These are the Chronicles of Famous Surf Writer Ben Marcus and his trip into the Wilds of the Alaskan Frontier.
Latest Update: September 14, 2000

14:30 WEB CAFE OUTSIDE OF NANAIMO

I am a Mighty Hunter, combing the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia for Internet Cafes.

Found this one outside of Nanaimo on the way to Port Hardy, after giving up on finding one inside Nanaimo. The library machines were all being used. So here I am.

After the Internet Cafe in Victoria last night I wandered my way out of the city, guessing right and finding Highway 14, along the south shore of Vancouver island.

Gas is expensive here, around $3.50 Canadian.

Gave a short ride to a hitch-hiker, to make my last good deed for the day.

Drove all the way to River Jordan, which was closer than I thought, because the road signs are in K's, not M's.

Found an open campground and was getting into the back of the van when I got spooked. Thought about a bear or a couger eying me, so I jumped in and went to sleep.

Woke up this morning in a campground near Jordan River. Checked out the spot, which is hardly Jeffrey's Bay, just a rivermouth with a right point running down from it. Could see it getting good with swell, but it's still well inside the Strait, about level with Sekiu on the Washington side.

No reason to hang around, so I continued west to Port Renfrew. Nice little town inside a fjord, a center for kayaking and trailhead for the West Coast Trail. Saw two hitchhikers going the other way and considered turning around and going back to Victoria, just for the heck of it.

After Port Renfrew the roads all belong to the logging companies. In fact it appears most of BC belongs to the logging companies. The roads are gravel and reminded me of Australia: utilitarian and primitive, best flown over in a several-ton truck.

Mostly I was in the trees bumping along, unable to use the CD, wondering how far I had to go and thinking that if the Cassiar Highway is like this for hundreds of miles, I'm not going to be having a fun time.

There's a lot of logging on those logging roads for some reason, and a few really nice streams. Big pools I wanted to dive into from the bridge, but instead just looked for fish. Didn't see anything big.

Got back to civilization at Lake Something or other. Already forgot the name. Starts with a W. It was hot out. Bought a coffee and a Canadian fishing license and some advice for the guy behind the counter.

Now I'm on highway 19 heading north. Passed through Ladysmith, birthplace of Pamela Anderson Lee Slater,where I bought some Royal Canadian Mounted Police lapel pins. Made a Dudley Doright joke and they guy didn't get it.

Then I cruised through Nanaimo, kind of a nothing little town with access to Vancouver on the ferry. Looked for Internet access, struck out at the library then found this place.

Not too much to report, but I should do it while I have a computer handy.

Aiming for Uclulet and Tofino next. Hope they have more going on than Jordan River.

Ben