Sunday, October 16, 2011

R & R on Vancouver Island

It is not often that we take a day off but that is exactly what we did last Friday when we caught a morning ferry to Vancouver Island and headed north to Courtenay, BC which is about an hour or so north of Nanaimo

courtenay

Instead of boarding the ferry at Horseshoe Bay which is the usual way to arrive in Nanaimo, we decided to be daring and take the Tsawwassen to Duke Point ferry where the crossing takes 2 hours (instead of 1 hour 40 min) and I had more time to fiddle with the ProHDR app on my iPhone

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(iPhone, ProHDR app)

I usually stay outside on the upper deck but today it was very chilly and the wind made my legs feel like jello so I didn't venture outside for long

P1080130
(Lumix ZS3)

Where possible I like to travel on the backroads so at Parksville we took the Oceanside route along the water and ended up at a neat place called Deep Bay

IMG_6276
(Canon T2i, Tamron 17-50)

where we happened to stumble upon a crime scene. We noticed many newer homes in this area. There is short peninsula with a road in the middle and homes on both sides with water access. There is a Government Wharf and other marine facilites

IMG_6279
(Canon T2i, Tamron 17-50)

Perhaps it was the good weather but first impressions are that this is a very picturesque/photogenic place. We hung around for a bit enjoying the freedom of a day away from work

We dilly dallied most of the day meandering our way north and eventually found our way to our destination and checked into our Spa Resort just south of Courtenay/Comox and settled into our waterfront view suite

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(Lumix ZS3)

Here is a sunrise view from our deck. Across the bay you can see Comox on the other side

IMG_6310
(Canon T2i, EF-s 55-250)

While the air was a bit nippy, especially in the evening, the outdoor spa was pleasantly Hot. Luckily I brought my Speedo

P1080140
(Lumix ZS3)

We topped off the evening with a five star meal in their award-winning restaurant. This was the special of the night, Scallops on a bed of herb-filled, spiced mash potatoes

P1080145
(Lumix ZS3)

it was so delicious I tried to "stretch my meal" by cutting the scallops into smaller pieces to savour every bite.

I try to travel very light but the electronics take most of the space & weight. This trip I mostly used my GoProHD with a few shots from my Canon T2i. I carry the Lumix as a backup

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(iPhone using Pano app produced from 2 images, cropped)

16 comments:

  1. A day away from work is always so delicious. Feels like playing hooky.

    I don't think those are really your feet on the ferry...no Crocs(tm)!

    I am terribly surprised you didn't lay down next to the crime scene tape and view from that perspective?

    Looked like a lovely dally away from home while the weather was still forgiving. Winter will be here too soon. Hope you had a fun and relaxing time!

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  2. Very nice Bob! Interesting that in NZ and Australia, leaving the orange part of a scallop on is the norm. They do it in restaurants to prove that it's actually a scallop and not a particular kind of fish punched out to resemble a scallop. Apparently, this happens more than you think in less scrupulous places!

    That's your uninteresting fact for the day :-)

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  3. Bob,

    it sounds like you and Mrs Scoot had a lovely weekend. You couldn't have picked a nicer weekend. It was spectacularly amazing down Island. Riding was a dream this weekend and I feel truly in a state of bliss. I too had some pretty yummy food, it seems like food is a big part of motorcycling culture. I love the Oceanside drive in Parksville, it is beautiful there.

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  4. Wasn't it a great weekend? We just returned from Kelowna where we had some R&R, too. Scrumptious food porn!

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  5. Nice! Looks like a wonderful trip with beautiful autumn weather. My boss has a vacation home on Vancouver Island (around Sidney area maybe), and he loves it there.

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  6. It looks like a really nice trip with beautiful weather. I like the food shot and like Geoff mentioned, I always wonder if the scallops are real in restaurants. It seems that I end up working so many partial weekends that I seem to lose track of which is which. So if nothing is scheduled, I'll take advantage of a slow day to go exploring. Usually on foot...

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  7. First feet and now a speedo? Good thing there's still a few hours until bedtime. Time to shake that mental picture and avoid bad dreams! :)

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  8. Ymmmm... the scallops looked delicious! It's been years since I've been on a ferry. We used to take one across the Mississippi river from the West Bank (Gretna)to downtown New Orleans when I was stationed on the Naval base there. After several late nights on Bourbon Street... the ferry was our designated driver. lol!

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  9. Steel Cupcake: I do have some croc photos tucked away, and I was very tempted to lay down on that body outline . . . It was warmer than it looked

    Geoff: You are full of interesting facts gathered from years of curiosity. I know what you mean about artificial, like our artificial crab meat up here, used in many Japanese restaurants

    Dar: Too bad we didn't have time to travel farther south but we always have ferry line-ups on our mind. After you get "certified, class 6" perhaps we could all ride together up Island

    Sonja: This was the first time in many years we didn't go to the Okanagon, and I have ridden my bike there for several years to the scooter rally in Kelowna.

    Ms M: It was just a relaxing weekend without riding or much driving, an excuse to take photos and sightsee

    Bluekat: Sidney is about half an hour north of Victoria and you can also take the ferry from Port Angeles or the one from Anacortes.

    Richard: I too used to walk about town snapping photos but I notice it is getting harder to walk longer distances. I would rather twist the throttle.

    Irondad: 300 miles from home and stuck in a Hotel room ? You must NOT be in Oregon . . .

    Lady R: We are finding so much about you and where you used to live. You have to start blogging about your past. You have such an interesting history. I've never been to New Orleans, or Puerto Rico either. Would love to see some photos when you have a chance

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  10. What a great weekend away. And such lovely weather too.

    I think we have to thank Mrs. Skoot for not taking a picture of you in the Speedo though. ;-)

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  11. Trobairitz:

    I don't know which one is better, the one with the Speedo, or the one without . . . I'll try to hold my stomach in, but eventually I have to breathe

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  12. Bobskoot,

    Is it bad that my favorite shot is of the spa? That pool looks wonderful. I did just come inside, and it's only 45 degrees today. I want a hot tub. I want a rub down.

    Brady
    Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
    www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com

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  13. Brady:

    then I won't tell you that the spa was very warm, like sitting in a tub of nearly boiling water. It felt great.

    I could go for a body rub too

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast

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  14. I would love to spend some serious time on the west coast and that wonderful scenery you shared in this post is one of the big reasons I love the northwest. Please keep those posts coming Bob.

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  15. Dear Bob:

    On behalf of the thousands of innocent bystanders who read this blog often, I am grateful there are no shots of you in the speedo. However, someone posted a picture of the Dalai Lama on FaceBook, and I swear, if this guy commits murder, they could easily pick you out of the line-up as his double.

    Fondest regards,
    Jack/reep
    Twisted Roads

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