The band I’m in, OEQ, went on a road trip to Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We got a gig opening for the Broken Group on Halloween night. Getting to Bamfield isn’t easy. You have to take a ferry to Nanaimo, drive to Port Alberni and then drive for 1.5 hours on a logging road. The long haul was worth it because we really (male) bonded as a group and as friends. There were some disappointments – namely, that our set wasn’t as long as we would have liked. But our music went over well and overall it was a great trip to Bamfield, which is a gorgeous place. It was my first visit to Bamfield, but hopefully not the last.
Our fearless leader Olly, just before we left our Kits HQ:
Packed and ready to go:
A stop in Coombs, where the goat on top of the Old Country Market cooperated by turning to face the camera:
Our guitarist/lead singer Brian, looking chipper at a scenic spot on the logging road:
The house where we stayed is on a peninsula, which you can only get to by boat. That’s Oliver’s acoustic bass sticking up as we made our way across beautiful Bamfield Inlet:
The wonderful house where we stayed in Bamfield:
Inside the wonderful house, with our gracious host John in the background:
A former church that’s next to the community hall where we played:
Mike, our sax/melodica man, moonlighting as a fire and brimstone preacher:
OEQ getting ready for the gig:
Halloween revellers, many of whom work at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre:
Mike also played with the Broken Group – he’s pictured here with their bassist Darrell:
Breakfast the morning after:
Rocky raccoon (Bamfield wildlife) feasting on cat food:
Chuck, who skippered us across the inlet, and Mike the diehard Oilers fan:
Bye bye Bamfield:
Two Wongs 