The part we were waiting for arrived at BMW yesterday, so Bernie was able to finish up our bike, check it all out and test ride it (which I think was a bit exciting for him on the corners, it’s a devil if you’re not used to it with the sidecar!).

We decided to stay another night, so that we could catch the early ferry to Port Angeles, in Washington, USA in the morning, and have a reasonable time during the day to ride on.

This meant we were lucky enough to have another day in Victoria and so we enjoyed another ride in a water taxi, and visited the museum and the Imax Cinema.  The Imax was amazing, a huge, screen (six storeys high). We watched a film in 3d about the National Parks of the USA, some of which we had visited.  It was stunning, and at times we felt like we were floating down the river on the screen, or standing on the top of a mountain (that turned my stomach!).

After a final meal with Bernie last night, we arrived at the BMW shop early at 8 to collect the bike, pay the bill (phew!), and set off for the ferry terminal back in downtown Victoria just 10 minutes away.

We had to be checked in by U.S Immigration (Homeland Security again), before boarding the boat, and whilst in the queue Paul got chatting to Al a Harley Davidson rider, who shared the hour and  a half journey across to Port Angeles with us, keeping us entertained with stories from his interesting life.  He’d lived in several places throughout Canada, before settling in his favourite, Vancouver Island some 7 years ago.

Before long we were docked and riding out on Highway 101 in the U.S, the Pacific Highway, which at first ran through forest in Olympic National Park, before weaving alongside the coast, and soon that lovely smell was filling our nostrils again, and we stopped and gazed across the ocean, wondering what was directly in line with us to the East. Russia or China most likely.

This has another feel altogether again from both Canada, and the USA that we have already visited so we’re looking forward to seeing what these upcoming States have to show us.

We stopped tonight at Ocean Shores, by the ocean, and enjoyed Fish Tacos in Bennet’s Fish Shack.

As we were still awaiting one part before our bike will be fixed, and it did not arrive yesterday, we decided this morning we shall stay another night tonight.

This meant that we could actually find the time to book in for the Whale Watching experience from the inner harbour of Victoria, a 3 hour round trip out into American waters in search of whales, seals, sea lion, porpoises and dolphins, plus an array of bird we might get to see.

We booked for two o’clock and took the fabulous river taxi from the nearest ferry point to our motel right down through the harbour and marina.  We summoned the taxi by telephoning a number, and along it came 15 minutes later.  The pilot explained that he would have been there sooner but he had to await a large naval vessel navigating through a narrow part of the waterways. The journey probably took us 30 minutes, but cut out a walk of about an hour to get to where we needed to be to board the Orca Spirit.

We had high hopes (well I did, Paul of course was sceptical about what we would see), as the sun had been bright and high this morning when we booked the trip

We stepped off the taxi at Fisherman’s Wharf, a wonderful and vibrant village of floating homes, cafes and restaurants, which was buzzing with people, just like yesterday evening when we visited it for the first time.  We picked ourselves up a quick lunch of Sushi, and went to book in for our trip.

Just as we arrived at the offices, the wind got up, the sky turned grey, and it began to spit with rain! We couldn’t believe it. However, we bravely ploughed ahead, along with the other 40 or so passengers, the captain, a deck hand and two Naturalists to zip across the waves speedily, before slowing for the first time to view Humpback Whales.  My first view was just as one dived and I saw its massive tail diving down into the waters.  Paul and I then stood valiantly in the lashing rain enjoying the short display a mother and her calf put on for us, which was lovely.

After moving on again, and another 15 minutes or so later, we were told that we were coming up to the living area of three Pods of Orca ‘Killer’ Whales.  These three Pods are separate, and whilst communicating all using the same language, each Pod has a different dialect. There were whales from the Pod known as L in our view, about twelve of them, and each would blow, then rise up, either with a flip, or a whoosh before disappearing again. L89, a 23-year-old whale by the name of Solstice however gave us a real display chasing after salmon in front of us.  Each whale requires 200 lb of salmon per day, and sadly a whale from J Pod recently died because she was unable to eat enough.  There are 82 of these whales over the three Pods, and they are monitored and named by the Whale Conservation Society in the area. The eldest of them is 105 years old and is called Granny, she leads J Pod, but also appears to be the matriarch over all three Pods.  It was truly breath-taking to see these wondrous creatures in their natural environment. A very special afternoon indeed.

We topped off this day by eating Halibut and Chips in the harbour.

After the great welcome on Wednesday, and more Hot Dogs (!), we have made ourselves at home here.  We are renting a fifth wheel trailer to stay in for a few nights, near Mill Bay on the East side of the Island.

Mill Bay overlooks the ocean, and although it was difficult to see because of the first two days rain, we have now been able to view the sparkling blue ocean which overlooks the Saanic Peninsula. Here they have regular visits from seals, porpoise, dolphins and whales, and we had the pleasure of seeing a few at dusk one evening.

Vancouver Island is approximately 300 miles in length, and on the West of the Island there is not much habitation by humans, it is made up from lots of inlets, and many protected areas in the form of parks.  There are only a few roads that cross from East to West across the Island, and we took one of these to Port Renfrew the other day.  In the 80 miles from one side to the other we continually encountered rain, followed by sun, followed by rain, until at Port Renfrew where the sun blazed as we stood on Botany Bay looking across to Washington, in the U.S.A.

At the BMW shop, Bernie has been working hard to fix our bike for us, and he tells us it comes apart and goes together again nicely, although there were quite a few things in need of attention!

In fact the drive chain was very much on its last legs with the little o’ rings that keep the grease inside the links of chain having scattered everywhere, the broken generator needed replacing and new flywheel, that we knew about, we also need a new clutch (because it won’t last the whole journey),the new back tyre required fitting and a major engine service had to be carried out. It’s going to be like a new bike by the time we leave on Wednesday.

Yesterday, Bill at Island BMW asked us to return to the shop, as there was to be another ‘Meet and Greet’ for their customers. We had another chance to chat about our trip, hand out a few more cards for our website and pick some brains about our onward journey.

Today we are having a look through to see where we might head to on our journey South in the U.S.A for the next few weeks, before reaching Mexico.  We have a rough plan, with the idea that we can always return for anything we don’t manage to do this time.  The focus is beginning to shift to Central America now.

We’ve been lucky enough to spend quite a lot of time with Bernie and Kim, who have been very hospitable, and who are helping to make the visit to this beautiful Island special.