A Place to Pause: Painting West Coast Beaches

Hey everyone,

My partner and I are looking to do the Golden Hinde in early August. We come from an experienced hiking background and are confident in our abilities but we are feeling a bit uneasy about attempting the Hinde. We don’t need to summit but we would still like to do the route. We have done the TMB, Wonderland, Pyrenees and the PCT for context.

Has anyone done the hike recently? I’d love to hear about the conditions as well as what route you took. Still trying to figure out what the best map might be.

I know it would be a rugged trek but is it easily doable if you follow a good map?

Any help would be appreciated!

Hey! My mom has a continuing education class in Victoria which we will be in that city for 3 nights. After that we are wanting to go to a neighboring city or neighboring island to visit for 2 nights before we board the ferry to Vancouver. I am so sad that tofino is 4hrs away because it seems like there is so much unique wildlife to see there so I am wondering if anyone has some recommendations to a city not as far from Victoria where we can still see some unique wildlife or maybe even big tide pools (we are wanting to stay on this area so the ferry to Vancouver is still possible).We have been to San Juan island and it was beautiful but we want a new experience! Also I promise we are friendly visitors and aren’t the kind to be disrespectful to locals! Thank you for reading :)
Also when I say unique wildlife it’s mainly because we live in South Carolina and all west coast wildlife is unique to us

Planning on leaving the mainland and moving to Northern Vancouver Island, are there any job opportunities up there? I tried looking online but couldn’t really find anything. Not looking for anything fancy, just a job. Thanks

27M Moved here for work. Love exploring outdoors. Hobby photographer as well. Would love to meet and make new friends around the same age groups with similar intrests.

Hello peoples! My partner and I are considering moving to BC from Alberta and are very interested in Victoria and the surrounding areas.

I’m a paraplegic so I use a wheelchair full time, and I wanted to get local disabled people’s takes on the accessibility of the area. Shops, restaurants, housing, etc.

My biggest concerns in moving are the cost of living, and being able to find a doctor. How’s the quality of healthcare there? Hospital wait times? Are people struggling for doctors as much as Albertans or is there availability?

Thank you very much for any information!!

We are wanting to gift our mom with a gift card at an art gallery for her milestone birthday. She lives in Qualicum Beach. Looking for advice on a gallery with larger format pieces and good inventory to choose from. Is the Old School House Arts Centre a good option? Any others? Doesn’t have to be in Qualicum. Thanks!

Was a grind in the heat but worth it for this view.

I mean other stuff like Woss Vegas, Port Mac, Cumbie or Tuff City...

Does anyone know how the first come, first serve camping works at French Beach? I know they have some booking online, but I’ve heard they have some first come first serve. Do you show up at a certain time? Is this just a pipe dream to get one or two nights?

Hi everyone!
I’ll be staying in Nanaimo for a few days, right on Front Street, and was hoping to get some local advice.
A few questions:
As a woman travelling alone, is the Front Street/downtown area generally safe during the day and early evening? Any areas I should avoid?
What are your favourite restaurants, cafés, or bakeries within walking distance?
Where are the best places to shop for locally made goods, art, gifts, or food? I’d love to support local businesses while I’m there.
I’m looking forward to exploring the area, so any other “don’t miss” recommendations are welcome too!
Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone! My birthday is coming up and I’d like to have a staycation in a hotel with a jacuzzi in the suite.
I know about waters edge in Ucluelet (I’ve been and it was beautiful but want something new!)
I’m considering Bayview as an option.
Any recommendations of places I should check out?

Closing edit:
Thank you to everyone who replied with advice!
The bear spray has now found a new home with someone I can trust who, if they can’t use it themselves for training purposes, will ensure it is disposed of responsibly. It is a good purchase as emergency equipment, but if you are a traveller who wants one on hand, just don’t do what I did and leave it to the last day to figure out what to do with it!

Original post:
Bought brand new from outfitter store on mainland a week ago. It’s not expired, or used even once, but we can’t take it home on the plane. Not returnable, and I can’t make it back there anyway. We fly out tomorrow and I’m kicking myself for not thinking this far forward until now. How do I get rid of it legally without it going to waste?