Clueless in Ucluelet

Okanagan · July 11, 2013, 12:19:29 AM

Wife & I escaped to the cool air on the west coast of Vancouver Island, at the small town at the end of the road and edge of the world: Ucluelet. Rock shores and islelets mix with long pure sand beaches. No pics of harbor, boat basins or beaches yet.

They call this coast the graveyard of the Pacific.

Ucluelet is near the end of a peninsula that runs south and pokes between the open Pacific and Barkley Sound. Photo below is from the south end of the peninsula near the lighthouse, looking south east into Barkley Sound and the Broken Group of islands.

Not sure whether it is wind or what forces make for weird gnarly trees along the bluff above the shore, but the cedar below is one of many similar.

FinsnFur · July 11, 2013, 05:11:41 AM

I wonder why they call it the graveyard of the Pacific. I think it's absolutely scenic.
Maybe they call it that cause her shores so rough and battered?
Great pics, thanks for sharing them.

Dave · July 11, 2013, 06:19:04 AM

Very nice.

Quote from: Okanagan on July 11, 2013, 12:19:29 AM
No pics of harbor, boat basins or beaches yet.

Yet? Does that mean you took some and you're going to post some, or you have yet to visit that area? Either way, can't wait to see them.

Okanagan · July 11, 2013, 11:15:42 AM

Quote from: FinsnFur on July 11, 2013, 05:11:41 AM
I wonder why they call it the graveyard of the Pacific. I think it's absolutely scenic.
Maybe they call it that cause her shores so rough and battered?
Great pics, thanks for sharing them.

Phenomenal number of ship wrecks. Big storms on a toothy shore and not many survivors.

Dave, boats in the boat basin are 75 yards from here. Like endless sand beaches, they don't interest me as much so haven't taken pics of them.

If we hike on the beach today will likely take some pics, especially if we get some beach coves and rock ribs encircling a beach.

FinsnFur · July 11, 2013, 07:40:37 PM

As morbid as it might sound

Thats kinda interesting, Clyde.

Okanagan · July 11, 2013, 07:46:36 PM

Beach pics for Dave. The first one is looking south around the miles-long sweep of Long Beach (not a town in California but a long beach in BC).

Looking north toward Schooner Cove. We walked a mile up that way today.

About 25 years ago my wife and I backpacked to this beach and tent camped for a few days. In those days there were no fees, no Park, no surfers, and in some coves more deer, bear, cougar and wolf tracks than people tracks

Then we drove to Tofino for lunch at a table overlooking the harbor.

Will try for some boat & harbor pics tomorrow.

FinsnFur · July 11, 2013, 07:59:17 PM

That is so cool! My camera battery woulda been dead within the first hour. Absolute crazy cool shorelines in these last pics. I love the little island thing going on.

iahntr · July 11, 2013, 11:33:05 PM

Very nice !

Dave · July 12, 2013, 06:57:19 AM

Thanks Ok.
Can't believe how few people there are on the beaches. Looks like a really cool place to hike and explore.

Okanagan · July 12, 2013, 10:59:39 AM

Quote from: Dave on July 12, 2013, 06:57:19 AM
Thanks Ok.
Can't believe how few people there are on the beaches. Looks like a really cool place to hike and explore.

We were surprised at how many more people are here than were 20 years ago.

It is a loooong ways out here on a narrow twisty road, after a ferry trip to get to Vancouver Island. This is only my third time out here and I live within a day's travel. Local population is small.

It has some of the most beautiful diving anywhere but outside of the protected coves, swift tidal currents make it very dangerous. There are some huge protected bays with less current but very little is accessible without a boat. Lots of kayaking and surfing (lots by remote BC standards).

I wish you and Dante could join us for a day here. And that Jim could join us with his camera and his good eye for photography. This area would be a fabulous trip for you and Dante, a trip of a lifetime.

Gonna wander down to the harbor a breakfast place in a residential house garage and have one of their hot fresh cinnamon rolls with a good cup of coffee. Vacation time is nice.

Okanagan · July 12, 2013, 01:54:37 PM

Ucluelet harbor.

Yacht basin. It is a pocket cove of maybe four acres with a small entrance to the larger bay harbor showing in the upper right of the photo below.

Hand forged old anchor.

The Canadian Princess, a floating hotel.

Hawks Feather · July 12, 2013, 04:17:16 PM

I really enjoyed the images. Great exposures, etc.

Jerry

Dave · July 13, 2013, 06:53:14 AM

Quote from: Okanagan on July 12, 2013, 10:59:39 AM

I wish you and Dante could join us for a day here. And that Jim could join us with his camera and his good eye for photography. This area would be a fabulous trip for you and Dante, a trip of a lifetime.

That whole trip would be right up our alley. Last summer we were in Maine for a few days and had more fun rooting around the remote beaches and getting off the beaten paths than doing the touristy thing.

nailbender · July 13, 2013, 09:09:45 AM

That's some seriously beautiful country there! Thanks for sharing your getaway.

shaddragger · July 13, 2013, 07:50:28 PM

That is some beautiful country. Thanks for taking us along!

Okanagan · July 14, 2013, 01:10:05 AM

Thanks for the good words. I enjoy seeing other people's country and like to post pics of this part of the world.

Y'all are going to send me out to write about travel and food after the following post. Took my wife out for supper this evening at a place on the beach, Kw' sitis. It is at the south end of the long beach in pics above.

Looking north around the sweep of Long Beach.

Looking south, the view from our table. Sunny Saturday in July and we were the only customers at 6:15. Two couples came in later. Only one couple in sight on the beach. Seems odd but nice. Prices about like a Canadian Denny's.

Our view straight out west to the Pacific. This photo taken from the patio but it was too chilly to eat outside.

I liked the silverware... Y'all will probably revoke my man card.

coyote101 · July 14, 2013, 08:31:06 AM

What a beautiful place!

Pat

FinsnFur · July 14, 2013, 09:42:23 AM

What a beautiful place is right, wow.
I love the pics of the harbor, it looks busy but peaceful and the water was just like glass. LOVE the shot through the link

JohnP · July 14, 2013, 09:10:31 PM

Absolutely stunning. Thank you for taking the time to post them for us, truly enjoyed them.

Okanagan · July 18, 2013, 11:58:59 AM

A comment FYI on one of my beach photos, copied below: The wet sand is from a small creek running across the beach. When the creek comes out of the wooded hills, it spreads out as it runs across the flat beach at low tide, as shown. Sometimes these creeks will be a quarter inch deep and spread out 50-100 yards wide. This one has cut a four foot wide channel a few inches deep in the middle as well as spreading out. Sea run fish like salmon, steelhead and sea run cutthroat start up such streams at high tide.

Two more pics. After taking them, I like the beach pics more than the rocks! These pics really need a polarizing filter. Is there a way to put a polarizing filter on the little hand held point and shoot cameras? Maybe there is one a man could hold in place with the off hand even if it does not attach to the camera.