After Parksville, we said goodbye to Amy and Aaron and headed north to catch a ferry in Comox.

It’s a quick 1 hour drive, and we had a choice of two routes. The faster option was through Highway 19, a boring 4-lane highway that would get you to Comox about 10 to 15 minutes faster. Instead, we took Highway 19A, which was a 2-lane country road through several seaside towns, with frequent views of the beautiful ocean.

Our ferry reservation was around 7pm, so we had a few hours to kill in Comox. We went to Marina Park to check out the playground and spray park.

However, we received an email from BC Ferries that our ferry was cancelled due to staffing issues. So we were stranded in Comox, just 2 hours before our reserved sailing!

Being so last minute, we frantically looked for a stay in Courtney or Comox. We made a few calls to other local B&Bs hoping for cancellations, but no luck. The only option for a family of 5 on Expedia was a Super 8 Hotel, and knowing that there were likely more families like us, we grabbed the hotel room. Thankfully the kids were having fun on the playground, oblivious to the stressful situation.

With our stay secured, we explored the Fisherman’s Wharf behind the Comox Municipal Marina.

It’s a public fishing pier quite close to the marina, but there wasn’t anyone fishing or crabbing. There were only light crab trap marks on the wood, so I think this is mostly used for sightseeing and walking.

Two Naval ships were docked here too. The boys love everything with our Maple Leaf emblems.

Super 8 in Courtney turned out quite clean and pleasant. The interior was recently updated. We had a restful stay and headed to the ferry terminal after breakfast to try to catch the morning ferry.

After waiting in line for 45 anxious minutes, we were turned away. Undeterred, we went to explore the famous Goose Spit Park.

It’s a long, narrow sandy spit that stretches out into the ocean, with coastal mountains framing the view.

The beach was alternately rocky and sandy, with very shallow and warm water. The brothers got busy exploring.

We went to the main strip of Comox Ave for lunch, and checked out a few local stores and galleries. It’s a very relaxed and small village and it didn’t take long to go from one end to the other.

After we had our fill, we headed back to the ferry terminal. This time a full 1 hour and 15 minutes before departure to ensure that we get on this elusive Salish Orca.

This is a part of our 2022 BC Coastal Circle Tour. Read on!