Vingo.ca Vancouver Island Life

Spawning Salmon on Courtenay's Puntledge River

2011-10-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

I was working up in Courtenay on a late October day and managed to steal a few moments for a stroll along the Puntledge River. The river runs right through downtown and there are a number of public trails along the river you can access.

It was great timing for me as I got to witness some of the last throes of the Chum salmon spawn. Gulls were fat and feeding on the carcasses that littered the river bank, but some of the salmon were still engaged in their annual spawn.

Trip to Cumberland, BC, to see No Means No and Ford Pier

2011-09-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

We took a short road trip up to Cumberland for a taste of the big city, a rare chance to enjoy a couple of rock bands from Vancouver we knew well from the old days. Cumberland is about an hour north of Parksville, or an hour and a half from the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal, but unlike its sister cities, Courtenay and Comox, it's inland off the highway. It's an old coal mining town with a long history and a quaint old-timey feel.

We started off at the Fanny Bay Inn, or FBI as it's known to the locals. My companion had a half dozen oysters on the half shell and a seafood wrap, and I couldn't pass up the $13.95 baron of beef buffet with real Yorkshire pudding and a spicy horseradish. It was a beautiful late summer evening so we ate in the outside patio yard with a view of the Strait.

Cumberland has a more youthful population than does the town where I'm from, so they tend to get more original touring acts, including the feature this week of No Means No with the Ford Pier Vengeance Trio. The Waverley is a great bar for music, a nice warm wooden room with decent sound and delicious and cold craft and Island beers, including Philips Blue Buck and Tree Brewing's Thirsty Beaver at a reasonable price.

We solved the problem of deciding who would drive home after the show by booking a room at the Riding Fool Hostel just around the corner from the bar. The hostel caters to the mountain bike and ski crowd, as close as it is to Mount Washington and the trails around. You can sleep in a dorm for $23. or get a private room with a double bed for $60.00. The building also houses Dodge City Cycles. I hope we didn't wake any of the other sleepers by playing pool too loud at 2 a.m. in the large common area.

The purpose of this blog is not to act as a source of music or gig reviews, suffice it to say that both acts blew my mind with the intensity and sophistication of their music, but Cumberland, and the Waverley, proved themselves fantastic spots for a gig of any kind, including their annual Big Time Out.

Hornby Island Bliss, Discovery Island Paradise

2011-07-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

It takes two ferries to get to Hornby Island, located off the East Coast of Vancouver Island about halfway between Parksville and Courtenay. The first ferry takes you to Denman, followed by a short island drive to the next terminal. $80.00 was the return fare for our car and two passengers and takes a total of less than an hour.

Hornby is typical of the Gulf and Discovery Islands, attracting an artistic and creative population. The island is dotted with artisan studios and organic farms, self-built houses and serene cottages.

We stayed at the Ford's Cove Marina and Campground, essentially at the end of the main road after getting off the ferry. It's a small campground with perhaps a dozen sites and as many cabins for rent, while featuring flush toilets and pay showers. There's a store on-site that offers pretty much everything you could possibly need while camping, and an espresso machine to boot. There's also a small food-stand restaurant that we didn't have time to try and a scuba operation. It is a marina so there are plenty of boats to peruse.

Some of the must-see attractions on Hornby include the Cardboard Bakery, a quaint little restaurant and artisan market that specializes in pizza and baked goods situated on the beautiful grounds of an orchard and garden. There is often live music in the garden on a Saturday afternoon, and other events can take place depending on your timing and good fortune.

The Co-Op, down the road is next to Tribune Bay Provincial Park, with its beautiful beach that attracts many tourists. The Co-op sells just about everything, including liquor, hardware, groceries and camp supplies. Outside the main building is a circle of markets, bookstores, bike rentals, cafes and restaurants, a true meeting place for the locals and tourists alike. There is a pub and restaurant by the ferry terminal.

Other services and attractions include Bradsdadsland Campbground, Whaling Station Bay, Helliwell Provincial Park, wineries, kayaking and scuba. The geology of the island is fascinating and a walk along the coast features many interesting sandstone formations carved by the force of the ocean. The island is a mecca for mountain bikers and the many trails are popular for all skill levels.

Nanaimo's Lighthouse Pub & Bistro

2010-04-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

It was not a great performance for Nanaimo’s LIghthouse Bistro and Pub this week, and a crying shame too, because the restaurant is in an incredible location and might be something quite special. It’s right on the Nanaimo waterfront looking out on Protection Island and a working-boat marina (the pleasure craft are around the point in another bay). The evening started hopefully enough, I had to walk through various dragon boat teams warming up for their weekly practice just to get into the restaurant “Alright,” I thought, “Dinner and a show,”

The bistro downstairs is probably a little more elegant, but I chose the pub upstairs so I could watch the hockey game. I assumed the pub was connected with Victoria’s Lighthouse microbrewery, so I was hoping for a good solid craft brew. Instead I was informed they had Canadian, Bud, Kokanee and some other watery blonde imposter.

I ordered the special, halibut and chips and though the fish was fresh it was also dry, the batter was tasteless and the cole slaw congealed. The fries were cold, the gravy too dark and corn starchy. Even the waiter was a little twitchy.

A visit to their website showed they do everything about the same as their beer and food. The site hasn’t been updated since 2009 and the web design company even spelled their own name wrong.

All in all a bit of a disappointment, but I'm willing to give them another try, so long as the Dragon Boaters do too.

Surfing Tofino, the Ultimate West Coast Experience

2010-04-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

I took my first ever crack at surfing this week, thanks to a glorious turn of weather on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Tofino is close enough to my home in Parksville on the island’s east Coast that we can comfortably squeeze in a short 2 night jaunt. It’s just over a two hour drive, spectacular, though a little hairy too. March is a good time to visit the coast with it’s migrating whale populations, storm surges and potentially spring-ish weather. They don’t call it shoulder season here, they call it ‘regular season’ instead, but the hotel rates are close to half of what they are in the summer and the crowds are far more manageable.

We picked up our gear from the good people at Pacific Surf School, located at 430 Campbell St. in downtown Tofino. There are many surf shops in town but we like this one the best, with its helpful and knowledgeable staff, great location and quality gear. It probably has one of the finer websites in town and it’s also right next door to the coffee shop / bakery where you can stock up on sticky buns before you load up your gear.

We headed to north Chesterman beach a few miles down the coast. It had been pretty stormy in days previous, though this day was bright and sunny and fairly warm for mid-march. As a result the surf was pretty intense, or trashy as the locals might call it.

We probably should have opted for the lesson at the Surf School, or at least some instruction in wetsuit application. Of the four of us, two adults and two children, two of us put their wetsuits on backwards and three of us put them on inside out. Our youngest even tried to put his leg in the armhole It took me three nearly completed attempts to finally succeed, and then I realized I had to pee.

The ocean was amazing and comfortable to be in, thanks to the wetsuits. I enjoyed paddling around and splashing in the waves, but there was no way I could get up on my feet, my bad shoulder so weak and painful that I could barely push myself up to kneeling. It didn’t matter though, just to feel the power of the ocean and frolic in the waves on the surfboard was an incredible experience. We were all grinning from ear to ear and the kids actually did much better than we adults, as usual.

We had a picnic lunch on the beach and enjoyed the spectacular setting of this West-Coast treasure, promising yet again to take more advantage of the beauty we live so close to.

2 Nights at the Terrace Beach Resort, Ucluelet BC

2010-03-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

The Terrace Beach Resort is located on a rocky coastline to the south of Ucluelet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, BC. The town is a short and spectacular 3 hour drive from Nanaimo’s Departure Bay ferry terminal. Thought of as Tofino's ugly sister, Ucluelet’s relative obscurity comes down to the fact that nobody can spell or pronounce the town’s name, and has nothing at all to do with its setting or services.

The resort consists of a number of buildings holding ocean-view lofts and suites as well as 10 small cabins, all with ocean glimpses through the huge fir and cedar trees around Terrace Bay. Our cabin had three floors, 4 beds and a kitchenette, so the value was very good for our two families. The private outdoor hot tub was more than welcome after our blustery nature walks and surfing adventures.

The architecture and engineering is to be commended, with the entire complex being raised on concrete footings and wooden pilings, giving it a bit of a treehouse effect in the heart of the rainforest. The main building is clad with shiny aluminum, an aesthetic departure from the traditional cedar planking of the West Coast style. The cabins are built with local wood in a rustic fashion, some of the beams reaching 8 by 18 inches wide. The rooms are well-appointed and comfortable, though the main attraction lies outside the cabin’s doors.

The resort is literally on the doorstep of the Wild Pacific Trail, a series of short and easily walkable coastal trails around the Ucluelet area. This is west-coast rainforest, best described as unstoppable. There is an eagle nest in one of the trees on the property, and we were awoken by the sound of their early morning cries. We were here in mid-March, just days after the annual Whale Festival took place, and we could hear what my companions swore was the call of the whales at night. In daylight we could see their spray off the shore, though none of the grey whales breached as they proceeded with their annual migration.

March is storm season on the West Coast, and the surf can be spectacular on this rocky part of the coastline. It’s also low-season in the hotels, so the resort was far from crowded, and the rate was roughly half what it would be in July and August. Though we had a chance to surf Chesterman Beach we would have enjoyed more time to explore this wild coast and some of the other many opportunities for adventure and attitude adjustment available here, just steps from some of the last untamed beauty on the planet.

Vingo's back on Vancouver Island Time

2010-03-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

It may seem as though Vingo's blog, and the directory connected had been all but abandoned these past few years. On the contrary, while the blog has been quiet we've been steadily adding to our list of the Island's finest websites on an almost daily basis. As of today we've reached a total of over 627 individual links, comprising everything from fishing charters to home services to first nations arts and culture to family fun, b&b's and everything in between.

My name is Dan LaRocque and I've steadily and singlehandedly built this site starting in July 2007. We were off the island for a year, driven to Ontario for family obligations, but we're back, wondering why we ever left, and looking forward to exploring this fine island in an even more in-depth basis for many years to come.

Besides my work as a web developer and search engine specialist I am also a mobile Apple computer service tech, travelling up and down the Island on a regular basis, performing Macinstosh computer upgrades, training and support. I go from Victoria to Campbell River to Port Alberni, Ucluelet and back to my home base in Parksville.

I've lived on the island for 10 years. My youngest son was born here. Both my children play hockey and we spend our winters driving to most of the arenas here on the island, including JDF, Racquet Club, Powell River, Port Alberni, Campbell River, Fuller Lake and everywhere in between. Our summers we spend camping, hiking, biking and exploring the spectacular and grandiose outdoors, arts, restaurants and culture this Island has to offer.

Tigh Na Mara Resort and Spa

2008-11-13T10:47:00.001-08:00

We had the opportunity to celebrate a special occasion with a night at the Tigh Na Mara resort and spa. This jewel of a resort is perched on a bluff overlooking the beautiful Georgia Strait just south of Rathtrevor Park and the town of Parksville.

The resort gives the impression of a well-established local landmark. It's sited on almost 22 acres of well-groomed rainforest landscape, with quaint log cabins, some newer well-thought out constructions and a couple of oceanfront 3 story buildings, one of which housed our room.

The room was clean and quaint, with rich wood panelling and tasteful furniture. The view was spectacular, looking out over the beach and the ocean. On a blustery October day it was just enough to lay in bed and imagine how spectacular it might be on a sunny July afternoon.

We enjoyed the Grotto spa (an unflattering name in my opinion) with its large public mineral bath and outlandish décor, after which we snacked at the Treetop Tapas & Grill. Dining in our bathrobes did not seem too extravagant or silly, but dining in a room with a dozen others, mostly middle aged women, kinda did. My wife booked a manicure and facial and reported her satisfaction on the treatment and service.

The rest of the night was spent enjoying the gas fireplace and luxurious bedding in our room. Were we lucky enough to enjoy better weather we might have checked out the beach, the tennis court, the poolhouse or just strolled through the grounds. As it was we hunkered down in comfort and watched the tide come in from the comfort of our bed.

The Fairwinds Community, Nanoose Bay, BC

2008-10-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Fairwinds Community at Nanoose Bay, BC is an innovative 1,350 acre development designed in harmony with the beauty of its surroundings.

Conveniently located between Nanaimo and Parksville, warmed by the ocean and sheltered by mountains, Fairwinds is blessed with Canada's mildest climate - a master-planned waterfront community offering breath-taking location and world-class amenities. Golf, sail, kayak, hike, walk - it's all here. As they say at Fairwinds, it's a lifestyle that allows you to Live Here and Live More.

Community and lifestyle identify people living at Fairwinds. They talk continually about the fun of daily activities, be it on the water, golf course, at the Fairwinds Centre, walking on the miles of meandering paths or just indulging in quiet time.
It is a vibrant and active community passionate about the surrounding environment and many groups are involved in water conservation, stream clean-up and other sustainability issues.

The Fairwinds Golf Club has established itself as one of Vancouver Island's finest courses. Designed by renowned architect, Les Ferber, it was voted 1999 Facility of the Year and continually receives accolades in prominent golf publications. Towering fir and rare Garry oak trees along with the spectacular ocean views and abundant wildlife provide the backdrop for lush, manicured fairways, natural lakes and challenging bunkers. Facilities, programs and events are extensive and due to the mild climate, available year-round. When the International Association of Golf Tour Operators selected BC as the "2004 Undiscovered Golf Destination in the World", they probably had Fairwinds in mind.

Nestled on the water's edge on the Nanoose peninsula, Schooner Cove Marina offers visitors and residents a 360 slip, full service marina for vessels up to 150 feet.
In addition, there is a pub, coffee shop, liquor store, power, water, gas/diesel pumps and laundry/shower facilities. No room for golf clubs on the boat? The nearby Fairwinds Golf Club offers free rental clubs to overnight marina guests with the purchase of a full rate green fee.

At the heart of the community is the Fairwinds Centre - a stunning example of west coast architecture featuring high ceilings, wood beams and warm colors. The facility is a popular meeting place for area residents looking to improve fitness, socialize or relax. Amenities include a 20 metre indoor saltwater pool, hot tub and sauna, fully equipped exercise room, gymnasium, tennis court, billiards and card room and library with fireplace. The location is perfect for community events such as the annual Christmas Craft Fair, Water Conservation Fair, and local art exhibits.

Fairwinds of the future is an exciting on-going development. The community has the opportunity to become one of the finest oceanfront residential areas on the island - or anywhere, for that matter. The future vision is a community centered around a village that unites the area's forested uplands with the ocean. A community with golf, trails and an endless array of recreational opportunities. The new Schooner Cove Village will see a new seaside village with public access to the waterfront and a vibrant mix of community-oriented retail shops, services and food & beverage establishments along with residential apartment homes. The goal is to build on the Official Community Plan to deliver sustainability and a high quality of life for residents. Whether you are looking for a new state-of-the-art patio home within walking distance to amenities, an exclusive waterfront residence or a large estate property, the Fairwinds community has what you are looking for. As they say, Living - it's what Fairwinds is all about.

Acme Food Company Review, and Last Day of Westjet's Seat Sale

2008-10-01T04:05:00.000-07:00

Today's the last day of Westjet's big fall seat sale, save up to 40% flying into or out of Comox or Victoria, or lots of other destinations for that matter. EXTRA LOW airfares to Canada and the U.S. today only. Only at westjet.com.

It had been probably about 2 years since I went to Acme Food Co in Nanaimo, located at 14 Commerical St in Nanaimo. It's in a prime location - situated in the lovely downtown core directly across from the new Vancouver Island Conference Center. We decided to do lunch, expecting it to be less busy. At 1pm the place was rather bustling and the smells made the mouth water. The waitress was prompt and took our drink order right away. She was pleasant, friendly and quick despite how busy it was. We ordered a hot tuna roll as an appetizer, I was determined to make my mother enjoy sushi. It appeared quickly and looked marvelous. It was lightly battered, with chipotle mayo and teriyaki sauce - smothered in sweet chili salsa. It tasted even better! I've been to every sushi place in town and this was tops for sushi rolls. Amazingly enough my mother (an avid sushi hater) enjoyed it too! For our main entree we ordered the 2 for 1 Acme burgers, one with fries and one with caesar salad. The burgers come with cheese bacon and slathered in chipotle mayo (delicious!). The burgers were picturesque and they were perfect for satisfying a burger craving. I noticed they've changed their menu since the last time I was there and they offer lots of new and enticing looking meals that I will definitely have to go test out soon!

Metric Video Footage From the Big Time Out

2008-09-19T04:29:00.000-07:00

As promised, here's a little video footage from The Big Time Out in Cumberland, BC. It features Emily Haines and Metric opening the show with the song Dead Disco. I really can't say enough about this great event put on by the people of Cumberland that should serve as an example to all the communities of Vancouver Island. Let the people play, treat them with respect, and everything will work out fine.

Welcome September - What a Vancouver Island Summer!

2008-09-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Fall has arrived and the new year brings a new post for ol' Vingo. After a summer filled with beaches, beaches and more beaches I finally have a moment to write about some of the Vancouver Island fun I've been having. From Cumberland's Big Time Out, to another magical Filberg Festival, to Parksville's Sand Castle competitions, to the Qualicum Beach Triathlon to Victoria's Pride Festival, the summer offered incredible weather for anyone who likes to soak up the Vancouver Island Experience.

One of the highlights of the summer had to be Cumberland's Big Time Out Music Festival. I was so impressed by the achievement of this funky little town that welcomed interesting music and characters to take over the streets for an entire weekend. A respectable amount of public drunkenness was encouraged as was great music including Toronto's wonderful Metric, plus De La Soul, Matisyahu, and You Say Party, We Say Die.. Even the food was great, with many family activities and diversions for all. Way to go Cumberland!

And the beaches. What beaches! The weather was perfect for copious trips to the many perfect swimming spots, lakes and rivers within a close vicinity of my home in Parksville.

I'll be going through my many video-tapes to help jar the old memory banks and share some of the beauty Vancouver Island has to offer.

Kids Eat Bugs - Hockey Team Visits the Bug Zoo

2008-03-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

We just had our last trip with the novice hockey team, an Easter weekend tournament down in Victoria. One of the highlights was our trip to the Bug Zoo on Courtenay and Douglas. The kids loved handling the beetles and spiders and various creepy crawlies. The place had knowledgeable tour guides, interesting displays and a gift shop where you can buy chocolate covered ants, cricket lickit lollipops and these scrumptious little larva snacks. What kid can resist a chance to gross out the girls?

New Tofino Pics and Video

2008-02-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

Had an enjoyable but quick overnight to Tofino, a spectacular destination on Vancouver Island's wild west coast. There's usually storm watching at this time of year but we were blessed with some fantastic sunny weather. Unfortunately my young city girl traveling companion was neither stoic nor adventurous, nor even appropriately dressed.

I soldiered on and had the best time I could under the circumstances. Though I saw some $49.00 and $58.00 specials posted I opted to spend the extra dollars on comfort. The Weigh West I stayed in had walk-in specials too. Very nice room, it's ocean front and holds the Dockside Pub and restaurant. It was a really fun little pub for dinner and afterwards. The whole town seems to be full of attractive young women which I appreciate, coming from a retirement / young family community such as Parksville.The hotel/resort also offers whale watching, bear watching , fishing excursions and more from their Dockside location. They're just gearing up for their summer hire and expect March to pick up substantially with the annual Pacific Rim Whalefest.

Here is an image gallery and HD West-Coast sunset video taken at one of the most spectacular locations in the world, MacKenzie Beach, Vancouver Island.

First Snowdrop of the Season

2008-02-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

February 4th and here's a picture of the first snowdrop of the season. Quite late, if I'm not mistaken, seen here actually poking its head out of the snow at the tail end of one the colder winters I can remember. It's been hovering between -4 and plus 4 celcius for most of January around Parksville on Vancouver Island. The sight of it makes me think of spring and all the outdoor chores I'm looking forward to, pruning fruit trees, planting my hedge and generally crawling out from hibernation. When not at the rink, I prefer to spend my winters in front of the fire.

The sight of it also got me thinking of the summer to come, and in that spirit I finally got around to some footage from last year's vacation at Pacific Playgrounds Campground and RV Park. We had a great time there, hanging by the pool, tubing down Oyster River, strolling on the beach , biking around the campground and enjoying the family fun it offers.

For more Vancouver Island travel and tourism attractions and recommendations, visit http://www.vingo.ca

Sometimes Life's Like That - A Weekend in Victoria

2007-12-17T13:28:00.001-08:00

I was really looking forward to my weekend in Victoria, brought there for a two day clinic unrelated to Vingo. Unfortunately, things didn't all turn out the way I had hoped.

It started when we got to the hotel and realized I had forgotten my suitcase at home. I remembered everything else, laptop, camera bag, hockey gear, rubber boots, raincoat, spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch. Wouldn't you know it? So instead of catching the last of the daylight at the inner harbour as we had planned, we had to get to the mall for a change of underwear, socks and a shirt for the evening's revelry.

Things didn't get better once I checked into the City Centre Traveller's Inn to find I couldn't get my wireless internet connectivity up. The front desk couldn't help and reminded me they can only guarantee that I can log on, connectivity is another matter beyond their in control. The hotel's in the middle of some badly needed renovations and there was minor mess and chaos about. We were in a hurry to hit the town and I decided to just take my lumps and check out the next day for something better.

I wanted to try the Caribbean restaurant, The Reef, due to their very creative and exciting website. Fun atmosphere, good music, service, and the food was very satisfying. I had Jamaican jerk chicken and some delicous prawns. Well worth a visit.

Then on to an early evening house party, and from there to the Fox Lounge 'showroom'. Showroom is a fancy word for strip bar. Strip bars have changed, at least around here. and the place was jumping with young people, couples and groups of partiers here as a saucy prelude to the rest of their night. Upstairs is the V Lounge, a very tasteful dance club full of good looking UVIc students and such. I've enjoyed dancing here in the past, be we headed instead from the peelers to the gay bar, Prism, on Johnson Street, a favorite destination of my travelling companion. Is was alright, the music wasn't loud enough and there wasn't much atmosphere but who can complain about drinking and dancing with a gaggle of lesbians.

I got my 6:45 am wakeup Saturday morning and spent the day at a hockey coaching clinic, stopping to lunch at Maude Hunter's pub on Shelbourne St. Typical pub food and the beer was good. I missed my chance to check out of the hotel, rushed as I was in the morning, not to mention that my travelling companion got lucky the night before and probably wouldn't be back in time for checkout time to pick up her stuff.

That evening, after a much needed nap, I headed to Swan's, a spectacular boutique art hotel with a brewpub and bistro, set in what amounts to an art gallery containing some 1600 pieces from the founder, Michael Williams Legacy Collection. Kudos to them for not having any TV's in the bar, however I was hoping to watch the hockey game and so headed around the corner to the first pub I could find.

Steamers was dead at 7:00 pm, everyone still busy doing their Christmas shopping, but the game was on, the wings were hot and the beer was cold. A longtime live music venue, Steamers is set to close its doors for good. Pretty tired from the previous night's excess, I headed back to my bleak hotel room to watch the 3rd period in bed. Even the TV picture was awful, there were stains on the ceiling, and the ice machine was broken. I complained to the front desk and gave them an opportunity to peace me off and comp a night, but no luck. The hotel's only saving grace is its budget price, walk-in availability, and proximity to downtown. Next time I'll spend the extra money.

Another 6:45 am wakeup and off to the rink. By the time we finished at noon, I was hungry. I considered driving 20 minutes into the city for lunch and some shopping, or 20 minutes to the Malahat Mountain Inn and onwards home. I chose the Malahat. It boasts some very well-done local artisan decor and a decent menu, but the biggest appeal is the view, perched on a cliff overlooking Finlayson Arm between the main island and the Saanich Peninsula. Nice but not too bourgeois, the Inn features accomodations as well as the restaurant.

There were a hundred other things I could have done bewteen Vic and home in Parksville, bungee jumping, gallery browsing, kayaking, shopping and more eating, but I had a family to get back to.

For more Vancouver Island travel and eco-tourism info and websites visit Vingo.ca a hand-indexed directory of Victoria hotels, Duncan restaurants, Tofino whale watching, Port Alberni fishing and more

Englishman River Falls Video Near Parksville, Vancouver Island, BC

2007-12-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

Englishman River Falls Provincial Park and campground, located in Errington on Vancouver Island BC, the park features vehicle access camping and many trails around the river, the waterfalls feature an 85 foot and a 20 foot drop. Brought to you by http://www.vingo.ca, your Vancouver Island eco-tourism directory and resource.

New technology unstalls the blogspot

2007-12-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

The blog's been stalled these past months due to the fact I wrecked both my video and still camera towards the end of the summer. While I've been doing as much travelling on the Island as ever, I had no flash to back up my stories. Now, with two new cameras and a renewed energy, I look forward to showing off my Island and my website, http://www.vingo.ca, a sleek and powerful Vancouver Island eco-tourism website. Here are some recent photos and videos of Rathtrevor Park, Nootka Sound, Englishman River Falls and more.

Here an ironic look at Vancouver Island Winter, 4-5 inches of fluffy white snow one day, washed away by torrential rains 24 hours later.

And here's a look at the Tofino surf from last summer, a gorgeous panoramic view of the Long Beach coastline at Pacific Rim National Park. That was my old camera and you can see the light meter failing.

Wilderness Camping on Nootka Sound - West Coast Vancouver Island

2007-08-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from a classic Vancouver Island wilderness camping vacation. A small gang of 4 of us spent 6 nights roughing it around beautiful Nootka Sound on the island's North West Coast between Gold River and Tahsis.

We discovered our camp site thanks to the invaluable Backroads Mapbook. We looked for a forest rec site along the Tlupana Inlet across the bay from the Cougar Creek Rec Site. The inlet is just north of Bligh Island, an early landing site for Captain John Cook who 'discovered' these waters back in 1780 or so. We were hoping for a more secluded location than the 50 spot site with boat launch. Luckily for us there's a logging strike going on right now, and the log dump on Head Bay was completely deserted.

We got to witness a very short commercial Sockeye Salmon opening. At least 40 boats descended on our little bay, with more filling the other inlets around us while they anchored in anticipation of the opening. Some of them waited from Friday till Tuesday at 9 pm, when they finally started dropping their nets for the fish. They fished for five hours, and in the morning when we got up, they were gone.

We also got to display just how terrible we are as fisherman. Although we fished a little each day, it wasn't until Tuesday morning that we showed some actual commitment to catching the salmon we've been trying to catch. We paddled out before 6:30 and within a half hour could see the big Chinooks jumping everywhere around us, clear out of the water. We had a better chance of one jumping directly into the boat than we did of catching one on our hooks. We tried every lure, depth and technique we could think of but came home skunked anyway.

We visited the old Marble Quarry, which was the source of the original limestone for the BC legislature in Victoria. We got in some freshwater bathing on the Deserted River, near the Deserted Lake Rec site which was fuller than we wanted when we first arrived (4 other parties) We also visited the Upana caves and the town of Gold River over the course of the 6 days we spent there, paddling, hiking, fishing and relaxing. We saw black bears, bald and golden eagles, herons, seals, salmon, stellar jays, sea slugs, red snapper, otters and more on this wilderness camping trip.

Filberg Festival - Frankly Fantastic

2007-08-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

This year's Filberg Festival lived up to its reputation as the best run and most creative arts and entertainment festival on Vancouver Island, if not the whole of BC and Western Canada. 9 beautiful acres of wooded and oceanfront property bursting with some of Canada's most talented crafters and artisans, great food and music, lots to do for the kids and some fantastic shopping for the rest of the family.

The festival was packed each of the four days (the great weather helped) and it took almost that long to see everything to be seen. Bruce Cockburn played the main stage this year but I missed that show. I even saw Valdy wandering around busking a little with his guitar.

I was heartened to confirm that the 9 fantastic acres are not for sale, as I had thought (it's a different Filberg property - the one built for RJ Filberg's son - that's up for sale for $10 million) and is indeed owned and protected by the municipality, so you can look forward to next year's Filberg Festival over the August long weekend. Check Vingo.ca for more things to do and places to stay in Courtenay, Cumberland and Comox.

Big Weekend for Vingo

2007-08-01T08:20:00.001-07:00

This weekend is part of the reason I started this Vancouver Island directory and tourism search engine in the first place. We're all heading up to Courtenay and Black Creek for the Filberg Festival and staying at the Pacific Playground RV Park and Campground. My wife will be selling at the Filberg Festival, something she did 2 years ago and the rest of us will be enjoying the recreation opportunities up there, fishing, swimming and everything else. Watch this space and the directory itself for pics and reviews.

Things to do in a summer rain

2007-07-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

I can't help but feel sorry for the 2500 Girl Guides in Parksville this weekend, here on some international Jamboree. Sorry because of all the unprecedented and unexpected summer rain we've been having. What do you do when you're camping in the rain? Well, you can always pack up, jump in the car and head to Nanaimo to the Cyber City. Lots of video games, carnival style games, a ball room, laser tag, go-carts and a tube and tunnel. It's probably not far from a laundromat where you can dry your clothes, have a bite to eat and hope for better weather.

Amazing new sites on vancouverislandlife.com

2007-07-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

One thing about indexing this directory by hand is I get to see all types of accomodation and travel service websites from all over Vancouver Island. Some have great design, like Painted Turtle Guesthouses from Nanaimo. Others offer insight into incredible resources, like Wild Pacific Trail, a free widerness trail system near Barklay Sound and Ucluelet BC.

And now that I'm becoming even better acquainted with all these resources, I'm looking forward to trying them all and reviewing them in the review section of the directory. Anyone can do that, and if you've been to one of the West Coast tourism destinations on the Vancouver Island Life directory, we invite you to add your own review.

Cheers, Vingo

Welcome to the Blog

2007-07-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

I've recently opened the Vancouver Island Life.com directory and links engine, containing some of the best in Vancouver Island travel, accomodations, resorts, fishing, kayaking, whale watching and other attractions. A lot of fun so far, I've seen tons of great websites and creative people offering unique services across the Island. I plan to update often. Visit the page and let me know what you think.