July 7, 2024
RISE AND SHINE for the final leg of our BCO journey! After an incredible stint in Cumberland, it was time to bid farewell to rock climbing and welcome the group’s most anticipated activity: SURFING!!! We rose early and packed up camp while LODs Rand and London whipped up a hearty breakfast of crispy bacon and savory hash browns. We met our guides for some early morning climbing and rappelling before our afternoon adventure of tackling a ginormous wall over Lake Comox: the Devil’s Ladder.
After a fantastic morning with much more sunshine than the day before, we returned to our campsite for lunch. Hamilton and Peyton discovered a vendor selling poutine, a Canadian classic of French fries and cheese curds smothered in gravy. Everyone sampled this delectable treat before heading uphill for our afternoon challenge.
Ben was the first to take on the 100-foot rappel and made it back up in no time. Hutty and Vivi followed soon after as the group gradually warmed up to the rappelling and climbing. The rest of us cheered on those brave enough to master the lakefront giant, with Henry, Rand, and Hamilton also taking on the climb before helping our guides pack up for the road.
After a long day of climbing, a well-deserved car ride to Tofino awaited us. On the journey, we sang along to “Don’t Stop Believing,” our anthem for the quest to our beachfront campsite. Upon arriving at beautiful Bella Pacifica, the gang quickly set up tents and secured spots before heading to the beach for some spike ball while the sun was still high. We enjoyed a deep moonup on the beach and retired to bed, eager for a day of surfing and Stand-Up Paddleboarding.
“HAPPY CANADA DAY!” The leaders exclaimed loudly, much too early in the morning for our sleeping campers. July 1st marks Canada’s day of independence, and what better way to celebrate than surfing on the beautiful Pacific?
We met our Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP) instructors right on our beach and suited up in wetsuits for some awesome fun and games. Our SUP session turned into a free-for-all, with Ben becoming the most feared SUP’r, reigning as king of the boards. After an exhilarating morning, the gang was ready for a savory and sustaining lunch.
Lunch featured a smorgasbord of summer sausage and turkey quesadillas, with sides of guacamole, Cheez-Its, and baby bell peppers. The group devoured this delicious spread before gearing up for our afternoon surfing lesson.
Blessed with endless sunshine, we slathered on sunscreen before heading back out. After a quick beach tutorial, we ventured into the chilling waters to catch some surf. The ocean blessed us with righteous waves, and the shakas flew as the goon squad rode wave after wave until our instructors signaled it was time to wrap up and head back in.
We capped off Canada Day with Smash burgers and our own take on poutine (Hamilton clearly didn’t get enough the first time). Gathering around a fire on the beach, we enjoyed moonup, ending the perfect day with s’mores stuffing our faces, ready for a final day of surfing.
After an awesome stint in Tofino, we packed up our tents and loaded our U-Haul for the journey back to the mainland. Our ferry ride offered a final glimpse of Vancouver Island’s sights and scenes as we headed towards our last big adventure: Rafting!
Blessed once again with beautiful weather, we paddled down the scenic Squamish River. While the sights were breathtaking, so was the icy water splashing us through mega rapids. Ben bravely took on “riding the bull” on the raft’s front through one of the easier rapids. We concluded our adventure with overnight camping on an island, treated to a delicious meal of steak, salmon, salad, garlic bread, and fried potatoes prepared by our guides. The gang slept contentedly under the stars, gearing up for one last day on the water.
Returning from our rafting adventure, we dismantled camp and prepared for the bittersweet journey back to Seattle. For our final camping night, the group paired off to compete for the title of MASTER CHEF! The winning dish, a creative concoction by Hamilton and London, featured spam dinosaurs on a mashed potato island with broccoli trees and a gravy topping. Delicious and creative!
On our last day, we made a quick stop at the car wash to clean the van after our long journey. Ben, Hutton and Vivi handled scrubbing and spraying while Rian, JoJo and Henry tackled vacuuming and deep cleaning. After a brief lunch in the park, we headed to Goodwill for outfits for our final group dinner. To the group’s surprise, we ended up dining at a Seattle local favorite, CHICK-FIL-A! Once satisfied and catching many stares from locals, we headed to the hotel for our bittersweet final moon up, a perfect conclusion to an amazing trip!!!”
July 6, 2024
What is the best way to start your day? Breakfast, obviously. What is the best kind of breakfast, you ask? PANCAKES! Our wonderful LODs, Hamilton and JoJo, made the brave decision to prepare pancakes for the group before leaving We Wai Kai Campground. The group ate enough pancakes to feed several orcas or at least one humpback. Hamilton created the monstrous and now legendary beast of Quadra Island: the MEGA Chocolate Chip pancake. This delicious giant fed the entire group before we tapped out and started loading up the van. Hutton led the group in a round of hacky sack before we loaded the van and U-Haul for the next leg of our journey.
As Willie Nelson once said: “I can’t wait to get back on the road again.” After our memorable stint on Quadra Island, we packed up and set off for the next phase of the trip: climbing. London and Vivi coordinated the van ride vibe with some righteous tunes to help our journey go by with more flow. Before making our way to Cumberland, we decided on a day hike to get our steps in. Henry coordinated our lunch, which consisted of pita wraps with various toppings: Cheez-Its, turkey, tomato, mustard, mayo, lettuce, cheese, and everything else we could find.
After a fulfilling lunch, we set off for a quick hike on the Elk Forest Trail before making our way to Cumberland Campground. Cumberland greeted us with some drizzling rain. Despite the rainy weather, the group was beyond excited for this new campground. We were welcomed by a small band playing Spanish and Brazilian tunes. Vivi, Rian, and JoJo ran to the front of the stage to join the locals boogying to the holiday band as the boys tossed the frisbee while the sun set behind us. Hutton and Ben worked on dinner as Peyton created an awesome fire to warm the group from the rain. Dinner was a heartwarming classic of grilled cheese and tomato soup. Everyone chowed down and hit the hay, looking forward to the full day of climbing ahead of us.
The following morning, LODs Vivi and Hutton set out breakfast and lunch supplies for a full day of rock ascension! After gearing up, Rand was the first to take on the challenge of climbing the rock face set before us. Despite the rain, the group managed to take on the challenge with fervor and enthusiasm. This group truly never backs down from a challenge.
To top off a great day of climbing, the gang went out for a well-deserved pizza dinner at Cumberland’s famous Riders Pizza. Our “Za’s” included The Sasquatch, The Cumberland Pepperoni, Wowie Maui, and (the group favorite) The Four Cheese Pizza. After a fulfilling dinner and an awesome reflection during Moonup, the gang settled in for yet another night of restful sleep in the great BCO wilderness.
-Don, Annabel, Ryan
June 24, 2024
Hello British Columbia families!
All the students have landed safely in Seattle and the group is headed to their first campsite this evening! Their leaders are so excited to have everyone together, and we are excited to keep you updated on all the awesome things to come on their trip.
-Moondance HQ