View Full Version : A fun outing on Vancouver Island.
I am vacationing/working here on Vancouver Island for a few more weeks. Staying at Cowichan Bay. I remember seeing some posters from Victoria here and I was wondering if we could go somewhere nice one day and take some pictures. I am on vacation so any day is fine in the next 2 weeks except for Sundays. Thank you.
Ron Marshall
5-Aug-2008, 20:38
If you like flowers, Butchart Gardens is a pleasant place.
For real adventure, visit Della Falls, the highest in Canada.
Also Tofino and the west coast trail.
Cathedral Grove, for big trees.
Have fun!
David Luttmann
6-Aug-2008, 05:37
That's funny....I'm on my way to Alberta for a few weeks....otherwise I'd show you around the waters of Sooke and up island along the way to Tofino. Saltspring and the other gulf islands are beautiful.
Bruce Watson
6-Aug-2008, 06:15
If you like tide pools you can find excellent ones at Botanical Beach. It's basically where the road ends going west from Sooke. Excellent tide pools at low tide. And when the tide comes in there can be wonderful wave action on the rocks.
If you go be sure you have enough gas to make the round trip back to Sooke. The only gas at Port Renfrew is at the marina which is rather awkward to get to and has limited hours.
I will be on Vancouver Island (Sooke) during the week of August 18. I will be bringing my 4x5 with me, and would also be interested in finding good things to shoot or other LF people to meet.
David Luttmann
6-Aug-2008, 09:11
I will be on Vancouver Island (Sooke) during the week of August 18. I will be bringing my 4x5 with me, and would also be interested in finding good things to shoot or other LF people to meet.
Man, you're all coming in while I'm away. Never fails!
I second botanical beach. Here's a cruddy JPG from the tide pools on the beach.
Annie M.
6-Aug-2008, 09:56
unfortunately the week of the 18th the tides are not significantly low... for the primo costal formations and pools the tides need to be below 2.5...
Annie M.
6-Aug-2008, 10:24
oh... and there are a LOT of bears this year... they have even been on the beach at dawn so be bear aware!
David Luttmann
6-Aug-2008, 10:35
unfortunately the week of the 18th the tides are not significantly low... for the primo costal formations and pools the tides need to be below 2.5...
Good info....never thought of that. I photograph my last wedding on August 30th....then I'm done. Only doing portraiture from now on. Should give me more time to hang out at the beach and forests around Sooke.
pkphotog
6-Aug-2008, 11:19
As others have said, a drive out to Botanical Beach is a must. Make stops at Mystic Beach and Sombrio Beach on the way. Closer to Cowichan is the beautiful Salt Spring Island. Ferry out from Crofton and then drive/hike to the top of Mount Maxwell and make some spectacular photos of the Gulf and San Juan Islands and the . Victoria is beautiful, too, especially the old downtown core and Beacon Hill Park.
Don Wilkes
6-Aug-2008, 12:15
If you want to shoot forest shots, you might go north to Cathedral Grove -- it's pretty spectacular, and easy to get to. Go to Qualicum Beach, then left onto Highway 4.
In Victoria, you might want to try finding the Gonzales weather observatory, way up on the hills overlooking Dallas Road. The view is terrific. To find the road, look for Denison on your city map -- it's not well marked. It's off Fairfield Road going east, away from downtown.
Mark, would you be willing to do something on the august 18 or 19? I will be leaving the island again around the 20th.
walter23
28-Oct-2008, 19:31
In Victoria, you might want to try finding the Gonzales weather observatory, way up on the hills overlooking Dallas Road. The view is terrific. To find the road, look for Denison on your city map -- it's not well marked. It's off Fairfield Road going east, away from downtown.
Heh, Don, I've been meaning to try to make it up there all year, and I've even biked past it numerous times but have never managed (or I guess tried that hard) to find the right road.
Turner Reich
28-Oct-2008, 19:55
Princess Marguerite
I used to take the long voyage to Victoria from Seattle and it was very enjoyable, dinner or lunch on the ship, a state room for my girlfriend, now wife, those were the days.
Merg Ross
28-Oct-2008, 20:21
Yes, those were the days! I was on the last Victoria to Seattle voyage of that beautiful ship. There is still the Coho from Port Angeles, but surely not as elegant as the Marguerite.
Turner Reich
28-Oct-2008, 20:26
Oh yes, the Coho, Red Ball Line, it's a nice ship too but the older ships were something to behold, I wish everyone could have the experience of a slower ship in the old manner of sailing.
Merg Ross
28-Oct-2008, 20:39
Turner, I agree. You have no idea how sad that last voyage was on the Princess Marguerite, you could feel the depression of the staff and crew. I had been on before, and never thought it would not be there for my next voyage. I had discovered the Coho years before, but the Marguerite was special. The M.V. Coho is the Black Ball Transport out of Port Angeles. Glad you had the good experience, the Inner Harbor calls!
Turner Reich
28-Oct-2008, 21:30
Merg, that's right the Black Ball Line, I haven't been on it for years.
If you want to shoot forest shots, you might go north to Cathedral Grove -- it's pretty spectacular, and easy to get to. Go to Qualicum Beach, then left onto Highway 4.
My part of the world. There are even nicer places up behind Cathedral Grove but some hiking is required. If strong you can do about 1000 meters vertical from Cameron Lake to get up on the back Mt Arrowsmith/Cokely for amazing views and terrain.
I'm busy fitting my KLR on/off road motorcycle for carrying my new Chamonix to places few can get to easily.
Anyone interested in this part of the world just PM me.
walter23
29-Oct-2008, 15:48
My part of the world. There are even nicer places up behind Cathedral Grove but some hiking is required. If strong you can do about 1000 meters vertical from Cameron Lake to get up on the back Mt Arrowsmith/Cokely for amazing views and terrain.
I'm busy fitting my KLR on/off road motorcycle for carrying my new Chamonix to places few can get to easily.
Anyone interested in this part of the world just PM me.
Sweet, I didn't know there were honest hikes like that on the island (I know there are difficult ones, like the west coast trail, just didn't realize there were high elevation ones). I grew up in the Canadian rockies and I'm pretty new to this whole sea level experience. I've seen the real mountains in the center of the island on google maps but didn't really believe in them until you said this.
I should be heading up there sometime in the next few months. Do you live in Port Alberni or something?
Sweet, I didn't know there were honest hikes like that on the island (I know there are difficult ones, like the west coast trail, just didn't realize there were high elevation ones). I grew up in the Canadian rockies and I'm pretty new to this whole sea level experience. I've seen the real mountains in the center of the island on google maps but didn't really believe in them until you said this.
I should be heading up there sometime in the next few months. Do you live in Port Alberni or something?
Oh yeah we got some up around here. I live in Coombs just west of Parksville and the ridge behind my house is 1000 meters and it's just a ridge. We have some very pretty medium height mountains right between Parksville/Coombs and Pt Alberni.
Google Earth jpg from my close to my place and about 3.4K above. Pt Alberni is above the top a few K.
Eric Leppanen
29-Oct-2008, 22:39
Butchart Gardens is a fun place for some good ol' macro photography. I'm also a bit of a sucker for the totem poles at Thunderbird Park (Victoria), see http://www.virtualguidebooks.com/BC/VictoriaIslandsBC/NearEmpress/ThunderbirdPark.html.
Another option would be to take the ferry to Port Angeles and spend a day or two checking out the Olympic peninsula (Hurricane Ridge, Hoh Rain Forest, Ruby Beach, etc.).
Don Wilkes
30-Oct-2008, 11:44
Walter: Do have another go at Gonzales, if only for future reference for when there's a spectacular morning, and you want a shot of the beaches along Dallas. There are also really interesting rock formations, lichens, gnarly oak trees, and more up there.
All: There's also the Clipper from Seattle, but I haven't personally taken that. I hear it can be rocky in the winter, when the wind is up, but you can say the same for the Coho on a mild summer day!
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