Wow! I can’t believe how long it has been since I added a new post to my blog. I must apologize for my absence. I have nothing to offer in the way of an excuse other than that life (and writing) has impeded me from searching out romantic settings for my romance novels.
Even my hiking boots conspired to keep me from adventuring. They fell apart at the most inopportune moment.
But the good news is that I have new boots with sturdier soles, and I am back exploring this beautiful island I live on (Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, if you’re new).
I just returned from a two-night family backpacking trip to Bear Beach on the Juan de Fuca Trail. My calves haven’t even stopped screaming their displeasure at me, but I wanted to record the adventure for you, because Bear Beach is beyond stunning!
Especially since I have been remiss in updating my blog.
Seeking romantic locations
This particular adventure had a few goals. First, I needed to get my feet in the sand. Although, arguably, there are much easier beaches to access near my home. This is an island, after all. There are beaches everywhere! Second, it was a practice for a big hike planned for the end of the summer to Della Falls. Don’t forget to check back for the writeup on that one. And third, a romance author always needs to be scouting new romantic locations for her books!
Of course, as you can tell by the title, this wasn’t my first time at Bear Beach. But it was the first time that I overnighted there (except for an ill-fated trip about fifteen years ago, but I won’t go into that right now). And experiencing a place first thing in the morning and after the sun sets is a must to truly assess its romantic setting rating.
Okay, I made that up. There isn’t actually any kind of official system for rating romantic locations. It is one of those things that is all in the eye of the beholder.
But however a place’s romance quotient is calculated, Bear Beach is the perfect place for a romantic assignation. Although, you’re really going to need to want it, because it isn’t easy to get there.
You can read about my previous day hike here.
challenging hike for romance
The Juan de Fuca trail is a ruggedly tough 42 km (26 mi) trail along the west coast of the south end of Vancouver Island. Starting at the south end of the trail, Bear Beach is the second beach.
Mystic Beach is the first beach, and it has a beauty of its own. In fact, it is one of my favourite beaches. But is only a short hike from the parking lot and is therefore popular with the casual hiker as well as the serious backpacker.
To be truly romantic, I think a place should be a little more private. Don’t you?
Bear Beach is 6 kms (3.7 mi) after Mystic along a technically challenging trail tests endurance. And this is considered to be the moderate section of the Juan de Fuca Trail.
The root studded trail winds its way through dense salal and along the edge of cliffs, dropping steeply down to each streambed, then rising up again.
It is gruelling work, and by the time you reach the last hill down into Bear Beach, you will be more than ready to recline on a sun heated rock and listen to the surf pound against the beach.
But first, you must navigate that hill. Which, because of a landslide earlier this year, is a bit trickier than it used to be. Although, to be perfectly honest, the steep, rickety staircase that was wiped out was more than a little dodgy.
Originally this section of the trail was expected to be closed for the rest of the season, which would have prevented me from making this trip, but luckily that wasn’t the case, and they bolted a ladder to the rock to allow hikers to pass.
I am not exactly sure what I was expecting the ladder to look like. But it wasn’t this (see below⬇️). Although, is it me or is this just begging for a romantic rescue scene?
West coast romance
Once you shimmy down the ladder, there is just a few hundred metres of hiking along the boulder-strewn beach, past a waterfall, to the camping area.
Bear Beach is long and there are three different areas suitable for camping. We chose to stay at the first one, because my legs just weren’t interested in carrying my pack any further.
Besides, I didn’t need to go any further to immerse myself in all this romantic setting has to offer.
Kicking off my hiking boots, it felt like heaven to sink my feet into the fine sand. With the soaring cliffs at my back and expansive ocean views to my front, I snuggled up with my husband.
To be completely truthful, some of that snuggling had to do with the fact that I was freezing! We might have just come through a heat wave, but the wind coming off the Strait of Juan de Fuca (part of the Salish Sea and the border between Canada and the US) was frigid. Which is one of the less desirable parts of the west coast. The wind can be just as wild as everything else.
Although, in the scheme of romance, a little bit of cold can be a good thing, because it encourages close contact.
Luckily, the next morning after the morning mist cleared, we had a beautiful sunny afternoon. The ocean breeze continued throughout the day to keep things comfortable, and my husband and I lounged in the sand while the kids played.
I even managed to get some writing done.
A Bear Beach creek 
A west coast misty morning on Bear Beach!
Writing inspiration
The funny truth about my wanderings is that they are both because the busy city is hard on my soul, and I need time in nature to feel grounded and centred—I get over-stimulated very easily—and because I need fresh romantic settings for my novels. But while experiencing the lush beauty and the stunning romance of Vancouver Island provides endless inspiration for me, it isn’t so good for my actual writing productivity.
It doesn’t take much to distract me. And a beach on the very edge of the world provides endless distractions. From the endless rhythm of the surf, to the otters eating fish on the rocks, to the crows trying to steal our food, to the feel of the sand on my feet, my mind is usually focussed on anything but writing my next novel.
But this time, I persevered, and I can report that the first draft of West Coast Romance Book 4 (Isla’s story) is now one quarter completed. I even have a title – which I will reveal soon!
Although, funny enough, Isla’s story doesn’t take place at Bear Beach, even though I wrote part of it there. So why did I return to Bear Beach, with its gruelling hike?
It wasn’t just for the beauty!
One of my stories, Enchanting Elaine, prominently features Bear Beach. Enchanting Elaine is a bonus story for Ginny’s Crush, West Coast Romance Book 2. It is the story of how Ginny’s parents met. It is sort of a reverse fairy tale (the heroine swoops in to save the day), and I have had such a favorable response to it, that I am considering turning it into a full-length novel.
where to find me
What if you’re looking for more romance? Where can you find me? The simple answer is at the beach. Or at least that is what I would like the answer to be. My need to be an adult keeps getting in the way of that. But that doesn’t help you find my books.
Clicking the link at the NICOLE’S BOOKS link at the top of this page is a good place to start, and this blog has lots of juicy details.
But while this blog provides a bit of insight into the inspiration for the settings in my romance novels, it isn’t the best way to keep up to date on what is going on. If you would like to be in the know about everything that is Nicole Taylor Eby Romance—including new releases, cover reveals, titles (wink, wink) and promotions—signing up for my newsletter is the best option.
If a newsletter feels like too much of a commitment. I get it. You can find me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, GOODREADS, and/or BOOKBUB.
So that is where you can find me virtually, but what about physically? I have big plans for this summer. The hike to Bear Beach was just the beginning. Don’t forget Della Falls.
I also have big writing plans. Exciting romance is on the horizon. Keep an eye on my website (or sign up for the newsletter 😉 and get the updates right in your inbox) for details.
And when I don’t have my pack on my back or my laptop glued to my fingers frantically getting in my word count, I will be poolside, enjoying the sun.
Happy wandering and reading,
This adventure took place 8-10 July 2021
