On the Ferry To Pender Island

We boarded the ferry from Saltspring to Pender Island on Wednesday afternoon.  It’s a short trip, only 25 minutes away.  Just enough time for a cup of tea.  The clouds were very low and rain was coming.  The BC coast always seems to have a mystical quality on cloudy days.  Our thought was that we would camp at a local winery, the Sea Star.  I called ahead to let them know, but was told they could not accommodate us, even though they are on the Harvest Host list.  They were kind enough to refer us to the Port Browning Marina Resort where we spent the night on the tennis court.  I told you, that Leon takes me to all the best places!

Port Browning Marina

Seriously though, we couldn’t have had a better spot for the night.  The view was superb!  We started with a beer in the pub to take advantage of the free wifi, then followed up with a hot shower.  Dinner was served at Chez Roadie – local grey cod with boiled new potatoes and beans, accompanied by an excellent wine from Mistaken Identity.  Leon had set us up under the awning with our new area rug beneath our feet (thanks Marlene, for the great gift!).  The rain stopped just as we were enjoying our meal and the evening promised to be soft and warm. After dark, we returned for another beer and recharged all our devices in the process.

This morning we woke to a similar scene from last night, the low clouds receding. We dropped in to the café for a cup of coffee and decided to have breakfast at our own place.  An omelet made of leftover peppers, onions and mushrooms was most satisfying, along with a slice of multigrain bread with some of that great Danish strawberry jam Leon’s mom sourced for us.  A quick pack up and we were off to visit the island more fully.

We started with a visit to the winery where we walked through the vineyard at length.  I was surprised at just how many vines they had.  Probably 1500-2000!  The building was spectacular with its concrete, wood and steel elements.  We didn’t sample the wines this time, mostly because it was barely noon.

We drove further to Hope Bay to check out the nice restaurant and shops there.  I bought us an ice cream and we stood in front of the real estate office window, reading the listing.  We’ve decided there is nothing on this island for us, although it makes a lovely vacation spot, especially if you own a sailboat.

Hope Bay on Pender Island

The rest of the day was spent driving from one end of the island to the other.  The sun came out and the day just got nicer and nicer.  We saw a beautiful young deer just sitting in a ditch on the side of a residential road.  He posed very nicely for us as if he had decided he could earn a few bucks (pun intended) being a model.

Now here we sit at the ferry dock once again, waiting for the next boat to Galiano Island.  Leon has a book in hand that he picked up at the second hand shop.  I believe the topic is about Conn Smythe, the hockey guy and former Artillery man.  Sounds like an interesting combination of careers.  I am getting back to my book now too.