Galiano Island

Between Vancouver (on the mainland) and Victoria (on the Island) you pass through the Southern Gulf Islands

Saltspring Island is the most well known but Galiano is larger but sparsely populated.   We had never been there before and sometime during November 2009 we decided to take a visit.   We boarded a BC Ferries and arrived there about an hour later

Not every BC Ferries makes a stop here you have to check their schedules to find one that "island" hops.  Most scheduled crossings go directly to Sidney (Victoria).   Loading on these ferries are a bit different as you have to drive onto the ferry then make a U-turn and aim your car back towards the way you boarded.  You are given a colour coded card for which island you want to disembark.  Some cars are going to Saltspring Island, Mayne Island, Pender or Saturna Islands.

When I was doing my due diligence my job was to find suitable accommodation and of course where to find food.   According to the Galiano Website   there were 6 eateries and when we arrived we were hungry and found our way to The Harbour Grill, which of course was Closed for the Season

No problem we thought.  We then headed over to the Galiano Spa Resort to check out their upscale restaurant.  After all, we were on vacation for a few days and could splurge for one gourmet meal.  Well, the parking lot was empty but we went inside anyway only to find the restaurant under some renovation.  The Restaurant was closed as the cook was taking a few days off and went to Vancouver

Oh, what to do.  We drove around for a bit and found most places closed for the Season.  Even the moped place was closed.

Then we decided to head back to the Junction where there were a few stores to check out the bakery

and Guess What ?    It was closed too.   It seems like November is not a good month to visit Galiano Island

There is basically only one road which goes up and down the spine of the Island and most of the stores are here, at this junction and thank goodness we found one place open so we could have a meal

Here it is; coffee shop, gift shop and Diner, all in one.   Little did we know at the time that we could only find 2 places open and we ended up having most of our meals here.  There is a small grocery store and gas station around the corner but we did not have cooking facilities where we were staying

Our Bed & Breakfast was north of the Junction but we had time to explore and head north to a small park where the road narrows

There is not much traffic so there is plenty of time to stop for photos.  I liked these overgrown and dilapidated cabins.   I often wonder where these people went

and who is going to rake up the leaves

Sometimes I like to walk around and take photos from different angles.

We were meandering around for a few hours just relaxing and enjoying our time together

and I notice another overgrown home from happier times.  I sometimes have the urge to explore further but I don't like to invite myself onto private property so I keep my distance

It's hard to believe that you can find yourself in such a rustic place only an hour away from Vancouver and feel like you are in the middle of nowhere with no one around.  It is quiet and you can actually hear your own thoughts

There is also a Golf Course here where you pay by the honour system.  Notice that the Clubhouse is closed !     Again, no meals for us

We finally decide to look for our accommodations for the next few days and wonder how we are going to fill our time with nothing to do

 We keep a lookout for signs to our BnB:  Bed 'n Breakfast.   Nope not here

but we are getting closer.  It is down another gravel road with a teeney weeney sign.   And here is our view from our overlook

Here we are on Galiano Island, no TV,  no internet,  just a small cabin with a hot tub, two of us alone in the forest, with a view overlooking the water and no one to interrupt us . . .  (to be continued)