June 28 – Beaches on Quadra Island

From all waterfalls yesterday to all beaches today. We took the short ferry ride over to Quadra Island. This is the island we cans see from our RV front window.

We did a short hike out to the end of Rebecca Spit, then went to checkout a lighthouse and finally went to another unnamed beach to fill the time until we could catch the ferry.

 

I wonder why the tunnels on these ferries are so tall (18 feet). I don’t know what the highway height limit is.

I hiked up to the top of the two passenger decks. This ferry must have been once used on a longer run because the passenger area is huge. This run is 10 minutes and people in cars almost never get out.

We can see the ferry from the RV so I reversed it.

Once off the ferry, we drove across and up the island a short distance to Rebecca Spit Provincial Park. You could hike the entire spit but we were in semi take it easy mode so we drove to the parking lot almost at the end. From there is was only 1 km to the tip by trail.

The trail starts at the end of this large field. Even here you can see water on both sides.

We took the trail up the eastern shore.

Normally we would walk on the beach but it was a jumble of wood and large stones.

There were great views of some of the other islands in the foreground and the mountains on the coast in the background.

I guess someone was practising their totem carving skills.

 

The trails on each side come together at a narrow section of the spit.

As soon as Jennie saw that the more protected beach on the western side has less logs and gravel instead of boulders, down she went.

There weren’t many shells to look at but there were lots of colourful rocks. They look so much better underwater.

We couldn’t figure out what the green bands were on some of the rocks. It looked like seaweed but I couldn’t scratch it off.

We noticed this different looking jelly.

It was being attacked and probably eaten by an army of little crabs. There even seemed to be bubbles inside it with a crab as well.

The water is so clear.

Once we rounded the tip of the spit, the rocks started getting bigger and bigger.

We took the real trail back to the narrow spot. By now some yachts had anchored in the bay. It must drop off quickly because they were not that far off shore.

We had lunch at a bench on the southern end of the narrow area.

The ferry from Quadra to Cortez Island was heading off.

Jennie couldn’t resist going to a least carefully check out the eastern beach.

 

Back near the car we stopped to stare at the coast mountains.

The clouds made it look like the double peaked one over Jennies head, below, was smoking.

We moved on to the southern end of the island to explore around the Cape Mudge Lighthouse.

The hill across the way in Campbell River must be where everyone builds, that wants a view.

Jennie quickly hit the beach again.

The top part of the beach was easy to walk on gravel but there was not much interesting there.

The bottom part was the big stones.

We carefully checked them out anyway. A few more crabs and some interestingly coloured rocks but not much else.

Before we left I took a final shot back at the lighthouse because I really like them and we have not seen that many this year.

The ferry back normally runs on the hour but today the 4 o’clock ferry was being used for dangerous goods and no one else is allowed on board. To kill some time before the 5 o’clock ferry we went to another beach back on the eastern side of the island.

It was another one with large stones.

But at least it had lots of shells for Jennie to examine and stack.

In the background, above, you can see the Cortez ferry still under way.

We had had enough of rocky beaches so we drove back to get in line for the ferry.

This very beat up RV is right beside the road and is one of the first things you will see as you get off the ferry. It is not a great intro to the island.

We still had a lot of time so we left the car in line and climbed up the hill to look at the shops. We said we would just look at the shops but we both knew that we would end up getting ice cream.

They were building an amazing looking circular staircase.

Once the temporary braces are taken away, it looks like the steps will only be supported by tree branches.

I think tomorrow with be a rest and chores day. We are heading farther north on Thursday.