Cow Bay

New-to-us Port #64.

A mere 78 NM and a “slow-boat to China” cruise overnight. During which we lost yesterday’s blue skies and sunshine. Luckily, the thick fog that greeted us in Prince Rupert as Insignia was docking at the Northland Cruise Terminal, didn’t last long. By the time we were ready to disembark around 9:00a, there was a brightness to the sky and blue patches that heralded a beautiful day for our sightseeing pleasure.

Once we were ashore, we talked to the very helpful ladies manning the information kiosk. They made suggestions for things to see and do … which jived with our research. Best of all … everything was walking distance. After confirming that the Museum of Northern BC was open, we headed up the hill in that direction.

The museum is housed in a post and beam building that is fashioned after the style of the Northwest Coast longhouse.  It was a lot bigger than I expected it to be … and beautifully executed. We wandered the collections of art and artifacts designed to highlight 10,000 years of human history and culture in this part of coastal British Columbia. In addition to the history of the ancient cultures, more recent history was also exhibited. In one room, we saw some local art. What made the pieces particularly interesting was that the paintings were the interpretations of two artists who had been given identical photographs as inspiration.

Using the map we picked up at the information kiosk, we next headed to the Sunken Gardens. Small … but colorful and beautifully landscaped, we found the gardens behind the courthouse. Created in the 1920s, volunteers from the garden club and residents who wish to participate, plant new flowers each year and take care of the gardens. Fairly well hidden, the gardens serve as a place of respite that we enjoyed visiting before moving on.

Next on our agenda was a short hiking trail. The attraction was not just that it was a means to stretch our legs, but that the trail also offered a good chance for seeing bald eagles in fairly close proximity.

To get to the trailhead, we walked along the newly established port facilities overlooking Cow Bay. Signage explained that the bay was originally known as Cameron Cove. Then, in 1908, when a Swiss man brought by barge a herd of cows from his dairy and unloaded them nearby, the name was changed.

Continuing past the buildings, we eventually arrived at the trailhead. But before setting off on our hike, we stopped at Bob’s on the Rocks for lunch. The specialty was fish & chips … with a choice of rockfish or halibut. We went for the latter, of course. Taking seats at a partially shaded picnic table, we enjoyed a delicious meal. By the time we were ready to leave, the place was hopping. The word was out that, as the sign at Bob’s said, “there is no ‘de-bait’ … Bob’s has the best fish & chips.”

Rushbrook Trail, which starts near Bob’s, is a 1.5-mile in and out path that is rated easy. Though the ground undulates here and there, there isn’t much of an elevation gain. The original trail was at the end of the train tracks, but over the years, safety became an issue and the path was closed down for about 15 years, starting in 2003. When it was reopened to the public, parts had been replaced with bridges.

We enjoyed the easy walk, glimpsing remnants of the train tracks as we made our way to the end of the trail. Glimpses of the bay kept us company along the way. I had seen some bald eagles in the trees while we were eating, but they had pulled a disappearing act by the time we got on the trail, so no close encounters for us. We did see a few seals in the water, but they were distant and not worth pulling out the camera.

When we reached Seal Cove at the end of the trail, we looked for an alternate way back into town. Noting that the neighborhood streets were hilly, and more importantly, that there were no sidewalks, we decided to head back the way we came.

In town once again, we ran into Younga and David, who were headed to Dolly’s Fish Market for a late lunch. They invited us to join them. Full from our fish & chips lunch, we opted for cold drinks and no food as we kept them company.

We were on the ship by 5:00p. With two hours until sailaway, we decided to take advantage of the sunny day to have wine and snacks on our veranda. A great way to end what turned out to be a fantastic day in Prince Rupert.Read more