Off the southwest coast of British Columbia, like a breakwater to the Pacific ocean, lies Vancouver Island. It stretches for 480 mountainous, forest-cloaked kilometers; a perfect hideout for a (temporary) jailbreak from the city. I recently crossed the island on a short trip to the coastal village of Tofino, my route taking me westwards through its interior from the port of Nanaimo.
Transecting the island gave me a chance to get an impression of the variety of its landscape, and the wildlife within it, including bears, wolves, whales, and eagles. The images below are really just an opening glance. I had a very narrow window of time to explore, but saw enough to know that the island deserves several longer visits. I will return!
The old growth forest of Cathedral Grove
This Douglas Fir is 76 meters tall, and was already over 300 years old when Christopher Columbus reached North America in 1492.
Sunset at journey’s end, Tofino.
Here, there are whales. Gray, Humpback, and Orca whales can be seen along the coast, depending on season.Bald Eagle, Tofino.A Gray whale fluking its tail, signaling that it is about to dive, and may remain under for anything from 3 to 30 minutes. (On the day I was out, the whales were in a quiet mood, rarely breaching the surface, or only doing so for a split second. Hence, this blurry image is the best I could get!)
Sea lions, on the coast of Pacific Rim National Park
ManOnIce 