Monday, July 13, 2009

Sunday, July 12th, was a travel and rest day. Following church and lunch in Juneau, it was time to say goodbye, for the moment, to our dear friends in Juneau. We then flew from Juneau to Seattle, picked up the eight passenger SUV and arrived at our motel for the night and to meet our three other couples for the next segment of our trip.

Monday, was an early wake-up call to travel to Anacortes, north of Seattle to board the ferry to Victoria Island. Vehicles and passengers boarded and we we
re off to the island! Once at Victoria, we traveled to the downtown area and parked in The Empress Hotel parking garage. A wonderful, old, but well maintained hotel. Lunch was adjacent to the harbour area, and yes seafood was the order of the day!

After some walking time to stretch the legs and see the outside of the Parliament Building and some quick looking in some of the shops, we traveled to our Ocean Wilderness Bed and Breakfast location on Sooke Island.

A delightful place to spend Monday and Tuesday nights. From the B & B there was a 15-story walk down to the beach area. Bill and Morris were the initial travelers down and back up the steps to

the beach. Dianne and I made the trek down to view the surrounding area.

While Dianne was sitting comfortably in a chair, I was observing and taking digital images of the beach area when it happened. I noticed something to our left moving out of the forest. Yes, a black bear. I'm guessing it was moderate in size, but didn't get close enough to take measurements!

The bear was approximately twenty-five yards from our position. He would look at us and continue his search for whatever he was searching for at the time. Both Dianne and I remained still and quiet. Yes, I was quiet.

After taking several digital images, I quietly said to Dianne, "I think it's time for the two of US to leave the building". Dianne agreed and we began our upward ascend to the B & B. I told Dianne on the way up, if I see the bear behind me coming our way, I will pass you, including my camera equipment!

Once back at the B & B I asked Bill and Morris if they had seen the bear. They didn't believe we had seen a black bear until I produced the digital images on my camera's viewfinder. The remainder of the afternoon was R & R at the B & B until dinner.

Bill and Myrion had visited Sooke Island several years ago and knew the lay of the land. They had made reservations at Sooke Harbour Restaurant for the evening meal. Great, multi-course meal.

Following the meal, we traveled back to the B & B to end the day with a well deserved night's rest, ready to experience Butchart Gardens in Victoria the next day.