– by Suzanne Morphet –
A narrow laneway curves down the steep slope that leads to a natural wetland on Nanoose Bay. It’s less than a kilometre from the Island Highway with its relentless traffic, but here in the estuary all is peaceful. Red-winged blackbirds flit among the yellow-flowering iris, a heron stands at attention at the edge of the marsh, and at night we’re crooned to sleep by a chorus from the resident frogs.
Inn the Estuary is the delightful home of Harold and Marianne Robinson and also – luckily for the rest of us – a Bed and Breakfast with three beautifully appointed private suites featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, fireplaces, outdoor bathtubs and mini-kitchens.
When the couple purchased the property it was a diked and dry meadow. The Robinsons wanted to return it to its natural state, in harmony with the adjacent Qualicum National Wildlife Area. In 2008, after receiving permission from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and working closely with biologists, they removed the dikes and trucked in fill, on which they built a two-storey, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home.
“The birds have come back, the wildlife has come back,” says Harold, citing dozens of species of birds that make their home here, along with deer, otter and raccoon. “We even witnessed chum salmon spawning in the gravel entrance to the side pond,” he adds proudly.
Today, a mature garden with freshwater ponds and winding boardwalks greets guests. At high tide, the home is almost surrounded by water. One evening I take up Harold’s invitation to kayak through the estuary. We paddle through narrow channels hidden by tangled vegetation. It’s a different world, one I’m delighted to discover. (http://www.inntheestuary.com)
Arriving at Beachside Garden Bed and Breakfast near Yellow Point on the Canada Day weekend, Vera Dick asks if we’d like a glass of wine and a crab appetizer. Her husband, Warren Dick, has just pulled up in his boat with a couple of feisty Dungeness. I thought B&B’s stuck to breakfast, but the Dicks entertain paying guests as if they were friends or relatives.
It’s a tough life at Beachside, where food seems to be the focus, or at least one of them. While Warren provides ingredients for the wild side of the menu, Vera whips up tasty breakfasts that are served either outside overlooking Elliott Beach or – if the weather isn’t cooperating – in a private dining area for guests indoors.
Warren and Vera designed and built their home on this one-acre waterfront property specifically to accommodate a Bed and Breakfast. It has three guest suites that share a kitchen and lounge. I like the fact that the guest accommodation is separate from the owners’ own quarters, so I don’t feel like I’m invading their personal space when I get up early the next morning to make tea and read.
For breakfast, Vera serves us fresh fruit salad, fruit smoothies and ethereally light French toast baked with raspberries and dressed with lemon-poppy seed sauce (pictured). Warren is also a skilled host – and not just at catching crab. Joining us at breakfast, he seems to possess an extra sense, intuitively knowing when to listen and when to share.
Later, we stroll the beach and explore Warren and Vera’s extensive garden, where flowers and fruit trees make a welcoming place to linger. (http://www.beachsidegardenbnb.com)
