May Long Weekend

Came home Saturday afternoon from Alberta after scoring an earlier flight from Calgary to Victoria.  Coming home in the afternoon instead of late evening like I originally had planned to set up for a great weekend.  Went and visited a friends new little baby on Saturday evening, had a great kayak and lovely church on Sunday and a wet adventure on Monday. 

Kayaking Portland Island (iphone pics)

Then Monday morning Sam, Diane and I headed out to Carmanah Provincial Park.  Its home to some of the largest Sitka Spruce Trees on the whole West Coast. 

We headed up to Duncan and then logging roaded it to the park

True to the rainforest experience it was POURING RAIN the entire 6 1/2 hours we were out.  Here is us just leaving the truck

 The first bit is mostly boardwalk through the trees

 The Three Sisters

 Then we left the boardwalk and walked about 4.5 km of rougher flagged trail that followed along a small river and through old growth forest with equally impressive gorgeousness of ferns, mushrooms, trees, moss and stumps.

 
It ended at a place called Paradise Pool

We pulled out the pots here and had some tea and lunch
 

I was brave and tried the blue cheese

Not actually to bad.. for moldy cheese
 

 The camera didn't make it out much after that because it was simply too too wet.. But the trees were amazing. We also backtracked on another trail to two amazing groves with GINORMOUS trees.  One was 265 feet tall... more than 2 1/12 times as long as the swift.  As well as a tree called The Heaven Tree.. because it truly stretched all the way up to heaven. 

Back at the truck... Drenched to the skin =)