A Slice of Paradise

Six years ago I made a solo trip to the wild coast of Vancouver Island to spend a few days alone; no family, no phone, no television. I stayed at Point-no-Point Resort, about 50 miles west of Victoria and enjoyed a private cabin high above the ocean with a gorgeous view from the deck looking across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The sound of the ocean, the wind in the pines, the remote vistas with ever changing tides accented by mist and fog were mesmerizing. Although I rarely want to return to the same place twice on a vacation, I knew that one day I would bring Denny back with me to Point-no Point.

We stayed in a cabin with a small kitchen and sitting area featuring a wood burning stove for warmth at night and a well positioned wooden deck complete with a jacuzzi tub and unparalleled views of the ocean. The cabins are situated such that from the private deck nothing but green and ocean vista is visible. Remote and secluded, this place is a paradise. We spent hours out on the deck; I read my book there in the early mornings with a cup of coffee, a blanket wrapped around me and in the afternoons and evenings, we would enjoy a bottle of wine with the western sun bathing us in light and warmth. The sunsets from the deck were superior and dusk seemed to linger until the appearance of Venus on the southwestern horizon. Later the stars dotted the sky and the breeze picked up but the sound of the ocean was continuous. We slept with a window open to hear those waves all night.

In daylight hours, adventures awaited us with trips farther out Highway 14 in Port Renfrew, a remote fishing village. We hiked to Botanical Beach to view tidepools and found a small cafe in the middle of nowhere to enjoy a surprisingly tasty lunch. The next day we drove into the village of Sooke (pronounced Souk), home to a provincial park with trails through forests leading to rocky coves and inlets. We saw several deer, water fowl, seals, and in the distance far out in the Strait, the orca whales swimming together. There were people on the trails and by the surf but what struck me was how quiet and untraveled the paths seemed. My camera did its best to keep up with the changing scenery.

I didn't want to leave; another couple of days would have suited me just fine. Back at home, I have my pictures and memories and a desire to go back again.

And, by the way, I discovered just the perfect book for this fine trip....picked it up at the Magnolia Bookstore the day before we left; The Cottagers by Marshall Klimasewiski. A mystery set in East Sooke, Vancouver Island, B.C., it captured my moments that weren't focused on the sights and sounds of this most special slice of paradise.