Pender Island Adventure: Part 1

           Good morning Friends- we are home- reluctantly but here we are after an amazing long weekend spent relaxing in one of the loveliest of Gulf Islands that B.C. has to offer- Pender Island. We pulled out of the city early Friday morning with the van fully loaded down with way too much stuff and headed out to the ferry terminal- after a few tense minutes we made the ferry and as the city fell behind us so did all our daily worries.

           Pender Island is in fact made up of two small islands connected by a short causeway- our campground was located on the North Island and was very central to everything- Prior Centennial is a small campground with only 17 sites but it is lovely! A lush green oasis- each site is quite private and surrounded in giant second growth Douglas Fir, Cedar and Arbutus tress- making this the perfect refuge from the heat.

         The Littles had a super time- we went with another family so the kids were all quite pleased to play from sun up to bed time with their dear friend. Camping with kids can be tricky and this trip was no different. While our site was fairly safe there was of course lots for a curious boy to get into- including stinging nettles and wasps.

          Food always tastes better when eaten outside and I would hazard to say that things tastes even more tastier when camping! Coffee, pancakes and sausage- oh so good! Filling us up for full days of exploring the island's beaches, Farmer's Markets and hiking trails.

        There is so much to do and see on Pender- I am going to write about all the lovely beaches we explored tomorrow- but there are also many charming marinas, whale watching (which Miss Lo is doing below), an interesting little island museum, heritage houses and of course the already mentioned Farmer's Market. For people wishing for a bit more luxury there is Poets Cove on the South Island which boasts one of B.C.'s premier spas- or stop at one of the three cafes. Whatever your tastes or budget Pender is the perfect place to relax.

        The weekend was pretty amazing all in all- I am still trying to sort out my thoughts and photos of the weekend- oh there are so many photos! I'm pretty sure that I am in love with Pender Island- I did not want to come home and almost didn't when we missed the 3:20 ferry- if you go be sure to reserve a spot to and from the island! We caught the 7:40 ferry home and completly enjoyed an extra four hours relaxing and catching crabs on the beach!

          Four full days spent outdoors in the quiet, surrounded by trees and water was balm for my weary city soul- I crave the sound of the surf, birds in the trees, the silence. My cup is filled up and runething over- I am so very happy after this wonderful weekend. We were so lucky to have had such amazing weather and great friends for our first camping trip of the summer!