Return from Haida Gwaii

Once our time in Haida Gwaii was finished, we headed home. We chose to return via Vancouver and the island - ferry to Prince Rupert, ferry to Port Hardy, drive to Nanaimo, ferry to Horseshoe Bay. We stopped overnight in Port Hardy, Nanaimo, and Vancouver.

My father used to joke that Canada's scenery was just "rocks, fir trees, and water", or in the case of my beloved mountains, "rocks, fir trees, and snow". From the ferry it was more like "clouds, fir trees, and water". Despite the "simple" recurring ingredients, it's still beautiful scenery.

I think the little hummingbird (see photo) had hit the window of our Nanaimo hotel. We found it lying on the sidewalk. I picked it up so it wouldn't get stepped on. After a few minutes it flew off my hand but only made it a few feet to the flower bed. When we went by later it was gone. I hope that means it recovered. I wish I could have taken some photos when it was perched on my hand in the sun. Such beautiful little birds.

My sister Clare drove up from Victoria with her friend Vera and we had a great supper together at the Nest Bistro in Nanaimo.

In Vancouver we stayed at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel since it had easy access from Horseshoe Bay and to the #1 highway out of town. It was a good place for a short stop. We wandered around the market and enjoyed the view of the water. It has easy access to downtown via the Seabus - Shelley went over in the evening to meet her niece. I met up with an old friend for supper at the next door Pier 7.

The drive home was, as usual, more tedious than the drive out. We took the #3 Crowsnest highway for a change, overnighting in Castlegar and Lethbridge. We stopped briefly at the Creston Wildlife Area on the way by.

(click to view 21 photos)


See also: other posts and the collection of photos from this trip.