Part 2

 Water: rivers, falls, and the Sound.

 One mile lake, Pemberton 

We make a trip down to Vancouver, to Horseshoe Bay, where the ferry leaves for Vancouver Island. Unfortunately it is a very rainy day, and only occasionally do we get a glimpse of the mountain tops. It is a day of water: water from the sky, water from two waterfalls, the waters of Howe Sound and water at the Bay. The route is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world, I am told, and it is indeed, even now in spite of the poor weather and the fact that I can not see it as I did when I arrived a few days earlier. Then it was sunny and the sky a deep blue. We hike to two falls; the first one is Brandywine Falls, the second Shannon Falls. At Brandywine we cross the main railway line from Vancouver to Whistler on foot, then take a wrong turn and walk through a pleasant wooded landscape, up and down small hills and along rocky ridges, to a lookout point which on a bright day may offer a spectacular view of the mountains. We retrace our steps and find that we just missed the falls by a few steps. They are wide and the rocks they are falling from are shaped in a semi circle.

Brandywine Falls

Shannon Falls is not half as wide as Brandywine, but much higher and by the time the water reaches the bottom it has almost dissolved into a fine mist. Old redwoods surround the falls, and broken down ones are not removed, so the area looks a bit like a battlefield after a mighty storm. We are tourists today, like any other tourist, taking pictures, hiking to the must-see spots. Because of the weather it isn’t too busy.

Brittania Beach

When we reach the bay, a surprise awaits me. Being used to Dunkerque with its desolate docklands, and Calais, exposed to the elements and offering no shelter from the cold winds coming  from the Channel, Horseshoe Bay is a revelation. It is a very pretty and secluded bay, as the name indicates in the form of a horseshoe, protected by high foothills and mountains. On the hills leading down to the bay there are residential areas with friendly looking family homes. Near the water a little park and a pleasant promenade, eating places and cafes. Apart from the big ferry to Vancouver Island, there are several smaller boats bobbing on the water which is crystal clear. A seal swims swiftly through the shallow stretch of water near the land, merely a blob by the time we manage to catch him – or her - on camera. People sit on wooden benches, relaxed, enjoying the mild air. No strong winds here to chase them away. We watch the ferry leave the bay. The loud whistle echoes against the hills. Gulls scavenge for food, left over chips, crumbs of sandwiches. A wooden pier stretches out far into the harbor, opposite the one for the ferry passengers right at the other end of the bay.

Horseshoe Bay

Reluctantly we leave for Pemberton, wanting to be there before dark. It has been a good day.