Amy Marie Visits: Powell River
Powell River is a transportation and recreation hub near the northern terminus of Highway 101 in British Columbia. I felt as I do when I spend time in Truckee or a Colorado mountain town. People were enjoying the outdoors and nature. Cars had bike racks loaded with bikes. Kayaks were loaded on roof racks. Healthy outdoor enthusiasts sporting a variety of headgear, and shoes or boots specific to their sport of choice were walking or sitting at outside eateries nursing a cold beer and nibbling at lunch. The town has a good vibe. You feel like a slacker if you are caught sitting. This town is about movement and engagement with Mother Nature! I loved it.
As you drive north from Vancouver, the road is interrupted by two bodies of water. To cross these requires a ferry ride. There is also a ferry from Powell River to Texada Island and west to Comox on Vancouver Island. Scheduled Seaplane and Airline flights also operate from Powell River. It is a great spot to provision up for those heading north into Desolation Sound or beyond. It is the last town with major grocery stores, a Walmart, pharmacies, banks, auto part stores, and a vast variety of restaurants.
You can see that commercial and recreational fishing is popular by examining the boats in the marina. We had no trouble getting a spot. The marina does not take reservations, it is first come first served. Rafting is encouraged if all dock spaces are full. The fuel dock is busy, and the restrooms, showers and laundry are clean. It was a 20-25 minute walk to the big box stores.
This is one of the first things motorists see as they unload from the ferry. Powell River genuinely feels welcoming to visitors.
The terrain rises as you move away from the water. Homes on the forward slope of the hill all have good views out over the water. It is not unusual to see whales swimming in the straits.
There is a nice Rails to Trails conversion that follows the shoreline north to the old forest products factory.
Alongside the trail exhibits highlight pieces of vintage logging equipment. This wagon had wheels which were concave to allow it to roll on a makeshift railroad built from logs.
An old steam donkey on its skid with the large pulley's that were used to move logs to collection points for loading on flat cars and a trip to the mill.
From builder's plates I could see that the Steam Donkey was built in Vancouver.
We were the only people who headed down to walk on the beach. It fronts the entire length of the trail. With the dramatic tides, the beaches are large at low tide and disappear at high tide.
Another view of the beach
This Momma deer just gave birth to a lovely fawn.
She was encouraging it to stand while she cleaned it.
From our spot in the marina, we could see the comings and goings of the ferries.
The Public Library
We loved Powell River's Public Library. It even had its own coffee bar complete with pastries and cookies!
Beth enjoyed an Iced Caramel Latte while working on her laptop!
Marina sunsets are often quite lovely. Powell River's did not disappoint.
I hope we have an opportunity to revisit Powell River in the future. We felt we only scratched the surface of what it has to offer. Clearly it is a recreational destination. The variety of options to interact with nature are quite large. Large parks surround the city with extensive trail networks. The ocean is in front of the city and mountains, lakes, and fjords are to its rear. The pace of life is slower but more active in a healthy manner. I think I could easily enjoy a summer in Powell River.
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Our Track Logs from our summer of cruising the San Juan Islands, the Gulf Island and Desolation Sound can be found at the following URL:
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