Critters and Sir Hornswoggle

This is some of the company you'll have as you explore the Port Alberni waterfront. (In fact, when I first encountered Sir Hornswoggle on the pier, I was sure he was fellow sighseer.)

Alberni - nautical

This mural, also in Port Alberni, commemorates a sea disaster. On Monday, January 22, 1906, the coastal passenger liner SS Valencia, en route from San Francisco to Seattle, was wrecked on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island (near Bamfield) and 136 people perished.

Gray's Whales mural

In Port Alberni we saw a mural with another kind of whale. This mural of Gray's Whales was painted by Jeff King.

Parksville killer whales

But killer whales aren't popular only on northern Vancouver Island. These are swimming around Parksville

Port Hardy killer whales - 4

These beauties were swimming amongst the flower hangers at the front of the grocery store

Port Hardy killer whales - 3

Here's another chubby black-and-white cutie. (They do look cute, don't they - water pandas!)

Port Hardy killer whales - 2

I love the interesting effect of the killer whale mural painted on the truck trailer displayed against the ocean in the background - somewhat surrealistic.

Port Hardy killer whales - 1

A favorite north Vancouver Island subject of murals is the killer whale. In Port Hardy, we saw them everywhere.

Here is one painted on the school.



(Notice the muralist Razmpoosh - who also painted these Agassiz murals.)

Ink Island

What a colorful, surreal place. (Notice the red bird on left side of the building.)