Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is set to unveil a one-of-a-kind light and sound show at Ayers Rock Resort in May, combining ancient Anangu storytelling with cutting-edge drone and laser light technology. Dubbed Wintjiri Wiru, meaning “beautiful view out to the horizon” in the local Anangu language, the show will bring to life a chapter of the Mala ancestral story and will be the first time a display of this magnitude has been performed on a regular basis anywhere in the world.

The show has been designed by world-renowned Media Architecture studio RAMUS and will bring the Central Desert to life with projections, lasers and lights shining on the spinifex and mulga, offering an immersive light and sound experience in the presence of Uluru. Over 1,000 drones will take flight each night to lift ancient images to the sky, accompanied by a soundtrack with traditional inma recorded with members of the local Anangu community and a narration in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara languages.

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has consulted closely with Anangu custodians of the Mala story to bring the Wintjiri Wiru experience to life with respect and in line with Anangu cultural protocols. The Anangu consultation group has advised on the visuals, narrated the story, and delivered the music. The show will take place on a sustainably-built platform with panoramic views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta and will feature artwork from local Anangu artist, Christine Brumby.

The Wintjiri Wiru show will be comprised of two shows every night from March until December, with one show per night in January and February. The signature experience will be the three-hour Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner which includes welcome cocktails, gourmet dinner hamper, and the sound and light show, priced at AUD$385pp. A second show each evening, After Dark, will be a one-hour-long experience including light refreshments and the show, priced at AUD$190pp.

The Mala story is the first Indigenous story of its kind to be shared on this scale and is considered important Tjukurpa, a philosophy linking Anangu to the environment and ancestors. Tjukurpa stories contain important lessons about the land, rules for appropriate behavior, and are used like maps to explain the origins and structure of the universe.

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia recognizes the ongoing connection of Anangu to the land, water, sky, culture, and community and pays homage to the ancient cultural heritage of the Anangu people. The Wintjiri Wiru show will be a testament to this rich cultural heritage and offer visitors a deeper spiritual connection to this special part of Australia.

For more information go to: www.ayersrockresort.com.au or call 1300 134 044.

About Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) established to undertake tourism business on its behalf. Voyages offers unique experiences and cultural immersion in spectacular locations around Australia including Ayers Rock Resort in the Northern Territory and the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre in Tropical North Queensland. Voyages works closely with local communities, respecting and supporting Indigenous culture and offering employment, training and business development opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Photo Credit:
As custodians of the land, Anangu hold the Mala story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru. To share their story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru, RAMUS designed and produced an artistic platform using drones, light and sound to create an immersive storytelling experience. 

UnCruise Adventures, a leading provider of small ship adventure cruises in Baja California, Mexico, has announced the launch of bookings for a special one-time sailing of the Baja California Eclipse Cruise. Departing on April 6th, 2024, this 7-night adventure cruise offers the perfect opportunity for guests to witness the natural wonder of a total solar eclipse while exploring the beautiful waters of Baja, California, Mexico. With only 66 cabins available, the cruise is set to depart from the coast of Mazatlán and offers guests the opportunity to experience the unique combination of comfort and adventure.

This meticulously planned eclipse sailing includes not only the total solar eclipse but also an array of other activities such as steep red bluffs, sun-kissed private beaches, marine life encounters and sea lion snorkels, among others. The cruise also offers guests the opportunity to discover the rich history and culture of Baja California Sur, from the early explorers of John Steinbeck to the modern-day conservation efforts that preserve the natural beauty of the region.

“I highly recommend the Eclipse Cruise for anyone looking for a truly unique and adventurous experience. Our Belize 2023 Eclipse Cruise sold out quickly and we expect the same for the 2024 Baja Eclipse Cruise,” said Captain Dan Blanchard, CEO of UnCruise Adventures. “I’m incredibly proud to be a part of the Baja California Sur community and support local tourism and growth. This is what makes over 25 years in this industry worth it.”

The cruise includes several highlights such as ease of flights with roundtrip entry and departure into San Jose del Cabo with safe tourism guidelines, expert positioning for optimal viewing of the celestial event, daily activities to get up close and personal with the region’s marine life, comfortable accommodations, gourmet meals and a friendly crew. Current WAVE season offers are also valid for the 2024 Baja California Eclipse Cruise bookings.

For more information or to make a reservation, guests can contact UnCruise Adventures at sales@uncruise.com, 888-862-8881 or ask their travel advisor for more details.

Drumheller, Donalda, Bruderheim, and Wainwright … What do they have in common? They are a few of the places and history in Alberta we discovered when we wandered around Alberta the summer of 2015. The theme was history.

Following #9 North through Irricana we headed through fields of sunshine/canola to the land of dinosaurs, Drumheller.  At the junction for #9 East at Three Hills we dropped down into the Badlands where dinosaurs roamed 75 million years ago. The information center is dwarfed by the largest dinosaur in the world, a Tyrannosaurus rex at 25 m/82 ft. tall and 46m/151 ft long weighing in at 145,000 lbs. Helpful tourism staff found us a camping spot at ‘River Grove RV Park and Cabins’ with 160 sites.  It’s a full service, well treed campground. “Wild West Adventure” is an evening tour on a hay wagon to a buffalo herd.

Next morning we made our way to the ‘Royal Tyrell Museum’ with 10 galleries and 40 dinosaur skeletons but when we saw long lines of school kids we decided a stroll along the 1.6 km. interpretive trail would be much quieter and our dogs could go for a walk too. We experienced the badlands in bloom, ground squirrels delicately sipping from cactus blooms, four kinds of sage, colored strata and more. Canada really is an exotic land in many diverse terrains.

We took the “Alberta Railway Excursions” from Stettler to Big Valley. Oh what a fun trip with entertainment, refreshments, history lessons from ‘Gabriel Dumont,’ prairie scenery and we even got robbed by gun toting horse-back riding robbers.  Big Valley was the hub of southern Alberta in 1910. The CNR opened for service in 1911. While there visit the restored railway station, roundhouse interpretive centre, grain elevator and the McAlister Motors Museum to name a few sights. Make your way up the hill to the blue church. ARE offers theme excursions which include a meal.

The first weekend in August, “Métis Hivernant Days” celebrate the Métis culture for three days.  ‘Hivernant’ means wintering place. The train pulls in Gabriel Dumont on board with Métis flag flying.

Stettler “Heart of Alberta” sits in the middle of rich ranch land and oil resources. The annual “Stettler Steel Wheel Stampede” in June was voted the best rodeo by competing cowboys. The “Town and Country Museum” is a historic village with 25 buildings. Surrounding Stettler are many parks: Rochon Sands Provincial Park, Pelican Point and Ol’McDonald’s Camp on Buffalo Lake, Big Knife Provincial Park on Battle River.

In the tiny village of Donalda you will find the world’s largest oil lamp rising 12m/42 ft above the badlands. Visit the collection of over 900 gorgeous oil lamps in the museum. Their claim to fame was the ‘Donalda Maid Butter,’ peak production in 1965 of 714,466 lbs. of butter. How much is that? You’d need to pile about 3,572 men weighing 200 lbs. each to make that amount. ‘Donalda Campground’ with 9 sites and power is located at the entrance to the village off #53.

Bypassing the villages of Forestburg and Hardistry we camped in Wainwright at the junction of Buffalo Trail-Highway 41 and Poundmaker Trail- Highway 14. Don’t the names bring to mind battles over land and herds of buffalo? Wainwright “Buffalo Capital of Canada” once had vast herds of Plains Bison (buffalo) that came near to extinction in the late 1800’s. The Canadian government created a ‘Buffalo National Park’ in Wainwright in 1907 until 1939. A giant buffalo statue guards the main street into town.

‘Battle River Trestle’ west of town (turn at the sign, go 7 km on well-marked gravel road) is a spectacular trestle opened in 1909 and still in use. It rises 195 ft. above Battle River and 2,775 ft. long.

There are many parks in the area including: Rochon Sands Provincial Park, Pelican Point & Ol’McDonalds Campground on Buffalo Lake, and Big Knife Provincial Park at Battle River.

We wandered to Vegreville for the world’s largest painted Pysanka/ Ukrainian Easter egg. Built like a giant jigsaw puzzle it contains 534 star patterns, 2208 equilateral triangles, and 3512 visible facets. It’s 25.7’ long, 18’ wide and stands 31’ tall.

Ukrainian culture is an important part of Alberta. We stopped at the ‘Ukrainian History Village’ on #16 east of Edmonton. It is so worth a few hours to wander back in time with people in period dress and character telling you stories of their era.

When I discovered in a tourism magazine that a meteorite landed in Bruderheim we made another jog in our route.  A spectacular mural was painted on the side of city hall to commemorate the biggest meteorite in Canada landing in May 4, 1960. A piece of it is on loan from University of Alberta, displayed in a secure glass case in the fire hall.  No human hands have touched it without gloves on. The black is from being burnt as it made its way through the atmosphere.  Ask at city hall to see it.

Very helpful staff sent us on a trip to see the grotto called “Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine” at a cemetery.  The “Skaro Shrine” was built in remembrance of the pioneers who built their first church in 1900.

Wandering Alberta’s back roads opened our minds to the history and beauty not normally promoted. Leave yourself plenty of time for impetuous detours. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you’ll find.

About the author:

Barb Rees is a photographer, speaker, and author of six RV Canada books from the working holidays her and husband Dave have made from coast to coast to coast of Canada. She presents at the RV Lifestyle Seminars in Kelowna annually. Her articles can be found at: www.suncruisermedia.com . Her books can be found at: www.write2dream.com

Story and photos copyright (c) Barb Rees

The longest highway in the world starts in Lund, BC about 23 km. north of Powell River. In this bustling jump off point for the islands, Mile 0 marks the beginning of Highway 101 which ends 15,202 km later at the tip of Chile. Your day trip also starts here.

A tiny seaside village, Lund overflows with treasures. Here you can enjoy Nancy’s Bakery famous blackberry cinnamon buns on their patio watching a dazzling array of craft coming into the harbour. Across the other side of the bay, follow the boardwalk to the Boardwalk Café for an even more inclusive experience with the water world of Lund. A pail of prawns (when in season) or delicious fish and chips on the deck will have you breathing a sigh, “Aaaah, this is what I needed.” Above Nancy’s at Pollen Sweaters stroke silky rather than itchy wool garments.

In the historic Lund Hotel, at Tug-Ghum Gallery we love watching Deb work her magic carving rock into magnificent eagles, whales, otters, and seals. Her gallery brims with local art-work from glass star fish, wooden carvings, jewelry, and paintings to books. If you want to stay longer and try kayaking the Copeland Islands, SunLund By-The-Sea offers full service camping and you’re only a few steps away from all that Lund has to offer.  More adventurous hikers can start the 180 km. Sunshine Coast Trail, 12 km north of Lund at Sarah Point. The trail ends at Saltery Bay.

A day trip or a longer camping trip to Lund is just what the doctor ordered for a change of pace. www.lundbc.ca  There’s something for everyone.

Five kilometers south at Dinner Rock Regional Park with its 13 unserviced campsites overlooking the Salish Sea and Savary Island, we drove down the 1.5 km narrow, winding road (not suitable for big rigs) to our spot. Camping is free with million dollar sunsets a bonus. What a way to escape from the noise and the news.

About the author
Barb Rees, travel writer, author, and speaker, with husband Dave has taken four working holidays from coast to coast to northern coast of Canada. She is passionate about finding human interest stories. It’s reflected in her books. They include: “RV Canada On A Dime And A Dream,” “RV Canada With Boo The Menopausal Van,” and the latest “RV Canada’s Far North On A Dream.” The fourth in the series will be on tour to Newfoundland in 2013. Owner of LoveToGo Writing she can be reached in Powell River, BC at www.write2dream.com

We dined on Scallops Provençale complimented with Columbia Valley “Domaine Ste. Michelle”, a sparkling Chardonnay at the luxurious “Inn at Port Ludlow.” The next day, after staying in one of their comfy suites with Jacuzzi tub, we left for our Olympic Peninsula day trip.

If you appreciate food grown and prepared by locals, this is the culinary tour for you. Our first stop was at Chimacum Corners Farmstand, where Rob hosted a farm breakfast including local eggs, goat cheese, bread, salsa, and jams. From a fruit stand six years ago, it has evolved into a gathering place for locals and travelers alike who appreciate home grown food.

 At “Finnriver Farm and Cider,” Crystie (photo) offered ciders fermented old world style. The ciders on this family run 33 acre organic farm are delightfully crisp and so delicious.

In Port Townsend we visited the “Mt. Townsend Creamery.” Dillon, the head cheese maker educated us in the art of making cheese using milk from local dairy herds. Seastack cheese is rolled in pine ash which was originally used to preserve it.

Lunch in Sequim at the “Alder Wood Bistro” with their wood fired oven was a delectable feast. My husband Dave enjoyed Crispy True Cod Bahn with Neah Bay cod. I indulged in Moules Frites, wood fired Kamilche mussels and  home cut fries. Appie’s introduced us to goose-neck barnacles from Neah Bay.  It truly was a luscious meal fit for a seafood lover. Our tour capped off at “Olympic Cellars” with the “working girls.” The winery has a large gift shop and tasting room.

The journey up the peninsula was just a teaser leaving us wanting more. You can easily make these as day trips from Port Townsend, but the scenery and food is so outstanding you’ll want to return for a longer visit. When you’re ready for more, contact Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau.

About the author:
Barb Rees, travel writer, author, and speaker, with husband Dave has taken four working holidays from coast to coast to northern coast of Canada. She is passionate about finding human interest stories. It’s reflected in her books. They include: “RV Canada On A Dime And A Dream,” “RV Canada With Boo The Menopausal Van,” and the latest “RV Canada and the Polar Bear Dream: Adventures in Western Canada.” The fourth in the series will be on tour to Newfoundland in 2013. Owner of LoveToGo Writing she can be reached in Powell River, BC at www.write2dream.com

Yea, tho I walk through the valley of Toscana, I fear no bad taste for thine greatest designers art with me. Guide me, oh lord, as I journey on a day trip the road well-traveled from Florence, on highways marked with signs I cannot read, following like a lamb to slaughter the wanderers before me who likewise imperiled their finances.

My prayers to thee are boundless for bestowing upon us the wondrous virtues of GPS, and for the manna of extra crusty rustic Italian bread provided as sustenance to help reach this holy shrine of consumerism.

Buffer me Lord, as I join the endless waves of pilgrims, who search vainly for meaning among the deep discounts, end-of-season specials and overstock. Enlighten me with your wise counsel when choosing trendy styles, and absolve the guilt which arises from impulse purchases.

By thy grace, mine eyes behold Miuccia, patron saint of Prada; Gucci, Pucci and Salvatore, the benevolent Ferragamo.

And yea, though I am commanded to eschew the wicked beast of materialism, forgive me, oh Lord, for at times, I cannot help myself. Forgive the weakness of my wallet to stay closed and of my ignorance to pay in a foreign currency when our dollar is low.

Instead, cast mine eyes upon thy glorious gifts that abound on earth, and shield me with your grace from Chanel and the dual red-carpet transgressors of Dolce and of Gabbana.

And yea, oh Lord, may you take pity on the sloven stretchy–panted masses praying to the false idol Lululemon and that your condemnation of thoughtless attire be swift and painless for those who dwell in sartorial purgatory.

Spare me, oh Lord, from the unholy sequined knits of Hugo, Karl and Louis, for they lead me to unspeakable temptation and sin.

Relieve Lord, humanity’s burden of rampant vanity and may your holiness deliver salvation to my beleaguered Visa.

For these, and all your good deeds Lord, I give thanks and say,

Amen.

About the author

Peppa is a professional photographer and lens-based artist, gallerist, curator, art consultant and independent writer on art and culture. She owns and operates Truth and Beauty Studio & Gallery in Vancouver BC.

Photo Credit: Peppa Martin

“Be sure and wear a hard hat, and be careful where you step when you’re walking inside the tunnel,” the mining guide warns as I board the little train that will carry me and another group of tourists into the deep tunnel under the mountain.

I’m in a tunnel at the Britannia Mine Museum, site of one of British Columbia’s historic landmarks, and an easy day trip from Vancouver. How many hundreds of times have I passed the site on trips up the Sea to Sky Highway on my way to Squamish or Whistler? But this day I have come for a tour through the new mining museum, opened in mid September.

The mining guide, Annike, is kitted out in full miner’s gear: coveralls, gloves, boots, and helmet.  As the train pulls into the dark tunnel, the only light is from its headlight and the lamp on her hard hat.  She swirls it around, beaming it against the tunnel wall that shines with seepage of coppery water and patches of green patina.  The air is cold, and smells acrid.

Britannia Mines was once the biggest copper mine in the British Empire.  The mine’s story began back in 1888 when a Scottish doctor, Alexander Forbes, happened to discover a patch of mineralized rock while prospecting at Britannia Beach.  This led to the opening of the Britannia Mining and Smelting Company six years later, with mills capable of producing 2,000 tons a day.

There are 210 km (150 miles) of mining tunnels in the mountain. The little train takes us deep into one of them where we disembark and make our way along the tracks and rough ground of the tunnel.  The mining guide demonstrates the use of equipment including drills and sticks of dynamite the miners used to blast into the rock.

“The miners used only candlelight back in the early days,” Annike explains, “so often the crews who came to dig after the dynamite was set, couldn’t see it, and this resulted in fatal explosions.  After that, they painted the ends of the dynamite plugs with various colors so they could be seen.”

She recreated what it was like down in the mines back in the early days. “I’ll turn off all the lights, and you will see what it was like for the miners if their candle flames went out.”

We stand for a few minutes in the pitch black darkness.  Then the dim lights are turned on again and she warns us to plug our ears while she demonstrates the loud sounds that were made by the machinery and drills.  It’s hard to imagine the miners enduring these kinds of conditions.

Back outside, we tour the various mining exhibits including core sheds where samples taken from the mine are stored.  The 20-storey Mill building is one of the last remaining gravity-fed concentrator mills in North America.  It was restored in 2007 with each of the 14,416 panes of glass hand-puttied into the frames.  The aim of the mining museum is to promote mining awareness through fun, experiential education programs and to preserve important historic mining artefacts.  The Britannia Mine Water Treatment Plant represents Britannia’s environmental remediation plan implemented after the mine’s acid rock drainage impacted Howe Sound.

When the mine first opened, a small community of miners and their families grew up on the mountainside.  Men and women came from all parts of the world to live and work in the mine. Known as “Jane Camp,” a tragic rock and snow slide destroyed it in 1915 killing 56 men, women and children.  A safer town site was built 2,000 feet below the original town and was known as “Mount Sheer.”  You can still see the remains of the 135 steps people climbed to reach a flat-deck rail car that took them up the mountain to another small train that transported them to the town.  In the mining museum there are displays and photos of the life of that mining town, along with testimonials by former residents.  The town thrived for several years. It had a library, clubhouse, a hospital and schools.  Britannia Beach was only accessible by boat from 1904 to 1956, a two-day trip. Eventually, in 1956, the railway went through and two years later the highway was built, so residents moved down from the mountain and Mount Sheer was abandoned.

The mine operations shut down in 1974 due to economic problems. Since 1988 Mill B was designated as a National Historic site, and is considered to be one of B.C.’s important historic landmarks. The Beaty-Lundin Visitor Centre is a brand new building that houses some theatrical mining exhibits, a mineral gallery and the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame where you can learn about Canada’s mining pioneers.

After the mine tour I tried my hand at gold panning. The mine used to produce a small amount of gold as well as the copper.  No luck this day, but it’s a fun activity for the kids.  There’s also a mining themed children’s play area with toy diggers, trucks and hoppers .

The Britannia Mine Museum is open seven days a week and offers guided tours. Located on the scenic Sea to Sky Highway just a few kilometers north of Vancouver near Squamish,  it’s a perfect outing for all members of the family. It’s operated by a non-profit organization that promotes mining awareness through fun and educational programs.

Britannia Mine Museum
Britannia Beach, B.C.
Admission (include HST)

• Adults (ages 19 and up): $21.50
• Seniors (65+): $16.00
• Students (with valid student ID): $16.00
• Youths (ages 6 through 12): $13.50
• Children aged 5 and under: Free
• Daily Family Rate (2 adults and up to 3 children) $72.00

Hours of Operation:

• 7 days a week from February 1 to November 1, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
• Winter season: Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed over the Christmas holidays season.

This tour was made possible with thanks to Yvonne Chiang, Media contact for Britannia Mine Museum.

About the author
Ruth is a travel journalist with a strong interest in history and archaeology. She is a frequent traveler and has lived several years in Greece. She  facilitates writing groups in New Westminster and at Brock House. and  edits and publishes a travel e-zine Travel Thru History.  Ruth also writes historical fiction and her novel, “Shadow of the Lion” which is about the fall of Alexander the Great’s dynasty was published in two volumes by MediaAria-CDM, Bristol Eng. The full version will soon be published on Amazon Kindle.  She currently writes for EuropeUpClose and freelances for several other on-line travel ‘zines as well being publishing in Senior Living magazine and several anthologies of both travel and poetry.  www.ruthkozak.com

A two-night stay up on the Forbidden Plateau outside Comox, B.C. results in three rewarding day hikes.

A day trip from our Coastal Trek Resort takes us to Strathcona, British Columbia’s first Provincial Park. Driving to the trailhead, guide Mike recounts a local legend. “Long ago, Comox warriors hid their women and children in this forested haven while battling another tribe. Upon their return, they’d vanished. Because algae tinted the snow blood red, they thought evil spirits had harmed them…so this area became taboo and hence, Forbidden Plateau.”

Just past Mt. Washington’s ski lifts and chalets, we arrive at the kiosk where the trail begins. Hiking boots laced, backpacks shouldered and walking sticks looped around our wrists, we head for Paradise Meadows. Feeling like seasoned hikers, we stride along winding boardwalks, sighting sub-alpine evergreens, burbling mountain streams and reflective ponds. Carpets of pink heather and clusters of maroon shooting stars, dwarf dogwoods, marsh marigolds and yellow alpine buttercups bloom profusely under clear blue skies.

Mike points out an alternate trail, “That one extends along Strathcona’s steeper eastern edge. I sometimes lead interested…and fit…guests back to the lodge on that 26-kilometer route.” I gasp at the thought…

Over a forested hill we descend alongside a string of pristine lakes and savor snacks along one rocky shore; later, we devour wholesome lunches overlooking Battleship Lake. Our wondrous 10-kilometer hike ends with us feeling weary…but triumphant.

More Day Trips from Comox

Another day trip from the resort involves hiking on Hornby Island, beginning at Helliwell Park. Trekking through a beautiful stand of old-growth Douglas fir forest, we emerge onto its rocky southern shoreline, ascend onto spectacular black sedimentary bluffs offering sweeping ocean panoramas and return inland through wind-shaped shore pines, gnarly Gary oaks and amber arbutus, a five-kilometer loop.

We picnic among driftwood logs facing Tribune Bay’s white sand beach.  Bald eagles, turkey vultures and a rare osprey swoop above. After visiting naturally sculpted Heron Rocks and hiking a portion of Shingle Spit Trail, we return to the lodge.

And the next morning, we stop to hike into Nymph Falls on the Puntledge River. Birdsongs and wildflowers throughout this second growth forest sooth. At the roaring river’s edge, two locals tell us the fish ladders help salmon swim upstream on the stairway of ledges. One remarks, “Come back in October or November, when ya’ can watch ’em fight their way up…”

Long Loop Trail leads us back to the car…feeling in better shape from these varied island day hikes.

When You Go:

• For planning your day trip activities, www.comox-valley-tourism.ca
• Accommodations & fitness program details, www.coastaltrekresort.com

About the Author:
Chris Millikan is a freelance writer/photographer living near Vancouver, BC.  As a former teacher and elementary school principal, Chris now presents articles as an inviting ‘curriculum’ depicting the joys of travel. Many BC community newspapers, Open Road Driver Magazine and Senior Living Magazine regularly publish her articles; In-flight Magazines, the Vancouver Sun and Province have also featured her stories. As BC Association of Travel Writers Vice President, she supports colleagues’ aspirations.  And traveling off the beaten track with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, their published tales reflect great adventures. Their 2009 Kalama Award acknowledged an array of their stories reflecting the rich culture of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

From lodgings at Oak Bay Guest House, my hubby Rick and I ramble daily through quiet Tudor-style neighborhoods and discover wondrous gardens.

Ada Beaven established Windsor Park Rose Garden in 1937 by donating over 500 roses.

Inside manicured hedges, we try telling time on the sundial and relax in scented serenity on a weathered stone bench. On at the next corner, we breathe herbal fragrances in a new scent garden. Looping through charming Oak Bay Village and along the picturesque shoreline we locate another garden featuring 1.4 acres of native plants, also endowed by Ada.  

Just beyond Oak Bay, we travel to the garden that love built, finding enchantment and inspiration. In 1920’s Paris, Peggy Pemberton-Carter and exiled Georgian Prince Nicholas Abkhazi fell madly in love; they married in 1946 and over 40 years transformed this rugged hillside into the exquisite Abkhazi Gardens. From their original summerhouse, we gaze over the passionate results of loving dedication. Lush landscapes swirl around ornamental evergreens, lofty century-old rhododendrons and towering Garry oaks. Coppery Japanese maples and weeping conifers tumble down rock-faces toward reflection pools; alpine flowers blossom profusely in rocky niches.

World-famous, the Butchart Gardens provides a worthwhile day trip from Victoria or Vancouver. For us it was just a short bus ride from Oak Bay. Open since 1904, this remarkable labour of love began with ton-after-ton of topsoil delivered by horse-cart from a nearby farm.  Jenny Butchart gradually transformed her husband’s unsightly limestone quarry into this wonderful garden… where she sometimes even dangled from a boson’s chair to tuck ivy into high rocky crevices. Jenny’s family continues her vision.

The original sunken gardens tantalize our senses. Pathways loop around stately trees, ponds and flowerbeds dizzy with color: feathery pink spirea, fleshy begonias, trumpeting petunias, vibrant impatiens and graceful purple, white and blue delphiniums. An antique fountain sprays silvery strands above the spring-fed pond.

Following a dahlia border sprouting gigantic flower heads, we wander toward extensive perfumed Rose Gardens flaunting 250 flamboyant varieties. Another pathway leads us through the vermillion Torii gate into the tranquil Japanese Garden. Above, classic Italian Gardens offer formal arrays, bronze sculptures… and refreshing gelatos. Lastly, the Mediterranean Gardens simply dazzle with showy succulents and other water-wise plants, including luxuriant portulacas and palms.

Day tripping around beautiful gardens near Victoria definitely motivates us to improve our less disciplined floral borders!

Victoria Garden Links:

• Abkhazi Garden
• Butchart Gardens

About the Author:
Chris Millikan is a freelance writer/photographer living near Vancouver, BC. As a former teacher and elementary school principal, Chris now presents articles as an inviting ‘curriculum’ depicting the joys of travel. Many BC community newspapers, Open Road Driver Magazine and Senior Living Magazine regularly publish her articles; In-flight Magazines, the Vancouver Sun and Province have also featured her stories. As BC Association of Travel Writers Vice President, she supports colleagues’ aspirations. And traveling off the beaten track with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, their published tales reflect great adventures. Their 2009 Kalama Award acknowledged an array of their stories reflecting the rich culture of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

Every November, between two and six thousand eagles congregate to gorge on spawned-out salmon within an easy day trip from Vancouver. I have yearned to experience this, the biggest convocation in North America, but was determined to see it on an unspoiled river.

The Harrison River, deep in the Fraser Valley, filled the bill and is less than two hours from home.

From time immemorial, huge numbers of eagles have followed Pacific salmon flooding up wild BC rivers to spawn, then die. Dwindling food supplies and freeze-up further north drive the hungry eagles to southern BC for the later salmon runs. They are lazy birds – scavengers first, hunters only when they must.

The eagles are everywhere: on the gravel bars, along the river’s bank, and atop pilings. They fill the bare trees, soar in the sky, and bicker over a single salmon even when there are thousands. I hear them mew, whistle, cluck, and shriek. I struggle with my camera bundled up in a shower cap and the dim light so close to the winter solstice.

At the confluence of the Harrison and Chehalis Rivers, named the first Salmon Stronghold in Canada, the annual Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival kicks off the spectacle in mid-November. Opening day at Pretty Estate resort, home of Rowena’s Inn and Sandpiper Golf Course, sees experts, eagle handlers, and photographers on hand to assist visitors in understanding the birds’ life cycle that is directly tied to salmon migrations. BC’s well-known eagle guru David Hancock of the Hancock Wildlife Foundation is a regular and approachable presence.

There are two ways to experience this natural phenomenon. Drive out to Harrison Mills along Highway 7 on the north side of the Fraser River:

1.      On land: Turn left at the Sasquatch Inn and follow the signs to Sandpiper Golf Course (1km). Turn right through the gates of the Pretty Estate Resort. You will be directed to parking behind Rowena’s Inn and take a short walk to the “Flats.” You can’t miss the eagles! (Free)

2.      On water: Drive a bit further on Hwy 7 and cross the Harrison River bridge, then turn right to Kilby and follow the signs. From here you can take a guided river cruise operated by Fraser River Safari. The birds are not spooked by the boat, so you get closer and keep drier than on foot. It’s wise to book the river safari online before leaving Vancouver. ($65-70/person)

The boat navigates through Harrison Bay and up-river. From the pilings, the adult eagles stare me down with the unwavering eyes of all raptors. Their yellow beaks, hooked and sharp, are perfect for eating flesh. I watch an adult haul a salmon carcass from between the logs and fend off thieving juveniles and gulls.

In late December, the eagles disperse—even partners go their separate ways.

“But I thought they mated for life,” I comment.

“Last year one tagged male flew to Haida Gwaii and his partner went to Montana,” my guide says. “They returned to their nest here on exactly the same March day to raise another eaglet.”

I will return too.

© Julie H. Ferguson 2013

The author wishes to thank Pretty Estate Resort and Fraser River Safari for making this adventure possible.

If you go:

The bald eagles visit Harrison River from mid-November to late-December; the festival is held annually on the third weekend in November at the Pretty Estate Resort. (Nov 16-17 in 2013)

Pack hiking boots, rain-gear and warm clothing, a hat and gloves. Take binoculars and, if you want good photos of the eagles, a camera with a 200mm lens or longer (smartphone cameras will disappoint).

The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival is accessible to visitors who can walk on uneven ground. Rowena’s Inn is wheelchair accessible, but the river safari is not. Both are kid-friendly. Visitors can find good meals at both Pretty Estate and at Kilby Historic Site.

• Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival: http://fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca/
• Fraser River Safari: http://fraserriversafari.com/
• Harrison River, Canada’s first Salmon Stronghold: www.wildsalmoncenter.org/programs/north_america/canada.php
• Hancock Wildlife Foundation: www.hancockwildlife.org/

– Bald Eagle biology at www.hancockwildlife.org/index.php?topic=BaldEagleBiology

– Hancock’s eaglecam at Rowena’s broadcasts two live views at
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/index.php?topic=HarrMills#camera-north.

• Pretty Estate Resort:

Rowena’s Inn on the River – www.sandpipergolfclub.com/rowenas_home/

River’s Edge Restaurant – http://www.sandpipergolfclub.com/riversedge_home/

Sandpiper Golf– www.sandpipergolfclub.com/

• Tourism Harrison for accommodation, etc. – www.tourismharrison.com

© Photos by Pharos (Julie H. Ferguson) 2013

About the author:

Julie H. Ferguson is an addicted travel writer and photographer who is intensely interested in the history and culture of foreign lands, as well as Canada, and her stories and images reflect this focus. She never leaves home without her cameras and voice recorder, always looking for the colour and sounds that captivate readers everywhere.

Julie is also the author of twenty-six books, including four about Canadian history and seventeen travel-photo portfolios. Her travel articles and images have appeared in global markets, both print and online.

She invites you to visit her travelog www.stampsinmypassport.blogspot.com, her website at www.beaconlit.com, and her portfolio at www.flickr.com/photos/beaconlit.