On to the Okanagan
We departed Powell River on August 4th. As mentioned earlier, Powell River is fairly isolated—accessible only by ferry, boat, or air. To make our way south along the Sunshine Coast, we needed to take two BC Ferries. The ferries are a pleasant way to travel, offering beautiful ocean views, but they’re also time-consuming: arrive early, wait in line, drive aboard, enjoy the ride (the best part), and then disembark to continue on your way.
To break up the trip, we split the journey into two segments. First, we drove from Powell River to Saltery Bay, then sailed across to Earl’s Cove. From there we drove to Sechelt and spent the night at Creekside Campground. The following day we continued to the Langdale Ferry Terminal, crossing to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. Both ferry rides offered some of the most spectacular shoreline scenery anywhere in British Columbia.
Ferry ride photos - Tug'n at the front
Our "rig" aboard one of the ferries
After two days at Capilano River RV Park, spent mostly on errands (haircuts, groceries, and the like), we began our trek east toward the Okanagan Valley. Along the way, we returned to two familiar campgrounds from early July: Wild Rose RV Park in Hope and Riverhaven RV Park near Hedley. Our stay at Riverhaven was made extra special by a serendipitous meet-up with Jolyn and Malcolm, friends from our condo in Milton. They had recently begun their own westward journey in their camper van, and thanks to some quick texts and phone calls, we managed to share an evening together. We enjoyed a lovely dinner aboard Tug’n, swapping stories and sharing plenty of laughs.
Malcolm & Jolyn
A Magical Stop in Oliver
Our next stop was one for the memory books. We had booked a one-night Harvest Host stay at Castoro de Oro, a boutique winery near Oliver, BC. Nestled on the Golden Mile Bench sub-appellation—a prestigious stretch of wine country—the winery welcomed us with vineyards stretching out on one side of our trailer and a shaded private patio with a table and chairs on the other.
Our "rig" parked at Castoro de Oro vineyard
Castoro de Oro specializes in small-batch, handcrafted wines. As usual, we stopped into their tasting room expecting to enjoy a few selections and perhaps take home a bottle or two. To our surprise, we loved every single wine we tried—something that’s never happened before in all our winery visits. Needless to say, we purchased more wine here than we ever have on a tasting tour.
Bruno & Stella, owners of Castoro de Oro
As we chatted with owners Stella and later Bruno, the story took a remarkable turn. Stella mentioned Bruno had grown up on a tobacco farm in Tillsonburg, Ontario. I laughed and said my old university roommate, Jimmy M., had also grown up on a Tillsonburg tobacco farm, though I hadn’t seen him since 1972. Without hesitation, Stella said, “Oh, he lives here in Oliver.” At first, I thought she was joking—but a quick look at her face told me otherwise.
Sure enough, Bruno reached out to Jimmy, and before long we were sitting together on the winery patio, catching up after 53 years. Stella and Bruno, along with their friends Larry (another former tobacco farmer from Aylmer, Ontario) and Bonnie, joined us for a relaxed evening with charcuterie (thank you, Fran!) and refreshments (thank you Stella and Bruno). The chance reunion left me completely blown away. Truly, what a small world.
Jimmy and Stephen
Stephen, Jimmy & Ken in 1972 (thank. you Joanne M). I'm kind of missing all that hair.
Time in Peachland
On Sunday we set off for Peachland to meet Fran’s sister Mary and her husband Wayne, who treated us to a mid-morning breakfast at The Blind Angler, overlooking the glittering Okanagan Lake. Later we strolled through Peachland’s lively Sunday Farmers’ Market at Heritage Park, right on the waterfront.
Fran, Diane, Wayne & Mary
The site of Drought Mountain Fire a month ago, very close to Mary and Wayne's house
Okanagan Lake
Over the following days, Mary and Wayne hosted us for several wonderful dinners at their home, including one with their son Jared. Peachland itself is a charming town, known for its orchards, scenery, and the enduring legend of the Ogopogo, a mythical lake creature said to inhabit Okanagan Lake. The town was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, who was inspired by the delicious peaches grown in the area. Once a fruit-growing and logging hub, it has since evolved into a picturesque residential and tourist community.
Mary and Wayne, both retired teachers, are very involved in the community. Wayne, now an artist, leads workshops and contributes his talents to local projects commissioned by the town.
Airstream Adventures
While in North Vancouver the previous week, we experienced about 22 mm of much-needed rain overnight. The next morning, we discovered five leaks in the trailer—an unpleasant surprise! I quickly sent photos and a report to CanAm RV, our Airstream dealer in London, Ontario. They arranged an appointment for us at Midtown RV, the Airstream dealer in Penticton.
One of our leaks in our Airstream
So, while Fran and her sisters spent a day with their Dad, I towed Tug’n back to Penticton and worked alongside a very thorough technician. We methodically tested all possibilities but couldn’t replicate the leaks. The technician added sealant to the most likely culprits, mainly around the solar panel brackets. For now, I’ll keep monitoring as we continue our trip. We’re very thankful for the excellent support from both CanAm and Midtown RV.
Family Time & Visits
From Peachland, we moved on to Orchard Hill RV Park in Kelowna. This delightful 13-acre working farm grows vegetables, flowers, and walnuts, and also keeps chickens for fresh eggs. The nine campsites are spacious and beautifully landscaped, offering far more privacy than most campgrounds. Surrounded by farms and vineyards yet just minutes from downtown Kelowna, it was a perfect balance of rural charm and city convenience. Waking up to the sound of chickens was a cheerful reminder that we were staying on a real farm.
Orchard Hill RV Park campsite
A balloon ride in the Okanagan Valley
During our days in Peachland and Kelowna, we had almost daily visits with Fran’s Dad at his long-term care residence. Each visit included lunch with his favorite foods, spirited games of Cribbage or Five Crowns, and lots of laughter. Mary and Diane had been sharing our blog posts with him, and he asked great questions—he’s traveled nearly everywhere in BC himself.
Fran with Dad who is quickly coming up on his 98th birthday
Stephen & Dad playing Cribbage
We also had several happy hours and dinners with Diane and Darryl at their home. One evening we bundled up against drizzle and cool weather to cheer on our nephew Jared (Mary & Wayne's son) at one of his baseball games with the Outlaws. It was a spirited slow-pitch match with wooden bats, ending in a nail-biting 8–7 victory. Diane sweetened the night by bringing zucchini cake, tea, and hot chocolate—perfect comfort food for a damp evening at the ballpark.
Harvesting vegetables in Diane & Darrell's garden
Fran, Diane, Darrell & Kobe
Jared's "fan club" at his baseball game in the drizzle
Day Trip to Kamloops
Almost two years ago, Fran, Mary, and Diane’s mother passed away. Each year when we’re in Kelowna, we make a trip to Kamloops to visit her gravesite, as well as those of their paternal grandparents. I serve as chauffeur and the three girls tend the graves, place flowers from Mary’s garden, and share family updates. Afterward, we enjoy a nice lunch in town and plenty of chatter and laughter on the drive home. The next day, we shared our photos from Kamloops with Dad, displaying them on his TV, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Mary, Fran and Diane at the Hillside Cemetery in Kamloops
Lunch in Kamloops
Reconnecting with Friends
Our Kelowna stay also gave us the chance to reconnect with friends we’d met in Hawaii—Linda and Al. They invited us to join them for dinner at The Harvest Golf Club, where they are members. The course is known not only for its beauty but also for its fruit trees, which golfers can sample as they play. We had a marvelous evening catching up and enjoying a delicious meal at Masa’s Grill.
Al, Linda, Fran & Stephen at Harvest Golf Club
Wildfires
Like much of Canada, British Columbia is enduring a particularly active wildfire season. Most are sparked by lightning: on July 22 alone, more than 20,000 lightning strikes ignited over 70 new fires; on August 1, another 35,000 strikes triggered 65 more. The smoke spreads far and wide, blanketing skies even in places far from the flames. Several wildfires have broken out in areas we had recently left, leading to evacuations. We’ve been fortunate to avoid direct impact so far, but the cost, stress, and devastation to communities is sobering.
Pic of Vancouver Island from Powell River on a clear day
Same shot of Vancouver Island 2 days later - mountains are obliterated by wildfire smoke
Kelowna: Past and Present
Nestled in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, Kelowna has been home to the Syilx/Okanagan people for thousands of years. The city’s name comes from the Okanagan word for “grizzly bear.” In 1859, French Catholic missionary Father Pandosy established the Okanagan Mission, the first permanent European settlement in the valley. The Cariboo Gold Rush of the 1860s brought further development, and irrigation systems built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries turned the area into one of Canada’s most productive fruit-growing regions.
By the mid-20th century, Kelowna was a popular summer destination for Canadians seeking warm weather, beaches, and lake life. In the 1980s and 1990s, wine production surged, establishing Kelowna as the heart of British Columbia’s internationally recognized wine country. Today, it is one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, balancing tourism, viticulture, tech innovation, and outdoor recreation, while still reflecting its deep cultural and agricultural roots.
Farewell to Kelowna
