Day 21-22: Oh! Canada!

Karen Derrick-Davis
May 7
6 min read

Wildlife Bingo Card

Bald Eagle
Humpback whale
California Seal
Starfish
Great Blue Herons galore
Seagulls

Highlights

easy border crossing (you sure you don't have weapons?)
bald eagle right at border
nice diner breakfast
couple bought us a round of drinks
Great Blue Heron nesting
drumming group on beach
humpback whale just off shore
all the folks who fawned over Salem and asked to pet her
pet-friendly brewpub
seagull with starfish in mouth

Hiccups

trouble extricating the trailer from the parking spot at friend's house
dead phone
missing turn into campground and navigating a way back

On the Edge of the Comfort Zone

Walking across the very high (364'), mile-long Lions Gate Bridge

A Bumpy Washington Exit

We hooked up our trailer and said good-by to our friend on Whidbey Island. It had been quite a feat to maneuver our trailer into a spot between some trees in her yard (we had to saw off several branches--oops--she swore it was OK!). I figured our exit would be simple. Wrong.

As I started to pull the trailer forward, it was clear this was not going to be an easy exit. After several back-and-forths, and sawing off a few more branches (sorry!!), we finally managed -- with only minor impact on our trailer (bent one handrail on the roof ladder).

We were off to Canada! The day had come! Smooth sailing now!

Well, not exactly. About an hour into our drive, my husband's phone went completely dead. If it was going to happen, now was a good time. We were still near civilization -- meaning Verizon stores. We found one and they were able to push mysterious combinations of buttons to get it working again. Hopefully, the phone will not pull that one, again.

Mostly Smooth Canada Landing

Crossing the border was easy! Ten minutes and we were in the maple-leaf happyland.

The border guard was mostly concerned about and convinced that we had guns or ammunition. He asked us about guns in three different ways that were peppered among other questions about cannabis, liquor and our travel plans. He did not request proof of the dog's rabies vaccination and didn't care about the food we had. He did ask if we were planning to move to Canada. My husband almost joked and said something like, "Considering it, haha..." but, thankfully, decided against it.

The guard did not even ask to look inside our trailer -- maybe they have infrared detectors, so he knew we had no stowaways? I was surprised he didn't ask to take a peek.

We continued on our merry way to the urban jewel of British Columbia, Vancouver. The only rough spot in our Vancouver arrival was a missed turn into Capilano River RV Park that necessitated some crowded urban driving and maneuvering to get back on track. Then, bingo! Around 2pm, we slid into our small and beautifully level campsite with electric, water and sewer hookups and breathed a sigh of relief.

Wowza!

I humbly suggest you add Vancouver to your shortlist of cities to visit. After setting up "camp," we put on our walking shoes and struck out on the 3-mile walk into town. Crossing the Lions Gate Bridge was the first mile!

Large cargo ship near bridge with mountains in background. Calm waters reflect cloudy sky. Shoreline with rocks visible in foreground. — Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver

Just getting started on the trek across the mile-long Lions Gate Bridge.

After the somewhat terrifying bridge crossing, the next part of our walk was through the gorgeous Stanley Park. It is larger than Central Park and has wooded trails throughout, beautiful vista points overlooking the water, as well as a wonderful seawall hike and bike trail around the border. The humungous Western Red Cedars and Douglas Firs are breathtaking.

Western Red Cedars and Douglas Firs steal the show in Stanley Park.

These trees are growing on a "nurse log." Fallen trees provide a nutrient-rich environment for new saplings.

Not sure if this face is natural or human-made! Either way, we liked it!

A Western Red Cedar in the developed part of Stanley Park.

We saw many trees like this, where new growth sprouted from old.

We eventually arrived on the other side of Stanley Park where we finally saw people! It was a lovely sunny Vancouver day. On this Tuesday afternoon, loads of folks were playing tennis, playing Pitch & Putt Golf (I decided to call it "Pickle Golf" since it seems to be a simplified version of golf like Pickle Ball is a simplified version of tennis), lawn bowling, walking and bicycling. No wasting a beautiful spring afternoon!

Our target destination was Stanley Park Brewing. It turned out to be a perfect, dog-friendly place. We were led to a table on the deck. Unfortunately, the little dog at the very close next table was not so thrilled at our (Salem's) arrival. Before getting comfortable, we smiled and told our neighbors we would asked to be reseated, since they were there first (as it was evident there dog was not going to settle down). No biggie, our next table was even better -- at the end of the deck with a great view of the tennis courts and nesting Great Blue Herons.

After a relaxing drink and nosh, the waiter delivered the bill and informed us that Table 23 had bought our first round of drinks -- the folks with the little noisy dog! We were stunned! Wow. What an awesome welcome to Canada!

Sunset Walk "Home"

We chose the seawall path back to Lions Gate Bridge. It did not disappoint. This international city is diverse and beautifully lively! There were tons of walkers & joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers and folks lounging on the beach. In the distance, we heard drumming and eventually arrived at a large drum circle. What a great vibe!

People play drums in a lively outdoor gathering by a beach. A colorful drum stands out. A bicycle and a backpack are nearby. — Drummers at Stanley Park

Two men playing drums with wooden sticks outdoors, surrounded by greenery. One drum features colorful patterns. The mood is focused and lively. — Drummers at Stanley Park

Hands of multiple people rhythmically drumming on hand drums outdoors, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. — Line of drumming hands at Stanley Park

(After some internet research later in the evening, I learned this weekly circle, Brahm's Tams Drum Circle, has been going for 20 years and gets pretty large in the summer months. We lucked out to walk this trail on a Tuesday to catch it!)

We sat awhile and enjoyed the drumming and the view of the water -- then, I saw the first humpback whale of the trip! It was magical. A spray of water several hundred yards from the beach caught my eye and then I saw the whale's nubby back briefly break the water surface. I could not get a photo, as it's surfacing was infrequent and brief, but I did see it several times. I have seen humpbacks before, but not for decades -- and it is always awe-inspiring to me to see these amazing creatures in open water.

Farther down the seawall, a California Sea Lion popped its head up right near the shore and then a seagull with a starfish in its mouth stood looking a bit confused.

Sorry to disturb your dinner... Has he bitten off more than he can chew?

The trek back across the Lions Gate Bridge was, again, hair-raising with cyclists passing us at quite a clip, cars and buses zooming by, and the bridge shaking under our feet -- all at 300 feet high. Salem was nervous and ready to get back on solid ground, as were we.

All told, we walked over 7 miles, which is about my limit, these days. Stanley Park is a spectacular urban sanctuary and the Vancouverites seem to know it!