Fanny Bay

North of Parksville on Vancouver Island, Fanny Bay sits opposite Denman Island. It’s a place you might drive through without stopping if you weren’t aware that it’s famous for oysters. The Pacific oyster is exported all over the world and the oyster farms, unlike salmon farms, don’t harm the environment.

I was optimistic when I saw this heap. Ha! What a teaser.

I drove there anticipating a feast. Oyster shells were heaped everywhere. I was optimistic. My taste buds tingled. But soon discovered, it was not a day to purchase fresh oysters. I had to settle for an oyster burger on the pier and that was another story.

My credit card slipped through a crack in the pier straight into the water three metres below. I sat waiting for my burger thinking I’d have to cancel my card, when I checked to see if it sank or floated. I peered over the side and saw my card bobbing on the surface! Luckily, when I dropped the card, it was still enclosed in its security case. Should I dive in the freezing water and retrieve it? I peeked again after a few minutes, and noticed my card heading towards the marina. I abandoned my burger, raced off the jetty, around to the marina, climbed on to the first boat and stretched out my hand to my approaching card. Keep coming. Come on. Yes! I got it back.

This is the ramp I ran down before climbing on to the boat right in the centre of the photo.

This whole episode caused quite a commotion. One woman returned after about twenty minutes offering to bring her kayak and paddle out to retrieve it, but by that time, I had my card back in my handbag, never to take it out on a pier again.