Road Trip 2025 - Texada Island and Sunshine Coast

 The day Nick and JJ left us and headed back to their jobs in Regina, Nelson and I, along with Crystal and Jessie, caught the Salish Orca from Comox, Vancouver Island, to Powell River, on BC's Sunshine Coast. From there, we took the Island Discovery to Blubber Bay on Texada Island in the Strait of Georgia where we spent the night. 

Texada Island, British Columbia, 2025

Our Airbnb sat high on a cliff. So high in fact, that the above photo only shows the bottom half of the stairway to the beach. So high up even, that you can't even tell that Crystal and Jessie are down on the beach.

Texada Island, 2025, Strait of Georgia, BC

But the girls are there. Crystal had climbed on top of the huge driftwood to take a photo of something interesting, while Jessie's attention was drawn toward the setting sun. 

Texada Island, 2025, Strait of Georgia, BC

This photo that Crystal took of Jessie on the beach shows a rock picker's paradise with Vancouver Island in the background. 

The next morning we rushed around packing up our gear. It was going to be a wild day of ferries and driving between terminals as we explored BC's Sunshine Coast on our way back to Vancouver.

Island Discovery, 2025, Texada Island to Powell River, BC

Our first goal was the 6:00 am sailing of the Island Discovery at Blubber Bay, on the north end of Texada Island. The bad news was that we didn't make it by ten minutes. The good news was that we were near the front of the line for the 7:45 am ferry.

Sunshine Coast, 2025, British Columbia

The ferry crossing from Texada Island to Powell River took 40 mins. Back on the mainland, we drove south from Powell River, following the coast to the ferry terminal in Saltery Bay. The coast was lovely, but with another ferry departure time hanging in the balance, we took photos on the go and didn't stop until we reached the terminal.

Malaspina Sky, Saltery Bay to Earl's Cove, BC

We arrived at the Saltery Bay Terminal in good time for the 9:25 am sailing to Earl's Cove. The 50 minute trip on the Malaspina Sky wove between islands giving different perspectives and a chance to seek out marine life.

Harbour Porpoise, 2025, seen from the Malaspina Sky, BC

We were excited to spot a Harbour Porpoise in a small pod. We had seen whale blow holes on other ferries trips, but this was the first time we were close enough for a photo confirmation of anything from a ferry.

The ferry terminal at Earl's Cove is at the northern end of the Sechelt Peninsula. Once off the Malaspina Sky, it was a 90 min drive south to the next ferry at Langdale. Even though we had several hours to get there, we would still need several hours after that before we reached our next rental in Fort Langley, so we didn't dally and drove straight through Schelt which is on the isthmus that bridges the northern Sechelt peninsula with the rest of the BC mainland. 

Davis Bay Beach, 2025, Sunshine Coast, BC

We stopped to eat lunch at Davis Bay while eyeing the enticing beach across the highway. The Davis Bay Beach was empty of people, but full of rocks. Knowing our time was limited, we stretched our legs and cleared our stress away by walking the beach and hunting rocks. This wee stop at Davis Bay Beach was good for our health and spirit. 

Molly's Reach, 1981, Gibsons Landing, Sunshine Coast, BC

Following the Sunshine Coast highway, we wanted to make a brief stop in Gibsons to check out the harbour known as Gibsons Landing which is very familiar to anyone who watched one of CBC's longest-running shows The Beachcombers which ran from 1972 to 1990. On our 1981 visit to Gibsons Landing, we took the above photo of Molly's Reach. Back then we wanted to see inside the Reach, but it had been closed due to the filming schedule, so we explored the boat slips and satisfied ourselves with several photos of Nick's boat, Persephone, and Relic's old black speedboat.

Molly's Reach, 2025, Gibsons Landing, Sunshine Coast, BC

On this trip, we drove through Gibsons looking for the Gibsons Landing harbour and the iconic Molly's Reach...and there it was....new paint...as big as life...the huge Molly's Reach sign at the end of the street. With tourists milling around, eating on the patio, coming and going, Molly's Reach was open for business. Jonny Harris had featured Gibsons Landing on a recent Still Standing show, talking with the new owners of how cast members still swing by and autograph memorabilia. 

And now another TV series is being filmed in Gibsons Landing with Molly's Reach playing a major location setting. Global's crime drama series Murder in a Small Town shows the local Gibsons flavour by not only keeping Molly's Reach as a cafe, but using the Gibsons Public Library as a working library and another frequently used location setting. The first season rolled out in 2024 and the show has been renewed for its third season for 2026-2027. Local flavour indeed.

We wanted to stop and explore more this time around, but we had another ferry to catch, so I took the quick photo above and off we drove toward the terminal.

Queen of Coquitlam, 2025, Langdale to Horseshoe Bay, BC

We made it to the Langdale ferry terminal for the 2:05 pm sailing of the Queen of Coquitlam and our 40 minute ferry ride across Howe Sound. We arrived at the Horseshoe Bay terminal in North Vancouver with a 55 minute drive to Fort Langley still ahead, and then realized we were smack in the middle of rush hour traffic. 

It was evening when we finally reached our Fort Langley garden suite after an exciting day of travelling from Texada Island, down the Sunshine Coast, through the heavy traffic of Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey. Our new location was quiet, the weather calm, and oh...the lush garden that awaited us was a serene respite from the noise, stress, and rush of a very memorable day. 

Check back on Oct 1st for more of our secret garden, as well as pics of Fort Langley and BC's film and shipbuilding industries.

This post matches the images on the September calendar page. 

Road Trip 2025 - Gabriola Island

Gabriola Island was one of the main reasons we wanted to get back to British Columbia, and specifically Vancouver Island, to rediscover the wonderful windswept cliffs of the Malaspina Galleries. This post shows the 1981 photos from our initial visit to the island when Crystal was 2 yrs old, as well as our re-visited trip with Jessie, Nick, and JJ, who had been born since.

Malaspina Galleries, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

The short trail from the parking lot to the Malaspina Galleries Community Park was easy to handle with my walking sticks, but once I got to the viewpoint I realized I'd never be able to scamper out to the smooth rocky shore or climb down to visit the windswept cliffs myself. So again, I handed my camera to Nick and used my iPhone to capture whatever caught my fancy from the topside. Most times I could see Nelson and the kids. At other times I didn't know what they saw or did until after I uploaded my Nikon and their camera phones to my computer. Without fail, they did a fantastic job with their photography.

Malaspina Galleries, 1981, Gabriola Island, BC

The above photo shows how the windswept curves of the Malaspina Galleries looked on that low cloud level day of our first visit in 1981. 

Malaspina Galleries, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

Our 2025 revisit was late afternoon on a bright, sunny day. There wasn't much difference in the curves themselves, although the background had changed. The kids appeared to be in as much awe as we had been on our first visit all those years ago.

Malaspina Galleries, 1981, Gabriola Island, BC

Our second recreated photograph was based on the 1981 version above where Nelson is standing in an alcove with Crystal on his shoulders. This alcove was harder to locate in 2025, but I believe the image below shows we did indeed find the correct one.

Malaspina Galleries, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

Missing from the revisited alcove photo is Nick who was taking the photo for me while I waited up top wondering where they were all hiding. 

Malaspina Galleries, 1981, Gabriola Island, BC

The final recreated shot of our 1981 visit was based on this photo of Nelson and Crystal sitting on a rock and looking out toward Nanaimo on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Or, they might have spotted one of the many BC Ferries that keep people and traffic moving between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island, much like the one we traveled on.

Malaspina Galleries, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

The location of Nelson and Crystal sitting on a rock and looking outward was the hardest to find although this shot is pretty close, considering the background. Thank you to Nick for taking this photo of his dad and siblings. 

Malaspina Galleries, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

The photo above shows where the force of the winds carve the surf-like sandstone waves out from beneath the windswept cliffs. It truly is spectacular to see the trees rooted into soil on a rock base. The photo also shows where Nick sprang across open water to the rock where he took the photo of JJ, and later where the two of them took a selfie while standing on the same rock. 

Purple Sea Stars, 2025, Malaspina Galleries, Gabriola Island, BC

It was reassuring to see the Purple Sea Stars among the photos that Nick had taken with my Nikon while we were at Gabriola Island. Back in 1981 we'd seen our first ones on the other side of this same island, and with all the devastation of the sea star wasting disease in the years in between, I was relieved to see they have survived here on the island.

Malaspina Galleries Community Park, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

The Malaspina Galleries Community Park includes a stellar shoreline on the opposite side of the windswept cliffs which is where the family headed off to explore next. I barely kept myself from struggling down from my perch to join them as they walked on massive rocks smoothed by wind and waves. 

Malaspina Galleries Community Park, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

Can you believe the textures revealed when the tide goes out on Gabriola Island? I'm definitely turning this photo above into one of my online jidigi puzzles. 

Malaspina Galleries Community Park, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

And here's another one I'd like to puzzle solve...it looks like a stone whale, doesn't it? And is it really looking at a stone turtle? Come on, put your imagination to work. These are the images I love photographing in nature...things so out of place and yet not man-made. I feel blessed when I spot these surprises and marvel at the world God has crafted for us. 

Arbutus menziesil, Gabriola Sands Provincial Park, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

Late afternoon had passed and we were into the evening hours when we drove a few minutes down the road to check out the Gabriola Sands Provincial Park beach. The Gabriola Sands Provincial Park shares the same bay as the windswept cliffs. As soon as we parked the car, my eyes were drawn to where the green trunk of the arbutus tree announced where the trail started...or was it guarding the trail? It was my first encounter with the broadleaf evergreen tree which is native to coastal regions of BC. Such a gorgeous green. 

Gabriola Sands Provincial Park, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

The Gabriola Sands shore has less rocks and more of a sandy, algae, crushed shell feeling. Shallow tidal pools are numerous, holding anemones, limpets, barnacles and a whole lot of broken shells. 

Gabriola Sands Provincial Park, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

And yet the same smooth rocks line the shore, holding up the forest away from the tides as best it can. There are treasures on this beach as well. In the above photo, Jessie is looking at a rock within a sandstone layer or ledge. Who knows how long the elements have eaten away from the rock with its different composition? How long will it take before the rock is free? What will we find if we revisit Gabriola Island in another 25 years? 

Nanaimo to Gabriola Island BC Ferry, 2025, Gabriola Island, BC

With the BC Ferry approaching to take us back to Nanaimo, we head for the terminal. Our revisit to Gabriola Island had exceeded our expectations as we introduced this generation to the unique windswept cliffs that make up the Malaspina Galleries of Gabriola Island.

This was our last full day of vacation with the six of us together. The next morning, Nick and JJ headed homeward where work awaited leaving the rest of us to continue our journey along British Columbia's Sunshine Coast. Join us for that adventure when it posts on September 1st.

This Gabriola Island post corresponds to the August 2025 calendar page.

Road Trip 2025 - Nanoose Bay - Part 2

 

This is the 2nd post to follow our stay in Nanoose Bay on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Part 1 was the discovery of Brickyard Community Park with its sweeping views of the Winchelsea Islands.

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

Our Airbnb was so close to Brickyard Community Park that it's to the immediate right of the above photo. After exploring the park, we took a breather on the flagstone patio of our new digs to drink in the views of the Ballenas-Winchelsea Archipelago where the nineteen Winchelsea Islands are found. 

Harbour Seal, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

Can a rocky island be classified an island if it's only visible when the tide is out? In the above photo, this Harbour seal was often seen in different poses when we could see the rock itself. Then as the water rose and covered the rock, the seal would slip into the water and we wouldn't see it for hours until the rock appeared once again. 

Great Blue Heron, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

We saw a few Great Blue herons fly past, close to shore, so elegant and quick it was hard to take a photo due to the trees scattered around the patio. By locking onto the heron with my camera and ignoring everything else, I managed to take a video which produced the screenshot of the flying heron you see in the above image.

Winchelsea Islands, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

After supper I sat on the curved stone bench near the patio chairs and gazed at the view. It didn't take long before I caught Crystal lightly jumping from rock to rock heading down to the water with JJ not far behind. When they stopped, I was able to capture a photo of them with some of the islands, although I didn't know they even had names at that point. 

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

As Crystal and JJ followed the shore to the left, I heard some noises on my left and caught Jessie making her way down the rocks to join her siblings. Nick followed her down soon after.

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

And then Nelson headed down. All of them, exploring a large stone surface that reminded me of the Canadian Shield. The area looks easy to get to in the above photo, but we found out the next day that it was only because the tide was out. With the tide in, the area became another rocky island.

Purple Sea Stars, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

While they explored their strange new world, JJ managed to snap photos of purple sea stars clinging to the underwater rocks. Purple sea stars can be several colours. How many sea stars can you find in the above photo? I can see four, but there could be more. We were happy to see that they'd survived the Sea Star Wasting Disease we mentioned in our post Botanical Beach Part 2. 

Green Sea Urchin shell, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

Meanwhile, Nelson's camera captured this shell from a Green Sea Urchin. Our Botanical Beach posts on Vancouver Island's west coast shows some great photos of purple and green sea urchins. 

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

I dawdled around the patio taking photos of water, rocks and trees while waiting for them to return. My phone buzzed and I got a text message from Nelson to look down. And there he was surrounded by our children, posing for a photo with the Winchelsea Islands in the Strait of Georgia behind them, and further across to British Columbia's Sunshine Coast. 

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

On the water, we saw paddle boards, canoes, speedboats, and a cruise ship. The above screenshot was taken from video of two kayakers who effortlessly dipped their paddles into the water and spoke in quiet voices without disturbing the resting gull.

Winchelsea Islands, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

I was up early the next morning taking photos of the sunrise. Low tide seemed to be around that 7 am mark and I saw rock formations I hadn't taken notice of before. 

Bald Eagle, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

On an island near the Brickyard Community park was a Bald Eagle that stood there for the longest time staring out across the water. I tried to zoom in closer but I was at the end of my zoom length and this was the best photo before it got blocky and pixelated. 

Common Loon, 2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

A Common Loon floated by. I held my breath in anticipation of its haunting call, but their was no yodel, wail, hoot, or tremolo that everyone associates with the wilderness. Perhaps because I wasn't in the wilderness...just sitting on a stone bench on a flagstone patio enjoying the beauty of the Winchelsea Islands near a busy tourist area. 

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

My last photo of our Nanoose Bay visit leaves me with the fond memory of enjoying happy times at our Airbnb oasis. It truly is a blessing to share beauty, fun, and educational family times like this. 

Photos from Nanoose Bay, BC correlate to the July calendar page.

Come back and visit when our next post comes out on August 1st as we revisit Gabriola Island's unique windswept geologic formations.

Road Trip 2025 - Nanoose Bay - Part 1

 

My last 3 posts covered our adventurous yet relaxing day in Cowichan Bay on the eastern side of Vancouver Island. For this new adventure we drove a couple hours up the coast to Nanoose Bay which served as base camp for our visits to Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Park, Horne Lake Caves, and Goats on the Roof in Coombs. From here, we'll also revisit Gabriola Island to see how it has changed in the last 40 years and you can read it here on August 1st. 

2025, Brickyard Community Park, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

With only 85 kms between Cowichan Bay and Nanoose Bay, we arrived early and decided to explore the nearby Brickyard Community Park. Well, I say we, but because of the rocky terrain, I stayed in the parking lot while Nelson and the kids checked out the park, so they get the credit for all these jaw-dropping photos. 

2025, Brickyard Community Park, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

As I checked my camera later that evening, I couldn't stop gushing over the images from Brickyard Community Park. The one of Jessie admiring the view seemed to set the world at her feet. Of course, I didn't know what was actually at her feet, but she looks quite stable from this angle. 

2025, Brickyard Community Park, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

But my heart jumped when I saw this photo of JJ relaxing on the same rock that I had just admired Jessie sitting on. Talk about an angle change! I don't want to think of how he got there, or how he got off, but the image of his pose is striking above the brilliant bluey green of the Strait of Georgia. 

As a side note, I used Jigidi to turn the above photo into a jigsaw puzzle and received a very nice comment saying that these are the Winchelsea Islands. Of course I had to research that and discovered that the islands make up the "unique ecology and diverse ecosystems" of the Ballenas-Winchelsea Archipelago. For more information about these islands, which ones are available for camping, hiking, etc, check out this Winchelsea Islands website.

2025, Brickyard Community Park, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

And where was Nelson while our kids were hanging out on the rocks? Well, from the above photo, it looks like he was playing mountain goat himself. Honestly, that climbing gene is not from my side of the family. Oh, and there goes JJ skipping down the rocks with agility calling, "Dad! Where ya goin'?"

2025, Brickyard Community Park, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

The above image was taken at Brickyard Community Park and shows the mountains of British Columbia's Sunshine Coast across the Strait of Georgia. With the ebb and flood currents of the tide, and numerous watercraft using the liquid highway, the view is always beautiful and changing. 

2025, Purple Sea Stars, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

We showed images of purple sea stars and explored the sea star wasting disease in our posts on the Botanical Beach while visiting the western side of Vancouver Island. We were glad to find them here on the eastern side as well, where we first discovered them on our 1981 trip to Vancouver Island. 

2025, Purple Sea Star, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

Did you know that sea stars wear pajamas? Actually, in the above photo, the sea stars' fifth arm is clinging to the back side of the rocks, but I can't look at this image without thinking the sea star is wearing a sleeper, or onesie, as some people call it. 

2025, Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC

After exploring the park, Nelson and the kids made it back to the parking lot and we headed off to our nearby Airbnb. It was so close in fact, that you can see the park through the gap between the trees on the left side of the above photo. On the right side of the photo, you can see the stone steps winding down from the driveway to the patio. 

On July 15th, Nanoose Bay Part 2 will feature the scenic views, wildlife, and personal interest photos of our stay at this calm and beautiful natural retreat

Photos from Nanoose Bay, BC correlate to the July calendar page.