Meet Pompom the Canadian Voyageur's Navigator

For the last seven years, we have brought our sable fox Pomeranian on all our camping, backpacking, and kayaking trips. We would not be able to leave him behind, he lives for the outdoors.  Our little dog is the most happy when he is off leash in the wilderness freely exploring his surroundings.  He has his own flotation jacket; he likes to ride at the stern most times and so we've given him the assignment of Canoe Navigator. 

Pompom has another reason he wants to come along though - he has an important message for the children all over the world.  Pompom wants to show kids how much fun it is play outside:

If you are like Pompom, then you know how much fun you can have camping, canoeing, kayaking, backpacking, swimming, chasing squirrels....  no, no, no, no - Pompoms are not allowed to chase squirrels!!!! (sometimes he gets distracted....)

Pompom wants kids to know that protecting nature is their job too.  It's everybody's responsibility to do their part - our natural resources need to be protected so that children and grown ups and puppies everywhere can go outside and play!  We all need clean water to drink, clean air to breathe and

Pompom is going to join his masters on the Cross Canada Canoe Expedition as Canada's new Let's Play Outside Mascot.

Camping in Canada's Amazing Wilderness on Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island - "the" destination for the wilderness adventure lover to explore...

Meet Freedom - our 1973 Volkswagen Camper Caravan we bought on Vancouver Island British Columbia for only $3500 (and we sold it for that a year later). We had tons of great adventures with this camper; it brought us to some pretty amazing places.  Canada is a beautiful vast country with tons of wilderness places to explore!

 
This is near  Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park on the very remote part of the west coast of Vancouver Island - it's about a 5 hour drive from Victoria due to the bumpy mountain roads.  This area of the Island has pockets of pure uncut virgin old growth forests.  It's worth taking your time on the drive up here - it's breathtakingly beautiful.  If you are looking for a remote place to go camping - this is it.  The West Coast Trail attracts hikers from all over the world - it passes through the photo above.

When going to this part of the Island you can feel and see history all around you. The scenery is unspoiled - wild and untamed - some of the trees are gigantic.  The eco systems are complex - the layers decades, even centuries in the making.  Out here it's evident nature is not only winning - it's thriving!

When I see this picture - I want to go camping so badly!  Can't you just smell the "green" of the forest, the freshness of the moist dirt on the ground? 

Windsurfers from all over the world come to Nitnat Lake, the huge size and thermal winds make this a paradise for them. 

Time to pack up and head out on another adventure - who knows where the road will take us this time....

Wildflowers and Songbirds of Summer

It's summertime and I can't think of a better place to enjoy it then outside admiring all that around you when you are immersed in nature. 

The warm air is thick and humid. It smells so good, the aroma of sweet hay and damp forest decay surrounds me.  Everywhere, the vegetation is lush and there's a million shades of green.  Wildflowers abound, bright yellow honeysuckles, familiar white daisies, pink and purple clover blossoms, vivid orange and red fire-flowers; everywhere, even more wildflowers:  purple, white, yellow tiny flowers peeking out from the tall summer grasses.

The sun is shining strong in a cloudless hazy blue sky.  The morning dew still lingers in the shadow filled forest.  The warm breeze rustles the leaves as the trees sway back and forth on this perfect start to the day.  The wind rises and howls briskly and then dies down to blow soft and gentle again.  It rushes past me, kisses my cheek and then it's gone. The wind and trees dance and play together like old friends in perfect unison.

In the wilderness, I am surrounded with the sounds of many different songbirds.  The chirps, chatter and tweets fill the forest with life. From somewhere in the tall trees, they call out to each other and to the world. It makes me so happy to hear the birds sing - it fills my heart with joy.   Butterflies flutter lazily around, big ones and small ones - white, yellow, brown and my favorite are the baby blue butterflies.  Dragonflies  gather by the dozens on logs to soak up the hot afternoon sun.  The cicadas complain in the background... it's going to be a hot day.

Little chipmunks scurry along gathering seeds, red squirrels leap from tree to tree - it's a bustle of activity.  A jack rabbit nibbles on some clover in the far corner of the yard.   Life is exploding all around me - it's great to be alive and in the midst of all this beauty.  I feel fortunate to be here, part of it all.  Being outside with nature is so wonderful, it feels so good; it nourishes the soul.