August 18


West in Canada

View from Mt.Maxwell, Salt Spring Island

Our time was up in 2009 and we had to get out of the U.S. before we turned to "illegal aliens". But it was just the  beginning of march and Alberta was off limits. The warmest spot in Canada was the coast of British Columbia. 

On the ferry from Salt Spring Island to Crofton

After spending 3 weeks on Salt Spring Island, mostly in the rain, (we had some snow as well...) we moved over to Crofton on Vancouver Island. We had never explored the island and by now we were having the last week of march, so we could rightly expect some signs of spring. We had very nice day trips over the island and one day we visited Mc.Millan Prov.Park. 

MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island is famous for Cathedral Grove, one of the most accessible stands of giant Douglas-fir trees in British Columbia. A stroll on the network of trails meandering through the towering ancient Douglas-firs, some of which are more than 800 years old, can be quite an inspirational experience.

Loop trails on either side of the highway lead awe-struck visitors through the mighty forest stands. The south loop showcases the largest Douglas-fir trees, with the biggest one measuring over 9 metres in circumference. The trail on the northern side of the road winds through groves of ancient Western Red Cedar to the shores of Cameron Lake.

This wondrous display of Douglas-fir, Western Hemlock, Grand fir and Western Red Cedar has been undergoing the restoration of its trails since a severe windstorm damaged several sections of the park in January 1997.
Although visitors will now find many of these huge trees lying on the ground, their value has not diminished. These fallen trees open the canopy to provide light, space, shelter and nutrients for the next generations of plants. Natural regeneration is beginning to restore the Cathedral Grove's pristine beauty, and the park's diversity, making a visit to Cathedral Grove all the more intriguing.

Protests by environmental group have unfortunately failed to stop logging companies clear-cutting trees right up to the park boundary, thereby threatening the park ecosystem and destroying the wind barrier so necessary to prevent future blowdowns.
In restoring the trails, sections of some fallen trees were removed, offering a close-up opportunity for the curious to count the annual rings. Determine their age for yourself! Many species of wildlife use the old-growth forest as their home, including several types of woodpeckers, owls, insects, reptiles, amphibians, deer, elk, black bear and cougar. The Cameron River, which flows through the park, contains rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout.
The well-known forester, H.R. MacMillan, donated the 136 hectares of land in 1944 for the perpetual enjoyment of the public in recognition of the unique stand of trees. The area was established as a provincial park three years later, and expanded in size in the spring of 2005.
Park facilities are limited to pit toilets located on either side of Hwy #4, next to the parking lot. Once you have had your fill of these wonderful trees, you can swim or fish in Cameron Lake, picnic along its shores or hike to neighbouring Little Qualicum Falls Park.

The 157-hectare MacMillan Provincial Park is located on both sides of the Tofino Highway 4 on the shores of Cameron Lake, 19 miles (30 km) west of Parksville and 10 miles (16 km) east of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In case you want to go there...:-))

CANADA on my mind

We had many good days in the Land of the Midnight Sun, but from time to time I still thought of my dream, about Canada.
My Grandma had a brother who had emigrated to Canada in the early fifties and I had been wondering whether I had inherited his genes and wanderlust. Anyway, in 1984 my auntie and uncle were planning to go see the family in Vancouver, BC. Their son, my cousin, was going to be with them as well, and when I heard about this I asked whether I could be with them too. It was my first real chance to see the country of my dreams.

They agreed, and I had to get myself over to Germany from where the flight was booked.

We had wonderful 6 weeks in British Columbia and Washington State. In Washington, we visited Mt. St. Helens where the area was still charred from the fires after the volcanic eruption 4 years earlier, we saw the Olympic Peninsula with its rain forest, and we drove up to Paradise (still covered in snow) at the Mt. Rainier National Park, and despite the fact that it was July, our attempt to get to the top of Mt. Baker, just south of the border to Canada, was stopped by 10ft. of snow on the road!

In British Columbia and Alberta, we visited the great Canadian National Parks like Yoho, Banff and Jasper Parks. What amazed me most was the Icefield Parkway which connects Jasper National Park with Banff National Park.

Mt.Edith Cavell

Lake Louise had always been one of my most desired destinations in the world, but, seeing it, also Moraine Lake was a true treasure.

When we camped in Jasper, auntie and my cousin were sleeping in the rented station wagon, while I had a tent to myself. We had been warned about bears strolling through camp so as my own personal measure of defense, I had a long knife under my pillow!! In the evening we were visiting a Ranger Program at the auditorium, which they have out in the open.


Lake Louise

The Ranger was just talking about grizzlies, showing impressive bear pictures on a big slide show screen, when all-of-a-sudden a murmur started and then all the people got up from their seats. Just below, not even 30 yards from the seat rows, lumbered a grizzly along. Everybody was in awe and I bet they paid a lot more attention to what was said about local wildlife after that.


Grizzly

The day after, we heard that the bear had destroyed a tent which, thankfully, was unoccupied at the time.

Rangers came with a bear trap and the evening after, we had just returned from a trip to Mt. Edith Cavell, a bear had gotten into the trap and was answering our curious looks through the door grate,with furious growls.

Of course this trip to Canada fueled the dreams of my youth and was even more determined that ONE DAY I was gonna make it to Canada for good.

Read how it finally happened many, many years later tomorrow.