Please note: Sessions are strictly by appointment only, I do not offer drop in sessions. Thank you!
5714 South Island Highway, Union Bay, BC This is the highway along the ocean
The house isn’t visible from the highway, so you’re looking for a parking area that accommodates 3 vehicles, next to the big blue house.
There are two flights of stairs, one from the parking lot level down to the driveway, and another from the driveway down to my studio. Please wear comfy and sturdy shoes for a safe journey. If you are concerned about being able to navigate the stairs or driveway, please email me, Erin@HeavenLeeMessenger.com. If you don’t hear back from me within 24 hours, please check your junk and spam folders.
Directions coming from the North (ie Courtenay or Campbell River, along the South/Old Island Highway)
Directions coming from the South (ie Qualicum, Nanaimo, or Victoria, or if you choose to come along the Inland Island Highway, Highway 19)
Follow Cliffe Avenue out of Courtenay. Just past the Wal-mart in Courtenay, Cliffe turns into the South Island Highway, also known as the Old Island Highway.
You’ll pass through Royston and the Kingfisher Resort.
Coming into Union Bay, you’ll cross over the 4 lanes into Union Bay and go over a small bridge.
On the right hand side, you’ll pass the Union Bay Community Hall, the Highway Man Pub, Historic Post Office and Critter’s Cafe.
Soon there will be houses on the left (ocean) side of the highway and my home studio is almost at the very end of this stretch of houses.
You’ll know you’re getting close (so please slow down) when on the left/ocean side you see:
A little grey garage with a red roof
A big yellow house
A large row of hedges and a sign for 5710
A brand new, big blue house with a long fence in front, right on the highway (this is 5712).
My parking lot is just on the other side of the big blue house. Please park in the parking area and not in front of the fence/blue house. That is our neighbour’s home and property.
See below for parking and how to get down to the house.
If you miss the parking lot, don’t worry! There are several easy turning points a little beyond my parking area. Keep driving down the highway, you’ll pass Baynes Sound Oysters on the left, and just past there, there is a pull out for the bus, and a rest stop a little further along. These are both easy pull outs that will allow you to turn around. Take your time and Breathe!
Follow the Inland Island Highway north until you come to exit 101 – this is the exit for Union Bay, Buckley Bay and the Denman and Hornby Island Ferries.
Take exit 101 and at the stop sign, turn right to follow the exit down to the ocean.
This will bring you to an intersection with a Petro-Can gas station. This is the Old or South Island Highway. Turn Left onto the South Island Highway. From this point, it is approximately 6 km to my home studio.
Once you turn onto the highway, you will pass a row of houses, and then a beautiful stretch where you drive along side the ocean.
Start to slow down as you come close to the Baynes Sound Oysters (a large white building on the ocean side of the highway). It is at this point that the speed limit drops down from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. Slow right down as my property comes up quickly from here.
There will be houses on the right/ocean side of the highway, and my parking lot is one of the first driveway areas on the right side. There is a 60 km/h sign right before my parking lot and on the other side a big, blue house.
Please park in the parking area (there is room for 3 cars), and not in front of the big fence (which is in front of the blue house), and please don’t pull down the driveway as that would box in several vehicles. Thank you.
If you pass the parking lot, don’t worry! There is an easy turn around point if you drive up a little further. McLeod Road, or in front of the Union Bay Market are both really easy areas to turn around. Take your time and Breathe!
Parking diagram – set up for classes. If you’re coming for a personal session, please don’t block any vehicles in, but feel free to park anywhere in the parking area or along the highway, depending on your preference.
View of the parking area if you’re coming from the North (Courtenay)
Another view of the parking area if you’re coming from the North (Courtenay)
View as you’re driving from the South. This is the berm, and the parking area is just past the 60 km speed limit sign. The blue house is in the background
Once you park, you’ll head through this area. Please don’t come down the hill, come down the stairs on the right instead.
The stairs leading down to the driveway
When you come down the driveway, turn to the left towards the house at the bottom. The stairs to my studio are right next to the house