So more about last weekend at Cape Palmerston. Cape Palmerston is located on the North West Coast of the Island On this map its just south of where it says Cape Scott.
We( Tristan, Bec, Sam, Niki, Michelle and I loaded up in Victoria at six and started driving north. We stopped in Campbell river around 930 for breakfast and to wait for Elske who was coming on the ferry from Sanora Island. We hit superstore for groceries and headed for Port Hardy for a last gas and candy stop before the logging roads.
Tristan's Truck in P. Hardy
P.Hardy Marina
First look at the beach at Palmerston. The sun was out and it was gorgeous late afternoon
About four beaches over from where we parked the trucks was this sweet little cabin. Its made of drift wood but has two levels, a stove, table and a porch. If we were were with four or less people we would have stayed here but it was too exposed for those who would have to stay in tents.
We played out on the rocks here tho. The swell was not huge but then occasionally a huge wave would roll in.
We set up our tents on the three pads by the first beach. It was the most sheltered and had a nice creek running through for water.
The neighbour hood bear came to check out what we were cooking for dinner.
Gorgeous Sunsets each night. The glory of God's creation was so blatant this weekend. From the sunsets, to the way Venus sparkled green/red/white, to the eagles on the beach, the whales we saw three times and just the awesomeness of the waves His glory and majesty was displayed
On afternoon of sunshine was lovely but the next day we also awoke to glorious sunshine. We decided to head over to Raft Cove after breakfast... okay I'll be real it was more like brunch.. or whatever its called when you get up at 10 =)
We drove about 20 mins to the start of the trail to Raft Cove. Here we are getting ready to hike in. We have the stuff for your average day at the beach all comfortably packed in a small 65L pack.. you know the usual for a North Coast beach experience when you know just about anything could happen- Bathing Suit, Towel, sunglassess,wetsuit, wetsuit gloves and booties. waterbottle, extra longjohns, three pairs of wool socks, gloves, toque, jacket, headlamp, stove, fuel, potset, pans. A root and stump filled 45 mins later down a trail pretending to be a stream we arrived on the most gorgeous huge white sand beach with roll after roll of aqua colour surf coming ashore. Needless to say we were taking off all Marino within minutes and it stayed beautiful ALL day!!
Tristan Sam and I got the wetsuits on and hit the waves. The boys surfed the second break mostly and I boogie board the shore break. Rode some awesome waves but also got a bit thrashed as the tide changed and the sandbar turned into a bit of a ledge I may have ended up with a gravol pit inside my suit =)
After Surfing we explored the length of the beach and the river that came into the ocean at the one end.
Elske and I - Roomies and otherwise fabulous friends
We waited for sunset and then in remembrance of Easter the next day we made people words- HE ROSE!!
Then it was dark and time to hike back up the trucks. the way back actually took less time even though it was more up hill and pitch black. .its amazing how much time you loose trying to avoid mud in the day light and how much you don't care when you cant see what your stepping in in the dark =) Then it was back to camp and stargazing before bed.
The next morning Sam, Elske and I got up and hid eggs for an egg hunt. We carefully counted the eggs first and hid them on the island stack on the beach after determining that with the bear lurking around hiding chocolate around the tents probably wasnt the best idea incase all of them were not found =)
We made Pancake breakfast and then it was time for the hung =)
Tristian supervising the egg finding
After breakfast we drove about 30 mins to San Josef Bay at the start of the Cape Scott/North Coast trail. We walked the 2km into the beach and then decided we were going to hike up Mt. St Patrick.
Missed seeing this sign =) We hiked over a headland and skirted a few more till we reached 4th beach. The trail wasn't evident(turns out it was one beach further(that wasn;t accessible because of the incoming tide) and the tide was rapidly coming in so most of us decided that it wouldn't be good for the headlines to read "7 sailors stuck by tide" so we turned back.. We squeaked back only getting wet up to mid thigh was we lost our battle with wave timing as we climbed along the rocks of the headlands =(
++++++ soggy shoes
Instead of the hike we went and checked out Ronnings Garden an old homestead from the 1910's which has an unique imported garden.. and lots of cougar tracks =)
Huge monkey puzzle trees
Sunday Night was sitting on the point for 1 1/2 hours watching the waves roll in, the sunset and the whales. Then the Resurrection story, stars, fire, brie and garlic.
Photo Credits are varied between us all =)
