On the Road Again
At the turn of fall we were longing for the ocean, rainforests, and all the creatures they contain. Myself and my sister (Jade) headed to Vancouver Island along highway 3, Crowsnest Pass, a scenic route through southern Alberta and B.C . Crossing snowy mountain passes, cozy small towns and golden leaves our windows framed the season of fall.
Exploring Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park
Upon making it to Ucluelet our hearts sang with joy. We have been visiting since we kayaked the Broken Group Islands when we were children; a trip that cemented our love for the ocean and forests of the Pacific Northwest. Memories of discovering new creatures on beaches and in tide pools inspire our explorations as we peek into calm waters, looking for sea anemone’s and shells.
I find a sense of peace as I walk on cedar board walks. Through temperate rainforest the ravens call overhead, rain taps the ferns as it falls to the lush ground, the trees open to reveal a stretch of beach calling to be explored. We walk and we walk. My body and my breath find their rhythm with the world again. It‘s just me and nature. Its hard to explain the feeling of authenticity and true presence that overcomes me, but I begin to realize just how far removed we are from the truth of the world.
Our temporary home looked out onto forest which contained the Wild Pacific trail; stellar jays greeted us out of our window, and we watched the orange sunsets through the trees. Our days spent exploring the popular and lesser known beaches and board walks. I shy away from giving out locations and names; the hidden places are there for those who seek them, and as it is well known, the journey’s, aimless explorations, and getting lost, are the best way to find the magical places in the world.
That being said, I will share some of the more well known places in town that I love! If you’re to visit Ucluelet, spend a day walking around town. Be sure to stop by the Aquarium, its been a favourite since we were kids and we still find ourselves learning and rolling up our sleeves to play in the touch tanks. A short walk away is Zoe’s Cafe, treats differ from day to day, and oh my gosh they are delicious! The Wild Pacific Trail takes you through forests and hidden beaches. We spent a whole day exploring the walk and its views, popular with locals and tourists (for obvious reasons) we enjoyed seeing people out enjoying the surroundings.
Always explore beaches at low tide; you’ll find that many beaches connect and you can find hidden nooks and crannies hidden from the rest of the world. Just remember when high tide is coming so you don’t get trapped! If you’re lucky you might come across wildlife or find evidence of them. I was lucky enough to watch a heron fishing in the water and on multiple occasions find bear tracks on the beach. I followed his ambling stride as I recounted his journey over the soft sand, checking out tide debris, zig zagging across the beach.
Evenings and quiet moments on the beach I brought out my paints and sketchbook. In recent years I have rediscovered my love for natural history and actively learning more about the natural world. I hope to explore this more though my art and it was a great chance to loose my self to the landscape.
We decided to add 2 days to the trip to visit Victoria; I wanted to visit the Royal BC Museum for their natural history collections and to visit the Robert Bateman Centre. We started the venture by visiting Beacon Hill Park and the Children’s farm. Jade has a slight obsession with goats so we visited the babies and left feeling like kids again… see what I did there? Fishermans Warf called us next. Anyone who knows me knows I love tiny houses and have dreamt of designing and building one for years. The unique floating tiny homes caught my imagination, I admired the creativity and unique designs. We also found some of the best fish tacos around!
The Robert Bateman Centre was high on my list to visit. If you have seen his work you know why. Beautiful landscapes and wildlife captured through paints, calling at the viewer to connect with the wild. Paintings which bring up childhood memories, or allow us a glimpse into places we have not ventured ourselves. But more than his skill, I admire Robert Batemans career of environmental activism. I strongly believe that creativity and art has the power to change the world and what a great example of that! It was inspiring to learn more about his journey through this and I left feeling eager to continue my own career in the direction of being a voice for the wild. In the gallery, Batemans paintings were accompanied by the works of Cory Trepanier which towered (quite literally) on the walls. Plein air paintings of the arctic entranced us in their expanse. Reading his artist statements told the stories of the arctic explorations and why the only way to paint a glacier was on a 5.5x 15 foot canvas. With the massive glacier painting towering ahead I could imagine the smell of the arctic ice and the feel of the wind it carried. The effort he put into the process of painting was extraordinary; footage of him oil painting an ice berg while in his canoe left me with a smile on my face and with something I wanted to try.
And with that, after one last visit with the goats, we said goodbye to Victoria, the ocean, and autumn, making the trek back home, to where winter awaited us once again. I was left feeling inspired, well rested, and eager to get back to my projects (which I’ll tell you about soon!)
