At the end of the first week, Mr. Young, Mrs. Randall, Mrs. Petrie, and Mr. Erikson took the students and teachers from St. Hildegard out to the west coast of Vancouver Island for a visit to Tofino, Uclulet, Pacific Rim National Park and MacMillian Cathedral Grove. The weather was incredible and the journey along Highway 4 saw some great views of Mount Arrowsmith and the Insular Mountains (Vancouver Island Ranges).

The group stopped at the Kennedy River Love Locks (the Kennedy Cascade) to explore and to take a break from the windy road

The first stop on the coast was the town of Tofino.

After a quick visit in town the group made their way to the beach at Cox Bay. Lots of beach walking and wildlife discovery...and a lesson or two about tidal surges and wet feet :)

There were many tide pools to look in

But the sun was getting low on the horizon and it was time to head to Long Beach

The timing was perfect to stop at Incinerator Rock at Long Beach for a west coast sunset

After an overnight stay at the Canadian Princess Lodge in Ukee (Ucluelet) with both food and room adventures and misadventures, the group made their way to the Wild Pacific Trail which winds its way around the Ucluth Peninsula, past the 100 year old Amphitrite Lighthouse (where there were many, many, many, many, many selfies taken on the rocks) and through giant Cedar, Hemlock and Sitka Spruce.

And our last stop of the weekend before coming back to the Comox Valley was MacMillian Provincial Park (Cathedral Grove), home to some of the largest Douglas Fir and Red Cedar trees in Canada, aging up to 800 years old. We did have to navigate a bit of snow but the huge trees made the slippery pathway (and the bus ride of Abba tunes) totally worth it.