Today, the weather was so beautiful that we took the car and went up North. We decided to go to Sayward, which apparently is near the water, and you can see all these wood logs there.
I went online to find some information about the town, but I didn’t really find anything so sometimes, it is just better to get there and discover!
The trip itself from Campbell River is amazing! The views are awesome, and seeing all these mountains on Vancouver Island is a must-do!
How to get there?
From Campbell River (or even Nanaimo), take the Island Highway (which is the main road around here!). Sayward is about 1h15 minutes from Campbell River north.
Where is Sayward located?
Sayward is a village located in the Sayward Valley on Vancouver Island’s northeast coast in British Columbia, Canada. It is located about 1 mi (1.6 km) inland from Kelsey Bay on a spur from Highway 19.
What can you see there?
Logging is the primary industry in the area around Sayward and Kelsey Bay, and it is just incredible to see these logs directly in the water (waiting to be sent somewhere on the Island or elsewhere). The village proposed other activities: outdoor recreation includes caving, kayaking, hiking, whale watching, and wildlife viewing.
Why is the village called this way?
First settled as Port Kusum in the 1890s, at the mouth of Salmon River overlooking Johnstone Strait, the settlement was officially named Sayward in 1911. It was named after William Parsons Sayward, a carpenter and lumber merchant who moved from California to Victoria in 1858, becoming a very successful lumberman. Although he never visited the Sayward area, the day’s government decided he deserved some honor and named the community after him.
A little history about this village
When the first settlers arrived, there was a small First Nations village on the Salmon River. By 1917, the village was empty, and today the reserve is unoccupied, with most of the descendants living in nearby communities. In the past, Sayward – and other communities on the northern end of Vancouver Island – were only easily accessible by water. After World War II ended, a gravel road was built that connected Sayward to Campbell River. The Wharf at Kelsey Bay was the southern terminus for the BC Ferries Inside Passage route until 1978 when Highway 19 was paved and extended north to Port Hardy, where the ferry terminal was relocated. The wharf has since become a convenient stopping point for sport fishing and eco-tourism. Fresh seafood is often available from one or more boats tied up at the federal wharf.
Kelsey Bay Harbour is the only small craft harbor located between Campbell River and Port McNeill on Johnstone Strait. It offers a loading ramp, a derrick, and a wave reduction system. A boat launch ramp is located nearby, just off of the old BC Ferries’ parking lot.
Why should you go there?
Even if nothing was opened today, it was really nice to enjoy the views and see how the logs were put in the water and again to see some snow and have a nice lunch near the water in a calm environment!!! If you love photography, it is the perfect place and the perfect setting!
