Rucklefest on Saltspring

Lisa and I camped together for years – exploring wild coastline trails with our backpacks, surviving on dried food and bags of trail mix. We still love to camp each summer, but I now have a child and Lisa has became an Auntie, and we want to continue our summer adventures, but also include the little girls in our lives. We thought about the ideal location to spend a week, sleeping in our tent, enjoying the view and letting the little ones have a chance to explore and just be kids.

Salt Spring Island has always been a favourite place of ours, particularly Ruckle Provincial Park – the ocean, the relaxed campers, the calm and the wildlife keeping us coming back. Lisa and I figured a week at Ruckle with the girls would be perfect. And it was. That first year the girls discovered the joys of sleeping in a tent with your buddy, breakfast at the picnic table, climbing trees and the freedom to run and play. After our first visit, as we awaited our ferry departure, enjoying an ice cream, my daughter said “Have you noticed that everything on Salt Spring Island tastes better?” Yes, I had noticed it years ago and it thrilled me to know my girl had discovered this for herself too. RuckleFest was born…

As each year passes we notice the girls maturing and becoming more comfortable to explore further on their own. Camping here provides a sense of comfort and security that we just can’t find in the city. And the deer are always a highlight – there is nothing quite like watching your little 6-year old girl encounter a tiny fawn in the tall grass – Mama deer and I watching our little ones be as equally surprised by one another!

As we prepare for our 4th annual RuckleFest, we are all excited to return to the special island and we hope we can once again secure our favourite tent site. But regardless of where we end up laying our heads, we know it will be a special week away from home.

Written by: Laura Plant – Submitted as a story contest entry.