Big Daddy’s Fish Fry
Victoria > Tofino, British Columbia (Vancouver Island)
Woke up early to pack the camper, dump and get to Duncan for Matt’s job interview; set up in a Save on Foods parking lot; during the interview, Liz sat in the car (Oslo napped) and caught up on PA prep and reading
Drove from Duncan to Tofino; pulled off along Kennedy River where the water cascaded between boulders; Liz climbed around in her sandals that desperately need to be replaced, Oslo waded in the rock pools and Matt picked salmon berries; the Kennedy Hill section of Highway 4 was down to one lane while they worked on mountainside road, so it was slow going
Drove past Ucluelet and soaked in the surfer culture that surrounded the area; made it to Crystal Cove Beach Resort and set up camp; the grounds are perfectly manicured and the lush green; it’s already one of our favorite campgrounds - the beach cabins look cozy and the RV sites are a little tight, but manageable with even gravel tops, well maintained picnic tables and privacy from bushes and trees
Liz and Oslo went to the beach, jogged down the shoreline and back on the packed sand; Oslo met a few new furry friends along the way… he locked eyes onto a yellow lab’s Chuck it ball, so we had to fetch ours from camp; we returned to the beach and Oslo charged into the water after the ball time and time again
As dinner approached, we had our heart set on Tacofino - we were hopeful it would live up to the hype… we arrived at 5:00 PM, an hour before closing (who closes at 6:00 PM in the peak season anyway?!) and they had already cut off the line for “cleaning” … strike one for Tacofino
Instead we grabbed our bikes and rode the paved trail 2.5 KM into downtown Tofino; we stopped at the only fly shop we’ve seen in BC, before heading to Big Daddy’s Fish Fry; we waited in line for 20 minutes and ordered the rockfish fish & chips and halibut burger (which was really just a fried fish fillet sandwich) with Cole slaw - everything came out golden brown and to perfection; the tartar sauce was top notch and the rockfish was flaky and tender
We rode back to camp as a chill in the air started to become more noticeable
Had a productive evening, getting major accommodations and flights booked for the next part of our trip, which is proving to be a bit complicated
Campground: Crystal Cove Beach Resort
