| Dog Salmon! Hard to imagine what it might look like. | | | | the tide goes out, it feels like we can walk half-way to |
| Four-legged fish with floppy ears running up and down | | | | the mainland.Everywhere you go in Qualicum you see |
| the beach! I don't think so.The Coast Salish (First Nation | | | | immaculate gardens, so we decided to check out |
| people) on Vancouver Island called Chum or Keta | | | | some of the attractions. Milner Gardens and |
| Salmon, Dog Salmon. Chum salmon develop a very | | | | Woodlands is a rare property perched on the shores |
| hooked jaw with fierce teeth at spawning time. | | | | of the Strait of Georgia. It has a 10 acre garden |
| Perhaps that is why they were called Dog Salmon. | | | | complete with a character home that is used primarily |
| Chum, on average, weigh eight to ten pounds and | | | | as a tea-house. The garden is surrounded by 60 |
| measure about 40 inches in length. Their ocean | | | | additional acres of Coastal Douglas fir. |
| coloration of silvery blue green changes at spawning | | | | Malaspina-University College acquired the site from |
| time to splotchy purplish red and with distinct yellow | | | | Veronica Milner in 1996. Veronica's mother was a |
| and pink vertical bars on their sides. They are one ugly | | | | cousin of Winston Churchill. Much of the Royal family |
| fish!When we arrive at Qualicum Beach (which means, | | | | has visited or stayed at the gardens.From the |
| "where the dog salmon run"), the last image that | | | | tea-room and gardens you can enjoy super-natural |
| comes to mind is Dog Salmon. Qualicum Beach is a | | | | views of Georgia Strait and the Coastal Mountains on |
| quaint village in the middle of absolute paradise. | | | | the Mainland. The Gardens and Woodland is operated |
| Everything is beautiful from the endless expansive | | | | by a non-profit horticultural society with a mission to |
| sandy and pebble beaches to the beautiful | | | | maintain and restore the gardens and buildings. |
| snow-capped mountains that provide a backdrop to | | | | Volunteers and students carry out much of the |
| the area. The town has worked hard preserving its | | | | maintenance of the gardens under the supervision of |
| heritage which is obvious walking through the | | | | horticulture staff. I recommend these gardens and |
| downtown area. A heritage style design is | | | | walks through the woodlands.Looking for a tourist |
| predominant, providing a friendly village atmosphere. | | | | trap? Well, the best little tourist trap in BC is the Old |
| Everywhere we go from the spectacular heritage | | | | Country Market in Coombs. Just a few kilometers out |
| designed Quality Foods grocery store to the funky | | | | of Qualicum you will find a country market with goats |
| Smithford's, we meet very friendly people.The town | | | | living on the roof. This eclectic market has something |
| hall in Qualicum Beach | | | | for everyone. My favourite is the ice cream bar. It is no |
| Photo by Ron KirsteinFinding a place to stay is not | | | | ordinary ice cream bar. It is about 40 feet long and |
| difficult. The area has an abundance of | | | | offers many choices of ice cream, sorbet and gelato. |
| accommodations from bed and breakfasts to motels | | | | A single cone cost me just $3.00 and I swear that it |
| and resorts. We chose the Seaview Beach Resort | | | | had a pound of ice cream in it. After eating the mound |
| because we are having a family get-together. The | | | | on top, I gobbled ice cream to the very bottom of the |
| quaint cottages range from 1-3 bedrooms and come | | | | waffle cone. I consider myself an ice cream aficionado |
| fully equipped. When we walk out our door, within | | | | and I have never seen a place so generous. This is a |
| seconds, we are right on the beach. The Seaview is | | | | shop till you drop market with vegetables, meats, food |
| well off the road and sits among modern residential | | | | specialties, clothes, toys, unique gifts and a whole lot |
| properties. It is very quiet and peaceful. Across the | | | | more. It also has a very fine restaurant which seems |
| road we discover a large Federal Wild Life Sanctuary. | | | | to efficiently serve a never-ending line-up. It has my |
| As we walk down the beach and the roadway we | | | | vote for the best little tourist trap in the world!The area |
| are drooling over incredible new oceanfront homes. My | | | | boasts some of the best of BC Provincial Parks. If you |
| wife is scoping out the fire pit where she will roast her | | | | like to camp, hike, explore the beach or visit |
| marsh mellows just as soon as the sun goes | | | | spectacular waterfalls you should check out |
| down.One of the beautiful homes along the sea shore | | | | Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, Englishman River |
| Photo by Ron KirsteinNow we are settled in to our | | | | Falls Provincial Park, Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park |
| cabin by the sea. Besides the obvious, we check | | | | and Cathedral Grove Provincial Park. Other attractions |
| around to see what we can do while we are in | | | | can be found throughout the area by checking the |
| paradise. Locals inform us that you can beach walk | | | | web at Kirstein is the owner of a Canadian Travel & |
| almost continuously for about 50Km (30 miles) along | | | | Tourism Web |
| the coast line with the exception of interruptions by | | | | site (since 1995). |
| two rivers, the Englishman and French Creek. When | | | | |