CLUXEWE RE-VISITED

We had a few busy days what with working around the place gardening, field work and firewood hauling.   When looking at the calendar where Aileen marks down appointments etc., I realized we only had two openings to spend a couple of weeks on the north Island.  We quickly made the decision to go the first two weeks of May as who knows what would come along to block the first two weeks of June which was our other option.  Since we hadn't been for two years, we wanted to go to Cluxewe before it got busy as it is a zoo during July and August.   Usually you have to move sites if staying very long, known as the Cluxewe Shuffle.  I have us booked into site 120 for the full two weeks this time.

The weather will likely be cooler than where we came from but that's the breaks.  I hope to get out ATVing since I towed it behind the motor home and Aileen drove the car.  Before we left on Saturday, we met Richard, Robin and Georgia in Nanaimo.  We got takeout lunch and sat on the grass in the mall parking lot to eat and visit.  Later, while R&R went to look at a couple of cars, we took Georgia for a walk on a pathway adjoining the mall.  After that we took her to the Dairy Queen where she and I had sundaes.  Sufficiently sugared up, we returned her to her parents.  After leaving them, we returned to the motor home in Errington and prepared to depart.  We drove up to Campbell River and parked in Cousin Bill's driveway for two nights.   We drove up to Cluxewe Campsite just north of Port MacNeill today which took us nearly four hours. 

I floated the field with a pallet behind my ATV to knock off the humps and fill the hollows to make it smooth

My brother Charlie using an old hand crank seeder to plant the approximately three acres.  I was using a similar seeder except mine had a metal tank to hold the seed instead of the cloth sack shown.

After the seeding, he rolled it really smooth

Aileen and I went for a stroll along the sea walk south of Campbell River last night.  This is looking across the strait to Quadra Island.  The BC Mainland mountains are in the distance with many scattered islands in between.

Some of the fishing boats in the marina at Campbell River

We visited Cousin Tony yesterday morning and if you look closely, you will see a baby Martin or Swallow in the mouth of this ornament in the gable end of the house.

The baby waiting for more food to be delivered

Just so you know, Bald Eagles like to have some salad along with their fresh fish.  This eagle was feasting on the seaweed.

Oops, caught in the act!

This is the National Geographic ship Seabird cruising north past the Cape Mudge Lighthouse on Quadra Island.  Prior to seeing this and Aileen googling it, I didn't know that NatGeo did cruises.  They appear to be rather pricey.