We take advantage of the last golden rays of the sun, then turn our cameras west to capture the fading pastels reflected off the lake. We paddle home in twilight, tired but exhilarated, and ready to eat a whale. Or eat at the whale. The Whale Room, that is. The lodge's dining room is decorated with bones from the huge aquatic mammals that abound in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island.
Guests eat at picnic tables in the wooden hall.
The girls love the casual atmosphere, but are not so crazy about the healthy food. Any hint of something green prompts an upturned nose from Mariko. We finish the day with a driftwood fire and s'mores on the beach. The fire feels good in the cool September night. A crescent moon sits above the Elk River Valley across the lake and the clear night sky is spattered with thousands of stars.