Kastle's Journey: Gabriola Island - July 15

Time for our mini-vacation. Last year we chose to explore Salt Spring Island, this year Gabriola Island. We've been to the two harbours, Silva Bay and Degnan Bay years ago on my Dad's boat, but have never driven on the island. Both areas are great for scuba diving. Quite funny when you think about this being our first visit, as we lived in Port Alberni for 11 years and Nanaimo for 5 and it's only a 20 minute ferry crossing from downtown Nanaimo.

As usual Ray has his "list" of things to take pictures of.

We managed to catch the 9:20 am ferry in spite of hitting every red light between Lake Cowichan and Nanaimo with minutes to spare. We were loaded directly after paying. We were third to last car loaded with a full ferry.

Ray went to the upper walkway to take some pictures leaving Nanaimo Harbour.

Check in at Pages Inn isn't until 3, so we decided to head to the top of the island to tour and have lunch at the Surf Lodge and Pub.

First up, the Malaspina Galleries, a sandstone cliff sculpture.

We followed the rocks around the point to the other side of the spit,

Next we went to Orlebar Point with a view of Entrance Island.

BC Ferry from Tswassen to Duke Point

The new Passenger Ferry Hulu from Nanaimo to Vancouver

Seaspan commercial ferry.

Time to have lunch at the Surf Lodge and Pub. Today we chose the pub side. They also have a restaurant on the other side.

Great views.

After lunch we headed back towards the ferry and stopped at the Sand Provincial Park, or Twin Beaches to the locals. Wanted to check it out for a place to take Amelia when they come tomorrow. This is the beach on the Entrance Island side. Beautiful white fine sand. The tide is in.

After wandereing around the beach, it's time to go to Pages Inn on Silva Bay and check in. It's only a 20 minute drive. This island is quite small and you can circumnavigate it in about 40 minutes.

What a nice place to stay. We have an end suite so there's windows on three sides. Good thing as the next few days were really, really hot and there's no A/C as it usually does not get hot on Gabriola Island with the breeze from the ocean.

We are the end unit on the right.

There is a local artist gallery on the water.

A good size room with a full kitchen.

After unpacking it's time to relax on our patio.

After leftovers for dinner, Ray headed back to the Malaspina Galleries to take some sunset shots. He got some great pictures before falling and breaking his camera. Apparently with the tide up, a bunch of kids were diving in from above. When exiting the water under the curl, the sandstone became very slippery. He came back quite cut up, poor guy. Of course hitting both his knees including his knee replacement. Fortunately he was ok just sore. He says... but look at the pictures I got!

Sunrise in Silva Bay, Gorgeous.

Tuesday morning we decided to drive to the south end to view Pages Resort and Marina and a quick drive into Drumbeg Provincial Park before the kids arrive from Nanaimo.

Here's their small store at Pages Marina and Resort where you can pick up a few groceries and beer and wine.

View of a cottage up on the cliff.

Next stop, Drumbeg Provincial Park.

Time to head back to our room to meet up with the kids. They'd made the 9:30 sailing. After putting their cooler in our room, we headed off back towards the Surf Lodge for lunch.

Next up Twin Beachs.

Time to go back to the Inn and Jason and Kristi to unpack. We kept Amelia busy at our room.

Grandma bought a new toy to occupy her. lol

I'd premade lasagna so we ate that for dinner. The kids put Amelia to bed at 7:30 and the kids stayed in with her. We were both in bed by 9.

Wednsday morning the kids sent Amelia over while they packed up. They had only booked one night. I made blueberry pancakes with Amelia's help for breakfast.

Once everyone finished breakfast and dishes done, it's off touring.

First up we went back to Drumbeg Provincial Park for a walk for Olaf and Amelia. With the tide out there were great sandstone rocks to walk on and look in the pools.

Really neat rock formations.

After Drumbeg we headed further up the eastern coast to Joyce Lockwood Park. It's a good walk to a place to hike down to the beach.

Time for lunch. We chose to drive around the other side of the island to check out the views before having lunch in town at The Gathering Place. After everyone fuelled up, we headed to Twin Beaches again. We went to the other beach today for Amelia and Olaf to play.

Sandcastles with Daddy.

After our busy day, the kids headed to the ferry and we headed back to our room and relaxed on the deck.

Thursday morning, our last full day here, we decided to go around the island again and stopping at a few places we did not get to see. First up, Degnan Bay. This is a boat harbour with no amenities.

This island we used to have cookouts on, going there by dingy.

We drove further down the road where there is a "boat launch". You actually just drive down onto the sandstone and can launch at high tide. Some huge houses face the bay.

Ray was looking for an old "Net Shed". The only thing facing the water that could have been is this refurbished structure.

Back in the car to Brickyard Beach up the inside of the island.

It was once a site to brick manufacturers during the depression years. Today, there is still evidence of the old bricks located throughout the beach. However, most are crushed and mixed in with the sand because of storms, winds and human activity. Brickyard Beach is located on False Narrows.

This lady even brought her goats to the beach.

Lots of people claming.

Next we went past the village turnoff to Descano Bay Provincial Park near the ferry. Not much of a beach here but there are campsites.

Further down the road we turned off to Twin Beaches and went to the end of the road to walk on the beach looking for the boulders. It's amazing what the force of water can do.

A large sandstone concretion on the beach on the Twin Beaches peninsula, Gabriola.
Concretions and nodules also attract attention, especially the cannon-ball kind.

Ray did some "googling" for the "Mushroom Rock". We managed to find it up the road near the ferry terminal. We didn't see it at first, but when we turned around to come back I spotted it so of course I stopped for Ray to scramble for a picture.

Is that it in the distance? Turns out close but nope.

This is it!

Just past the turnoff to the Village is the museum. We made a quick stop to take a look of their recreations of petroglyphs that have been discovered on the island.

Finally time for lunch. We decided to try out the clubhouse at the golf course. They have delicious burgers, I ordered beef and Ray the salmon burger. This is our view.

Time to go back to our room and relax. The Firehouse Grill Food Truck below us on the grass is open for business. They had a steady flow of customers for 3 hours. Ray got himself their daily special of prawn tacos and homemade churos with hazelnut/chocolate dip for dessert. Yum.