Meanwhile, on Vancouver Island

Meg and Ellen are back from the isles, with tales of orcas and bears and hot tubs on hotel balconies!  I'm relieved they've returned - Pete has an au pair again (that's the point of Godchildren, after all), and I have someone to join me for mid-morning cocktails.  Now their holiday really begins.

Here are some of their pics:

All aboard the float plane.

Taking off.

Horseshoe Bay from above.

Coming into land in Comox.

Meg's first brush with Canadian wildlife.

Some fossil hunting at the Courtenay Museum and Paleantology Centre.

Orcas!

More orcas!

Keeping toasty out on the water.

Back ashore, and down on the beach.

The view from Tofino.

And the view from their hotel balcony hot tub!  Not too shabby.