Edible Vancouver Island Fall 2022

After a continental breakfast provided by the Inn, we drove to the Mount Galiano trailhead and began our ascent of the island’s tallest peak. e seven kilometer hike is considered moderately challenging, and the views from the summit are amazing. Back at Sturdies Bay, the smoked beet and ricotta cheese baguette at Oxeye was the perfect post-hike lunch. at evening we ordered takeout from Wild1, which serves ai and Asian food from a food truck/cookhouse a short drive from the village. While waiting for our spring rolls, pad thai and cur ries, we had a bottle of Prosecco on the patio, enjoying live music from a one-man-band, who played the trumpet, drums and ac cordion, often simultaneously. We said “hi” to our waitress from pilgrimme, who was enjoying a dinner with friends. An elderly local, dancing in a vintage gown with owers in her hair, added to the bohemian vibe. e next morning, after a delicious brunch at Atrevida, the Inn’s waterfront restaurant, we drove to Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park for a walk around the gorgeous Gray Peninsula, where we explored more sandstone formations on the shore and the spectacular white shell beach. Dionisio Point Provincial Park on the north end of the island has some of the best sandstone formations on the West Coast, but with access only by boat. We worked up an appetite for a late lunch on the waterfront deck at e Crane and Robin, a gastro-pub at the Montague Harbour Marina. We ordered three types of tacos so that we could have one of each: the jerk pulled pork, tuna and Caribbean curry sh. ey may have been the best tacos we’ve ever had. While I will never regret ordering a Hoyne beer with lunch, in hindsight we probably should have had their famous margaritas. After a soak in the Inn’s hot tub, we spent the rest of the after noon soaking up the late afternoon sun on the waterfront lawn. Atrevida serves a prime rib dinner every Sunday night, and it was delicious. Before catching the ferry home the next morning we had break fast at Sturdies Bay Bakery—so many delicious choices. We couldn’t resist picking up a loaf of their delicious sourdough, and wishing we could take more of the island home with us.

Opposite page: Montague Harbour (photo by Jarusha Brown).

This page, clockwise from upper left: sandwich from Oxeye (photo by Jarusha Brown): Josh Blumenthal harvesting seaweed (photo by Syd Woodward); Jesse McCleery from pilgrimme (photo by Jarusha Brown).

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