wow...
sounds grim almost.
I haven't been to Tofino since the 90's.
I stayed at Bella Pacifica commercial campground...
it was in the trees, right above the beach,
brand new open air bathrooms in cedar ..
it was quite nice, and I never stay at commercial campgrounds, but it sure
seemed 'fine' back then.

Good to read your report. I did notice it was kind of 'tight' around there
...camping wise.

and  $ 160 round trip for a van and two people !!
wow.
Havn't been there in a long time, but I would have guessed  maybe 60, but
not 160.
Last time I came into Horseshoe Bay from Vancouver Island ..
I guess it was the early 90's ..
I don't remember it being anything too crazy, price wise.

glad you're able to get to some great beaches where it's not too crazy !

Scott

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jake de Villiers" <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: Simply Stunning....

> Yes, we breeze right through the border.
>
> The problem with the west coast of the Island is the lack of campgrounds.
> We've stayed in the private one and it was AWFUL.
> And we've stayed at Long Beach back when you had to show up in the morning
> and beg for a site.
>
> A few years ago the province sold the campground concession to a private
> operator with the right political connections and now its by reservation
> only - which sounds good until you find out that all the sites are pretty
> much permanently reserved by an RV rental company so they can sell the
> whole
> package to German and Japanese tourists.
>
> That and the fact that the ferry costs us about $160.00 for 2 people round
> trip makes the western side of the Olympic Peninsula a much more
> attractive
> camping destination.  The Rialto Beach campground at Mora Bay is very nice
> and the trails from the other side of the river to Second Beach and Third
> Beach are spectacular.
>
> But thanks for the advice Scott - I'm sure you meant well!  ;)
>
> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 11:12 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> That Keystone-PT ferry is by appointment these days, I think I heard.
>>
>> With an international border crossing for you go to Olympic Peninsula,
>> I'd think the west coast of Vancouver island would be easier ..
>> though maybe you breeze right through the border.
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jake de Villiers" <
>> crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2010 10:18 PM
>> Subject: Re: Simply Stunning....
>>
>>
>>  Just the one ferry to Port Townsend from where we are.
>>>
>>> I-5 south from Crescent Beach to Hwy 20 to the Keystone ferry
>>> terminal...then around the top of the peninsula to Rialto Beach.
>>>
>>> Mmm...
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 7:23 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
>>> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>   Nice Jake,
>>>> is that one or two ferry rides ?
>>>>
>>>> I just wanted to work 'vanagons' into my post. ..keep it vanagon
>>>> related
>>>> somewhat.
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> *From:* Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com>
>>>> *To:* Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
>>>> *Cc:* vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
>>>> *Sent:* Saturday, September 25, 2010 4:06 PM
>>>> *Subject:* Re: Re: Simply Stunning....
>>>>
>>>> "Most Canadians that own Vanagons"?
>>>>
>>>> I doubt it very much, but those of us who live in BC know where to find
>>>> waves, whatever we're driving!  For me, the easiest open ocean to get
>>>> to
>>>> is
>>>> the west side of the Olmypic Peninsula. We've been there many times, in
>>>> Vanagons and Chevy pickups too! ;)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 3:53 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
>>>> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  more like Puget Sound..
>>>>> the Pacific Ocean is well west of Lynnwood.
>>>>>
>>>>> Do most Canadians that own Vanagons realize that the only place you
>>>>> can
>>>>> drive to the open ocean coast in Western Canada is Tofino and that
>>>>> area
>>>>> of
>>>>> Vancouver Island. ?
>>>>>
>>>>> anyone ever been to Bella Coola ?
>>>>> pretty exotic/remote almost wild last time I was there in the late
>>>>> 80's.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jake de Villiers" <
>>>>> crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
>>>>>
>>>>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2010 3:32 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: Simply Stunning....
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Zoltan is in Lynnwood,Washington - near the Pacific Ocean?  ;)
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 2:41 PM, Michael Sullivan <
>>>>>> sandwichhead@gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Bravo---East Coast to the rescue.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Michael in San Antonio
>>>>>>> 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 4:04 PM, Brandon Christophel <
>>>>>>> bchristophel@gmail.com
>>>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> > I had beed doing small projects on my 1987 Westy for a few months.
>>>>>>> As
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> > do van research, you can't help but run across peoples experiences
>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>> > rust.  I could see where my seams were showing a tinge of rust >
>>>>>>> color.
>>>>>>> > I
>>>>>>> > sense of dread sunk in.  Rust is like an iceberg they say.  If you
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> can
>>>>>>> see
>>>>>>> > the tip, then whats underneath is huge.  This is what started the
>>>>>>> sense
>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>> > dread that I carried while finishing up small projects.  Pretty
>>>>>>> > soon
>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>> > became the monkey on my back and I couldn't take it anymore.  I >
>>>>>>> finished
>>>>>>> up
>>>>>>> > the projects and began to seek out a doctor for my baby.  Not just
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> any
>>>>>>> > doctor, I wanted a specialist.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > I put out some feelers.  The name that came back was "Zoltan".
>>>>>>> > He's
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> > van for awhile now.  He sent me a mail saying, "its out of paint
>>>>>>> > and
>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>> > looks beautiful".  You have to know the man but, he usually
>>>>>>> > doesn't
>>>>>>> use
>>>>>>> > decorative words like that.  He'll say, "and it's fine" or "that's
>>>>>>> ok".
>>>>>>>  So,
>>>>>>> > I was *very* curious what I was to see.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Getting the van to this point is the culmination of a lot of hard
>>>>>>> work.
>>>>>>> >  Zoltan has been like the conductor of an orchestra.  Doing the
>>>>>>> > tear
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> down
>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>> > *everything*, noting items to be replaced or fixed and giving me >
>>>>>>> options
>>>>>>> > along the way, getting the sanding done and bringing the body
>>>>>>> > metal
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> back
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> > trueness,  attacking rust and going through the procedures he has
>>>>>>> > to
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> get
>>>>>>> rid
>>>>>>> > of it and probably a hundred other things I'll never know he did.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Today I get to see it.  The results of all this work so far.  So,
>>>>>>> > in
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> car
>>>>>>> > and off to Lynnwood I go.  I saw Zoltan and waved hello.  He was
>>>>>>> moving
>>>>>>> cars
>>>>>>> > around among the fleet of Westys that are his domain.   We greeted
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> > walked as we were chatting.  We rounded the corner of one of the >
>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>> > Westys and suddenly, I looked up and there it was, my baby... it
>>>>>>> > was
>>>>>>> simply
>>>>>>> > STUNNING...  I think I clapped my hands and yelped.  I turned to
>>>>>>> Zoltan
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> > shook his hand.  "It's fantastic!" I said.  All his preparation
>>>>>>> > work
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>> > paid off.  The van is incredible looking and yet, it doesn't even
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>> > trim put back on it yet.  Zoltan took me around the vehicle and
>>>>>>> > led
>>>>>>> > me
>>>>>>> > through pieces of the the work and how it was done.  I just
>>>>>>> > couldn't
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> stop
>>>>>>> > looking.  It's gorgeous!  We still have a ways to go but, man it's
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> going
>>>>>>> > well.  It is a work of art already.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Zoltan won't brag so, I felt it necessary to send this mail.  He
>>>>>>> > may
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>> > like it but, the way I see it, If I don't inform the community of
>>>>>>> >  >
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> > availability of a master craftsman and the fine work he is doing >
>>>>>>> then,
>>>>>>> > I
>>>>>>> am
>>>>>>> > doing a disservice to all all those van owners who were like me
>>>>>>> > and
>>>>>>> had > a
>>>>>>> > monkey on their back but, didn't know who to trust.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > Get rid of your monkey.  Call Zoltan.
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>> > -Brandon
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Jake
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
>>>>>> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>>>>>
>>>>>> www.thebassspa.com
>>>>>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>>>>>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Jake
>>>>
>>>> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
>>>> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>>>>
>>>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>>>
>>>> www.thebassspa.com
>>>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>>>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jake
>>>
>>> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
>>> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>>>
>>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>>
>>> www.thebassspa.com
>>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Jake
>
> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>
> Crescent Beach, BC
>
> www.thebassspa.com
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27