Mar 222012
 

MacKenzie Beach, Tofino, BC

I spent a quiet afternoon over the weekend in the Airstream enjoying a simple lunch, watching a movie (for the millionth time, can you guess which one?) and clicking through many, many pictures on my laptop enjoying them all.

. . . and reminiscing.

Oh the trips we have been on, I still can not believe it sometimes . . .

This is Tofino, B.C. located on Vancouver Island.

We camped almost right on the beach with our Airstream and the storms during this time of year are intense.

I bring up this trip to you because we almost decided to go back again next month.  Almost.

But then we thought, yes it was beautiful and peaceful.

. . . and so relaxing, but we still have so much more exploring of places that we have not yet been to.

So we will wait until another time to go again.

Heirloom Tomatoes

One of the many activities we enjoyed while on holiday in Tofino was wildlife watching via a chartered boat.

It was beautiful.  We were hoping to see some bears, but they were still in hibernation.

But that was just fine as we enjoyed other types of wildlife.  Sea Lions, Eagles and birds of all types . . .

Sea Lions, Tofino, BC

Sea Lions, Tofino, BC

Cute, isn’t he?  Or she?  Nonetheless, we were pretty far back and I took these with my zoom lens.  He still wasn’t crazy about us but he relaxed as we slowly motored away . . .

Deep Sea Fishing and Exploring Tide Pools in Tofino, BC

Tofino is a paradise for children, I definitely must mention that.  Tide pools, beautiful sandy beaches to explore, fishing and so much more.  B was very happy here.  Everyday there was always something new for him to explore, especially after the storms since the beaches were full of new discoveries washed ashore.

Here is is a snapshot of the route we took to get to Tofino:

click for large map

As we enjoyed our lunch finishing up watching the movie, hubby B and I could not help but feel so lucky that we have been able to see as much as we have in just a little over one year.

What fun it has been and what fun we have ahead of us!

Oh and if you think you know what my most favorite movie is that I keep watching over and over — go ahead and leave a comment.  You may just win something (Hint:  I’ve been going through my craft room and have decided, I just don’t need all of these things anymore.)

So if your a crafty person, you may get lucky :)

Simply preheat a medium skillet and coat thickly cut bread with olive oil and cook until golden brown.  Top with some beautiful tomatoes that have been tossed in a bowl with some olive oil, torn basil leaves and crunchy flaky sea salt and pepper.

This is simplistic and absolutely delicious!

Beautiful and Peaceful Tofino, BC

Bon Appetit! *hint*  *hint*

Apr 172011
 

One of our very first Airstream trips was to the town of Tofino which is located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

All we wanted to do was hang out by the water, fish and have a great time and luckily that is exactly how things progressed.

Hubby and B went fishing with Captain Lance of Lance’s Sport Fishing Adventure and brought back a feast of seafood that I then prepared for Lance and his family / friends.  It was SUCH a success and we had a great time that evening.  Just have a look:

beach-shot

Here is our night progressed.  Lance brought his big crab steamer that we placed over the campfire and we steamed the crabs in fresh sea water.  They were a huge hit.  I spread out some newspapers, melted some butter and along with all of the other appetizers I made, we all went for it.

Tofino RV Beach Camping

But let me take you back to my original post about this trip and how it all began:  

Our captain was Captain Lance from Lance’s Sportfishing Adventures and is an independently owned and operated fishing charter company, based in the world famous Clayoquot Sound. Thousands of migrating salmon and halibut swim through Clayoquot Sound and the waters around Tofino every year.

That was excellent news for B as that day he caught a 15 pound King Salmon and kept reminding me that he also caught 10 big “Dungeonous” crabs.  Of course I was excited to cook up all this beautiful seafood!

That night, I made a delicious Panko Crusted Salmon dinner for Lance and his friends/family complete with a lemon dill hollondaise sauce. In addition, I also prepared:

  • Smoked Salmon Spread
  • Garlic Grilled BC Spot Prawns
  • Freshly Steamed Dungeonous Crab with Garlic Butter
  • Seared Ahi Tuna Tartare
  • . . . and for desert:  Crepes filled with Nutella and topped with Berries

Not to toot my own horn, but everything turned out delicious.  I swear my Airstream is my lucky charm.  Unfortunately hubby had the camera on the fishing trip so I wasn’t able to take pictures (I stayed behind while preparing the feast for that evening).  I did, however, make a delicious One Pot Poached Mustard Dill Salmon with Leeks and Potatoes the next night for dinner. It turned out to be such a simple and delicious recipe!  I adore one pot meals that turn out as good as this one did.


Apr 132011
 

This was an beautiful morning in Tofino, British Columbia.  We awoke in our warm Airstream at Crystal Cove Beach Resort to the sun shining and birds chirping.  We had a cooler full of freshly caught Dungeness crabs just waiting for us and I knew exactly what we would have for breakfast.  Eggs Neptune (aka Crab Benedict) !  This was seriously decadent and a definite, “put your fork down between bites,” to really relish and savor the amazing flavor of this dish.

The tide pools that morning were full of sea creatures!  Hermit crabs, baby rockfish, sea anemone and other little critters we couldn’t quite recognize.  It was a very interesting morning and quite beautiful at that.

 

 

Apr 112011
 

Who knew you could charter your very own boat with your very own Captain and explore these magnificent waterways here in Tofino, BC in search of amazing wildlife and breathtaking views of some magestic scenery.  Just sit back and relax, bring your camera and keep your eyes out for some amazing wildlife in action.

Today we were on a cruising trip with Browning Pass Charters.  Captain Mike was at the helm and little B was in awe.  “Mom, this is going to be so awesome!” he exclaimed as he squeezed my arm with both hands as we sat in the warm cabin waiting for Captain Mike to start up good ol’ Browning Passage.

We saw some amazing wildlife that day and some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen.  If you come in May through September, you will definitely see some black bears.  Captain Mike says you can see them a mile away — they are so black and they stand out so much.  In our case today, it was a very early and chilly April and the bears were still in hibernation.  We were though, just all a little bit excited with the prospect that maybe, just maybe, they would be out eating baby crabs that Captain Mike says they find by turning over rocks on the shores.  Perhaps it was the snowfall earlier that morning that made the bears think twice about making an exit.  All I knew was that they were pretty smart staying in their caves, snug and warm for it was a chilly day!

Thank you Captain Mike – for this trip will forever be in our memories :)

Apr 072011
 

“I woke last night to the sound of thunder . . . how far off, I sat and wondered . . .”

Sleeping in our Airstream when the wind is howling around us and the rain drops are hitting the aluminum is quite the experience.  You feel a sense of security, warmth and coziness all at the same time.

We boondocked on the beach in Tofino, British Columbia, Canada.  We literally opened up our door and the sand was right there.  The views from our front panoramic windows were spectacular with huge rocks adding to the drama in the distance.  As waves approached these rocks, they exploded on impact sending ocean sprays high up into the sea air.

When we awoke the next morning after the storm, we had a bit of a reprieve from the cold wet rain — so jammies and all, we put on our raincoats and rainboots and explored the beach in search of treasure that had washed up onto shore.

Blueberry pancakes were on the menu for breakfast and they really hit the spot after that chilly morning.