Having not ventured out into the great outdoors in search of inspiration for my romance novels (or at least not beyond my fenced yard), I don’t have any new adventures to share with you; however, I have gone back through the four thousand or so photos that are taking up space on my phone to find you an adventure from last Summer. And I found one that ties in perfectly with my West Coast Romance Series.
In June 2019, I had the opportunity to sail part way around Vancouver Island. I met the sail boat in Port McNeill, sailed around the northern tip of Vancouver Island (where Cape Scott is) and departed the boat at Tofino. It was during this trip that I discovered the romance that is Hot Springs Cove. Which features heavily in my recently released romance novel Ginny’s Crush (Book 2 in the West Coast Romance Series).
Be warned that there are a few tidbits about the book in this post…
After my last big adventure—a five day backpacking trip to Cape Scott—I found myself stuck in a little bit of inertia. I could blame it on my sore muscles. Or I could blame it on the weather (it gets kind of rainy around here at this time of year). But the truth of the matter is that my adventuresome spirit had been satisfied.
Which, of course, means that I haven’t had any romantic location seeking adventures in the past month.
Okay let’s be honest it’s going on two.
And while I have another adventure planned—a Fall backpacking trip on the northern portion of the Juan de Fuca Trail, which, if you have read Enchanting Elaine, you will know is the “easier” end of the trail—there is a very good chance that it won’t happen.
And I just couldn’t wait any longer to update you on the romantic locations behind my novels.
Side note: If you haven’t read Enchanting Elaine, then what are you waiting for? 😉 It’s a FREE bonus novella (or maybe a novelette…). It goes along with Ginny’s Crush, telling the fairy tale story of how Ginny’s parents fell in love. And all you’ve got to do to get your copy is sign up for my newsletter!
But back to the romantic adventure at hand.
The Romance of Hot Springs Cove
Hot Spring’s Cove is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Clayoquot Sound region. It’s remote and hard to access—one of the things that adds to its mystic and romantic charm—you can learn more about exactly where it is and how the hot springs were formed here.
When you first arrive, by either boat or seaplane, one of the first things you see is the InnChanter B&B. In Ginny’s Crush, Isla and her bridal party stay onboard this remodelled 1920s boat, and *spoiler alert* there might be a very sexy scene between Ginny and Justen that takes place onboard. Check out their website for some amazing pictures of the inside of the boat.
The hot springs aren’t located right at the dock. There is about a 2 kilometre (1.3ish mile) hike along a boardwalk through some of the most beautiful old growth forest I have ever seen. There are trees there that defy the imagination—some for their size and some for their sheer tenacity. There are giant trees clinging to rock cliff faces, there are trees growing with their roots wrapped around other trees, and there are trees that are so large that it would take multiple people holding hands to actually span their enormous trunks.
Waterfalls and Romance Novels
And at the end of the trail , there is a wooden bridge that spans the creek which feeds the pools of the hot springs. It’s hard to see in the photos, but the mist rises off the super-heated water, making it look like some kind of magical river. When I first saw it, my romantic heart did a little stuttering beat, and I knew that this placed would end up in one of my novels (*hint* it’s Ginny’s Crush 😉), if not more than one.
As the creek disappears out of sight, it tumbles down to the hot spring pools below in a waterfall that comes with a rock that is perfect for practicing your best mermaid pose on while the water rushes over your head.
This waterfall is extra special. Unlike most waterfalls around here, which tend towards the freezing side, this waterfall is decadently heated. It’s the perfect temperature that, if you were so inclined, you could have a romantic encounter underneath it without almost succumbing to hypothermia.
Incidentally, this isn’t the first waterfall that has featured in one of my novels. In Saving Shelby, Shelby and Ian create some heat under a waterfall of a different temperature.
When you stand on the bridge with the mist rising around you, the sound of the waterfall, and the smell of the ocean on the wind, it feels like it would be so easy to fall in love.
*Spoiler alert* It’s on this bridge that Ginny has an important realization about what she really wants when it comes to love. She wants what Isla has with Leo: a place where she fell in love.
How Best To Experience the Hot Springs
It’s really hard to explain the wild beauty of this place. The pictures really don’t do it justice—although, if you were to search the internet, I’m sure you could find many that are much more stunning than mine. I am a writer, not a photographer 😉. But there are a few challenges to be faced when visiting. Challenges other than just getting here!
The pools, which have been carved out of the rock by the stream, are narrow. There is only room for about twenty people. During the peak season, the hot springs are popular with people visiting Tofino (despite the remoteness), so during the day it can be tough to find a spot. For the ultimate experience, I recommend staying overnight.
The tricky part is that there are only a few options for staying overnight. If you’ve arrived on your own boat—like I did— then you can just anchor and wait for the “crowds” to depart. But if you came by boat or seaplane, as Isla’s wedding guests do, then you really only have two option. You can stay at the InnChanter—along with Isla’s bridal party—or you can tent like the rest of her wedding guests.
Hot Springs Waterfall 
The pools at Hot Springs Cove
I didn’t get the chance to sleep on the InnChanter, but I did have dinner onboard, and it was delicious. It was served in the style of a family dinner, with the couple that was living aboard as the manager and cook sitting down to eat with us. Afterwards, myself and the other women from the sailing adventure enjoyed some time in the lounge area of the B&B. It is pricey to stay aboard, but it would be worth for the sheer romance of it.
More Romance Novels and Romantic Adventures to Come
It is my hope that I will be have a new adventure to share with you soon. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this peek into the location behind Ginny’s Crush. I am working hard at completing Rescuing Claire, West Coast Romance Book 3, as well as some other exciting book projects I have in the works.
I will continue to scroll through the pictures on my phone and share with you the adventures that are inspiring my romance novels. The sailing adventure that brought me to Hot Springs Cove has the potential for multiple blog posts for sure.
Until then, I hope that you are finding romance in your life, books to fall in love with, and adventures to feed your soul.
And whenever you get that chance, please come back and Wander with Me,
This adventure took place on 14 June 2019
