Canada 2025

Sunday21September

After almost two hours of driving from Hope, we approach the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, gateway to Vancouver Island.

The ferry will take us to Victoria, the main city on Vancouver Island.

The crossing goes through the Strait of Georgia.

And here we are on the other side of the continent.

We will spend two nights at the Smonecten campground. My new tent took a beating the last night when it rained quite a bit...  

Here, no bathrooms. Only dry toilets and water taps are available.

For a few days now, fires have been prohibited in campgrounds.

The dry toilets.

We had booked everything from France. My name is indeed registered for the next two nights! Site 15!

For this afternoon, we are going to the Butchart Gardens. Born from Jennie Butchart's passion at the beginning of the 20th century, this 22-hectare horticultural site is a successful conversion: it was entirely landscaped at the bottom of an old limestone mine that was exhausted and abandoned by the family cement factory. Today managed by the same family, the site celebrates over 100 years of horticultural blooming and welcomes over a million visitors per year.

Sequoia sempervirens planted in 1934 point majestically toward the sky.

A small harbor for seaplanes at the end of the park.

The Japanese part of the garden.

We leave the garden to explore the surroundings of Victoria by car, here at Willis Point Drive, on the shores of the Saanich Inlet.

Perched at the top of Mount Newton, a radome houses surveillance radar equipment for aviation and meteorology.

Monday22September

On this new day, we return to Victoria to visit the city but also to head out to sea to discover whales...  

The Parliament of British Columbia is distinguished by its neo-baroque architecture. Inaugurated at the end of the 19th century, this monument is the official seat of the provincial Legislative Assembly. It is here that members of parliament debate and pass the laws that govern the lives of the province's citizens.

"Measuring over 30 meters (100 feet) tall, this redwood was planted in the late 1800s. Commonly called Coastal Redwood, this tree grows on average one foot (about 30 cm) per year. It is the official provincial Christmas tree, which is decorated with thousands of lights every year in December."

Oh, and if I told you that I saw two unicorns and a dinosaur riding in a horse-drawn carriage in the streets of Victoria, would you believe me?  

Nicknamed the Totem of Knowledge, this monument was created by Cicero August and his sons; this traditional work of the Cowichan First Nations celebrates the transmission of knowledge and hope for the future. Its colorful figures, representing the loon, the fisherman, the bone game player, and the frog, embody ancestral teachings.

To try to find the whales, we are going through the operator Prince of Whales, who will take us by boat with about thirty other tourists.

The navigation will take us into the Salish Sea, which joins the Pacific Ocean further on.

About ten kilometers later, we arrive near the small island of Race Rocks, where sea lions are taking advantage of the rocks to sunbathe.

We see Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), the largest ones. And California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), the slimmest ones, with golden-brown fur.

The Race Rocks lighthouse was erected in 1860. Today, the facilities are used for both maritime surveillance and scientific research, allowing for the study of the biodiversity that populates the surroundings.

The lighthouse was fully automated in 1997, marking the end of permanent human presence.

Smaller boats, to be closer to the large mammals that for now are hiding well underwater...  

Ha! Here is the object of our navigation! At least some parts of it... In this case, the back and tail of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).  

The humpback cetacean is capable of holding its breath for 5 to 15 minutes while foraging for food. It can extend its dive up to 45 minutes when at rest.  

The mountains seen in the distance are in the United States. The border passes through the middle of the Salish Sea.

Return to the port of Victoria where the huge cruise ship Caribbean Princess is moored as a floating hotel with its current tourists.

The Caribbean Princess was put into service in 2004. 290 meters long, this true floating seaside resort can accommodate more than 3100 passengers on its 17 decks, regularly sailing from the Caribbean to the waters of Alaska.

A seaplane begins its descent. These aircraft are an iconic mode of transport in the region.

The floating houses of Fisherman's Wharf. We will go and set foot there shortly.

The yellow water taxi, a true icon of Victoria's inner harbor. It has been providing a shuttle service between the various docks since 1990.

The city is not very big, but it still has its Chinatown!

Victoria's Chinatown is the oldest Asian district in Canada. It was born in the mid-19th century during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush.

Return to the port.

Initially designed as a small fishing port after the Second World War, the site gradually saw its boats give way to charming floating houses, thus attracting walkers and other tourists...

The dwellings are true permanent residences for some inhabitants.

Return to the front of the Parliament where commemorative plaques honor sailors and local figures who have marked the maritime history of the region.

For dinner, back to basics at the Frankie's Modern Diner restaurant with a burger and fries!   Tomorrow, we start exploring the island by heading north, via the east coast.