I had done my two weeks at Cluxewe Resort, and was feeling antsy to get out. But the weather had decided to throw a curveball of 10-30cm of snow forecast overnight, with me leaving the next day. I decided to make up my mind to go once I saw how much snow had fallen. It was not even 10cm where I was at, so I pack up, and head off to Rupert Inlet, for some camping where I had previously scouted out a spot. It was not to be.
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Cluxewe Resort was my home for two weeks as I hunkered down in some of the most brutal winter weather that Vancouver Island had seen in recent times. While it was snowy and cold, there were times the sun came out a bit. Being outside wasn’t that bad, even if there was no sun. So I managed to explore all around the campground and beyond where I could reasonably walk to.
The cold and snow at Cluxewe Resort arrived with a vengeance. I was inside my RV, heater under my feet, looking out through a crack in the blinds, trying to keep all the heat I could near me. The world had closed in, with only my little space of heat and light to huddle in while the wind howled and the snow flew outside. My RV felt like a last refuge beyond which all hope is lost. If you are looking for pretty scenery from around here, you can skip to the next post – this is all the trials and tribulations of surviving the cold in an RV.
My first boondocking spot had been a great success. The snow had even mostly melted, leaving me hoping I could avoid further winter woes, but it was not to be. My shaky internet signal downloaded a forecast of snow and brutal cold, at least brutal for these parts. I left my spot as the first new snow was falling – having a few hanging trees to deal with on the way out from the weighty wet snow.
My original plan had been to head out to one of the recreation sites in the Port McNeill area. But the roads remained icy for days following the snow – including adding a bit more ice with rain falling in the cold middle of night. So my plan now was to find something close by I could still drive to. I was finally going to do some boondocking! What I found worked out reasonably well, with the bonus of some of Vancouver Island’s most significant historic remains!
It turns out I left Naka Creek just in time as the mostly rain forecast turned into mostly snow, which turned into mostly ice. Good thing I booked a week at Broughton Campsite, the roads were crap everywhere off the mains! But I would have a lot of time to explore Port McNeill while I stocked up and stayed warm with full hookups again.
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Part of why I’m doing this traveling bit is to avoid winter. I hate snow. But Vancouver Island will get snow sometimes, I’d just hoped it would hold off a while. But it was not to be, the snow fell in copious amounts, leaving me with no way to leave on the road I had come in on.
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My next destination was Junction Pool – a confluence of the Adam and Eve River that ended up feeling more satanic than biblical to me. At least, it felt creepy out there. Was it just the dark trees or was something out to get me?
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Sayward pond, with the campground in the distance
I picked Sayward for my next glamping spot (full hookups) because it was in a good location for driving to several possible destinations beyond, and it was cheap. I wasn’t really expecting much in terms of sights to see or things to do and on that front I was correct. But it was a good place to recharge and catch up a few errands.
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I spent my next day at Little Bear Bay inside. I woke up to rain, and this continued until the late afternoon. It only really stops just before sunset, which is just a slow darkening of the skies to black. I’m was not quite out of reach of civilization here, but close. My only contact was faint AM radio, fading in and out which was very frustrating when the very occasional weather forecast on Global radio gives comes on. But I at least had a vague idea that tomorrow might be a better day, followed by yet another drenching of rain. In the meanwhile, I divide my time between blogging, reading actual books, and some short walks when the rain isn’t falling too much. Continue reading
