West from Port Hardy, at the far north of Vancouver Island, there's a grand hinterland of wild coastline, pristine parks, mighty fjord-like inlets, a few scattered villages and near endless wilderness. This is rough, end-of-the-road, backroads riding country, gateway to Cape Scott Provincial Park, the North Coast Trail, and the BC Marine Trail. The rewards are rich, and a trip up to the Top of the Island leaves a lasting impression. I had an stretch west of Coal Harbour, where I came upon 4 roadside bears within about a half-hour. This fellow unnerved me as he did not run quickly off into the bush like good bears are supposed to. Eventually, he ambled off. This was a longer ride, the better
A few months past, I visited Malcolm Island off NE Vancouver Island - and loved it. But almost immediately, people started asking me - "how could you not visit nearby Alert Bay on Cormorant Island"? So, I figured I'd best check it out. And - wow - what a place. U'mista Cultural Centre, opened in 1974, Canada's longest running First Nations museum There are regular ferries to Alert Bay from both Port McNeill (45 minutes) and nearby Sointula (Malcolm Island). There is also a small airport. If you're driving, you can leave your car in Port McNeill ($5/day parking!) if you wish. Alert Bay is a walker's paradise, with a long, bustling seaside boardwalk. Cormorant Island itself is quite small, on
