Saturday morning traffic heading into the Ganges was busy so we headed to Fulford Harbor the back way along Beaver Point Road past Stowel Lake which was so lush and picturesque. Around every corner, each vista is seemingly more beautiful than the other.

Oh did I mention the climb? “Lots of hills on Salt Spring” a local had told us, “You’ll soon be warmed up”.

 I find the hills manageable, however, the gradient is harsher, and lots of short sharp steep climbs have the legs screaming which perhaps explains why I woke up cramping in the night!

While waiting for the Swartz Bay Ferry I spoke to a couple of local islanders “It’s a good life on the islands, if you’re rich. For the rest of us, it’s tourist prices all year round.”

In Swartz Bay we took the well-marked Lochside bike path to the MacDonald State Park Campground which looked impressive surrounded by massive fir trees, unfortunately, it was closed for the season with no facilities. We could have camped there at a pinch but cycled on to Sidney instead. After an entertaining discussion with a couple of elderly volunteers from the information center we left loaded up with maps and directions to the Caravan Park situated a few km from town on land leased from the local Saanich indigenous people. We are camped on the Saanich reservation where the drumming and chanting started an hour ago. It sounds mournful but we are not sure what it’s about but the melodic beat is comforting. A flock of wild geese joined in honking as they flew overhead.

We will stay here for a couple of days and explore the Vancouver Island East coast and Victoria the capital of British Columbia.