They Just Walked Away | Cole Island | Abandoned Ammunition Base | Destination Adventure 

isn't that just like us always late to the dance.... preservation of our historical past 💞

Wow, what a treat to see this video! My grandparents built a house at the end of this bay in the nineteen forties. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away shortly after it was completed. My mum would take me and my three siblings on the newly minted BC ferries to visit my nana every Easter and summer. We had little boats that we paddled out to Cole Island (no parents!) where we created our own imaginary adventures! Awww, such good times! We used to see people in small boats that were laden down with bricks that they had taken from the island. This was illegal, but people did it anyway. My gnarly granny would phone the police at first, there was little response. Thanks for the memories, Dustin! You're a real pro, I just love your videos.

What fantastic cinema photography!

Abandoned? Not! The Friends of Cole Island have been maintaining the site since 2005 when vandals set in. The Provincial Government and Parks Canada have undertaken extensive restoration works of the buildings and footings and the Friends of Cole Island rebuilt the historic wooden walkway in 2018 through a BC/Canada 150 grant. The Island features interpretive signage and is now accessible to those with ambulatory issues. Currently the buildings are not open to the public but there are viewing windows. Great place to visit!

This is the kind of history that needs to be shown. Love your videos, very entertaining and informative!

welcome to the island! Stop by in Nanaimo and we'll go for coffee.

Dustin: Kudos to you for openly showing that part 1 of this adventure didn't go as planned but as per usual it turned out great. Could be said its not about the destination but the adventure. If you we not looking for a specific location no doubt you would have found and adventure on Coal Island. Anyone of us who seeks out specific adventure destinations is lying if they can't admit to ending up at our fair share of shall we say alternate locations. I've invested hours only to end up at the wrong or no trailhead.

I love hearing about this kind of history that was nearly forgotten.

Awesome video! We forget how beautiful BC is, until we see videos like this.

I was stationed at CFB Esquimalt in 1972 and I never knew this was there! Thanks for this piece of our history.

Man your video's are awesome, you have a great presence in front of the camera as well as voice commentary about subjects, Please keep em coming!

A place that housed war ammunition seems so peaceful today. Nice video

I immediately recognized that island ..32yrs ago when I lived in Victoria , I made a deal with a brick company to dismantle the buildings and sell the bricks for $1 each ..I ended up moving away and never did it

Loved this island! Glad to know that they will restore it! Great that the buildings are made of bricks! Thank you for sharing this wonderful find❤️

It's looking good. Great tour, thanks!

Wow, still in great shape on the outside, after all those years.

I live just a few kms. away and didn't know about it. Thanks for the introduction!

Have not been there for about 15 years now. Looks a lot better now 👍

Two islands for the price of one. This was a cool site. I live near a site where gunpowder was produced for the union army and us army up until ww1. It is now a park and my favorite zen history site.

NICE VIDEO AND MUSIC. THANKS

Always wondered what was left of the island. Happy you got a chance to check it out!

So stoked for these van island adventures! Didn't know about this one, def kayaking out soon!

NANAIMO LAKES, NANAIMO RIVER. lots of spots to park along the road and walk down for a dip in the river. Old powerhouse at JORDAN RIVER

I need to be doing other stuff but your adventures are so addicting

Nice exploring!

I want to visit it now. Thanks Dustin for another terrific new adventure video. Love watching them.

I would love to visit this island and thanks for the information

This is Awesome

Wow that couldn't be in Washington State, here everything needs to be tagged and garbage left for others to recover. So nice seeing a nice place for a change! Beautiful!

Dustin, wow good find to show us. Wish the video was longer. I really like the videos.

Again another awesome job sweetie love it 👍♥️

Just found your channel. We especially Like your content and that you are travelling to outdo way places. If I may suggest when you are panning that you slow down a bit so we get to enjoy the views a little more. Keep em coming

Wear a lifejacket. lots of people run into trouble out in a little kayak.

Very cool, O' the difference between an a and an e 🤭

The ammunition was obviously distributed in small vessels to the various bases and fotrs that required it. In Newfoundland during WWII again small fishing boats and wooden schoonrrs / ketches were used to ferry ammunition and supplies to the places where Allied soldiers were in need of it. Many of these small fishing boats were shot out of the water by enemy submarines. An unknown aspect of Newfoundland WWII history.

great video !!

Well that was too short!

Well done.

When the facilities at Cole Island were in use, ships would unload their powder and explosive shot/shells for storage here before tieing up at the Esquimalt docks. Take some time to visit the Navel museum at CFB Esquimalt, very interesting and you can learn more about the use of Cole Island as well.

800 yr old fir tree at the top of a logging road near Huson Caves VI..logging road is called Telkwa Main Huson Caves is cool too.

i had a friend that lived right by there by the bridge and i wish i knew of this back in the day we would have tried to go there but we would fuck around at the military base right close there and there is fort rodd hill is right by there too on the way to the lagoon and it has lots of old buildings like this that have been maintained.

this is great

Nice !

Great 👌👍

How good are those brick arches? That is craftsmanship!

Hey Dustin what a wicked spot! Me Hannah and our dog Harvey are going to boat there and have a look ourselves! It was great meeting you in port renfrew watching salmon jumping and we wish you a safe and happy journey! We will be keeping up with the rest of your trip, take care buddy

You should defiantly hit san Josef bay up on northern Vancouver island. There are lots of cool spots up there if you do some googling. I’ve been in a few abandoned mines and old settlements.

Chelsy and I love every thing you do please be safe. This is my baby.

Saw you on Hwy 14 today. I hope the road went ok - it has some nasty heaves on the way to Renfrew (and back). The smoke was as thick as fog - not great to see the amazing views on parts of that road. Good luck with the rest of your trip on VI.

Totally forgot about that place . Hope you took a trek around Ft. Rodd Hill Historic site while in the area . Ok check out the Highest falls in Canada . Northwest of Port Alberni . I think it's near the end of Great Central Lake .

Heya weclome to victoria my dude!!!

You should check out the abandoned power plant in Jordan River and the ruins of a resort at the Sooke Potholes while you are on the island.

SUX when you go to the wrong place.😲

cool

Dustin amazing place, close to the water I think about winter with the frozen water !!!! 👍😉

Hit Darcy Island used to be a Leper Colony while your in the area

LOL... I had 3 military copters, 2 frigates and a zodiac zoome in on me in esquimalt harbour as it's illegal to get within 150 meters of any DND property. OOPS. They were very polite and asked me to leave. they said there might be unexploded munitions on the island.

number 1 to like video

I know a guy who went to Sioux City instead of Sioux Falls. Oh well-

Using a kayak paddle as a stand up paddle, fucking mint 👌🏻😎 I didn't even know this place exists! I am definitely going to take a paddle over there myself - is public access even allowed?

Any plans to connect with subs while here on the island? Could show you some old interesting train trestles (not the popular one everyone walks to) back in Lake Cowichan area......

Island starts at 1.45. Cut the jibber jabber

finder's keepers...it's a rule.

that is it ?? only like 4 min ? i was expecting to see more than 4 min..

Where’s the intro ? Who’s channel is this ? Surely there is some of the world left to discover. 😉

I’m British but not Colombian 🤪 it annoys me that people feel the need to vandalise places of beauty, how would they like it if we went and vandalised there house? 😞

Take me and I’ll bring my metal detector !

should be a unesco site

A map and compass work alot better.

honestly, a 4:25 minute video, where the first 2 minutes is you kayaking, is not "cole island"... it is "me kayaking"

Wear your PDF!

Haven't been able to watch the last two vids. The audio works, but it stays on one frame and just stutters. And your skin is blue.