Botanical Beach is located in Juan De Fuca Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, really close to Port Renfrew. Port Renfrew is one of the first places I remember going camping with my family, and I remember buying some really terrible Gatorade Gum while I was there – it was called “Gator Gum” and I discovered that, yes, even something as seemingly indestructible as gum has a half-life. Also, we caught fish on the beach and cooked them over campfires. It was rad.
We didn’t bother with the town on this particular trip – we drove from Victoria straight to Botanical Beach.
I remember a wrecked school bus crashed down near the beach at some point. That or I am mis-remembering. I was quite young when we last went. Was that ever there? Does anyone remember? I didn’t see it there. I looked for it.
Maybe I dreamt it.
In any case, the lighting was great, and as you’ll see, the ocean was pretty active that day. The mountains you’ll see across the water are in the United States, the north west tip of the northwestern Washington state. The map below can elucidate relative positions.
View botanical beach in a larger map
Anyway, here are some photos:
Nice place you visited, Davin.
I agree Nirav. Next time I should bring binoculars..
You didn’t imagine the school bus. It sat beside the path for years. When they rebuilt the path down to the beach back in the 90’s, they got rid of the bus. Always makes me a little sad when I hike down there now.
Oh wow Andy – you just made my day! Good to know the background on that, even if it is a sad thing (I agree).