The Wandering Eye
Spectacular sights and adventures around Vancouver, British Columbia, and beyond.
Alert Bay, Cormorant Island, BC (2018-09-30)
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We flew into Alert Bay airport (CYAL) on Cormorant Island, British Columbia, in early September, experiencing low stratus fractus and bouts of heavy rain along the way--quintessential coastal BC flying. View Complete Post

A riverside ramble & a tree named Bob - Nanaimo Airport, BC (2018-04-22)
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He's tall, dark, and silent, his parents selected for their superior traits. No, he's not Prince William, nor the Count of Monaco. He's Bob, Bob of Nanaimo. View Complete Post

The Fellowship of the Raven - Gillies Bay, Texada Island (2018-04-13)
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One of the fellowship will greet you. It sounded as if we were to be met by a wizard or elf, which seemed fitting, surrounded as we were by stately cedars and hemlocks, on a secluded, sparsely populated island. View Complete Post

Airplane golf, anyone? Rowena's Inn & Sandpiper Golf Course, BC (2018-01-14)
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Located about 2 hours drive from Vancouver, the Sandpiper golf course is a beautiful little fly in destination, with the magnificent Harrison River lapping upon the shores of the immaculate fairway. View Complete Post

A Merry winter outing for free, Festival of Lights, Park & Tilford, North Vancouver (2017-12-27)
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With over 150,000 lights sparkling among cedar & fir trees, glittering upon fountains and ponds, and peeping out between snow-dusted shrubs, Park & Tilford Gardens Hi-Light Festival is a lovely little holiday season spectacle. View Complete Post

Cottonwood Golf course, Nanaimo, BC (2017-11-18)
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On a short, wintry, cloud-scudded day, we hopped in our plane and flew to Nanaimo airport (CYCD) for a quick, scenic flight across the Georgia Straight, followed by a yummy lunch at the Cottonwood Golf course Restaurant. View Complete Post

Historic Willingdon Beach & the Millennium Park Trails, Powell River, BC (2017-11-05)
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A plethora of rocky beaches and sun-dappled forest trails near a strip of upbeat art galleries, quirky shops, ocean-view bistros, and a local craft brewery: Willingdon Beach is a traveller's gem. View Complete Post

Cycling a trail of bubbles--the Spirit Trail, North Vancouver, BC (2017-10-29)
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Through the site of a historic lumber mill, along leafy trails and quiet residential lanes, and beside seawalls offering splendid views of Burrard Inlet and downtown Vancouver, the Spirit Trail traverses most of North Vancouver and some of West Van ... for directions, just follow the white bubbles painted on the pathways. View Complete Post

The enchanting charms and astonishments of Davis Bay, Sechelt, BC (2017-10-27)
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It's a faerie wonderland of huge cedars rubbing shoulders with old hemlocks, picturesque creeks fit for water sprites, and sandbar beaches where ocean nymphs might be swimming offshore, among rare Jurassic glass-sponges. View Complete Post

Exploring the wild, magical Horne Lake Caves of Vancouver Island, BC (2017-10-08)
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What is truly special about this regional park is the plethora of wild caves to crawl and scramble around in, all rife with glittering limestone stalactites, crystals, and cave dew. View Complete Post

Historical balloon logging in North Vancouver--forestry by dirigible (2017-09-30)
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While recently rambling along the short, pretty forest trail that circumnavigates Parkgate Park at the bottom of Seymour Mountain, an unusual picture artfully decorating a large metal electrical box caught our eye: a sepia photograph of what looked like a dirigible, hovering over the stumps and felled trees of a swatch of logging forest. View Complete Post

Transfer Beach Park, Ladysmith, Vancouver Island, BC (2017-09-24)
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Located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in a picturesque harbour surrounded by hills of Douglas Fir and Western Cedars, Transfer Beach Park is a lovely spot for a ramble, a picnic, a dog-romp, a dip in the ocean, or a serene bit of paddling with a kayak or paddleboard. View Complete Post

North Vancouver Beaver habitat- MacKay Creek (2017-09-17)
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Situated on the North Shore of Vancouver, MacKay Creek is the perfect spot for a short, lovely ramble amongst big leaf maple trees, cottonwoods, and alders, all of which are a buffet for resident beavers. View Complete Post

Cycling the Trans Canada trail along the southeast of Alouette River, Pitt Meadows, BC (2017-09-09)
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On a sizzling summer day at the end of August, against a backdrop of rustling cornfields and the towering Cascade Mountains, we cycled this lovely path along the meandering Alouette River. View Complete Post

Pemberton Airport & Green River Horse Loop Trail (2017-09-04)
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On a bright blue summer day, we flew from our home airport of CYPK (Pitt Meadows, BC), up the pretty ocean passage of Howe Sound, and through the Cheakamus River valley to Pemberton Airport (CYPS), elevation 670ft, Traffic 123.20, Right hand circuits for 24. View Complete Post

Airplane camping at Qualicum airport, BC, with nearby trails & Parksville Beach (2017-09-03)
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One of our favourite flying destinations is Qualicum airport. It's a very pretty flight through the Strait of Georgia, over jewel-green islands such as Texada and Lasqueti, and the white-beach sands of Buccaneer Bay, all of it under the austere gaze of the towering snow-capped peaks of the coastal mountain range. View Complete Post

Free fun walking-show at the North Vancouver Shipyards (2017-07-30)
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Held in the re-purposed historic shipyards of North Vancouver, a stone's throw from Lonsdale Quay, The Shipyard Pals tour is a fun way to spend 45 minutes on a sunny weekend on the North Shore ... View Complete Post

Colony Farm Regional Park (2017-07-03)
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Dog & bicycle friendly, Colony Farm Regional Park is a lacework of flat, easy paths wending along the picturesque Coquitlam River, ringed by the majestic Cascade mountains in the background ... View Complete Post

Alouette River Dyke Trail, Pitt Meadows (2016-07-11)
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Pitt Meadows offers a plethora of flat, picturesque, dog-friendly trails along the dykes bordering the Fraser River, Pitt River, and Alouette River, all of the trails perfect for cycling, strolling, or jogging ... View Complete Post

Myrtle Creek and Hammil Lake, Powell River (2017-06-04)
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Going at an easy stroll with plenty of stops to snap photos, the round trip from airport to lake is approximately 2.5 hours. An energetic individual who doesn't have to constantly backtrack after an errant canine companion could easily do the walk in under two hours ... View Complete Post

Lynnmouth Park and Harbourview Park (2017-05-30)
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A flat gravel path perfect for a short stroll, this dog-friendly route offers unique views of North Vancouver, and reveals a section of Lynn Creek that most tourists who visit Lynn Canyon never glimpse ... View Complete Post

Hastings Creek Park, North Vancouver (2017-05-28)
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Tucked discreetly away in a residential neighborhood, Hastings Creek Park is a little-known local gem. A delightful, shaded route following a meandering creek, it is a dog friendly, off-leash trail with few people on it. It undergoes elevation changes up sloped terrain and then down again to creek-level several times, facilitated by wooden stairs ... View Complete Post

Nature Dyke Trail, Pitt Lake (2017-05-27)
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Ringed by the distant snowy peaks of the Cascade mountains to the north and a patchwork of lush lowland marshes to the southeast, Pitt Lake is an idyllic spot burgeoning with spectacular views, glimpses of wildlife, and a deep, serene silence that is all too hard to find these days ... View Complete Post