campbell-river – johnboystravelblog

Campbell River – Odds and Ends

Before I start posting about the two driving days I had once I arrived in Campbell River, let me show you a few miscellaneous photos.

As I was driving home from the Elk River Suspension Bridge the afternoon I arrived, I drove past this real sea plane mounted high off the ground between the north and southbound lanes of a divided highway.

The restaurant where I had lunch the second day I was in town had these words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama posted on the wall:

I’d say he’s a pretty smart dude.

And finally, after I long day of driving to three different destinations the first full day I was in town, my Airbnb hosts invited me to go with them to “Latin Night” downtown, in an outdoor area often used for music events and the like. There was a Latin band there (very good, I must say) and the place was overflowing with people – about 1/5 were there to dance and the rest were watching and/or socializing with their friends.

The three of us were among the watchers, though my Airbnb hostess was actually down here the night before taking lessons. She says she isn’t quite ready to get out there yet but I somehow think it will happen sooner rather than later. Her husband loves the music but says he can’t dance worth a lick (well, he didn’t say that exactly).

As you can see in the top photo, we were very close to the action but were behind the barricade (alcohol control line). There were LOTS of people off to the sides and behind us, too. I was shocked how many people were there!

The dancers were REALLY into it and changed partners often. Young people dancing with other young people, young people dancing with older people, it didn’t matter. They were just there to have fun, and they clearly did.

No, I didn’t dance but I enjoyed watching everyone have a good time.

I have two video clips if anyone is interested. I also have some video of the various waterfalls at the Elk River bridge. Still photos of waterfalls make it difficult to appreciate the sound and sense the force of the water. I don’t know how to post videos on the blog but I can email them to anyone who asks. Click on “Contact” at the top of the home page to send me a request.

Elk Falls Suspension Bridge

After spending a good, long while out on Discovery Pier, enjoying a beautiful summer afternoon after a busy driving day, I headed inland a few kilometers to check out this new bridge, built by BC Hydro, to allow visitors to walk down and get an up-close look at the powerful waterfall along the Elk River.

After following the well-marked path through the woods leading down to the bridge from the parking lot (the information center had closed for the day) I descended a long set of sturdy, metal stairs to arrive at the bridge.

From the platform on the other side of the bridge, this was the view looking left towards the river taking water to the main fall.

I then crossed back over the bridge and went down yet another set of sturdy, metal stairs to a viewing platform very close to the main fall. You can see the mist rising from the water after it dropped to the rocks below.

And the “natural” part of this attraction – the main fall itself.

Once the water has fallen it travels on to its ultimate destination, as seen from the extension bridge:

When I walked back up to the parking lot I took this “photo of a photo” which was on an information board explaining the bridge project, and the ongoing construction of yet another dam to back-up the water supply to Campbell River. It shows everything I just described from high above.

(Photo credit: BC Hydro)

My Airbnb host in Campbell River explained that BC Hydro ran a new set of pipes VERY far underground to channel water to the town (and others, I’m sure). This whole area sits atop a major fault line which runs up and down the west coast and their house, built 8 years ago, had to meet strict earthquake-proof standards. The fear is that if an earthquake occurs, the current water supply may get cut off.

Campbell River, BC

After leaving Victoria my next three nights would be spent in Campbell River, about halfway up the eastern (inland) side of Vancouver Island. My first stop after I rolled into town? You guessed it – the Visitor Center. Once again, the young staff members were extremely helpful answering my questions and even suggested I return the next day to speak with another staff member who used to live in Alaska about some of the questions I had about roads up that way. I am now thinking about driving up to the top of British Columbia and passing into the extreme southern edge of the Yukon Province, then proceeding west to Alaska rather than flying.

This was a part of a totem pole, or perhaps a ship, which was just outside the entrance to the Visitor Center (located on the lower floor of a museum). I guess I should have read the sign!

When I walked back to my car before heading out on Discovery Pier, located behind the museum and adjacent to the city’s harbour, I saw this on the dashboard of a car which was also parked in the free parking lot.

I couldn’t determine by looking through the windshield who it was (I am still recovering from double cataract surgery right before I left home and have to wait another few weeks before getting new glasses to help my close vision) but I can only guess that it had to be Elvis.

This is Discovery Pier, so named because the body of water you see under it is Discovery Passage which runs between Vancouver Island and Quandra Island, which is the closer land mass you see on the other side (the mountains further away are on the British Columbian mainland).

This is the view from the walkway going out to the pier looking right (south).

This heron landed on the rocks just below the walkway as I was preparing to take the next photo.

This is the view looking from the pier to the left (north):

And turning further left you can see the masts of many of the boats docked in the harbour (from the walkway, close to the seawall and making it harder to see over it):

There was snow on the high mountains off in the distance looking northeast.

And these two ferries were crossing the Passage in opposite directions:

They built nice, sturdy chairs which are securely attached to the pier, for fishermen and women to use while they wait for their catch to take the bait.