VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 277

popular swimming and bird-watching spot, Big Lake, passing the remains of an original
Finnish homestead along the way.
Practicalities
On the downtown waterfront one block from the ferry dock, Malcolm Island Inn (210
1st St., 250/230-6722, www.malcolmislandinn.ca , $90-135 s or d) has 12 guest rooms with
TVs and Internet access. One of the many upscale fishing lodges scattered throughout this
part of the world is M Sund's Lodge (250/973-6381, www.sundslodge.com , mid-June-
early Sept., US$3,150 for three nights inclusive of meals and boat transportation from Port
McNeill), located on a beautiful waterfront property east of Sointula. It is everything a lux-
urious fishing lodge should be, but it is a completely unpretentious family-run operation.
Drive across the island three kilometers (1.9 miles) to Bere Point Regional Park Camp-
ground (250/956-3301, May-Sept., $15), where there are 22 campsites overlooking Queen
Charlotte Strait, but no hookups or drinking water.
At Deb's Deli (145 1st St., 250/974-7178, 10am-2pm Mon.-Sat., longer hours in sum-
mer, lunches $6-9), across from the downtown waterfront, soups and sandwiches are made
daily, and there is a good choice of cheeses and smoked meats for island picnics.
The Ecological Reserve at Alert Bay is an eerie wonderland of bogs and unique flora.