Adventures with Friends

It is a known fact in life that we all take many things for granted. I live on a beautiful island but seeing it each day I have gotten accustomed to it's beauty and taking it all for granted. It is when visitors come that I again see my home through fresh eyes.

For the past six weeks I have had adventure after adventure with close friends. It began with a day of kayaking in Maple Bay heading over to Saltspring Island for lunch on the beach. I just soaked up the peacefulness of being out on the water exploring the coast line. It was a great day and a quiet time to connect with friends as we shared in the beauty that surrounded us.



At peace on the water

Next, a trip to Tofino on the west coast and exploring the beach, wading in the waves, laughing and allowing ourselves to play like children on the beach.



Playing like children on the beach

We walked along the beach from one end to the other. Sharing our stories, playing in the waves and laughing in the fun. Although we had known each other for years spending time together along the shoreline and trails deepened our relationship.

Laughter shared amongst friends

The views from the trails were breath taking and I could have stayed for hours watching the waves break against the rocks.


A view from the trail



We took a day trip up island to hike along the coast of Hornby Island to see the amazing cliffs and explore the trails.

The amazing cliffs

Friends with Friends

We geocached along the way and stopped and had lunch enjoying the many different views. Having fun like children is a great way to journey through life. Sometimes we spend too much time being serious and we miss out on many of the joys.

Kids in the tree

Gabriola Island was also on the list of places to explore even though we had been there many times before.Sometimes its important to go back and retrace ones steps and see the changes that have happened since your last visit. One can always find things that may have been over looked before. Again much laughter and fun was shared as we felt freedom in just being together.



Relaxing on the beach



Finding hidden treasurers

We also took a trip to Botanical Beach to see the tidal pools. The pools were deep and full of living creatures, the beach a place to sit and relax and contemplate. Finally heading over to Port Renfrew campground to visit my parents and have dinner with them. Although quite willing and looking forward to it I have to admit a small part of me wanted to keep my friends to myself as our time is limited and wasn't so sure about spending the whole afternoon with family but knew it would still be fun. Spending the afternoon with my parents turned out to be a beautiful gift for me. 




Checking out the pools

 My parents are wonderful people. They love the outdoors and we spent my childhood camping and fishing. Next year they will both turn 80 and yet they still spend two months of every year fishing on the west coast. While raising my children we would go out every summer and spend a weekend with them. I would play cards with my Mom and take the children fishing on the dock or to the beach or to hike the trail while the men went fishing.

For the last ten years I have only made it out there once or twice and both times at least 5 years ago. My children have gone out with their spouses and visited and fished and came home with memories both old and new. Now it was my turn. We went out for a wonderful boat ride, down the river, across the bay and out onto the open waters. It was so wonderful to just connect with creation and laugh with friends as the boat bounced along on the calm waters. We rejoiced in all the beauty that we saw out in the open water.



Gal Pals



Awesome day on the water

I soon realized how much of my parents lives I have been missing these past ten years by not going out there and sharing in their adventures. It is something I need to do. They won’t be able to fish for too many more years as they reach the age of 80 next year. For years I have been taking way too much for granted. Our time here on this planet is so very short that I need to make the most of time and continue to explore and connect with creation either alone or with family and friends. I don’t want to have any regrets. Time is something you can never get back, and time with the people you love is so very important, to me more important than anything else. I'll make sure to get back out here next summer.




Family and Friends, most important in life

These past six weeks have just been amazing.So many adventures that I can't even mention them all, so much laughter and so much fun. Relationships have grown deeper and become more open. Having fun like children brings out the best in us and frees us to be our true selves. We said our goodbyes, filled with good memories, memories that we will cherish and relive until sometime in the future when we meet again.