Three years ago we explored the northpart of Vancouver Island and ever since we have wanted to go back and explore more of it. There are so many lakes and recreation sites to check out. This year we decided to explore the lake area just northwest of Campbell River. A friend of Dan's recommended a lake that will stay unmentioned as I was told that I could not tell others about! So that was our first destination and we would see what we wanted to do from there. We arrived at the lake on a Saturday and were a bit surprised that we had the place to ourselves as there are only two camp spots at this rec site. It is a beautiful lake and very quiet and peacful.
Our first plan of attack was to get our camp set up. Of course you need to have a drink while doing this so out came our assortment of drinks:
Setting up camp with our huge tarp is always a workout. But finally, we were settled. Here is a picture of our camp. Looks pretty good hey?
And our beautiful view...
Our first couple of days here we had a mixture of sunshine, clouds and rain. We went out in our canoe a few times to check out the lake and to fish. We caught some trout but they were too small to keep. Here is a picture of my first catch. You can't actually tell how small this fish was so I could have lied an said it was huge :-).
Here is a view of the lake from our canoe that shows our own private little beach. Peaceful looking isn't it?
Our original thought was to stay a few days and then possibly move on to another area, however, it was such a relaxing place to be we ended up staying for the whole week.
Over the days, we enjoyed many peaceful times. Some days we just hung out at the lake and other times we got into the truck and explored a bit of the area, with a couple of drives into Campbell River for a well needed shower. When I was walking around our campsite area one day, I came across a place where a bear had definately made home. Here is a picture of the bear fur on the left and bear claw marks on the right. We may have scared him away when we arrived as we also saw some very fresh poop!
One day during the week it was so windy we had to hang out on the other side of the truck where the wind wouldn't bother us. During that day, we came to the decison that a very windy day is actually more bothersome than a rainy day. That night we decided if the next morning was just as windy, we would head out on an adventure and explore more of the area. The next morning, waking up to the wind again, we headed out for the day. I have to admit I was almost tempted to pack up the camp and find something less windy, however, that seemed to be too much work! In the end, the wind died by the time we came back that evening.
During our exploration that day we came across many recreation sites and lakes that were just beautiful and definately weren't used all that much compared to our rec sites in the lower Vancouver Island area. We went into Sayward that day as it was a place neither of us had been to before. It is definately a small town with not much going on, however, it sure is situated in a beautiful area.
The rest of the week consisted of enjoying our camp and the lake. Here are a few pictures that show the beauty of the place. If you like exporing and camping with limited services, this area is a great place to feel connected to the wild.
Love the rickety old dock - added to the uniqueness of the place!
Till next time,
Nicole W
