Alaskan Sea-Duction: Nanaimohttp://www.newcastleisland.ca/ and Newcastle Island Marine Park

Friday, May 27, 2016

Nanaimohttp://www.newcastleisland.ca/ and Newcastle Island Marine Park

In making it to Nanaimo we saw the second largest city on Vancouver Island. There are high rise buildings and anything you could want in a city. The difference here is the attitude of the folks that live here. They are always friendly and willing to help you if asked. In fact we have found all of Vancouver Island this way. Yesterday with some friends we met in Sidney and on the TF Forum, we wondered down the main drag. Coffee cafés everywhere. The ladies decided to try a French café. They had great pastries and real coffee, not the crap you find at Starbucks. I had a Nanaimo bar with my coffee. It is made of layer of chocolate, cream cheese, chocolate cookie/nut crust with a little coffee.

http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/visitors/NanaimoBars.html

We anchored up just outside of Mark Bay. This is our first time anchoring in the open and not in a river. We have a 77lb Rocna anchor and 550ft of chain rode. As this was our first time the first night was no sleep, but after a few days no worries! The swinging back and forth puts you to sleep.

As we are going to be here for a few days because of high wind weather, we visited Newcastle Island Marine park. This is a wonderful park with great trails and an ice cream shop. in many ways my favorite park so far and better than the San Juans. If you walk the shore line trail you can look out over the Strait of Georgia, which is the next body of water we have to cross. With wind this can be a very nasty crossing and best to stay in port when it is bad. Looks like we will be crossing tomorrow morning for Pender Harbor for the night and then up to Princess Louisa Inlet.

http://www.newcastleisland.ca/