everything operating though.

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  3. Thanks for coming!!! We love visitors! You guys are the perfect type. Easy to live with, fun loving, up for the outdoors =)

    Our small town is tiny, and isolated. Those two factors can be killer if you're not prepared for them. But there are far more remote communities in BC than ours! Fly in only communities, or boat in only.

    Mostly I was surprised at the amount of amenities we have here, and the hours. We have two grocery stores; Super Value and IGA. Both are open 7 am to 9 pm which is pretty good. We have a pharmacy/drug store which is open 9 to 5:30. The post office is open 6 days a week. The library is only open 4 hours, four days a week, with one evening having a 2 hour stretch where it is open.

    Hours aren't what kills me. It's what is available inside the store. Haven't once found Turmeric. 'Fresh' fruits and veggies are not very fresh. Some weeks there's no mushrooms. Or no bacon. Or whatever you really need.

    The cougar presence is kind of freaky. BUT we have ZERO gang shootings and no homelessness so there's that... =)

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