When I looked outside early Tuesday morning, I was happy to see clear blue skies and sunshine. I had just checked the forecast for the rest of the week and it was calling for rain. Given that, it seemed like a perfect day for us to go for a drive. Where to, though? How about the Island’s west coast – Port Renfrew!
Port San Juan Inlet with trestle bridge in background
I remembered reading a while back that the old logging 
We turned west just north of Duncan and thirty minutes later were driving slowly through, and then out of the town of Lake Cowichan. It was at this point, where the paved road used to end and a gravel logging road started. Not any more, the new paved road is really nice, it’s wide for the most part except for a few hairpin turns and the one-lane bridge crossings over the creeks.
I took this shot from a 1-lane bridge over Harris Creek
We drove across the long wooden trestle bridge into Port Renfrew just before noon. Port Renfrew is best known as the trailhead for both the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail and the historic West Coast Trail, a world-famous hiking trail built in 1907 to save sailors shipwrecked on the rugged coastline. Both routes are rigorous hikes, with steep grades and roaring surf at almost every turn.
Looking out the inlet, Port Renfrew, towards the Pacific Ocean
I parked the car, and Paulette, Molly, Rylie and me all headed down to the beach to explore beautiful green rocks, driftwood, sea shells and of course the ocean as it pours into the Port San Juan inlet from the Pacific.
Multicolored rocks were everywhere along the beach
All along the beach, there were rock formations that had brilliant green stripes and layers of other colors running through them – they were pretty spectacular looking.
Barnacle encrusted rocks and seashells on the beach |  |
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There were also hundreds of barnacle encrusted sea shells and rocks scattered along the beach too. High up on the beach are the remains of huge trees which have been uprooted and washed up by the winter storms. The locals put their chainsaws to good use cutting up these logs for firewood and this helps to keep the beach nice and clean too.
A few tidal pools and big old driftwood logs
We spent a good hour exploring and Molly and Rylie had a ball racing off-leash along the long sandy beach. By this time, Paulette and I were starving! We didn’t even know if there was a restaurant in town other than the pub at the old Port Renfrew Hotel. But, we drove alongside the beach a bit and found a great little place called the Coastal Kitchen Cafe – just perfect. We ordered lunch and, it was so warm, we sat at the outside tables to eat. Great food, too!
We had a great lunch at the Coastal Kitchen Cafe
Port Renfrew has a history rich in forestry and fishing, and today offers some of the best salmon and halibut fishing in North America. The town only has a population of 190 and has thus far resisted all attempts at commercialization of any kind. I hope it stays this way for years to come, it is, as the locals call it, the “Jewel of the West Coast”.
The Port Renfrew Hotel is the only building in town
After lunch, we drove up the coast another 2.5kms, then hiked 1km down to one of the most beautiful sights on the entire west coast – Botany Bay, part of the equally impressive Botanical Beach Marine Park. But, I’ll leave that for tomorrow’s post!
After hiking back up to the car, we headed back home to Cowichan Bay arriving at 3:30pm – it was a great mid-day week adventure!
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