Plans laid. Leave home at 10pm on Wednesday, July 27th. Catch the first ferry across to Saltspring Island on the morning of the 28th (Thursday). Visit family for a day or two, then head to Victoria for a night,maybe to Parksville for another night (might skip this if family clan "B" comes to Saltspring to see us rather than us going to see them).

Vancouver likely Sunday, July 31st or Monday August 1st.

Is there a kids' playground at GP? That's best odds if I wanna hang out with some kiters. Meet you all at the monkey bars?

(Anna and mom can go play while I visit......)

Will have H2O gear and my Door waiting for me there if I feel that my skills are "ready" in the next 2 weeks. Hoping for wind this coming week. Just want one good long upwind reach unhindered by boat launches and jetskis so I know if I actually "got it"or just kinda "got it".

I was flying last weekend in Parksville. There is the main "community park" has an amazing kids playground and waterpark. There is a largish grass area for kites and a fair sandy area where I was static flying. Stunt kites were taking up the grass. If you end up there there will be lots for your family to do. I've tried Rathtrevor beach, which is just south of Parksville. It was large and flat but the sand is very wet and sticky.

We fell in LOVE with the provincial campground there a few years ago. Heated tile floors in a campground's washroom? BC sure does it right.

Thanks for the scoop. Wind or no wind, the family will have a great time it sounds like.

Good memories in Parksville......pirate mini-golf and a tetass shot (not related......put my hand in the business end of a chainsaw at the Qualicum Beach Ice Carving Competition......man that HURT. Not the saw - the tetass shot )

water riding has been good this week with WIND locally at Crescent / White Rock. maybe it will hold out for you until you get here. I just bought myself a Door.

the crew will make ourselves available to ride with you on SUN, and possibility MON at GP. be prepared to be shocked for space but we still get our riding in.
not much at GP for kids other than the small beach, statue and the park. I can bring Jr. and Mia out if need be.

your Door will be waiting here for ya. delivery to GP.

see you soon, bro

Good news !

I will be sure and catch up whenever it work for you ! Can loan you whatever you may need / want to try.
:wee:
Bring your rain gear ! It is still supposed to be winter until the end of July here now !

We seem to be done with winter here and are well into our next season......potholes and mosquitoes!

Hey you might be able to catch the Fireworks as well !!!!

Symphony of fire Sat. and Wed.

There isn't a playground but a beach and stuff for the Wife and Kids. Maybe Kitemama and the Rip'kids will join you ?

Have a great time macboy et al. I thought I remembered a playground near the Steveston Community Centre (map attached). There is a wading pool and water park there if it ever warms up.

The beach at Rathtrevor is too soft for a landboard but a buggy might work well. Watch out for goose poop on the grass in Parksville. If you can get to Qualicum Beach at low tide it is a lot harder sand and better for land action.

The beach at Garry Point is not exactly a great place for kids. There is a major sewage treatment plant eight miles upstream. Coastal Health has posted the beach as unsafe for swimming. When the tide is running the current is about 10 knots.
Look forward to meeting you.
S

just be thankful its not super sunny to draw out the "scenery" at jericho.... talk about non-familly-friendly...

Quote:

Originally posted by powerzone just be thankful its not super sunny to draw out the "scenery" at jericho.... talk about non-familly-friendly...

:puzzled: West of Jericho is Spanish Banks. From there around to Wreck Beach is clothing optional . Is that what offended you ? Acadia is the kitesurf launch in summer. It is in the nude zone? :puzzled:

Jericho is mostly known for the Beach volleyball and sailing club?

mmmmmm....."Crazy Cookies" on Wreck Beach....I'd all but forgotten about those moments in life

My how things change.

Ya Wreck beach... thats it.... thats where the nudies were.

its one thing if you know they are there, but if you stumble upon a location like that then its a little alarming.

Hey - BC crew. Next Monday is a holiday isn't it? If we can't hit the mainland Sunday will Monday work to meet and greet?

Yep!!! We had a great day on SUN. Wind and Freestyle.

Hopefully you can do both days or we can go kitesurfing.

Monday works.

At the moment there is call for a 10 kt south on Sunday. Best direction because it opens up Lupin lane.

First ferry booked and paid. Proposed to the wife that we arrive back on the mainland at 2pm Sunday. I'll keep y'all posted. Where's a good place to camp that Sunday night that's 1 to 2 hours east of Vancouver enroute to the okanagan?

Are you going thru Nanaimo / Horseshoe bay or Victoria / Tsawassen?

Gonna take most of two hours from Horseshoe to Garry Point...

If you are on the ferry from Nanaimo to Tsawassen then you will be 20 mins away from GP when you get to the mainland...

Can't help with the camping...

Wow - good info! I guess it's to Tsawwassen then. Thanks for the heads up.

Might be there if the wind is good...

have fun, enjoy the sunshine! You sure picked the right week to drop by!

Booked. We arrive at Tsawwassen at 2:45 on Sunday from Duke Point. Meet up at GP at about 3:15/3:30 (weather permitting)? What's a good rain-out plan?.....please don't say something around Horseshoe Bay

Quote:

Originally posted by furbowski Gonna take most of two hours from Horseshoe to Garry Point...

Google Maps says about an hour for either going through downtown or Second Narrows, which is about what I would have said.
Looking for a nice place to camp near Vancouver on the Sunday of the BC Day long weekend is going to be tough.
S

Possibly... But the afternoon of a holiday weekend? In a cluster of ferry traffic? unfamiliar with the route? He'd be lucky, imho.

Wow....it's getting deeper in doodoo actually (thank God I'm figuring this out now.....). Rathtrevor is all booked and the six or eight non-reservables are surely gonna be taken up by the time we roll by. Scouring for plan B's....might have to ditch the reservation fee we just paid and come off the Island Monday instead of Sunday. Who's got a backyard we can pitch a tent in?

Wife would KILL me. No, worse...whatever's worse than just killing me. Make me watch as she cut my kite kloset to shreds and THEN kill me? Even worse

You'll pay a fee for changing a reservation, but not nearly as much as you would pay for just cancelling it.

Quote:

Originally posted by furbowski Possibly... But the afternoon of a holiday weekend? In a cluster of ferry traffic? unfamiliar with the route? He'd be lucky, imho.

Furb,
Most Vancouverites will understand will understand when I say "About the only way that drive could take 2 hours is if your stuck behind someone from Hong Kong."
S

I think there is a KOA in Surrey / Delta ?

Folks are right Camping will be tough.

you can camp in my backyard

I hope I have this correct ?
You are passing on the ferry Sunday because HOLIDAY Monday may be better ? MMMMkay?????

So, should we try and meet you Monday afernoon ? Not Sunday ? Looks like wind today!:wee: