Aug. 9th, Making it to Bamfield against all Odds

In the morning we called Hansi and Uta. They had indeed received all of their luggage around midnight. That was good news.

We agreed that it would be best if they drove directly to Port Renfrew (southern trail head of the West Coast Trail) and met me there. At that time we had no clue if there were waiting times using the ferry. The first week in August is typically top travel season and it was coming to an end this long weekend. As it turned out things went well on their side.

Barbara and Margaret drove with Nathan at 7am to Bamfield. Everything went well on their side. Barbara called me later in the afternoon and said the 80km gravel road drive was horrible and it took them about 4 to 5h. Basically she wasn't clear how we would make it to Bamfield from Port Renfrew. She also told me that Margaret had been registered in the first-come-first-serve queue at the Parks Canada trail head and that the outlook for tomorrow to go with us on the trail wasn't confirmed but not unreasonable to expect. They expected to met with us at the Pachena Bay Campground. I responded that if things are this bad that a possibility existed we would only show up sometime Monday.

Margaret and Barbara heading with Nathan's Pickup to Bamfield

Dinner in the Rain for Margaret and Barbara in Bamfield: An Omen of Things to come?

I drove with the car from Port Alberni to Port Renfrew to met up with Hansi and Uta. It was about a 6 or 7h drive. I wasn't hurrying, but the last 80km from Sooke to Port Renfrew is only a narrow and winding road. I also managed to miss my way once and ended up in East Sooke. Anyway I finally was at the southern Parks Canada trail head. I inquired about the possibility to book a place in the bus shuttle to Bamfield and it turned out that they still had spots. I had no clue when Hansi and Uta would arrive so I decided to have a look of Botanical Bay which is part of the Juan-de-Fuca trail. By the time I came back Hansi and Uta were already at the trail head. Yahoo. We had a discussion about what I heard from Barbara about the gravel road from Port Alberni to Bamfield. Hansi decided that he wanted to give the gravel road from Port Renfrew to Bamfield a try and not to book the bus shuttle for all of us.

What can I say. I parked the car at the Port Renfrew trail head: There is a parking lot operated by one of the natives and a car can be left there for about 30$ a week plus some change for additional days needed, everything pre-paid with cash. I paid for 10 days. And Hansi drove the whole way superb. His experience driving the prior two weeks in Iceland certainly didn't hurt. According to him the gravel road was much better compared to what they had encountered in Iceland with their 4x4. We arrived much earlier than predicted. I was happy: No need to drive and somehow Hansi's driving felt really good. Mind you, I was wondering if I truly chickened out the prior night ... or if somehow this gravel road was better. Hansi definitely drove faster compared to me and hence maybe the car was flying over the smaller pot holes!

By 8pm we are all together again on schedule for starting the trail as booked 6 months earlier for Aug. 10th. And Margaret had in the meantime her permit for tomorrow as well. Another group had problems making it to Bamfield in time. So we were set! Happiness all around that things still worked out!