When we visited the ‘Namgis tribe in the Vancouver Island fishing town of Alert Bay, we disembarked from the ferry to find a bald eagle standing sentinel on top of a lamp-post. Crossing the water to the luxurious Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort eco-lodge, we came across orca and humpback whales without even searching for them. And when we looked for grizzly bears in the wild at Bute Inlet, we found even more than we bargained for. We also traced the salmon’s extraordinary journey at first hand, by snorkelling with this king of fish in the waters off the coastal city of Campbell River.
Vancouver Island, and the magnificent Great Bear Rainforest just across the water from it, is a place of seemingly limitless natural wonders. As well as the breathtaking abundance of wildlife both on land and in the waters, the island has in Tofino, on the west coast beside the mighty Pacific, one of the world’s best places to surf. The Pacific Rim National Park and the Wild Pacific Trail from Ucluelet are wonderful for hiking. The climate is warm enough to grow lemons and olives, as well as support two dozen vineyards across four distinct wine regions.
And, unbelievably, all this is within easy striking distance of Canada’s third largest city. The “garden city” of Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is just a 24 mile ferry journey from Vancouver.
In the Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort’s thoughtful little library for guests, there is a handsome picture book entitled: The Unknown Island. That a book about Vancouver Island could still bear that title in 1973 shows how recently tourism has penetrated here. Even in 2015, visitors will find their own special spots, their unknown places, their bucket-list experiences and wildlife encounters that simply cannot be found elsewhere.
To those with a sense of adventure still left in their souls, there’s a wonderful, unspoilt world out there on Canada’s west coast, and it’s just waiting to be discovered.
For more information, visit canada.travel
