Bodhi goes to another beach

Looking at the weather app last night we were promised four days of sunshine by the weather guessers. We decided to go to Tofino for the day. Up at 08:00 this morning and on the road at 09:30 for the two hour drive to the Pacific coast. Bodhi went from one window to the other untill he got bored and then curled up in his bed to take a nap. We bring his bed along on road trips so he can be comfortable.

I have always loved driving...

Highway 4 going west from Port Alberni starts out nice and smooth with a 90kmh speed limit, but soon the highway narrows and starts its twisty way through the mountains to the coast. Some sharp turns make for fun driving but are not much fun for the passenger. Shelagh clutched the door grip and the centre console with all her might and at times I heard some religious babbling...

The morning sun sure put on a show for us as the bright blue sky, snow capped mountains and white leafless birch trees stood out from the green cedars behind them. Stunning colour, sorry no pictures..

It had been more that 40 years for each of us since we had been to Tofino so we were both curious to see how the town had developed since then. The town has grown considerably and there are plenty of little eateries and pubs to have a good meal at. It being winter many were closed for the season. I can imagine in the warmer months that the tourist industry does well here. We took a 20 minute stroll through town and got back to the car to find a beach.

At the government dock

Riptide

Tofino waterfront

The coast is pristine and the water is crystal clear. The beaches are fantastic with hard packed sand easy for walking miles and miles. Dogs are allowed on the beach but officially must be on a leash, many people were letting their dogs roam freely though. Perhaps in summer there is tighter control on that issue. I did not see any dog poop on the beach, so that is good.

Bodhi went all out

Long Beach is famous in this area, but we stopped at Chesterman Beach. It has an island in the centre and at low tide you can walk to it. We chatted with a lady who has lived in town for many years. She comes to the beach on sunny days to feel the warmth. Her house is in the shade of many trees and it is cold in winter. Bodhi was completely blown away by the beach and I wish we could let him run freely, but he is not our dog and we had promised that he would never be let off leash while in our care. Still he ran from left to right and back again, prancing on the wet sand with not a care in the world.

Incinerator rock beach

When we got back to the car we decided to drive to Ucluelet, a town south of Tofino. It's a pretty place on the edge of Clayoquot sound. We drove some streets rubbernecking at houses and wondering what living here would be like. But with a two hour drive to the nearest larger town makes this location too remote for us. We stopped at the local grocery store and picked up a couple of sandwiches for lunch. We brought water and kibble for Bodhi to eat and drink. Then it was time to hit the road again and return to Port Alberni. A lovely day for a drive and a walk on the beach.

 

Posted with Blogsy