UNPLUGGED: Camping in Porpoise Bay on the Sunshine Coast

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE GETTING AWAY from it all. Sometimes, a day in the woods just isn't enough to extricate myself from the rat race and I seek more drastic unplugging measures.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE GETTING AWAY from it all. Sometimes, a day in the woods just isn't enough to extricate myself from the rat race and I seek more drastic unplugging measures. This week's column takes us a little further from home to one of my favourite weekend destinations.PLACE: Porpoise Bay (CLICK FOR MAP) LOCATION: Sunshine Coast, B.C.

BC's beautiful Sunshine Coast is one of my favourite areas in the province. Its seaside towns and rambling country roads are a welcome respite from bustling city life and there's a calmness that overcomes me as I'm cruising down the 2 lane highway, blasting tunes selected by local radio station DJ "Dave-o-rama". The entire stretch of mainland coast is accessible only by a series of linking ferries and is well-known for camping, mountain biking, diving and boating.

Porpoise Bay is a small Provincial Park campsite located approximately 30 minutes away from the Langdale ferry terminal in Gibsons. The sites are spacious and clean and close to a well-manicured beachfront park area with picnic benches, a swimming zone and even children's playground. The one and only downside is that there are only communal fire pits, so be prepared to make new friends if you want s'mores.

A quick Google Map view will give you the lay of the land. And, here's a secret: if you switch to Satellite mode and scroll over to the left of the island near the dock, you may just find a hidden surprise. The best resolution is on your mobile handset. (We think it's a Grey Whale!)

We explored Porpoise Bay Beach on foot at low tide, although many like to hire kayaks and paddle out into Sechelt Inlet to check things out from the water. We came across all kinds of interesting things on our walk:

There are many destination points to visit within a short drive of the campsite: Smugglers' Cove, Pender Harbour and Halfmoon Bay are just a few. Our sites settled on Sargeant Bay Provincial Park, which is just 15 minutes from the campsite. This a small stretch of park that contains an estuary, a driftwood beach and a beautiful bluff that overlooks the open ocean - which we hiked. It was the perfect place to let our hair down and inhale the salty ocean air.

After our jaunt along the coast, it was time to head home. We stopped off along the Sunshine Coast Highway at Davis Bay to enjoy some of the best fish and chips I've had in a long time, courtesy of the Lighthouse Pub Food Truck. The perfect end to a satisfying and relaxing weekend away.