Malcolm Island and Alert Bay | Meant To Be EP 04
In this episode of Meant To Be we show up to Vancouver Island after a long ferry and then decide we want to take more ferries! First we head off to Malcolm Island in search of Orcas, but we find so much more than that. Then we catch the ferry over to Alert Bay where we admire the artwork of the First Nations community there. The whole time we are floored by the kindness and hospitality of everyone. If you listened to Camp Nowhere's episodes 2 & 3 these stories will be familiar and we're excited to finally pair visuals to those. Enjoy!
After landing on Vacouver Island we settled into our new environment. That meant spending a few days taking some hikes, reading about the area and talking with locals and other travelers. Two things consistently came up as must dos, Malcolm Island and Alert Bay. We know a good recommendation when we hear one, so we cleared our next week and decided to visit both!
We first visited Malcolm Island and the town of Sointula, but what we were most interested in was a beach on the other side of the island where Orcas come up almost to shore to rub their bodies on the rocks. Yeah, crazy!
On the way to the island we struck up a conversation with a local man, who gave us lots of advice and mentioned that there was a festival called Salmon Days that would be happening in just a few days.
I don’t want to give anything away, but we spent several more days on Malcolm Island than we intended. We chatted with the researcher at the Orca rubbing beach and MAK interviewed him for the Camp Nowhere Podcast. We also attended Salmon Days and competed in a triathlon the following day (also a Camp Nowhere Episode)! Malcolm Island really left an impression on us and we were sad to say goodbye to a community that we had just met, but had welcomed us in a way that we have rarely experienced.
Troy’s research station at the Orca rubbing beach.
In a long line for the ferry after Salmon Days!
After an amazing time on Malcolm Island, it would have been so easy for Alert Bay to be a let down. However, I’m happy to say it was anything but that! Once again we chatted with a local while we waited for the ferry, and once again he was a wealth of knowledge and hospitality. Turns out, he was a local artist (named Art!) and we ran into him multiple times while we visited Alert Bay. Alert Bay is known for it’s art work, especially it’s totem poles. In fact, the largest totem pole in the world is located there at 173 feet tall! Oh and while we were there our friends, Karissa and Linhbergh joined us!
While on the island we visited the cultural museum and were able to witness local artist carving a new totem pole. The museum was incredible and filled with amazing pieces.
As we left Alert Bay, Art came by to see us off and gifted us a piece of his art. It was a moving gesture and we were so thrilled to have a piece by Art. We immediately hung it up in the truck and we are so grateful for the gift. It’s something we will always treasure.
This part of the world is special and it has everything to do with the people that live here. They are passionate and proud of their home and we left feeling the same way.
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