SHOULDER SEASON ON THE ISLAND: SLOW MORNINGS, WET ROADS, AND THE MAGIC OF FALL
Still as Glass: A Fall Morning in Cowichan Bay
Cowichan Bay in the fall feels like someone turned the volume down on the whole world. The streets empty out once summer ends, the patios close, and the village exhales. When I walk down to the docks this time of year, I usually catch the fishermen loading their boats as the sun peaks over the mountains. The water sits still as glass, and then, out of nowhere, a single head pops up out of the bay.
Then another.
And another.
Steller sea lions. Half-grumbling, lifting their massive heads out of the water like they’re deciding whether or not the day is worth getting up for. They let out these morning calls, really more of a burp, that echo across the harbor and bounce off the rocky shores. And in that slow, foggy moment, you realize this is fall on Vancouver Island. This is the shoulder season. This is when the Island shows you things you’ll never catch in July.
Fall Feels Alive on the Island
People talk about our summers like they’re the whole show. But fall is when the Island comes back to life.
The salmon run pulls everything upstream; bears, birds, orcas, curious wanderers. The maples flare bright orange and gold against the deep greens of the firs and cedars. The morning fog sits low and heavy over the estuaries, giving way to clear, gentle afternoons if you’re lucky. The trails empty out. The beaches fall silent. Even the rain feels like a reset, rinsing off the dust from the hot summer.
Fall is slow here, and slow is good.
Fall is wet here, and wet is real.
Fall is cozy here, and cozy is what makes van life feel like home.
Learning the Wet Coast the Hard Way
My first winter living full-time in a Westy was equal parts chilly and charming. I’d park outside the woodshop, plug into power, and run a little space heater. That thing blew the fuse more than once, leaving me to wake up to the kind of cold that makes you question your life choices.
With the pop-top closed, the van heated up fast. But it lost heat even faster. My Westy wasn’t winterized; it was a tin can on wheels and way too many holes. I spent nights with a roll of tuck tape, running my hands along the walls and window seals, looking for any breeze sneaking in.
The funniest part?
I had no idea the air vents on an ’80s van don’t automatically close when you turn the key off. So every night I had to remember to shut them manually or I’d wake up to frosty windows inside the van.
But the mornings… the mornings made all of it worth it.
I’d wake up cocooned in a sleeping bag and a hoodie, breath fogging up the air, and the windows dripping with dew. First move was always the same: jump out of bed, throw on a heavier hoodie, and fire up the coffee on the little burner. Then I’d slide open the door and step outside into the stillness.
That shock of cold in the sea air hits you like a reset button. And the smell of the wet cedar and fir we salvaged filled my nose.
Nothing else really matters in that moment than just being present… And oh the coffee!
Those early winter lessons became the foundation for my fall camping routines today. Pack warm. Close the vents. Check for leaks before you go! And then let the Island slow you down.
This Is Why Fall Camping Works
Fall camping forces you into presence. There’s no rushing through a cold morning. You move slower, breathe deeper, pay attention to small things. Fog on the windows, the bird songs through the trees, the sound of rain on the pop-top.
The Westy in fall feels like a small cabin you can roll anywhere. You get to experience the Island without the crowds and without the pressure to squeeze every moment into perfect weather. Fall teaches you to enjoy the in-between, when the days are shorter, the roads quieter, and the Island settles into a calmer rhythm that visitors rarely get to see.
How to Do Fall Shoulder Season Right
If you’ve never toured Vancouver Island in the fall, here’s what we can tell yea:
Where to go
Parks, Inlets and for quiet trails and foggy viewpoints.
Local hatcheries: Campbell River is known as the “Salmon Capital of the World”. And Gold Stream Provincial Park during the salmon run, it’s magic.
Seaside villages: Cowichan Bay, Chamainise, Telegraph Cove, where the pace slows.
What to expect
Rain. Real rain. Maybe some sun…. But plan for rain.
Quiet roads, Always be aware of wildlife crossing.
Humpbacks have gone south for the winter but Orcas and Sealions come from all over.
Mornings that start slow.
What to pack
Layers: hoodies, waterproof shells, wool socks.
A camera, for those moments you’ll always remember.
A dry bag for wet gear.
When to go
Mid-September to mid-October: crisp, colorful, and mostly dry.
Late October to early November: wetter but incredibly alive with the Salmon Run
A Westy Built for Slow Mornings
A lot of people want to experience fall on the Island, but they don’t necessarily want the ‘duck tape and blown fuse’ version I lived through. That’s where Base Camp’s Westys come in. They’re dialed for shoulder-season comfort: heavy blankets, quality sleeping bags, space heaters for powered sites, and all the guidance you need to stay warm and dry. The small things that make a cold morning feel like part of the adventure, not a battle.
And because fall is quieter around here, it’s one of the best times for nostalgic road-trippers and European travelers to tour the Island on their own rhythm. Slow roads, slow mornings, slow coffee. That’s the vibe.
If that sounds like your kind of trip, our Westys are ready whenever you are.
When the Island Whispers Slow Down
Fall is when Vancouver Island speaks softly. The fog rolls in, the sea lions wake the harbor, the maples flare up, and the whole coast settles into something calm, alive, and deeply grounding.
If you ask me, this is when the Island shows its real magic.
- Dylan