20,000 km of Trans-Canada
Day 1 - We're Off
Monday June 2nd, 2025
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| Sebby - checking our route |
After months of planning, several changes to the route and dates, the first leg of our 20,000k trans-Canada (and back) adventure, starts today.
We will be travelling through nine of Canada's provinces; British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. We won't get to Newfoundland & Labrador as the shortest ferry ride to them is around twelve hours and Jack would have to go into a crate-kennel, where he is bound to let everybody know of his displeasure. Fred would probably not enjoy what can be rather rough seas!
We also won't get to any of the three territories, Yukon, Nunavut or Northwest Territories, though we're thinking of Yukon next summer.
The three month outbound leg will get us to Cap Breton in Nova Scotia on August 24th, when we turn around and head back. We're aiming to be home by the end of September with fewer, shorter stops, and a more northerly route back both in Ontario and then again in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC. Needless to say we're now avoiding the USA, given the uncertainty around tariffs, immigration paperwork and issues around potential vaccination paperwork for Jack, and of course anything else that might crop up while we are away in the ever-changing relationship!
The trailer has had one or two bits of warranty work done, the truck serviced and a last-minute brake judder at high speed issue resolved. The wheels needed balancing. Odd... I remain unconvinced it was the core problem, though it is certainly better.
The first stop is Abbotsford to pick up the trailer and then Manning Park for our first four night stay. A modest 260km from home, but most of the distances will be 380-500km per travel day.
Head of Route Planning & Chief Navigator has done an awesome job booking some 34 RV sites, well actually I booked one of them, but beyond that I have been absolutely no help at all.
One of the biggest challenges has been organizing what we do with the house while we are away. Nick and Lizzie will be over most weekends for some Coast R&R, and we have friends visiting in some of the gaps. Automatic watering systems have been installed, grass-cutting organised and neighbours arranged to keep a regular check on things.
As we finalise the detail the wildfires of the season have erupted in Manitoba & Saskatchewan. We're tracking the Canadian Government's interactive map, to keep abreast of the fires as we traverse the country, no doubt there will impact on the journey at some point and diversions will be necessary.
If you want to take a look at the various routes they are here:
(Let me know if the map link doesn't work).
When the season starts a chap on the Coast brings in a boat-load of halibut against pre-orders. Small ones were in short supply so we took delivery of an 8kg gutted but not filleted fish.
Knives sharpened, we ended up with 5kg of packed and frozen fillets at half the price of our regular fish suppliers.
The head and bones were frozen to be used as crab bait for the crab pot. That is not going to get much use this summer, though Nick has plans.
May has been something of a musical month. The two choirs have both had two concerts and I also sang in a solo recital in North Vancouver, with fellow students of my vocal coach.
Two Italian arias, one Renaissance and one classical. If you had told me a year ago I'd be singing on my own, in Italian, in front of an audience I'd have said "you're 'avin' a larf". It was actually quite good fun though I am not yet in the same league as Pavarotti - probably never will be!
It can be a close call sometimes. This truck driver with a huge rig and hauling a flatbed and trailer (trucks don't come small over here) came within millimetres of the truck in front and centimeters from me. It was on a bend, so how he saw the back of the trailer amazes me. He stopped - just in time!
Sunday racing with the Sunshine Coast Yacht Club continued. We're not doing so well in the Spring series. At the moment we're sitting 3rd with only two races to go and it's unlikely we'll make it up. DIsappointing as we won last year's Summer, Fall and the 2025 Winter series.
We have a new mainsail, which we're still fiddling with and haven't yet got the best out of it. We've also been a team member short as he has been travelling, so the usual Team Fast Lane has not sailed together since March. And now I am disappearing for four months which means missing the North American Martin 242 Championships, the Round Bowen Race and the closer-to-home Gibsons Regatta. Hey ho - you can't do everything.
On my morning constitutionals with Jack I have walked past what I thought was a memorial in Chaster
Park alongside the beach. Park is a slightly extravagant term for what is a strip of grass, fir trees and a parking area not more than 200m x 25m, albeit quite pretty as it sits alongside Chaster Creek running into the sea.
Park alongside the beach. Park is a slightly extravagant term for what is a strip of grass, fir trees and a parking area not more than 200m x 25m, albeit quite pretty as it sits alongside Chaster Creek running into the sea.
I've only recently studied the plaque. It celebrates seafarer Captain [George] Vancouver's naming of Gower Point, a promontory between us and Gibsons, after which Gower Point Rd was named.
Vancouver was responsible for the early mapping of the Sunshine Coast and naming many of our local landmarks, often after landed/titled families, or places in the UK.
Mount Elphinstone after a prominent Scottish family; Langdale, a place in the Yorkshire Dales and so on. A well known city in BC was named after Capt. Vancouver, though this did not happen until 1886 (when the city was incorporated), at which time the CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway, William Van Horne, suggested what we now know as Vancouver be named after the famous seafarer.
On the same morning walks, a pair of Belted Kingfishers have been conspicuous by their calls and punk hair do's. They do look as though they are having permanent bad hair day.
In the last couple of weeks, one of my former bosses, Richard Sambrook and his wife were in Vancouver visiting family and popped over to the Coast for the day. We showed them Gibsons, the Tapworks Brewery (you can't not, he said) and our Bonniebrook beach walk. It was great to catch up after too many years to mention and only a brief reminisce of BBC days.
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| Both took selfies at the same time - hence the bi-directional focus! |
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| Job done |
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| The Spot Prawn season has started. $20 a pound (£10). They were huge, total 2 lbs, home made hollandaise, fresh sourdough and white wine was - well spot on! |
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| He didn't get this from his Gramps |
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| Early morning ferry crossing |
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| Canadians love their old trucks |
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| Race down to Mariner's Rest |
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| The equivalent of a BC ferries Business Class seat - sitting in your own truck enjoying the view |
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| In with the big boys - taking the RV/trailer to Abbotsford |
So next stop Manning Park and the first 262km or 2% of our outbound journey. Canada is big!
That sounds awesome! I wish you a wonderful time travelling and many great adventures! Best wishes Susanne
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