Sunday, August 7 to Monday, August 22, 2022 (Peace Arch RV Park, Surrey, BC)

As usual, the past couple of weeks since returning home from our vacation on Vancouver Island has flown by! Most of Steve's time during the first week was spent on picture and video editing...getting ready for blog updates. My time was spent grocery shopping, laundry and doing a bunch of other routine miscellaneous stuff. We always managed to get out for our daily walks....once in the morning and often again in the afternoon.

Chris and Angela invited us over for dinner Tuesday (Aug. 9) so we could see our little guy...sure missed our weekly visit with Isaac! No pictures taken...sheesh! However, they came out to our place on Sunday (Aug. 14)...and we remembered to take pictures! We've been going through another heat wave, so a dip in the pool was in order...Angela, Chris with Isaac and Steve...

I'm now in the pool holding Isaac as we try to get him to lay back in the water...

Lasagna, Caesar salad and garlic bread for dinner. We filled our plates up inside and sat out at the picnic table...

Steve has been researching new laptops for quite awhile now so with the help of Chris, we found one that seems to check all the boxes Steve is after for his picture/video editing projects. Tuesday (Aug. 16) morning we went to Best Buy out in Langley and bought a MSI GF63 15.6" Gaming Laptop - Black (Intel Core i5-11400H/512GB SSD/16GB RAM/RTX 3050/Win 11). Of course, we had to leave it, and our old laptop, with the Geek Squad to set it up and transfer files.

Since we were out that way, we drove a little further to Fort Langley and The Fort Pub for lunch to celebrate our new purchase LOL!

Back home that afternoon, Steve turned the TV on and there was no sound...what the heck?! No matter what he did, no sound! This also happened when we arrived here last April. The optical audio plug was no longer lit up on any HDMI settings. After fiddling around with it for awhile Steve gave up on it but then it mysteriously started working and has worked fine ever since. But not now! Well the TV is over 12 years old and to be quite honest, I think Steve has been waiting for any excuse to buy a new one...mainly because it is a power guzzler which isn't great when we're boondocking. So Steve started his research again...this time for a TV.

He found the one he wanted...a Sony KD43X85K, so Wednesday  (Aug. 17) after dropping the car off for servicing, we went to Best Buy again. This time to the South Surrey location. They had it in stock, so out came my credit card again! This has been a very expensive week!

Apparently it is a good idea to have the screen on a new TV calibrated for home viewing, so we had to go back to pick it up a couple of hours later.

Since the car was expected to be ready by 3:00, Steve dropped me off to pick it up and he continued home to install our new TV. I went out to Langley to pick up our new laptop and came home to Steve still busy installing the TV. Our motorized tv mount goes up and down behind the fireplace which Steve had to remove to get easier access to all the wiring. 

Nothing can ever go smoothly it seems! After trying various wiring configurations, Steve still could not get the sound to work...on either the TV speakers or through cable. Frustration took over and after chatting on-line with Geek Squad support, we made an appointment for someone to come out. Unfortunately Sunday is the earliest. So we have been cranking up the sound on the bedroom TV in order to watch the new TV.

Friday (Aug. 19) we were at Chris and Angela's by noon. Angela has an appointment...and we were more than willing to come and look after Isaac for the afternoon! 

Grampa and Isaac after we finished our lunch...

Playing Chutes and Ladders...

It was a very hot day so we decided not to walk down to the park, instead we went out on the back patio and played out there for a bit. 

Okay, that was long enough...let's go back inside where the portable air-conditioner has cooled the place down. Isaac and Grampa watching some of the old classic cartoons that we used to watch. Steve pulled them up on his iPad...Yogi Bear, Tom and Jerry, Flintstones...etc...

Steve here...

Sunday (Aug. 21) a fellow from the Geek Squad arrived at 10:45 a.m....and after an hour and a quarter we finally had sound on the TV! YAY! He played with the wiring, settings on the TV and satellite cable box, had many phone calls checking with others. Finally after unplugging the satellite cable box, waiting a minute, then plugging it back in, a reset was completed and we had sound! We've never had an issue with the satellite cable box before. So...did we really need a new TV...hmmm?

Monday (Aug. 22) morning our daily walk was at Crescent Beach. For the most part over the last couple of weeks we have just been walking at the campground. Always nice for a change of scenery! It  has turned out to be our favourite walking spot here. It's going to be another beautiful day! Even though the temperatures are reasonable in the mid 20's, it's the added humidity that has driven up the "feels like" values.

Back home, Steve ran the quads and the generator for a few minutes...he likes to do that monthly...and I defrosted the freezer and then worked on this blog update. 

Although a warm day, it wasn't too bad outside in the shade with a slight breeze, so we enjoyed happy hour today with our neighbours, Wayne and Mary-Ellen. Another good visit!

We are heading back over to the Island tomorrow for a week...more appointments and visits with family and friends! Always look forward to that...especially since we will be gone for the winter!

Tuesday, August 2 to Saturday, August 6, 2022 (Our Trip to Vancouver Island, BC - PART 3)

Tuesday (August 2) morning as we sat at the beach again just after 6 a.m. with our coffee, we watched this freighter now fully loaded with gravel leave...

The days usually start with some form of cloud in the morning but often clears quickly.

With the local stores open now that the long weekend is over, Steve headed into Port McNeill to the sporting goods store to see if he could find a new pair of boots for his chest-waders. He was successful in getting the very last pair in his size!

I had been researching geocaches in the area to see if there was one large large enough to hold a trackable that I have been hanging onto since we were in Arizona. What is a trackable, you ask?...

Trackables are geocaching game pieces that have a unique tracking code. The tracking code allows you to track its movement on Geocaching.com. Trackable owners can set a goal for their trackable. Trackables either stay with their owner, or move from one geocache to another, occasionally with a sheet that lists their goal. When another geocacher moves a trackable the owner gets a notification.

I found a "small" sized geocache that was about .5 km away (as the crow flies) that should have plenty of room for the trackable.  As I walked down this trail, I was whistling making lots of noise as there has been a bear sighting in the area.

The geocache was an easy find and the trackable fit in it no problem!

Steve and Rob spent most of the afternoon fishing...

Steve here...

A 2:04 minute video of Rob and I fishing. We are using light gear, 6 weight, 9' fly rods and floating line with an 8 lb leader. It takes anywhere from 4 - 7 minutes to land these fish which is a real workout. I should have brought a head band for my Go Pro camera as I had to hold my arms uncomfortably high and the lens was often wet from winding my reel. Surprisingly these fish don't jump a lot when caught but give a great fight.  

When they came in, I reminded them that rain was in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow...it might be a good idea to get the tarps up. Rob had a huge one that fit perfectly over the tent with a good overhang in front for our picnic table...

With ours taken care of, Rob and Steve put a smaller one up in front of their canopy and we moved their picnic table under it...perfect! All set for the rain!

And it was a good thing, because the forecast was right...we woke to a cloudy, rainy day Wednesday (August 3) morning. It didn't really pour buckets but was more of a light rain off and on all day...and much cooler!

So late morning, Steve and I decided to head into Port McNeill for lunch. Gus's Pub was a spot we always went to when I accompanied Steve on his annual north island sales trips...way back in the day! We enjoyed a beer and a delicious lunch...and a great conversation with our server who grew up in Lake Cowichan and lived on the same street as Steve's buddy from school...small world!

Since it was not really a very nice day, we decided to take a drive up to Port Hardy, which is about a 20 minute drive beyond the turnoff to Cluxewe. It was great seeing the area and how much it has changed since our annual sales trips up there.

That afternoon we all took a walk down to the river...such a pretty area!

We didn't see any fish this far up the river...

Rob dipping Bryce's hair in the water...too funny!

Time to warm up by the campfire!

Thursday (August 4) and another cloudy and cooler start to the day. Thankfully, it warmed up considerable by the afternoon.

Steve found that the fish were really jumping at around 7:00 a.m. so he got out there early.

Steve beached another fish...

Back in the water...

A 2:13 minute video...I lost a few, had a bad release, and beached a few...

There are so many bald eagles here...

A juvenile

That afternoon Rob prepared some salmon filets for smoking...he'll let it sit with his dry brine on it overnight and put it on in the morning to smoke...

With sun coming and going, Angie and the boys, along with Darcy's and Chris's kids, played in the river...

We thought this was a great picture that Bryce insisted Rob take of them playing...Mason, Bryce, Max and Marcus...

All the kids are over at Darcy's trailer watching movies and the adult's are enjoying a campfire! Me, Chris, Rob, Angie and Darcy...

Friday (August 5)...and our last full day here. Tomorrow we have to pack up and head home...such a fast week!

As usual, Steve was out fishing by 7:00 a.m. You can really see the fish jumping while Steve pulls in another one...

A 5:02 minute video...My last early morning of incredible fishing! 

This seal hung around all morning watching the fishers. Perhaps just curious or possibly waiting for a recently released fish that might be a bit sluggish...

Cruise ships pass by daily as they transition to and from Alaska, usually on the other side of Malcolm Island...

One thing about the ocean...there's always lots of activity...

Can you see three bald eagles?

Pulteney Point Lighthouse on Malcolm Island...

The salmon filets are now ready to go into the smoker...

Another cruise ship going past...Holland America's Kooingsdam...

A cool shot with Rob fishing as the cruise ship goes by...

A 6:56 minute drone video of Rob fishing. I didn't know it at the time but the video shows 3 different schools of fish just beyond Rob. I have numbered them. Also a little tour to the far end of the resort...

After 6 hours in the smoker, the salmon is ready. Rob vacuum-packed these... 

Saturday (August 6) was a very dewy morning...too bad because that meant the tarps and tent had to be put away wet. Steve dried all his equipment yesterday for travel day so didn't fish this morning. After our beachfront morning coffee, he took his drone out for one final (4:17 minute) video of the leaping  fish. Nobody really knows why these fish jump. Some think they are cleaning their gills and scales. Others think it's a hormonal change in the fish. 

With that done, we had a bite to eat for breakfast and then got busy packing up.

Before leaving, we had some final beachfront family pictures. We had such a good time and really want to thank Rob and Angie for making it possible! By making me comfortable in a big tent, complete with porta-potty...mom was happy! We plan to be back for the next Pink run in 2 years!

With big hugs to all, we said goodbye and hit the road...it was 9:30 when we pulled onto the highway and headed south. Rob, Angie and the boys leave today too, but don't have a long drive as they are stopping just north of Campbell River to camp for a couple of nights at Browns Bay with Angie's "island parents".

A short distance travelling south and we were out of the clouds and back into clear blue sky. Such beautiful scenery...

Our plan had been to catch the 3:15pm ferry back to the mainland at the Duke Point Ferry Terminal just south of Nanaimo. It was 1:30 as we passed a sign near the exit advising that the 5:45 pm sailing had a possible wait. The BC Ferry Corp. has been having trouble with staffing so have had to cancel numerous sailings on various routes....causing backlogs on all sailings. Sheesh!

So we decided to keep on driving and go to the Swartz Bay terminal near Sidney and hope we don't have any issues there. If all else fails, we could go back to Rob and Angie's house, spend the night and catch a morning ferry.

We arrived at Swartz Bay at 3:00 pm. There was no 4:00 pm sailing but we were told we would have no problem catching the 5:00 pm sailing. Yay!

Another gorgeous cruise on a BC Ferry!

We arrived home just before 7:30 pm...a long travel day but we are happy to be home after almost 3 weeks away.

Here is our route taken on Vancouver Island...

That was a fabulous vacation!