Expedition Canada

Sun Prevails Lakes and Ocean Sun Jun 6th The plan this morning was to do a round trip walk past Hotel Lake and down to John Henry's in Pender Harbour to buy newspapers and then back via Garden Bay Lake and Mixal Lake (anti-clockwise on the map). The threatened rain stayed away and it was a delightful walk.  Hardly any cars, super scenery and extremely quiet.  Surely quieter than normal at this time of year due to non-essential travel restrictions, but it does make you wonder what it is like in the winter. John Henry's does not sell newspapers we discovered and as it was too early for beer, we had a quick coffee and a chat with the owner before heading back.  Unusually, he recognized Capt Jack as a Springer (there are not that many in Canada) before telling us of his Duck Tolling Retriever  and games as a youngster playing 'what dog would you like to be when you grow up'!  Jack clearly knew he was a dog-lover and allowed him a stroke! Back home via Garden Ba...

Day Replanned Sat Jun 5th Mixal Lake John Henry's The morning walk down to Mixal Lake never disappoints.  A quick stroll in between showers, the lake was perfectly still and quiet.  The view may be the same but every day's scene is different.  The reflection of one of the island lakes, the mountains behind and clouds overhead was one of the best we've enjoyed. Beside the lake is Camp Burley, a scout 'wilderness' camp.  As a result of the Pandemic it looks even more of a wildness than usual.   It is an odd coincidence, but 500m down the beach from our rental at Bonnie Brook  near Gibsons, was Camp Byng.  Named after Julian Byng,  1st Viscount Byng of Vimy , a former Governor General of Canada who had previously led the Canadian Forces at Vimy Ridge. Camp Burley does not have the same UK connections but is named after an active and long-serving scout leader, Norman Burley. He'd had a lifetime involvement with Scouting in Van...