Vancouver Island Warnings Or Dangers

1 more image

This tip also appears on my Tofino page but I’m including it here too as you really can’t be too careful around bears.

We’d seen bear warning signs on the mainland of British Columbia, but no bears. On the island thought it was a different matter, and we saw two bears on the same day! Our first sighting was of this one, just strolling beside Highway 4, the main road that crosses the island from east to west. I was lucky to have my camera on the back seat of the car at the time, rather than the boot (trunk) so managed to grab a couple of shots. Later that afternoon we were in the Pacific Rim National Park and stopped at one of the parking lots to visit the beach. Some hikers told us they seen a bear earlier in the day, and sure enough when we returned to our car and started to drive out of the lot, there he was, although too much hidden by bushes to get a good photo this time.

A leaflet I picked up while in BC sets out the “Bear Basics”:
~ Keep your distance, and never approach a bear
~Avoid eye contact
~ Face forward – never turn your back on a bear
~ Talk to the bear if he’s noticed you (the leaflet adds “in a soothing voice” but I’m not sure I’d be able to manage that as soothed is the last thing I’d feel in that situation!)
~ Be quiet, if the bear hasn’t noticed you
~ Make yourself look big, e.g. by waving your arms around

We also read some “helpful” advice about playing dead – apparently this is a good tactic if the bear has just eaten, but a very bad one if he’s hungry. Nowhere did I see any advice on how to tell a hungry bear from a full one!

These guys are very friendly......as they write you a ticket!

i had been travelling for 28+ hours (no sleep)and was hanging out but they like doing their jobs and gave me a ticket for being over the speed by 10miles an hour.

Considering the UK is MPH and they are KPH and everything thing else i was a little Pxxxxx to get the ticket...but hay ho welcome to Canada.

they got a job to do

For those of you who opt for the campgrounds instead of the hotels, take note: stock up on blankets and pillows, especially if you're right by the water. The summer days are gorgeous and hot, but it might as well be winter when night rolls around. Take a lesson from my less than stellar sleeps, and invest in cosy blankets- at least 2-3 on top, and one for you to sleep on top. Wear socks.