John Harvey Photo

Halfmoon Bay

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images Sunshine Coast is Sunny



The August long weekend is pretty special - best weather and lots of regional activities.  Many local destinations in BC require you to book at least a whole week at a time and often weekend to weekend so if you want a place to stay over the long weekend, you need to book well in advance.  I got lucky and found an ocean front place on the Sunshine Coast for the long weekend so we booked it and went!

We wound up leaving Wednesday night (ferry reservations) and we got to the ferry terminal to find the battery in our car had gone dead!  BC ferries was able to give me a jump to get started but clearly the battery was on it's last legs.  We made it to the house but the next morning we needed another jump to drive the car to the Canadian Tire for a new battery.  It's surprising how much one degraded part makes you question the quality of your car, but every authoritative start made me feel better again.  Claira wanted waffles so we drove to Ricky's for breakfast and grocery shopping for the weekend.

I didn't take my first photos until after dinner when we used the included kayaks for a paddle around Halfmoon Bay.  It was now Thursday afternoon and the weekend party hard people were arriving.  As we paddled around, we saw decks full of loud drinking parties, people on stand up paddle boards and kids jumping off docks into the ocean. Nara and I paddled to the Halfmoon Bay public dock and Nara was feeling ill so we paddled back.

Leaving The DockNara Reflected In WaterSea Stars On Pilings

Oystercatcher On Rocks
There are a few rocks sticking out in Halfmoon Bay and I was happy see actual ocean birds on the rocks. 

Black Turnstone On Rock Ledge

Halfmoon Bay is famous for it's sunsets (there was a coffee table book of just sunsets available) so I left my camera out to take a timelapse of the sunset.  I wasn't disappointed.


Mornings on vacation are a bit controversial.  My kids often see vacation as a time to relax - sleep in, eat a late breakfast, read a book, that kind of thing.  I see vacations as the payload on a rocket - I spent effort working to pay for this trip, researching and booking and the time actually getting the family to the vacation.  For me, day spent sleeping in is a waste of all that effort to get myself on vacation.   I checked in the night before and no one else wanted to go so I slipped out early and went to the trail head for secret cove.  I wasn't going the full way, but I remember their was a nice wetland right at the trailhead so I went there and looked for birds.

Hooded Merganser On Small PondPond With Wooden Boardwalk


Back to the house and picked up the kids.  I have wanted to go the Skookumchuck Narrows for a long time and today happened to be a big tide change day.  We packed up and drove roughly 44km to the North end of the Sunshine coast - Egmont.  There is a small cafe at the trail head where we picked up lunch and we started out hike.

Starting HikeBake Shop SignDerelict Truck Bakery Sign


The path is wide and there was a decent number of people on the trail out the falls.  The walk out took about 45 minutes.

Claira The TeapotHealthy Maidenhair FernWatching Current Skookumchuck Narrows

The narrows were spectacular - standing waves and whirlpools flying past the coast.

 
On a previous trip to Davis Bay, we visited Wobbly Canoe for dinner every night - the kids really liked their Mac and Cheese.  We decided to visit again for a rerun.
 
Fancy Drink At Wobbly CanoePoke BowlFalafel Burger And Fries

Beef Dip Sandwich
Claira had the Mac and Cheese but sadly thought it was too salty.  The Wobbly Canoe kindly took the Mac and Cheese off the bill.  The rest of our meals were fantastic.


Nara With Flounder
After dinner, we walked across the road to the the pier and watched what was going on - kids swimming, people fishing.

Worn Notches

Saturday

Lobster Mushrooms At MarketTwo Kinds Of Figs
Saturday morning we visited the Sechelt Farmers Market as we did on a previous trip.  The farmers market has several farms selling fresh produce and another dozen that sold cooked food.  Probably half of all stalls were operated by local artists in a wide variety of mediums.  I don't like taking photos of other peoples work as I add very little. 


Two Kinds Of BeetsTomatoes And Peppers At MarketPakoras With Chutneys

This weekend is also Pender Harbour Days so we drove up to Pender Harbour to see the boats.  There are a number of things to do at Pender Harbour Days but we started with Face Paint while the line up was short.

Claira With SailboatNara With FacepaintNara With Facepaint And Glasses
 
 
Solar Telescope
Another attraction is a telescope with Solar Filters so you can see the surface of the sun.  The view was quite spectacular - you could clearly see sun spots and loops on the surface of the of the sun.  Again, short line up and I was really happy the kids got to see the sun.


Kids On Lower Level
The next attraction was the wooden boats.  This is a small neighborhood festival so the boats were open to visitors and you could go on board and walk around where you wanted.  The kids love the small spaces and the adaptations that convert dining areas into bedrooms and kitchens that cook meals without electricity. 

Claira In Small Boat

Forest Service BadgeA lof of these boats have heritage going back up to 100 years.  Many of them were used by the Forest Service in Canada or the US Pacific coast.

Dragon Cleat On Bow

The last big attraction is the boat building table.  The festival kindly provide supplies, tools and direction and the kids made boats. 

Claira Building Catamaran
The tools are tricky - nails split wood easily so building something detailed isn't very easy. 

Nara Putting Outrigger On Boat
 
We have yet to find a great ice cream place on the upper Sunshine coast - we have visited Mike's place in Gibsons (lots of selection) and Gourmet Girl Cafe in Davis Bay.  We tried a new place - Baked on the Coast in Pender Harbour.  This kids gave this place two thumbs up.
 
Nara Found Ice CreamClaira Found Ice Cream
 

Sunday:

Today, out goal was to see more of the Southern Sunshine Coast.  Helen found a food truck called "The Shortcut Gibsons" on a farm just outside of town.  We dropped in for a hot breakfast.

Signs At Farm StandGibsons Farm Stand


Eggs And HashbrownsThe Shortcut Food Truck


I wanted to visit the Nicholas Sonntag Marine Education Centre - a catch and release aquarium in Gibson.  It's a small aquarium but every tank has an interesting animal, many of which I haven't seen before.

Sea LemonSea CucumberStriped Sun Star

Slime Star With Ochre Sea StarSmall Fish In Corner Of TankFish Resting On Sea Cucumber

Red And Green Body AnemoneCorkscrew Tentacles On AnemoneRed Anemone
 
Another beautiful night so I decided to go out with Claira for a Kayak around the bay.  The parties from the first nights?  It was quiet.  The kids jumping off the dock?  No more.  It was a nice quite night for a paddle.

Black Turnstones With Sunset

Claira Out On WaterClaira Paddling HomeClaira Paddling In Bay

After we got back, I setup the tripod for another sunset.  Again, we were treated to quite a light show.


 

Nara With Flounder
Person: Claira, Nara
Tags: fish
Fancy Drink At Wobbly Canoe
Tags: drink
Sea Stars On Pilings
Tags: piling
Claira The Teapot
Person: Claira
Altitude: 45m (147 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: trail
Solar Telescope
Altitude: 1m (3 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: telescope
Falafel Burger And Fries
Tags: food porn
Pakoras With Chutneys
Altitude: 14m (45 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market
Black Turnstones With Sunset
Species: Arenaria melanocephala (Black Turnstone)
Nara Reflected In Water
Person: Nara
Tags: kayaking
Forest Service Badge
Altitude: 5m (16 feet)
Location: Go To...
Lobster Mushrooms At Market
Altitude: 21m (68 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market, mushroom, produce
Oystercatcher On Rocks
Species: Haematopus bachmani (Black Oystercatcher)
Claira Out On Water
Person: Claira
Tags: kayaking
Red Anemone
Watching Current Skookumchuck Narrows
Altitude: 29m (95 feet)
Location: Go To...
Gibsons Farm Stand
Altitude: 134m (439 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: farm, stand
Beef Dip Sandwich
Tags: food porn
Leaving The Dock
Person: Claira, Helen
Tags: dock
Claira Paddling In Bay
Person: Claira
Sea Lemon
Tomatoes And Peppers At Market
Altitude: 14m (45 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market, peppers, tomatoes
Black Turnstone On Rock Ledge
Species: Arenaria melanocephala (Black Turnstone)
Red And Green Body Anemone
Tags: aquarium
Claira In Small Boat
Person: Claira
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
Worn Notches
Derelict Truck Bakery Sign
Altitude: 15m (49 feet)
Location: Go To...
Starting Hike
Person: Claira, Nara, Helen
Altitude: 20m (65 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira Building Catamaran
Person: Claira
Poke Bowl
Tags: food porn
Two Kinds Of Figs
Altitude: 14m (45 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fruit, market
Healthy Maidenhair Fern
Species: Adiantum pedatum (maidenhair)
Altitude: 50m (164 feet)
Location: Go To...
Bake Shop Sign
Altitude: 31m (101 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: sign
Nara Putting Outrigger On Boat
Person: Nara
Altitude: 13m (42 feet)
Location: Go To...
Fish Resting On Sea Cucumber
Nara Found Ice Cream
Person: Nara
Tags: ice cream
Hooded Merganser On Small Pond
Species: Lophodytes cucullatus (Hooded Merganser)
Altitude: 17m (55 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: pond
Eggs And Hashbrowns
Altitude: 134m (439 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: breakfast, eggs
Small Fish In Corner Of Tank
Nara With Facepaint
Person: Nara
Altitude: 1m (3 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: face paint
Nara With Facepaint And Glasses
Person: Nara
Altitude: 1m (3 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: face paint
Dragon Cleat On Bow
Altitude: 6m (19 feet)
Location: Go To...
The Shortcut Food Truck
Altitude: 134m (439 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: food truck
Signs At Farm Stand
Altitude: 134m (439 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: farm, sign, stand
Claira With Sailboat
Person: Claira
Altitude: 5m (16 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: face paint
Pond With Wooden Boardwalk
Tags: boardwalk, pond
Claira Found Ice Cream
Person: Claira
Tags: ice cream
Corkscrew Tentacles On Anemone
Slime Star With Ochre Sea Star
Striped Sun Star
Kids On Lower Level
Person: Claira, Nara
Altitude: 7m (22 feet)
Location: Go To...
Sea Cucumber
Claira Paddling Home
Person: Claira
Tags: kayaking
Two Kinds Of Beets
Altitude: 17m (55 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: market
Tags: market(5), food porn(3), face paint(3), kayaking(3), sign(2), ice cream(2)
People: Claira(12), Nara(8), Helen(2)

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Last Modified Sunday, January 28th, 2024 at 21:45:14 Edit
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