Tuesday, August 27, the three of us had left early at 7 am to catch the ferry, which we had a 50 minute drive from campground. We were the first three in line for the ferry for 10:15 departure.
Waiting for ferry
Parked on ferry, third or bottom level
We had a two hour ride on ferry, before getting off at Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. We stopped for fuel, which was really cheaper than on the mainland, really surprising. We then had an hour drive to our campsite, we had a few hours before our first happy hour and distribution of the drivers manual, each stop there is a fun dress day, today was Aloha day, some funny costumes. We then had a provided dinner of ham, potato salad, tossed salad and dessert.
Seal Bay Campground carving, where we are parked
Bruce Williams grass skirt and nice headdress
Aloha dress, can't believe she's not cold
Wednesday, August 28, had a continental breakfast of muffins, breads, fruit and coffee. We then went to Costco's, with another couple, to another store, Superstore, a natural store and then drove to see the water on through town. Returned back to camp, rested until 3:30 and left again to I-Hos, a First Nations gallery and long house. They were to be making us dinner in the ground but it has been raining off and on all day, and it was raining when they were to be making the fire. They had decided to make salmon on the stick for us on cook it over a wood fire in the longhouse.
Cutting up the salmon
Salmon on the stick
Cooking the salmon around the fire
Showing us the pit that they use to make the seafood feast
After the meal, of seafood chowder, salmon, potatoes with carrots, cole slaw, fry bread and fruit, the Kumugwe dancers had preformed for us in the longhouse.
Kumugwe dancers
Thursday, August 29, we had a logger's breakfast, sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns, pancakes, fruit and coffee, really good and lots of food. I went to Costco's this morning to pick up dessert for tomorrow's dinner, we are moving tomorrow and there's not much where we are going, so we had to buy it here.
At noon, 16 people decided to go an hour and a half drive to Alberni Pacific Railway, for a steam engine train ride. We arrived just in time before the train left, and we were off to the historic McLean Mill the old fashioned way, pulled by the No. 7 steam locomotive. We enjoyed riding the slow track through lush west coast rain forest, whistle by rolling farmland and rattle over wooden trestles as we looked way down into crystal clear creeks.
No. 7 steam engine
Wooden trestle
Clear creek below the trestle
When we arrived at McLean Steam Mill, we were welcomed by a guided tour person. The sawmill was built in 1926, and ran continuously until 1965. The mill uses line shaft technology and is powered by a single piston steam engine built in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1892. An observation deck provides guests with the opportunity to view a variety of steam powered machinery as the logs are converted into lumber.
Twin circular saw blades (54" & 50") give it the capability of cutting logs up to 5' in diameter.
The sawmill's 32' carriage enables it to cut timbers up to 43' in length
Planks that were cut
View of the steam sawmill
Lake where the logs are rolled into before going into the sawmill to be cut
We had got off the train about 6 pm and didn't get back to camp before 8 pm, we did stop at a creamery for ice cream before arriving back. We had a long day, but it was a lot of fun and got to know more new people.
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