On the road early for two markets and a beach. First stop was Metchosin for their Sunday market. It's an established country market with permanent stalls for the vendors to use and plenty of food, produce and baking. Lots of young dogs being walked around the site too, getting love from passers-by. And a folk singer entertaining the shoppers and acting as a bit of a public lost and found, announcing lost glasses and the like.
Next stop was Shirley and their Sunday market. We've never been there before. It's on a patch of grass between the volunteer fire hall and Shirley Delicious, which is also the only two buildings in Shirley. It was a delight. 12-14 vendors, a stage with a female trio singing Lucinda Williams songs and a community barbeque grilling up burgers and dogs, beside a lemonade stand selling hand made, 32oz lemonade for a measely $6. We spent an outsized amount of time there before heading to French Beach.
The beach was excellent as usual. It was a cool, grey day but the water felt a little warmer than China Beach on Thursday so I waded in thigh deep, before settling on a log and reading. The skies eventually cleared as the tide came in and the big waves tossed rocks and driftwood along the shoreline. French Beach is a favourite because the water is always active and today was no exception.