Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Ucluelet: Day 1 and 2

We started our Vancouver Island holiday yesterday.  Little did we know it would begin with a 5 hour wait at the ferry terminal.  This was due to high winds.  So, while we waited we did a lot of walking and we also did a geocache.
Nya wanted to hold Kai's hand. So cute.
Five hours is a long time to `waste' but Duke Point is pretty to walk around and because we weren't trapped inside a vehicle waiting, it was fine.  The boys are so easy to travel with.  It's Miss Nya that is the most work, especially yesterday when she had to miss her nap.
We finally got on the ferry.  Here's a video showing the waves.  It was like this for a full hour.  Pretty wild.


Gary's parents are joining us this year and they were on the ferry behind us so we saw them late last night.  We are staying in Ucluelet in a motel that we stayed at 5 years ago; the West Coast Motel.  It works well with two bedrooms and a kitchen (Gary and I get the pull out couch so Nya gets her own room) and a very budget friendly price. Nya slept through the night and I am so thankful!  The last time we went away was in the summer when she was still getting up several times a night and I was nervous.

This morning we started with our traditional walk to the Lighthouse.  Grandpa was able to do his first geocache!  It's very nice to have extra hands to help out. 
Nya is pretty much able to keep up with the boys.  The weather was perfect...not too cold and not too windy. 
Lookout.
We've taken our picture here, with the sign, each year.   Looks like the `P' is currently missing.  It took Koen a few hours to get his grumpies out.  He does not like getting up before 8 am but his siblings love getting up at 6 am. 
The Lighthouse.  
`Do Not Climb The Rocks' said the sign.  You know it wasn't me telling him to do it.
Koen happy again, chasing people with a `Lichen Claw' at Big Beach.
Biggest mussel I've ever seen!  It also had VERY large barnacles on it. 
Then we went back to our place and the kids had a snack at grandma and grandpas (they are staying next door to us which is super convenient).
After lunch, we all went swimming in the pool at our place.  The worst part was getting Nya out of the pool as she was tired and DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE.  Fortunately I got a nap out of her after that.
We then walked to the aquarium.  We weren't sure if we wanted to go but reviews online (and from friends who had been) highly recommended it.  It is not large, and it's sort of pricey (it is non profit though), but we went for it.  I love that they catch everything locally and then release it in the fall.  Very cool.  
A lot of touch tanks for the kids.  My little marine biologist :)  Koen loved it the most.  I would say the best part of the aquarium was the staff.  The guy there was so informative and we asked him many, many questions.  He also fed krill to many of the organisms so that we could see them eating.
Koen and I found the Octopus named `Jacques'.  He was a tricky one to find but we learned that he was in a den and you had to look for the crab shells which were his previous dinners.  He was collected by a diver in Tofino.  They tried to feed him a HUGE crab while we were there but he had his eyes closed and didn't go for it then.  The poor crab was so stressed smelling the octopus in the water.  They removed him.
Above is something cool I've never seen...sacs of opalescent squid eggs!!!
Touching the Sunstars.  They got to touch so many kinds of sea stars.
Nudibranchs; Butterflies of the Sea.  
Nya was a little young for it but the kids enjoyed it. I would recommend it BUT I would make sure that you ask the marine biologists there as many questions as you can.  Koen and I asked many questions.  Koen's questions were mostly about how every animal reproduced :)
Strawberry Anenomes....so pretty!!
We came back and had a huge dinner of ribs and salad.  Strawberry shortcake for dessert!
Nya made sure that baby had some.

Tomorrow is supposed to be sunnier and it will be our Tofino day!  Looking forward to showing Gary's parents Long Beach as they have never been.  We are also looking forward to the Tacofino Truck :)

All right.  Time to read and relax.

Hope you are having a good week!

Love, Louise


4 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great trip so far. ..minus the ferry wait. Hope the sun comes out for you tomorrow!

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  2. awesome! Looks like a great time so far, despite the ferry wait :)

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  3. You look so relaxed, rested and beautiful! Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

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  4. Looks like you're all having a great time and extra hands are always a bonus! Those waves are ridiculous! I would be wanting to puke and my mom would already be puking!

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