VANCOUVER ISLAND SOUTH – Aug 11-17, 2026
I had put my camper on my truck to go to Hornby Island in late July and left it there with the hope of going somewhere on Vancouver Island. I had lived in Victoria in 1976-77, had visited all the big trees around Port Renfrew on one road trip and had hiked the Juan de Fuca Trail in the early 2000s. It was time to go and see relatives and friends, and then drive out to Port Renfrew.
Tue Aug 11
I left at 11 and stopped at two museums in Nanaimo
NANAIMO
Vancouver Island Military Museum. Chock full of information story boards covering everything from the War of 1812 to peacekeeping and NATO missions to Afghanistan and the role Vancouver Islanders had played. Uniforms, medals, guns. $4, $2 reduced, free if a Sea Cadet as a teenager.
Nanaimo Museum. All about the history of the city. By donation.
I continued south wanting to stop at the Malahat Skywalk but it entailed a U-turn and return so I decided to see it on the way back.
In Victoria, I visited with one of my 32 Perrier cousins who I had not seen for 10 years or so. It was great to catch up.
ON I slept at the Oak Bay Marina, a lovely spot with no overnight camping, but no one bothered me.
Wed Aug 12
I visited an old high school friend who I had not seen since graduation. We had coffee and shot the bull for over 6 hours. He is at least the Canadian authority on pianos – fixing, tuning, rebuilding. He has amazing stories of all the people whose pianos have been serviced.
I had accepted a Couch Surfing guest for August 15-17 in Courtenay. It ended up that our itineraries and timeline were identical. She wanted to go to Port Renfrew and continue to Port Hardy. From France, she was 32, of Indian heritage (half Madagascar and half India), and on a Canadian Work Visa (2 years up to age 35). Her English was unusually good for a French person. She had been working a lot in the Rockies and hiked frequently.
At 7 pm, I picked up Shobonah from Ile Sauvage Brewery and we drove to the Aylard Farm Parking lot in East Sooke Park. It was gated since dusk with prominent No Parking signs on the gate. That is where we parked. I had a good sleep until 01:47 when the park employee arrived to open the gate. We were let in and parked in the monstrous parking lot. It must get a huge amount of traffic on weekends.
Thur Aug 13
Coast Trail, East Sooke Park. This trail has been on my bucket list for decades and was the most important activity I had planned on this trip.
I had last done this trail on New Year’s Day, 1977, when I was 30 pounds lighter and much more fit. I remember it as a pleasant stroll over large rocks near the water. It is interesting how selective our memories are. This 13.5 km trail has no pleasant strolls on rock. It is a difficult trail almost completely in the forest – think rock, roots and lots of ups and downs as the trail skirts headlands, cliffs and inlets. Off at 06:20, we began the hike. Shobonah said that she was a very slow walker. On the wide gravel path down to Creyke Point (which can be bypassed by taking the trail from the other end of the parking lot), she was very slow, and then started to take photos. It was a lovely sunrise. I commented that I hoped she wasn’t going to take 100s of photos. We argued, and she basically said that if she couldn’t walk slowly, take photos, and really enjoy the trail, she was returning. She went back to the camper and got her pack. Basically, we were going our separate ways, and she had made up her mind. She caught up to me at Cabin Point, about halfway. She was a much faster walker than anticipated. It was foggy and there were few photos. She took one of the many bypass trails back to the farm, and I never saw her again.
Beechy Head (Treaty 1908). This is a small detour. I tried to continue over the top and followed many hiker-made trails, as many had gotten lost before me. After two searches of the top, I finally returned much further and found the proper trail.
Located along the dramatic coastal trail of East Sooke Regional Park, the Beechey Head Reference Mark is a small but fascinating piece of Vancouver Island’s maritime history. Installed as part of Canada’s geodetic survey system, this stone marker helped map and measure the rugged coastline long before GPS existed. Set high on the cliffs of Beechey Head, the site offers sweeping views of the Juan de Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountains beyond.
I finally arrived at the end feeling pretty knackered. It was much more than I had remembered or bargained for.
I planned to hitchhike back to Aylard Farm, about 12 km by road. One lady with a dog refused a ride, and I finally started walking on the road. It certainly was going to be a lot easier than returning on the trail. 14 cars passed before one picked me up after about 4 km of walking. They were from the prairies (Peace River and Maple Creek; my mother’s family is from there, and she knew my aunt), and it probably shows that prairie people are much more generous than Vancouver Islanders. They went significantly out of their way to take me right to the Aylard Farm parking lot, saving at least 2 hours of road walking.
Sooke Potholes. A series of deeper pools in a 2 km section of the Sooke River, about 6 km off the highway in Sooke Potholes PP. I cased out the pools, decided not to swim and found a pizza place. For $28, it was good. I couldn’t finish it even though it was the only real food I had had all day.
ON On the side of road on a beach before Jordan River.
Fri August 14
I planned to continue the 60 km drive to Botanical Bay, past Port Renfrew. But plans change. I decided to take a leisurely return drive home to arrive on Saturday.
Malahat Skywalk. A tourist trap on the Malahat, the high pass on the TransCanada that looks down onto the long Saanich Inlet. Walk along a boardwalk or walk through the forest to the Skywalk proper. It is an approximately 10 story tower with a gradual spiral stair (no elevator). On the 7th level is a spiral slide down. On top is a rope swing for photos and the cantilevered glass bridge that looks out over the cliff. The view is similar to the two viewpoints on the highway – one about 600 m before the Skywalk and another further down the highway. It is a nice view but not worth the sky-high price. $52.95, 42.95 reduced if >65 and a Vancouver Island resident.
I continued on to Duncan to hope to meet with an old university friend and a coffee. He was not available.
Sand Sculptures, Parksville. Held every summer on the community beach, professional sand carvers come from all over the world. Their expenses are paid and there are $88,000 in prizes. A certain amount of special, clean sand is supplied and must be used. They are sprayed with a white glue/water mixture to make them endure the summer sun, wind and rain. $5 donation.
ON Roadside pullout at Union Bay.
