QUIET MECCA , Campbell River,B.C.

 Heading north or south along 19A hwy, in or out of Campbell River, and you will come across Tyee Spit, Discovery Passage.  A little piece of wonderful. Dick Murphy Park. Right beside the spit is Painter's Lodge, famous for it's fishing, wildlife and whale watching tours, tea and all round yummy things.

 There is a complimentary 10 minute shuttle tour across the bay to another  lodge on Quadra Island.  April Point  waves at Painters Lodge, beckoning most to its shores.  The lodges are quite west coast, a little older decor inside, circa 1975. The shag carpeting has to go, I think, especially the orange and brown motifs, but the people are friendly and  tourists come from all over the world to fish  and soak in the island charm. I guess they aren't paying for designing doodads. They are there to soak up salmon.....

 Hard to miss is the eagle's nest, towering above the spit and Painter's. When we were there the other day, one of the eagles was sitting on the nest, while the other parent took time to float on windy shores. Best high rise in the town.

 Thunderbird Park is located next to the Spit on the Laich-Kwil-Tach First Nations land. It is safe and beautiful. Some RV's winter here, others come in for the summer. Perfect views across the Discovery passage. So named, in 1792, by Captain Vancouver for his ship the HMS Discovery.

 Walking trail is easy and winds around the point fairly push you along to the ocean. Dog walkers, People walkers, everyone seems to enjoy the  incredible quiet. Just the eagles  calling; boats toodling up and down. And of course , the float planes.

 In the late 1800's a flurry of activity came to the spit, and Discovery Passage. Europeans searching for hordes of salmon, apparently. First nations people guided  fishermen, up and down at the Spit. It is still
 probably one of the best places to go and watch  float planes land and take off.One of the better places to sit and hear yourself think. Standing at the edge of the bridge that leads to nowhere, you can easily take in geese, float planes, eagles, ducks, all along the estuary. The estuary seems to have its own life.

 Over in the distance is  Elk River Range Ridge. Though, the other day, it was shrouded in cloud and flog and mist......having just had a torrential rainstorm. And another one on its way.

 It was in 1951 that float planes were finally established at the Spit. Now a usual form of transportation, not just for tourists to get around to mountain lakes, but for local people to  visit back and forth, business people to visit sites.  The planes remind me of the eagles...they seem to share the sky  quite well.

                             

To stand on the shore and see houses on Quadra Island perched on rocks. The ocean storms must be glorious to watch."The wind is piping loud, the lightning flashes free, while the hollow oak our palace is, our heritage the sea." ( A. Cunningham)

And though it may be a quiet mecca,  it is  serene and draws you in. You can walk there, and actually speak to  the wind  for once, and hear it answer you......