Sister Adventures

My sister and I took this trip out to the coast last year, and because we flew, we stayed right in Victoria and walked everywhere. This year we had more options in what and where to explore because we drove, so we decided to make our way up the east side of Vancouver Island.

After dropping my son off in Sidney for his Sailing Trip,    (http://www.bluewateradventures.ca/)

which is an amazing opportunity if you ever have the chance, we decided to try our hand at sailing ourselves. We came upon a one hour sailing "course" at the Marina and hopped onto a smaller (27 foot) sailboat (my son's was double that). We actually got to put the sails up and steer the boat. It made me want to go back and take a few sailing courses.

What a life that would be to be able to sail off whenever you needed to breathe! I think I could just sail away at times.....

We had lunch at our favorite cafe in Sidney (which we came upon last year).....

(http://www.sidneybusiness.com/directory/Red-Brick-Cafe.html)

Our favorite...Clam Chowder and The Salad.

After leaving Sidney we made our way up the Island, stopping at Rathtrevor Beach for the night. As funny as this may seem, I have never actually "watched the tide come in". I stood on rippled sand, watching the water come in quickly and filling the ripples up as the tide made its way to the exposed shore. I felt like a kid....watching something happen for the first time and wondering how it really does happen.

This was the first night we slept stretched out in sleeping bags in my van...listening to seals bark and different birds call out in the night. We awoke at 3am to lights shining into the van....a (friendly?) policeman wondering why someone from Alberta was parked oceanside. We slept til 6am and headed further up north to Qualicum.

My sister was my tour guide....and showed me an adorable place called Coombs, where we shopped here: http://www.oldcountrymarket.com/

That night we spent a bit and decided to stay in a seaside cottage....this was our view from the living room:

And this where we spent part of an afternoon, journalling, reading, and

thinking with our eyes closed;):

Hiking in Goldstream........

View from our van when we woke up and opened the back:

Meanwhile, my oldest was having a wonderful time sailing his boat and meeting a great group of friends. I think it was hard for us all to drive away from this beautiful part of our country.

One consolation...Adam wants to sail again next year.

We will go back.