Friday 5th August: Happy Birthday Michael

Birthday boy and our hire car. A grey sea misty morning but had burnt off by late morning. We took ourselves off the 12km into the town/village of Tofino which is very pleasant with small shops and harbour area and a very helpful visitors centre where we obtained lots of info for walks etc. We booked ourselves onto a coastal boat trip for tomorrow, more about that then. Next stop Radar Hill, a hilltop viewpoint that once supported a Cold War radar station. Trees now partially block the view (much like some areas of the Blue Ridge and indeed the Devils Punch Bowl at home) On along the coast to Schooner Cove at the north end of Long Beach which was accessible by hiking the 1km rainforest trail. A boardwalk trail through the forest with as ever many steps so we are back in training !!! Next pics show some of the amazing trees, it was quite spooky in places and felt a bit like a scence from The Hobbit.

One of the many fascinating trees. Many fallen trees support trees that have grown from the fallen trunk and then their roots have wrapped around the trunk and down into the ground. Some large trees are in fact more than one that have grown and intertwined together

Some of the many steps and of course we had to come back again !

And so to the beach, very long (hence the name) and wide with small islands of off the beach some that can be reached at low tide by foot. Also interesting rock pool areas.

Lots of large tree "flotsam"

We had a really good long walk before finding our way back along through the rain forest trail

This little chap was hanging out near the car park of the trail, sadly he wouldn't pose for the camera to show his beautiful deep blue back.
Another very good day.........