Ken & Sheila
Site Team
I know most people just take a day trip and visit Victoria on Vancouver Island. But based on comments made by Russ about his stay at Ripple Rock RV park, north of Campbell River, I decided we had to take the motorhome over from Vancouver (city) and spent some time here. Russ liked Ripple Rock because it is on the Discovery Passage which is relatively narrow but used by many of the Alaska cruise ships and other ships. Russ liked to watch the traffic on the water. I choose not to go to Ripple Rock for 2 reasons: 1- 3 miles of rough gravel road, 2- it's 25 minutes back to town. I found a great RV park, Thunderbird, on a spit just north of downtown Campbell River. The Discovery Passageway is still narrow for cruise ship viewing and it has an Ore ship dock just to the south. See photos for both. The water is across a 2 lane road less than a 100ft from the front of the motorhome. This park even thought to make ever other site as a "pull-in" so motorhomes can face the water. Each of the past few night 3 cruise ships passed by and on the second night we got to watch tugs work the mooring lines to cast off an Ore ship from the dock.
Yesterday we got up and walked into town along the waterfront. Campbell River has done a great job with its water front and has several nice harbors for working fishing vessels and pleasure boats. And it has a BC ferry dock for the ferry to Quadra Island. While in town we enjoyed coffee and bake goods from a local coffee house and a concert in the Plaza. Great day, five mile walk. Then we did drive out to see Ripple Rock. Its a very nice looking RV park and is very popular with the fisherman. Campbell River was really built on fishing.
Today we drove out to Strathcona Provincial Park and then we went on to Gold River. Gold River is on a river that connects to the ocean. It is a port town where ships were loading logs for export (probably China).
We got home to find eagles fishing in our front yard. There were at least 5 eagles fishing along with numerous gulls. I got one photo with3 4 eagles flying. I missed a photo of an eagle flying over the motorhome at about 20 ft with a fish.
Tomorrow we will take the car on the ferry to Quadra Island for the day. Really wish we didn't already have plans set or I could stay here another week. Out of Gold River there is a "working freighter" that takes passengers on 1 to 3 day trips depending on the of the week. Tuesday is their 1 day trip so that will have to wait until we can return - and we will return.
Friday we will go a little south to Parksville for 3 days (day trip to Tofino on the western side of the Island, Ocean) and then onto Victoria for 4 days before taking the Washington State ferry to Anacordes.
ken
Yesterday we got up and walked into town along the waterfront. Campbell River has done a great job with its water front and has several nice harbors for working fishing vessels and pleasure boats. And it has a BC ferry dock for the ferry to Quadra Island. While in town we enjoyed coffee and bake goods from a local coffee house and a concert in the Plaza. Great day, five mile walk. Then we did drive out to see Ripple Rock. Its a very nice looking RV park and is very popular with the fisherman. Campbell River was really built on fishing.
Today we drove out to Strathcona Provincial Park and then we went on to Gold River. Gold River is on a river that connects to the ocean. It is a port town where ships were loading logs for export (probably China).
We got home to find eagles fishing in our front yard. There were at least 5 eagles fishing along with numerous gulls. I got one photo with
Tomorrow we will take the car on the ferry to Quadra Island for the day. Really wish we didn't already have plans set or I could stay here another week. Out of Gold River there is a "working freighter" that takes passengers on 1 to 3 day trips depending on the of the week. Tuesday is their 1 day trip so that will have to wait until we can return - and we will return.
Friday we will go a little south to Parksville for 3 days (day trip to Tofino on the western side of the Island, Ocean) and then onto Victoria for 4 days before taking the Washington State ferry to Anacordes.
ken
