Week 6: An Ocean Front Camp Site and Blueberry Breakfasts

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Loesje woke us up early and we were packed and ready to leave by 9:00. The plan was to have our first stop at Fuller Lake, so we could all go for a swim, but by the time we arrived, Loesje was sound asleep. Plan B was to travel to the town of Qualicum Beach and meet for coffee at the grocery store, Naked Naturals.

We traveled west of Nanaimo and followed Johny’s red, Honda Element on the highway past Parksville.  At the grocery store, we all had coffee and sandwiches on the patio and the now awake Loesje was all excited, eating bites from everybody’s sandwich.

Next, we parked at the beach and walked toward the ocean. The tide was out and to Loesje’s delight, there were many tiny crabs running on the beach. Johny taught her to pick them up gently and how to hold them in her hand. We saw minuscule pipes poking through the sand and if you looked long enough, a tiny jet of water spouted in the air. “Those are clams,” Johny explained, “and that’s how they breath.” Loesje and Johny started digging with their hands and found  a few, but most had burrowed deep into the sand and we didn’t bring our shovels.

The beach went on forever, with snow capped mountains as a backdrop for the ocean. I inhaled the scent of salt water and watched seagulls dive for their meal into the waves. A flock of Canada Geese, swam nearby and when Bijke ran into the ocean, we saw the head of a seal bobbing up and down.

Bijke: I wish I could swim in the ocean forever, but after a while, A reeled me in and I had to stay on the sandy part. I sniffed shells and creatures with claws and I was allowed to dig and dig and spray sand all over.

As time went on, we found our campground. Qualicum First Nations’ Campground was about ten minutes down the road. Our site was right on the ocean and Rikst and Johny’s cabin was a five minute walk from our trailer.

We set up quickly. The sky was a perfect blue, the mountains and the islands across from us created an amazing view. We smelled the ocean and listened to the sound of the breakers. It was so overwhelmingly beautiful, I felt I would never want to leave this spot, this campground, this place. The sea again, reminded me of vacations on the Dutch Islands, where the beaches go on forever, too. I also have fond memories of camping trips along the North Sea coast.

Rikst and Johny had rented a cute little cabin at the edge of the ocean and they were thrilled with their place and the view. When we visited them, we saw otters frolicking close to the Big Qualicum River, which flows into the ocean, but unfortunately, they were too far away for pictures.

Johny cooked a pasta dinner and brought it over to our site, where we ate at the picnic table overlooking the sea. Later that evening a Loon came calling. We didn’t think Loons were in the ocean. I should ask my friend, Rebecca. She is the expert on loons.

After dinner, Loesje wanted to play in the ‘nailhouse. She turned on the radio and danced to the music. Then, we lay on the bed and looked at the ocean and chanted for the neighbours to hear, “I see the ocean! I see the ocean!” I will forever treasure these moments.

I filled our coffee cups with rye and Albert and I watched an unforgettable, magical sunset.

The next morning one of the neighbours pointed to the East. There in the far, far distance, we saw the spouts of several whales. All I could think of was, ‘please come closer and say hi’, but they didn’t hear me and after a while they disappeared. Maybe, tomorrow morning, I hoped. Loesje helped us eat our breakfast, by picking out all the blueberries from our cereal while Mom and Dad went for a run.

Once more, we went for coffee at Naked Naturals, in the town of Qualicum Beach.

At lunch,  Loesje wanted a raizy bun. Current buns are Albert’s favourite and Rikst had bought them at the market in Duncan from the Dutch bakery in Chemainus. 

After lunch, Albert and Bijke went back to the beach for a swim and I went with Rikst, Johny and Loesje to Spider Lake in Spider Lake Provincial Park. Again, there was no fee. “The Parks are paid for with our tax dollars,” Johny explained. I wished all provinces would take on that policy.

It was busy with families at Spider Lake. There were no motorized vessels and dogs allowed and that’s why the lake was quiet and the water pristine. Rikst and Johny both took turns on the stand up paddle board. We all went swimming and Loesje went with Mom on the paddle board.

We met Albert and Bijke at the coffee shop in the small town of Bowser; a place busy with tourists. We spent some time at the Art Gallery, where the works of local artists were on display. I loved the pieces of west coast art involving whales and other sea creatures  and of course the ocean.

Johny made a delicious curry and again we enjoyed our dinner at the sea.

Bijke: Every time I want to sniff the little human, she calls, “Bijke, No! Inside Bijke.” But I like it outside and I want to sniff her.

That evening, the neighbours had locked them self out of their trailer. It took them over two hours and a prong from the BBQ, to open their door. The wind had picked up earlier and thrown their door into the lock. We put our extra set of trailer keys in the car.

The next morning, Rikst and Loesje came early, for breakfast. Johny arrived on his paddle board. Five seals had been following him. Loesje had another raizy bun and then we were off to the farmer’s market in Qualicum Beach, while Rikst, Johny and Loesje went to visit with friends in Parksville.

We parked our car and walked the beach with Bijke. We found hundreds and hundreds of baby crabs. We wondered if crabs give life births or if they lay eggs in the sand? We need to google that as soon as we have decent wifi.

After a quiet afternoon, as Rikst and Loesje were both having a nap, Johny made a quinoa salad and we provided veggie burgers and buns.

The ocean was very quiet that evening as if taking a holiday, but we certainly missed the sound of the surf.

We went for a long walk on our last night at Qualicum Beach First Nations campground. We had a drink at the shore and watched two ferries pass by in the distance and some seals bobbing their heads up and down.

We will miss this place. We had an unforgettable time with our family.

On Sunday, Loesje came for her blueberry breakfast. Rikst and Johny went for a run and a swim on this gorgeous morning.

As we packed up, I felt sad to leave the ocean.

The plan was to spent the day in Parksville, at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. When we arrived at the parking lot, Loesje had just fallen asleep. Two-year-olds do have their own timetable. The Tillies drove home instead and we spent the day at the Park. Bijke wasn't allowed on the beach and we decided to walk the trail through the old growth forest, hugging the beach. The views were stunning and by now the temperature had risen to 34 C. We were glad to walk in the shade from Western Cedars and Hemlock and feel the breeze from the ocean. The sound of the ocean and the perfume of the cedars followed us along the trail. Pieces of driftwood littered the beach creating sculptures in the sand. One dead tree in the shape of a horse’s head, hung over the path. Back at the trailer we had a late lunch. The drive back to Duncan was busy, with families going home at the end of a sunny, summer weekend.

When we arrived home, Johny had made pizzas for everybody and Loesje was swimming in her pool.

Bijke: I wanted to swim in that water with the little human, but all the big humans said, “NO BIJKE!”

‘We’re Going on a Bearhunt’, by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, was Loesje’s pick for a bedtime story. An old classic, that's still popular.

It was our first tropical night in the snail house and according to the weather forecast, not our last. The first heatwave had hit the island.

Happy Anniversary, Rikst and Johny! Seven years already!

This morning Loesje drank her smoothy in the snail house. Rikst stayed home and Sharon came for tea.

It was a hot day, too hot for nap, Loesje found. So instead she worked out in the garage with Mom. She ran on the treadmill, and lifted a 5 pound weight!

When the deck became shaded, Loesje played in her pool.

Johny brought home flowers and we ordered PadThai, to celebrate Rikst and Johny’s anniversary. Loesje gobbled up her ‘picy' thai noodles and even tried to eat with chopsticks.

After dinner, we went to Cowichan Bay, where Bijke went for a swim.

That night a breeze from the ocean made for much better sleeping conditions.

On Tuesday, Rikst went to work and Johny took the day off.

We took Loesje and Bijke for a walk and when we returned home, Johny had clothes and snacks organized for a swim at Fuller Lake. It was still early and not too busy at the beach, although that changed quickly as more and more families sought the coolness of the water.

We played in the sand and swam with Loesje till noon. In Chemainus, we looked for the Dutch bakery, to buy more 'rainy buns', but the sign on the door said, CLOSED TUESDAYS.

Chemainus is famous for its murals and we walked downtown and had a coffee. The temperature rose to 32 degrees, today.

In the evening, Bijke went for another swim at Cowichan Bay and we walked the estuary. The mosquitoes were mean and Bijke got caught in the blackberries. All and all, it wasn't a successful evening.

A nice breeze woke us on Wednesday. Our first trip was to Providence Bay with Loesje and Bijke.  It was already busy at the farm as many volunteers were setting up for the Island Folk Festival, which is scheduled for the weekend. Loesje wanted to count the cows again and again.

After lunch and a long nap, Georgia came with Grandma Kathy. Loesje and Georgia watered the plants and then Georgia decided to water Bijke.

Bijke: The little human that came to visit threw water on my back, ears and head. I liked it. I could sniff and lick her, too and nobody said, “No Bijke! Bijke No!”

Kathy picked up Grace from swimming camp, but then there were three…

Rikst prepared broccoli, cashew cheese burritos, a recipe from the ohsheglows cookbook. It was delicious. I don't know how I’m going to get back to cooking meals after being spoiled by mostly Johny but also Rikst’s delicious meals.