Everyone wanted to do another ferry ride and market day in Ganges on Salt Spring Island was the perfect solution. Elijah and Miles rose every day at 7 but we knew to do the island well, we'd have to rise earlier. Good thing we did as the ferry we thought would leave at 9:00 actually left at 8:30am.
Usually we arrive at the ferry terminal an hour before sailing so Glen can get a second cup of coffee and I can snoop around the artisan tents. I do my best Christmas shopping there. Coffee and chocolate milk was bought then we made for the small playground. That's when I noticed everyone in line were starting their cars. We rushed back to the van, buckled the kids in, and minutes later were inching our way onto the ferry.
Neither Melissa nor Geoff remembers ever being on a car ferry and the one to the island is small enough to really live the experience. The crossing was smooth and the weather fine. The only problem happened when the ferry blew its horn. Chocolate milk came very near to splashing over the boys as they clapped their hands over their ears. The captain had warned us but I'd forgotten how loud the horn was.
Once off the ferry at Fulford Harbour, we drove to our 'secret' parking place and walked down to the market. We thought we knew what we wanted but the displays overwhelmed and we got caught up in the moment.
Elijah walked with me and complained he couldn't do the art projects the other kids were doing. The central market area is reserved for young entrepreneurs who sell everything from homemade god's eyes to lemon tarts to original artwork. I had to explain they were working, not having fun. He became quite grumpy that I wouldn't let him help so I quickly steered him into the food market.
Here we saw everything that could come from the island's farms. I stopped at a cheese stall and we all sampled some unique Jersey milk cheeses then we paused to taste homemade jam. Glen spotted broad beans and we had to buy some. Miles wanted carrots. We grazed as we wandered among the stalls. Elijah whispered to me that I was the best Nana to bring him to such a wonderful place.
Once our arms were full, we headed to the playground. Glen and Geoff took the food back to the car where I had a cooler bag with ice packs and Melissa went to check out the stalls for gifts. Every kid not selling wares at the market was in the playground. The boys quickly made a friend and they were off.
We decided an early lunch was best so headed to the Oystercatcher. We easily got a table for six outside although the breeze from the ocean chilled some of us. Service is always on 'island time' so Melissa took the boys for a short tour of the wharf and we watched the sea planes land.
After lunch, we bought two halibut steaks and prawns at The Fishery and a steak for Melissa at Thriftys. Then it was off to explore a part of the island where we'd never actually set foot. We had driven this road before (by mistake) and didn't realize it passed a beautiful hiking trail. We can thank letterboxing for this special find.
The Dunbabin Trail took us deep into a magical rain forest Elijah dubbed the 'Unicorn Forest'. One could so believe unicorns played here. The ferns were lush and the trees immense. The letterbox clues told us to cross three bridges and find a mother stump with two children. Turns out only 3 people had found this particular letterbox since it was planted three years ago, Melissa being the third. By now, I had been bitten by the letterboxing bug and have since bought a new stamp and given myself a new trailname. I'm even logged onto AtlasQuest so I can log my finds.
We caught the four o'clock ferry and were home in time to enjoy a lovely meal of fish and after the kids went to bed, a lively game of Hearts.
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