Treasures from the sea on a dive boat
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2005
1
9
10
Trip End
Sep 10, 2005
Quadra Island,
British Columbia,
Canada
Friday, September 9, 2005
Great fishing hiking and just relaxing. But today we have the adventure we've waited for - save the best for last. We park in the ferry lot and purchase our ticket to Quadra. The roundtrip car is $22. And $4 for each of us one way. No discount for the driver. Have some time, so we walk across the street to window shop since nothing is open, execept John did find coffee.
The incoming ferry is packed with kids. There isn't a school on Quadra, so everyone comes to the Campbell River school. They travel for free. Once boarded, we head to the top for the best view seats. The inside seats don't interest us on this route
Quadra island here we come
.Getting the car off is easy and we start toward the Tacu Resort, but somehow end up in the wrong direction. I didn't offer an opinion on right or left, so I'm happy.
Turn around and in ten minutes we are turning onto the property. The resort sits on Drew Harbor. The property has a laid back feeling. Nothing is fast paced. Kayaks are for rent right at the harbor. There are lawn games for the families, a TV in the game room, and a co-op garden. This is fantastic for the city folk who's kids think that vegitables are manufactured at the local grocery store. You put in a little time weeding, or watering, and you get to pick some veggies for your dinner.
There are different types of accommodations. Camping, beachfront "A" frames, one and two bedroom Terrace Suites, and the best of all The Beach house, which has a lower 2 bedroom unit and the maximum luxury in nature experience, the two bedroom upper suite. Of course, we LOVE the Upper Bedroom. The views make you want to sit in the comfy chairs and just gaze out the window. The bedrooms are luxury linen. And if you have age, seniority, money or age as a leverage, you get the bedroom with the jacuzi that sits in front of a HUGE window
Kary claimed the best seat in the "house"
. The view will keep you skin shriveled during your stay here. I don't know if I could leave the bathroom on this vacation! We looked at the Terrace 2 bedroom suites that are very nice units, but the Beach House Upper is is one of the most relaxing vacations rentals we have ever been in. I wish I could stay for a week.
But we have to walk up the hill to watersports company and meet our captain and diver at Spirit of the West. This boat was newly purchased at a government "auction" The boat was one of many used by the US navy to transport officers from ships to the local piers. The governments loss is our gain. We board at the Taku dock.
A seating ledge wraps around both sides of the boat. In the center is the wheel platform. A salt water "tank" has been added to display the sea life we will scoop up later. There is a small propane contraption also assembled and mounted. Hmmm not that I am curious...but we're told that will come later.
On the way out of the bay, we stop to pick up some shrimp pots. We decide in a low murmerming that this must be his lunch. Darn but they do look good.
We stop to see the sea lions, slowly pass by beautiful rock formations and just breath in the solitude of not seeing another boat nor human being in miles. 6 people in splendid isolation. Eventually we pull up in a near pefect cove. The water is sparkeling, the sky is a vivid blue, the only sound is that of the waves against our boat
Kary may have claimed the chair
.What could be more perfect? "Lunch anyone?" We're asked. OH YEAH! A picinic on the water. That's when that propane contraption comes into use. Water is poured in a large pot, propane heats the water to a boil quickly, the freshely caught shrimp are dumped into the water and poof... The meal is complete with veggies, bread, dips and assorted goodies pulled from a storage container.
I look at our captain and say "you have the perfect life" He just smiles and agrees. After gouging ourselves on the best shrimp I have ever eaten, we pull up anchor and head to another cove, not as scenic, but better for undersea life.
Our diver dons her wetsuit, grabs a large net and tumbles back over the side of the boat. A few minutes later she is back up with her net filled full of sea life goodies. These we view, not chew.
We pick up colorful starfish, and hold a cucumber fish as it discharges all its water, and marvel at some of the smallest species of sealife we have ever seen. She makes another dive to bring us more variety and hopefully even brighter colors. This is one of those days in time that you will never forget. T
he wind is kicking up, and we need to start back to the Taku. Oh, for just another hour out here. Next time we want a full day on the water.
I'm thinking I could steer this boat
Our suprise was
. Next, I'm asking if I could steer this boat. And suprise - I get too. I'm told the US Navy declared these boats unsinkable. I reply we don't want to get the cameras wet, so I'll be sure not to do anything drastic. It's very easy to learn. There is a steering wheel and a power lever. We're skimming over the water (and occasionaly the large waves that are kicking up). The wind is starting to hammer us and the waves are hitting us hard.
The Tacu is insite and I'm being relieved from my position, which makes me relieved. I've never docked a boat before.
The "ride" on the dock is like being at an amusement park. One minute you are on land, then next the land is out from under you. I've always had trouble walking a straight line, but now I'm being coached from behind by my family.
For once I am glad to be on terra firma. Walking up the side walk we're stopped by the Tacu manager who asks how we enjoyed the tour. How do you describe perfect? He's sitting on the side walk with his son shelling his own shrimp he brought in earlier from his pots
Gary's helping pull up
. He asks what we are doing for dinner tonight. I say will probably pick something up. He grabs a large zip lock bag and says this will start you off. Ok, perfect tour, perfect manager, and those look like perfect fresh shrimp. I just may ask for a job up here. There is a grocery store on the island. Just down the road from Tacu, their prices are similar to the mainland. Stopped back at Spirit of the West for shirts (actually very high end shirts - but well worth the price)
We decide to drive around the island. Many of the beaches are stones, many with logs. On one cove, we see a large sailboat listing sideways. We're told that the storm that just blew thru tipped her. The "rescue crew" is on the way. We don't want to waste the rest of the afternoon seeing how they get this beauty out of the water and back to being upright. BUT if I did have a few more days here, I'd wait it out. That's whats nice about lazing around for days on these small islands, you can just sit back and observe and feel content doing it. We found the light house. Nothing special, but worth the walk anyways. Then back to the condo to relax, eat our shrimp, admire the views and get ready for our return to Seattle.
