Hi Everyone!
I've finally gotten the chance to go out and check out some sites here on Vancouver Island!! What a BEAUTIFUL place! Port Alberni is pretty well situated mid-island with an inlet connecting to the Pacific Ocean. Its main industry is log/mills with a big paper company in town - Catalyst. The hospital is an uphill walk from my apartment which is nicely situated around the block from a grocery store (2 technically), liquor store, Shopper's Drug Mart and of course a Tim Hortons! The hospital serves a good size catchment area, approximately 30 000 I believe, and the hospital seems to be running over-capacity inpatient wise. The ER department itself is quite small physically. It's a smaller space than Listowel's ER with a few more beds then Listowel and a fair bit busier with an ICU attached.
This contract has pretty well the best accommodations I've had so far in this agency life (obviously not including the one where I slept on the Pacific Ocean..). It's a great location like I mentioned, and a nice view of the inlet, with mountains all around me. It's a very clean, updated apartment that I share with a fellow ICU agency nurse.
Enough shop talk though, time to talk about some little adventures! I've been pretty well working since I got here, with the odd day off. This week I had 3 days off! I spent my days off driving to the eastern section of the island with my roommate, M. We checked out Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Fanny Bay, Coombs and Cathedral Grove. Busy day! But, everything's so close on this little island! Parksville had a lovely beach we strolled along, and then took the Ocean Route to Qualicum Beach. It was raining when driving along Qualicum Beach so we didn't stop anywhere, but there was no shortage of beautiful ocean views, and some pretty spectacular looking homes! On our way to Fanny Bay we saw a deer on someones front lawn chowing down, and ate Fish and Chips at the Fanny Bay Inn. We asked the waitress for suggestions on what to do next, and she suggested checking out the Sea Lions hanging out by the docks. They were SO loud and SO stinky....! But super cool to see, I posted a video of their rambunctious chatter onto my Facebook - check it out!
We then headed back to Coomb's to check out Coomb's Market and the Goat's on a Roof! It's a beautiful market with delicious looking produce, a large international section, fantastic kids gift ideas, cafe and Italian restaurant, and some other interesting stores like a cute little used book store. We just wandered around here, and will definitely be returning to eat at the Italian place! Our final stop on the way home was Cathedral Grove where the trees were incredibly tall! The biggest being taller than the Tower of Pisa, and 9m around! So wild, SUCH a beautiful place, and a lovely trail walk. The leaves were also ginormous! Bigger than my head! It started as a rainy day so we postponed the walk until the end of our day and it worked out perfectly - no rain, some sun, and not too muddy in there!
Thursday I took to the water! J (friend from Dawson down here visiting family) and her Mom and myself took the the Lady Rose. A boat tour that took all day, stopping in Bamfield and then returning. An all day affair. We boarded at 0800 (only to sit and wait for 40 mins due to an electrical issue - great start hahaha!) and didn't get back on land again until 1645! It started off really chilly, which I knew it would, and I also knew I was ill prepared (as always) without socks and too thin layers. Thankfully it warmed up and the lovely sun came out! We saw lots of Sea Lions, Seals and I even caught a glimpse of 3 whales! None breaching though... I'm convinced they know I'm dying to see it happen and just refuse to breach.... One day whales.... I will catch it!
The boat was pretty slow moving, and the inlet didn't cause much for sea-sickness issues (which I don't have, but even the people who do, wouldn't have felt it, I swear) until we got noticeably closer to the wide open Pacific Ocean. I sat up on a bench by the captains area with my feet up, sun on my face, whale watching and almost dozed off to the feeling of the boat going with the motion of the ocean. I realized sitting at that spot that I may have found my happy place... Just thinking about it now creates an overwhelming warm feeling in my heart and feel instantly relaxed.. I wish that moment could have went on forever.
In Bamfield, a tiny town of about 150 residents, we were greeted by the cutest dog (I might be biased as I am a Lab lover) who belongs to the General Store owners. He literally wanted pet by everyone who got off the boat, and he got it! He also especially love you if you had food around. We spent an hour there, walking the boardwalk along the shoreline. I saw some Treehouse Toilets, a cat city, and had a chat with the Canada Post lady who was incredibly friendly. The boat we took to Bamfield was also carrying the towns supply of food and booze (and it looked like a lot more booze than food haha!). After our time there we were heading home. A long 3+ hour journey, BUT it was pleasantly interrupted by some whales! The crew figures they were Humpback Whales, and there were 2 together at one point. I could follow them all day!
Those were my 2 full days off, the 3rd was getting off at 0700 Tuesday am, so needless to say, that was a sleep day! I'm so appreciative of my great co workers who were so kind to lend M and I their car for the days off we had together, the people here have truly been fantastic. I love being an agency nurse and getting all the scoop on the 'must see' places of the Island. What's next? Well, I won't have 3 days off again until end of November, but I am planning on getting out to Tofino somehow, sometime! I'd love to do some storm watching!
Hope you like the photos! I miss everyone back home, as usual! But as quickly as these few weeks have gone, I'm sure it'll keep flying by and I'll be home again. I can't wait to be home for Christmas and New Years this year! It certainly was different last year, and thankfully for the perks of agency/casual nursing, I am able to work my butt of here to enjoy some quiet, quality family time!
I hope every one back home is well, and enjoyed their Thanksgivings with their loved ones! Catch ya's in December!!!
I've finally gotten the chance to go out and check out some sites here on Vancouver Island!! What a BEAUTIFUL place! Port Alberni is pretty well situated mid-island with an inlet connecting to the Pacific Ocean. Its main industry is log/mills with a big paper company in town - Catalyst. The hospital is an uphill walk from my apartment which is nicely situated around the block from a grocery store (2 technically), liquor store, Shopper's Drug Mart and of course a Tim Hortons! The hospital serves a good size catchment area, approximately 30 000 I believe, and the hospital seems to be running over-capacity inpatient wise. The ER department itself is quite small physically. It's a smaller space than Listowel's ER with a few more beds then Listowel and a fair bit busier with an ICU attached.
This contract has pretty well the best accommodations I've had so far in this agency life (obviously not including the one where I slept on the Pacific Ocean..). It's a great location like I mentioned, and a nice view of the inlet, with mountains all around me. It's a very clean, updated apartment that I share with a fellow ICU agency nurse.
Enough shop talk though, time to talk about some little adventures! I've been pretty well working since I got here, with the odd day off. This week I had 3 days off! I spent my days off driving to the eastern section of the island with my roommate, M. We checked out Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Fanny Bay, Coombs and Cathedral Grove. Busy day! But, everything's so close on this little island! Parksville had a lovely beach we strolled along, and then took the Ocean Route to Qualicum Beach. It was raining when driving along Qualicum Beach so we didn't stop anywhere, but there was no shortage of beautiful ocean views, and some pretty spectacular looking homes! On our way to Fanny Bay we saw a deer on someones front lawn chowing down, and ate Fish and Chips at the Fanny Bay Inn. We asked the waitress for suggestions on what to do next, and she suggested checking out the Sea Lions hanging out by the docks. They were SO loud and SO stinky....! But super cool to see, I posted a video of their rambunctious chatter onto my Facebook - check it out!
We then headed back to Coomb's to check out Coomb's Market and the Goat's on a Roof! It's a beautiful market with delicious looking produce, a large international section, fantastic kids gift ideas, cafe and Italian restaurant, and some other interesting stores like a cute little used book store. We just wandered around here, and will definitely be returning to eat at the Italian place! Our final stop on the way home was Cathedral Grove where the trees were incredibly tall! The biggest being taller than the Tower of Pisa, and 9m around! So wild, SUCH a beautiful place, and a lovely trail walk. The leaves were also ginormous! Bigger than my head! It started as a rainy day so we postponed the walk until the end of our day and it worked out perfectly - no rain, some sun, and not too muddy in there!
Thursday I took to the water! J (friend from Dawson down here visiting family) and her Mom and myself took the the Lady Rose. A boat tour that took all day, stopping in Bamfield and then returning. An all day affair. We boarded at 0800 (only to sit and wait for 40 mins due to an electrical issue - great start hahaha!) and didn't get back on land again until 1645! It started off really chilly, which I knew it would, and I also knew I was ill prepared (as always) without socks and too thin layers. Thankfully it warmed up and the lovely sun came out! We saw lots of Sea Lions, Seals and I even caught a glimpse of 3 whales! None breaching though... I'm convinced they know I'm dying to see it happen and just refuse to breach.... One day whales.... I will catch it!
The boat was pretty slow moving, and the inlet didn't cause much for sea-sickness issues (which I don't have, but even the people who do, wouldn't have felt it, I swear) until we got noticeably closer to the wide open Pacific Ocean. I sat up on a bench by the captains area with my feet up, sun on my face, whale watching and almost dozed off to the feeling of the boat going with the motion of the ocean. I realized sitting at that spot that I may have found my happy place... Just thinking about it now creates an overwhelming warm feeling in my heart and feel instantly relaxed.. I wish that moment could have went on forever.
In Bamfield, a tiny town of about 150 residents, we were greeted by the cutest dog (I might be biased as I am a Lab lover) who belongs to the General Store owners. He literally wanted pet by everyone who got off the boat, and he got it! He also especially love you if you had food around. We spent an hour there, walking the boardwalk along the shoreline. I saw some Treehouse Toilets, a cat city, and had a chat with the Canada Post lady who was incredibly friendly. The boat we took to Bamfield was also carrying the towns supply of food and booze (and it looked like a lot more booze than food haha!). After our time there we were heading home. A long 3+ hour journey, BUT it was pleasantly interrupted by some whales! The crew figures they were Humpback Whales, and there were 2 together at one point. I could follow them all day!
Those were my 2 full days off, the 3rd was getting off at 0700 Tuesday am, so needless to say, that was a sleep day! I'm so appreciative of my great co workers who were so kind to lend M and I their car for the days off we had together, the people here have truly been fantastic. I love being an agency nurse and getting all the scoop on the 'must see' places of the Island. What's next? Well, I won't have 3 days off again until end of November, but I am planning on getting out to Tofino somehow, sometime! I'd love to do some storm watching!
Hope you like the photos! I miss everyone back home, as usual! But as quickly as these few weeks have gone, I'm sure it'll keep flying by and I'll be home again. I can't wait to be home for Christmas and New Years this year! It certainly was different last year, and thankfully for the perks of agency/casual nursing, I am able to work my butt of here to enjoy some quiet, quality family time!
I hope every one back home is well, and enjoyed their Thanksgivings with their loved ones! Catch ya's in December!!!