Future Considerations

This weekend we took a 2-day tour of Vancouver Island, to get a better idea of what the Island looks like geographically, and what the areas are which seem to have the most potential for *our idea* of 'liveability.'  The weekend started with a 5 am alarm, so we could load the car, and make sure all of the animals were provided with enough food, water, and diversions to keep them placated while we were away.  We don't normally leave them overnight, but the neighbour was happy to keep an ear open for trouble.

 

We were shooting for the 7 am ferry, and knew to be in the lineup about an hour ahead of departure (especially on a weekend). One knock against Island living is the unpredictable and costly nature of taking the ferry.  For 2 adults, and a regular-sized car, the cost just to get to the Island was more than $80, and with that, there is no guarantee you will make it on to the ferry you want/need on a busy day.  Most sailings are at least an hour apart, resulting in additional wait time.  There are inevitably break downs, which remove ferries from service, and result in canceled sailings as well.  For our return trip, we chose to pay for a reservation (which is *still* not foolproof), and paid an extra $18.50 for the privilege of saving ourselves a spot (we needed to be sure to get home!).

 

The drive to the Tsawassen ferry terminal, and the boat ride over where quite misty, but the weather reports promised a sunnier afternoon.....

 

Swartz Bay terminal

 

And by the time we disembarked in Swartz Bay and headed into Victoria, the sun was shining.  We took a quick loop around the Southern Island, to see the Sooke area, where friends of ours have fallen in love with the land, and are intending to settle.  It was a bit too hilly and rocky for my vision of life with a garden and some grazing area for animals.  We did stop in at the Farmer's Market, where people were selling all of the produce currently growing in my own garden, but the prices seemed very high.

 

We headed up the Island Highway, since our focus was on the East Coast of the Island, where most of the population and agricultural land are located.  Driving through Duncan meant a view of the first 'farmland' we had been able to view on our trip.  The valley spread out into fields, and we passed several Feed Stores, large animal veterinarians, and farmhouses on the way.  Definitely a possibility.

 

When I moved to BC from Ontario, people warned me of the slower, 'hippy' lifestyle exhibited by the people out here.  True, there are also places in the Interior and the Okanagan that roll up the sidewalks at 5 in the evening, but Vancouver and the surrounding cities are absolutely bustling cosmopolitan places in comparison to Victoria, where we were told at one store 'We close at 8, because of all the freaks that come out..."  In Nanaimo, a city of under 30,000 residents, the mall hours are not too restrictive.

 

We continued our drive along the coast, pulling in for a drive around some of the communities where there were real estate listings in our price range, to see what amenities, stores and services where available, and to get a closer look at the lay of the land.

 

As the day wore on, we realized we needed to make Campbell River, our destination for the night, and pressed on up the Trans Canada Hwy - a more direct, but less scenic route, to our friends' house in Campbell River.  We were happy to have dinner and bed waiting for us after a long but fun day on the road.

 

The next morning, we drove along the water, and went for 'brunch' at a popular local Fish and Chips restaurant, right in one of the Marinas.  The food was delicious, if not the healthiest choice for people about to spend another 8 hours in the car!

 

We drove back down the coast of the Island, having returned to  the scenic route. This time, we stopped to drive on a winding route through the Comox Valley - which includes the cities of Courtney, Comox and Cumberland, as well as many small, unincorporated communities.  The electoral district claims a combined population of 55,000.  The downtown core area is fairly busy, modernized and well-laid out. It reminded me of many farming communities in the Lower Mainland (Abbotsford and Chiliwack). This is another agricultural area, known for wineries and farm tours.  There were views of the water, condominiums and apartments, and beautifully-planted boulevards.  On the outskirts of the residential areas there were equipment, car and boat dealerships, and farmland.

 

 

 

Fanny Bay was on our highlights tour, but the mosquitos chased us back into the car - something to think about when you hear 'tidal marsh.'

 

Our final destination before the return ferry trip was Port Alberni, a city most people travel through on the way to Tofino or Uclulet on the West Coast, or after visiting Cathedral Grove.  The city seemed pleasant, if a bit quiet for a weekend, with many businesses closed.  It is a pulp and paper mill town with a company struggling to survive on an inlet to the Ocean.  The need to have snow tires and carry tire chains for 6 months of the year (per the sign on our way in), and it's hour and a half distance from Nanaimo and the services there, made it seem like an impractical location to settle down.

 

We drove back into Nanaimo as the sun began to set, glad for the beautiful weather, and feeling a bit more aware of what we needed to think about for the future.