Another sunny day and a marvelous sunrise greeted us as we motored south out of Seymour Narrows and back into the Strait of Georgia. We scanned for wildlife as we neared the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, located between the towns of Nanaimo and Victoria.
A diverse number of seabirds and dozens of plump harbor seals covered the rocks as we approached Wallace Island, a long and narrow island that has been set aside as a provincial park. Back in the 1960s, it served as something of a getaway spot, complete with cabins, a small store, and boat rentals for people to enjoy this uniquely dry portion of the Pacific Northwest.
Today, Wallace Island has several trails that wrap around beneath a canopy of fir, cedar, and madrone trees. The madrone trees are especially eye-catching this time of year. One of the few leafy evergreen trees, the bark of the hardwood trunk peels during the fall, revealing a brilliant red color that contrasts with the bright green leaves and glistening coves.
Tonight, we pull anchor and continue our journey south to Victoria, the capital of this beautiful province.
