Aug. 17th, Botany Bay

Day 1 after the WCT. Hansi saw other eagle sitting on a tree at the campground which I missed. At 9:00am he took the WCT shuttle to Bamfield. It turned out that the Lake Cowichan route we took last time was closed because of forest fires. It wasn't entirely clear how he would make his way back to Port Renfrew with the car and when he would actually arrive.

We others had a very decent breakfast at Tomi's Home Style Cooking (we went there again the next morning). Afterwards we visited Botany Bay which is a starting point of the Juan-de-Fuca trail. Botany Bay felt similar to sections of Owen Point and Dare Beach. Plenty of flat tidal rocks with things to explore. It probably has nicer or equally good large tidal pools with lots of things in the water to look at. The main difference I perceived is that it is reachable by car and a simple 1km hike from a parking lot so there are more people exploring it. It is a beautiful place to visit, no question.

Botany Bay: Rocks and tidal pools

Botany Bay: More rocks and tidal pools

Botany Bay: Cliff section

Kelp fields at Botany Bay. No whales but some seals

Botany Bay: Mussels

A nice tidal pool

Margaret in relax mode

Botany Bay: View north. At the very far side is Owen Point

Uta exploring some Botany Bay rocks

We had decent pizzas in the evening at Coastal Kitchen

Hansi managed to be back around 7pm and found us in the Coastal Kitchen in Port Renfrew. There are only a handful places to eat in Port Renfrew and it is easy to agree on a meeting point ahead of time. He actually drove back from Bamfield via Port Alberni over the very gravel road I chickened out at because of the forest fires near Lake Cowichan. I have to say I am happy that I wasn't on the passenger seat when he passed the 4 long logging trucks on that very gravel road and only listened to the story in the evening ...