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Westkanada 2023
  • Kevin Jans

Westkanada 2023

Roadtrip British Columbia - Alberta Read more
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  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler
    2

    26. Victoria to Port Alberni

    September 9, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Started the day at the Victoria butterfly garden, only 10 minutes away from my motel. They had an interesting collection of exotic butterflies, parrots and insects. After that, I visited the Goldstream Provincial Park, who got his name of a gold mine near to the river. I hiked to the Visitor Center, the Niagara falls (yes, same name, other dimensions😂) and to an old railway bridge - a lost place without any function anymore. After that, visit of the Malahat Skywalk. It was comparable to the tower at the Saarschleife - same spiral tower, a fantastic view, but this lookout had a slide to leave it :D
    After a quick stopp at the Old Market in Coombs, known for its "Goats on the Roof", I visited the MacMillan Provincial Park with a hike at the Cathedral Grove - a forest with enormous big douglas and cedars 🌲🌳 A quick stopp at the "Hole in the Wall" and I finally checked in at Port Alberni in a motel, that reminds me of those motels where killers in crime movies are staying 😳    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler
    1

    27. Ucluelet + Tofino (Part 1)

    September 10, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Even that my motel was a little bit old fashioned, I slept very well. Started however very early, as Port Alberni wasn't my favorite place yet. Stopped at some creeks and lakes on my way to Ucluelet. Visited the Pacific Rim National Park, is situated between Ucluelet (my stay for the next days) and Tofino. Did some hiking on rainforest boardwalks and the beaches. Landscape is very exciting as you have the beach and sea, temperate rainforests and even bog land. The cloudy weather gave this landscape an even more mystic atmosphere. However it started to rain at 3 p.m., so I made my way to my lodge. Contrast to the motels since I left the "Rockies" couldn't be bigger - no annoying neighbours, modern furnitures and a bathtub (beside the standard bathroom). Ended the day with a meal in town on a floating boat.Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    28. Ucluelet + Tofino (Part 2)

    September 11, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Visited the small town of Uculuet with the Aquarium and the harbour. Took a whale watching tour where we saw humpback whales, sea lions, harbour seals and seabirds. Back in town, I hiked the lighthouse loop with some amazing views and visited the "Big Beach" with its natural pools created by tide. Ended the day with a delicious pizza 🍕 and relaxing in my bathtub.Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    29. Ucluelet + Tofino (Part 3)

    September 12, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Not much to tell today. First day at the West Coast of Vancouver Island was rainy and cloudy, yesterday was sunny, today back to clouds and rain. So I visited Tofino, the other well-known touristic hotspot on the island. However as Ucluelet, I was surprised how small this town was. There were some art gallerys, shops and restaurants, but you can't do much there accept activities like boat tours, kayaking or surfing. It's a classic fishing village with a little harbour, docks and wharf. With the clouds and fog, the two towns reminds me of the setting in the movie Twilight 😂
    I hiked later the Giant Cedar Loop Trail, but rain got heavier. The people here seem to have no problem with that, they're used to it and are happy, as it was way to dry the last months.

    Did later in the afternoon another wildlife boat tour where we saw Bald Eagles, Black Bears and my first Sea Otter😍    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    30. Ucluelet + Tofino (Part 4)

    September 13, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today was a more quiet day. After the rain yesterday, it was very cloudy today. Visited some beaches around Tofino. The fogs and clouds gave those places as said before a very charming atmosphere. Had booked a scenic flight in Tofino for 1.30 p.m., but they were so nice to cancelling it due to the clouds. So I got a new flight for 4 p.m., where we flew, as in Vancouver (day 2), with one of those iconic seaplanes to the Hot Springs Cove, picked up some tourists and headed back to Tofino. Beautiful landscape, but sadly no whales today. Later in the afternoon, sun came out and I must say, that the beaches, despite the mystic atmosphere, are more attractive for me personally during sunshine. Ended the day at a pub in Ucluelet where I observed sea lions and deers.

    P.s. you can see my pilot Joshua sleeping on the dock in picture numero uno 🤠    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    31. Ucluelet to Campbell River

    September 14, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Before leaving the Pacific Rim National Park and surroundings, I headed back to Tofino where I hiked to the Radar Hill lookout and at the wharf where I booked another wildlife boat tour. Saw Harbour Porpoises, Bald Eagles and tons of Sea Otters 😍 Never thought we could so many and some were very curious :)
    After the tour, headed to Campbell River - from the west of Vancouver Island to the east. Stopped at the Sproat Lake, Miracle Beach and Ken Ford Park. At my lodge, I could observe harbour seals in the river.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    32. Campbell River (Part 1)

    September 15, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Started early in the morning at the Campbell River Harbour to a day long wildlife boat tour on a so called Zodiac. With over 8 hours, we had enough time to see Humpback Whales, Harbour Porpoises, Stellers Sea Lions, Harbour Seals, Bald Eagles and Orcas 🐳
    Amazing day with a lot of spectacular views - the sea was so calm, you could think it's a lake.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    33. Campbell River (Part 2)

    September 16, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Visited the Quinsam River Hatchery, where they stock up salmon to restore the natural balance in rivers. It's a "fish production" to support sustainable fisheries, they breed and release them in the wild. Outside you can observe the amazing cycle of the salmons on their way upstream. But with blue herons, seagulls, crows, vultures, bald eagles and bears, all the predators are there to - so you can observe the fish massacre, too. I even saw a river otter or mink for an instant.

    After that, I hiked some trails in the Elk Falls Provincial Park. First of all to the falls of the same name with the suspension bridge, then to the Deer Falls and after that the Canyon View trail next to Campbell River. There I saw 3 (!) black bears. One on the other side of the river, one only 50 m away who changed direction after he saw me and my "BeAware" behaviour (and some photos). But the first of them was only 5 - 10 m away from me, as I surprised him crossing the path. He was as surprised (or scared?) as me and ran directly into the woods (of course no photo, crazy moment).    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    34. Campbell River to Port Hardy

    September 17, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    After another quick stop at the hatchery to see some Bald Eagles, I headed to the north of Vancouver Island. On the road to Port Hardy, I stopped for the Ripple Rock hike. Ripple Rock was a rock in the strait between Vancouver Island and Maud Island. As it "blocked" the strait, making it a very dangerous passage for boats, people destroyed the rock in 1958 with the largest man-made, non-nuclear explosion. I hiked to the lookout with a view over the strait where once was the rock.

    After that, on the way to Port Hardy, it began to rain more and more. I hiked the Quatse River Loop (not worth it) and visited the Carrot Park in Port Hardy. This park got is name of a carrot sculpture, symbolizing the end of the highway on the island.

    What are people doing in the north of Vancouver Island? As it was sunday, all the shops and restaurants were closed. And as Ucluelet, Tofino or Campbell River, Port Hardy was another very small town with focus on fishery, too.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    35. Cape Scott Provincial Park

    September 18, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Headed to the Cape Scott Provincial Park - the most northerly and westerly visit of my trip at the same time on Vancouver Island. Someone should have warn me, that the whole way to the Park is off-road only - but my KIA did it once again. With some rain showers on my way, the weather gave this place through temperate rainforest and located at the pacific the right atmosphere. There were not su much tourists, so the whole ölace looked like the "end of the world". Hiked to San Josef Bay.

    After my hike, I drived to Port McNeill where I had booked another motel. Visited the "town", another typical fishing-harbour-village and took a photo at the world largest burl 😂    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    36. Telegraph Cove

    September 19, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    Started in the morning, direction Telegraph Cove. I participated at a Grizzly Boat Tour, where we headed to the Knight Inlet fjord. Beside Orcas, Humpback whales and Harbour seals, I finally saw 4 of those iconic canadian mammals - the Grizzly. Beside our boat, we switched at the Glendale Cove into a quiet small vessel to approach the bears. We even saw a mom with her cub 😍 But than, it became hectic - a male grizzly approached mom and son and it's known, that they kill cubs. We participated live in a National Geographic show, where we couldn't do something, as this cruelty is wildness. However, mom and cub could flee - uff!

    After nearly 9 hours, we returned to Telegraph Cove, where I could appreciate this little town in daylight. The colourful stilt houses are charming, there only live 20 habitants and the whole place reminded me rather of a Disneyland setting. I visited the Whale museum, where they had some skeleton of different whale species.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    37. Port McNeill (Part 1)

    September 20, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Today was a rather quiet day. Did a hike in the Marble River Provincial Park. Hiked to the Bear Falls and so called Emerald Pools (rather a section of the Marble River where the water forms meander with gravel riverbanks than real pools). Those places are well-known for the salmon migration, there is even a fish ladder at the falls. But saw only one "jumping" fish no bears or other predators.

    After the return to my motel,I visited Port McNeill with its harbour. As for the other towns on Vancouver Island, I really asked myself what young people are dong here and what the habitans are doing in winter, when the last tourists are gone.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    38. Port McNeill (Part 2)

    September 21, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Spent another day at sea with a whale watch boat tour. We saw orcas and humback whales very close. One humpack was very playful and gave us amazing poses.
    Beside those giants, we saw sea otters, sea lions and sea birds

    On boat was a whole group of ornithos 🐦 So I got some new observations, as they were always very restless when they saw a bird - I only had to look in the same direction 😂    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    39. Sointula + Alert Bay

    September 22, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    I asked myself the question how life is in those small communities on Vancouver Island. Even crazier is, that there are people nearly on every small island, living in small communities with only few houses and restaurants.

    So I took early in the morning a round trip with the ferry to Sointula on Malcom Island. When I arrived at the harbour of Sointula, there were already school kids waiting to take the ferry to Port McNeill on there part to go to school.
    I hiked the Beautiful Bay Trail to the Bere Point. After 2,5 km a sign warned that the trail, already not in good shape, wasn't managed and because of this a high risk. So I decided to return to Sointula to take the ferry back to Port McNeill.

    Lucky enough, I could immediatly check-in to take the ferry again (there is only one "boat"), this time to Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. There were a few more restaurants, however a lot were (already?) closed. Up to a half of the village's residents are First Nations people. The village is in traditional  Kwakwaka'wakw territory and so I visited a museum dedicated to them and also the original burial grounds with a lot of totems, one of them is the tallest totem in the world.

    Ended the day in my hotel, where I got a room upgrade - the honeymoon suite - ehmm ok 😂 Situated direct near the ocean, I enjoyed the amazing view and read a book.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    40. Alert Bay to Nanaimo

    September 23, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Nothing special today, I have the feeling my trip comes to an end😬😂

    Started relaxed, enjoying the view from my room and observing Dall's porpoises, harbour seals and river otters! 😍 than, after a small breakfast offered by the hotel, I continued to the east end of the island to watch some whale activity.

    Took the ferry back to Port McNeill and took then my 4 hours long drive to Nanaimo. Since there are only few well-maintained roads on Vancouver Island, I had to take the same highway back to Campbell River - so there were no stops along the way. Then, I changed to the so called ocean road to get some nice views, but weather was not so nice today.

    Finally arrived in Nanaimo, where I checked in a bed&breakfast - a house where an old nice, but very small lady lives 👵Enjoyed a meal in Nanaimo and planned the next day - where I will take the ferry back to mainland and Vancouver.
    Thus, today not really exciting things happened 🤷‍♂️    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    41. Nanaimo to Vancouver

    September 24, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After a nice breakfast made by the older friendly lady, I visited the Neck Point Park. There were some nice views and guess what - I saw again some humpback whales. I knew that they are very common around Vancouver Island, but didn't know that I could see them everywhere - if I had known this before, I could have saved myself the first whale watching tour (day 28) where I saw the humpacks only from the distance 😅
    The park is said to have a gnome colony, thus the small doors on some trees. It's the work of an older guy living in Nainoma, who did this for the kids.

    After that, I hiked to the so-callled "abyss". Extension Ridge is known locally as ‘The Abyss’ because of a 16″ earthquake fissure found there. Although not much is known about this large crack in the earth, there is speculation that it could be a result of a collapsed mine tunnel that was triggered by an earthquake. To date there is no information about how deep the crack is.

    After a visit of the town center of Nanaimo with its harbour, I headed to the Petroglyph Provincial Park, where you can find some prehistoric sandstone rock carvings done by First Nations people more than 1000 years ago.

    I took finally the ferry at Duke Point back to Tsawwassen (day 25) and drived to Vancouver. There, I wanted to visit the Richmond Night Market to get some flashbacks from my 2018er China trip, however the market was closed due to the rain and announced coming storm. So I ended up check in my guesthouse in Vancouver. It's however another guest house where I gonna stay for the next three days as at the start of my trip.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    42. Vancouver (Part 4)

    September 25, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    As announced, a storm hit the west coast of Canada, making it a rainy day. Drived 1 hour to the Greater Vancouver Zoo. This zoo had a great mix of exotic and canadian animals. After that, returned to the Vancouver Airport, where I had to say goodbye to my KIA.

    Made 7.900 km through west canada and the KIA had done a great job! More so, that a lot of the official roads only were gravel paths 😅

    Returned with the skytrain to the city, where I visited the Olympic Village Square. After a hike along the BC Place stadium and Gastown, I returned to my guest house.

    During the energy crisis, a lot of people were complaining about shuting down the lights in the night. In Canada and even here in the suburbs of Vancouver it's the same, but you can't complain as there aren't even street lightings 😂 So, no option to return later at home, more so as every street looks the same and it still was raining. Stopped on my way at a chinese shopping market, where globalization hit me once again. Even that Vancouver has a big asian community, I don't understand why they have to buy the same products or even brands with chinese logos or made in china. Don't get it.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    43. Vancouver (Part 5)

    September 26, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Stayed in bed after 10 a.m. for the first time in 6 weeks 😅 After a 10 minute walk, I took the bus to the campus of the University of British Columbia. Nice campus and a place only 10 minutes away from the beach (Wreck Beach). Visited the Beaty Biology Museum - I like the idea of museum, resarch and university combined at one place. The museum was very built on explaining zoology with not so many exhibitions than London or Luxembourg Nature Museums. So not to exiting when you are npt so onto biology. So I watched the 45 minutes movie of the most interesting exhibition of the museum - a skeleton of an adult blue whale. What an interesting story!
    After that, I had to visit Wreck Beach - I can imagine that at the end of the school year and with sunshine, this will be the place to be when you study at the UBC.

    With another bus, I returned to dowtown at a $-shop to get rid of my canadian coins and to take the seabus to North Vancouver. There, I hafd a fantastic view on the beautiful skyline of Vancouver. Yes, I said that Vancouver hasn't a lot of street lightning, but of course that doesn't count for Downtown. Finished the day with my last supper and returned with the seabus and skytrain to my guest house - even that I said returning in the night wouldn't be a great idea. But even that my photos of the skyline in night didn't work, I don't regret to saw it in person.    Read more

  • Kevin JansWestkanada 2023Traveler

    44. The End

    September 27, 2023 in Luxembourg ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    ...and I did nothing 😂 There were some sport news concerning my football club, so I was spending the morning in reading articles. Afterwards, I had to pack for the return flight. On foot it went then again through Vancoucer to the Metro station in the direction of the airport. There I spent the day with book reading and watching movies before I arrived after the 10 hours flight on 28.09 in Amsterdam. There it became stressful, because between landing and departure was only about 1 hour. Of course, I had to run through the whole airport to appear in time for boarding 🤦‍♂️
    Afterwards I reached Luxembourg after a one hour flight. But the short stay in Amsterdam had ensured that my suitcase did not arrive with me to Luxembourg - now waiting for a happy and "real" ending of my trip :)    Read more

    Trip end
    September 28, 2023
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