It was our third trip to the area, yet it felt like our first time. As our ferry, the Queen of New Westminster, docked at the Duke Point terminal in Nanaimo and began letting vehicles off, we felt a refreshing sense of excitement and anticipation about the week that lay ahead. At a time when so much of the country was undergoing a rapid and extensive urbanization, Vancouver Island was still relatively impervious to such trends. Here you can still discover some of the most pristine and untouched wilderness in the province. Our destination was the island’s rugged yet incredibly popular west coast. It was a mere three hour drive from Nanaimo, though inclement weather conditions and heavy traffic can slow things down considerably.