Salt Spring Island

I finally have the answer to "where did all the hippies go?". After visiting Lasqueti and Salt Spring islands, the admittedly sparse data suggest that they went to the gulf islands.

Yesterday we drove south from Nanaimo for about 35 minutes and then took the 20 minute ferry ride from Crofton to Salt Spring Island, which is also served by ferries from Victoria and Tsawwassen. We blundered onto the Farmers Market at the cutesy town of Ganges and bought produce, bread, etc. After Ganges, we headed toward Fulford Bay, stopping for a wine tasting at the Salt Spring Winery and coming away with a dessert wine.

We reached the smaller and perhaps less exploited settlement at Fulford Bay and visited the Morningside Organic Bakery and Cafe, where we purchased more bread, cookies, and muffins. The proprietress combatitively informed us that EVERYTHING in her shop was organic and pure, and her products should NOT be compared to others available on Salt Spring. It seemed best to agree. She also carried items from Victoria's Wild Fire Bakery which she considered by far the best in BC (presumably she holding down a modest 2nd place). Finally we worked our way through the press of people and cars to the Fall Fair, very much an old time fair.

There is motivation by some of the island inhabitants to provide food for the entire island population (~ 10,000 people). In 2004 they reached 7.5% of that goal - how far they've come since then, I don't know. Organic items are readily available - including organic meat and probably organic automobile engines.

We caught the 3 PM ferry back to Vancouver Island and drove north to Nanaimo. However, instead of taking the freeway the whole way, we drove along the water from Crofton to Chemainus and finally to Ladysmith. There were numerous older, small homes and cottages along the water making a more friendly impression than the more recent mega-barns.

Richard
2006.09.17