Seaplane to Victoria, BC (Vancouver Island)

Found myself traipsing amongst the myriad of Google-chrome tabs I've collected since I set off, and luckily landed back on one of my original "would-like-to-do" items on my adventure list which was now advertised 85% off with limited availability — a sea-plane flight to Victoria harbour on Vancouver Island. Naturally, this quickly spurred on the first bookings that would make up a 10 day or so trip across much of the island. Vancouver, very much like Auckland in winter can be rather dreary, but as luck would have it I managed to find an afternoon of perfect weather either side of a number of quite miserable days. The flight was absolutely neato — took all of 30 minutes flying over a good portion of USA airspace and the collection of San Juan islands north west of Seattle. I had a great window seat underneath the wing (a description encompassing all seats bar the pilots mind you), and ended up with a handful of neat photos. When I arrived I checked into the hostel just a few hundred metres from the dock, put together my day-pack and chased the sunset down to Ogden point — more or less the south-west tip of Victoria. Was very surprised how nice it was walking along the un-sheltered beach in the middle of Winter. Zero wind, nice and snug in my polar fleece jacket, I had a nice walk along the smooth rocks and tree sized driftwood which made up the coastline. Glad I bought my sunglasses though, the harsh angle of the sun this far north would otherwise spoil it a bit. Spotted a small bob of sea lions out on the dock at Ogden, but they were either too camera shy or had other engagements which required attention,  rather than striking a pose or two for a tourist — the blubbery bastards can hold their breaths for 30 minutes so I wasn't about to hang around either. Finished off the daylight watching the ferry depart across the setting sun, which will be my end-game plan from Nanaimo back to Vancouver in time for a (11-20% chance) white Christmas.