In January of this year we bought a new car, a sleek black Jaguar FX, and as new cars go we have been particularly careful about parking it. I have been relentlessly worried about not getting door dings or scratching the mag wheels on a curb. But by the time our first Anniversary rolled around in mid-July and the new car anxiety waned, I felt it was time for a road trip to see what she could do on the open highway. I had made all of the arrangements and surprised Chris when he got home from work that Friday with itinerary for an extended weekend trip to Victoria, British Columbia.
We did not need to go far as summertime in the Pacific Northwest makes it one of the most beautiful places in the world and there are so many lovely spots to explore right here in our own backyard. The next morning we got up early as the sun was coming up to drive an hour and a half north to the seaside town of Anacortes. We crossed over the bridge spanning the Swinomish Channel from the bay flats of the Skagit Valley tulip farms onto Fidalgo Island, where we made it through town before the summer tourists took to the streets for the Annual Shipwreck Day Festival. We then followed the main thoroughfare to the end of the road where we waited in our car for our auto ferry the M/V Elwha to begin our 3 hour journey through the Salish Sea. From the U.S. San Juan Islands to the Canadian Gulf Islands, and then to the Port of Sidney at the tip of Vancouver Island, (the largest island on the North American West Coast) we sailed.
The San Juan Islands are truly a sight to behold if you have never been there or imagined yourself on a non-tropical island before. They are bucolic with fewer year round residents than the mainland, bulging with activity in the summertime when quaint cottages are aired out for vacationers with a languid warmth carried through on a sea breeze. It is a place where visits harken the halcyon days of a simpler time when ice cream and the scent of freshly made waffle cone feels as ideal as it tastes. As we meander through the passage between islands on the topside our vessel with the car safely stowed below deck, the water glistens and a pallid spray lifts off of the waves in a continuous cycle as our ferry boat presses onward. The verdant cliff banks and driftwood strewn, agate rich beaches come into focus as we pass. Groves of Madrone with their papery bark peeling back to reveal its bright orange skin pierce through the temperate conifer forests as if reaching to the water and sun at the same time, while hanging onto the rocks which they perch. This makes for an ideal lookout for the majestic bald eagles as they wait patiently for a moment to sore down to snatch an unsuspecting salmon swimming its way through the watery channel. While there is the chance to view a pod of orca or humpbacked whales, we surely see the more ubiquitous wildlife from this vantage point, like the otter, sea lions, cormorants, seagulls and black-tailed deer. We did get the fortuitous viewing of several Dall’s Porpoise breaching the water’s surface to play in the ferry’s wake. Jacques Cousteau once called this breathtaking habitat the second most beautiful place to dive in the world, second only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. I can see why if the sea floor matches the exuberance of the panoramas above. I know this area is home to vibrant color starfish, the giant Pacific octopus, fantastic mollusks, and abundant kelp forests.
We made one stop on our journey to let off and take on new passengers at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, itself the namesake for the chain. Again gently on our way passing Spieden, Henry, and Stuart Islands we cross into the open water of the Haro Strait, the international dividing line between the U.S. and Canada. We could see our landfall destination in the distance. Finally to shore we begin our drive once more. We quickly drove out of welcoming coastal hamlet of Sidney to cross the highway for the less traveled curvy backroads of the Saanich Peninsula. We wound our way along the intoxicating scent of a lavender farm in full bloom ready for harvest and then past several roadside honor stands with jars of local honey, bouquets of flowers and seasonal berries on our trek to the famous Butchart Gardens.
What an amazing place these gardens have become out of one woman’s vision a hundred years ago to beautify her homestead from the emptied limestone quarries that enriched her husband’s Portland cement fabrication business. The sheer expanse, color explosion, variety, and care that make up this horticulture menagerie is extraordinary! It is like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory come to life in a brilliant floral form. We were lavished with every step through this Canadian national treasure; from grand signature gardens, to stately fountains, and tucked away floriated vignettes. We had a gorgeous hike with a marvel gaze that we topped with a delicious lunch at the Blue Poppy Restaurant and a spin through the gift shops. We did not stay for the summer fireworks or music on the concert lawn as we want to make our way to check into our hotel and begin to explore downtown Victoria.
I reserved a top floor balcony suite at the Inn at Laurel Point, which sits on a small promontory of land jutting out into Victoria Harbor. The terrace was a lovely spot to sit in lounge chairs, sipping champagne to watch the passenger ferries and pleasure boats glide in and out of port. During our stay we enjoying seeing the float planes take off and land on the water. In the late afternoon glow of this summer moment we also witnessed the dance of a regatta jibe and tack into the wind. It was a splendid way to celebrate our first anniversary together!
Victoria is certainly a British expression of its imperial mother. With her red double decker buses, black Austin taxi cabs, impressive parliament buildings, and Craigdarroch Castle you feel as though a little bit of London exists in this remote outpost among the gorgeous natural scenery. We did not have high tea at the grand and famous Empress Hotel, but happy hour in the bar with center window seats overlooking the harbor was just as nice and much less crowded. We spent our last day driving through the beautifully manicured shoreline neighborhoods. We stopped a few times to take in the lookout views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca back toward America’s coastline. We grabbed a picnic lunch at cute little shop near the seashore. On another stop to our delight, we randomly came upon an elderly couple dressed in the Sunday best playing classical music on a colorfully decorated upright piano on the beach. It was a sweet scene, warm and sunny, with dappled tufts of dune grass blowing in the soft breeze around them appearing to be in retreat from the sand. A gentle swoosh of the water rolling upon the shore sounded like it was part of the melodic arrangement of the music being played. It was really marvelous to experience. We then hopped back into the car to enjoy the remaining leisurely drive and ferry ride home. It was a happy and restful trip.