Primal Wilderness Rambling From Sunshine Coast

The first time I learnt of the campground at Homesite Creek was last June. I stumbled on their website while internet browsing. Rob and Debbie Kennedy – Sasquatch believers and Sasquatch seekers who used to attend Sunshine Coast Gospel Church with my family – are the owners. Like every other business, they have a Facebook page, which makes it that much easier to find. I looked at the online photos and saw that Homesite Creek Campground is located in the woods, somewhere around Halfmoon Bay. A perfect spot for sasquatch-loving people (and people-loving sasquatches).

After church one Sunday, my older cousin Christy started telling me about the place. “It’s so beautiful. There’s this lovely stream nearby. You just have to go there,” she said. I pretended not to know anything about it and told her I'd like to see this campground for myself. Based on the pictures I had seen, Homesite Creek Campground isn’t anywhere near a lake or an ocean. Not my idea of a place to camp. I had no desire to go there, but after Christy made it sound so appealing, I gave it some thought.

An opportunity presented itself on Easter weekend, after our family hiked around Smuggler’s Cove. I don’t remember who contacted who or why the idea came up, but my Uncle Grant suggested we go pay the Kennedys a visit. Turns out, Homesite Creek Campground is located two kilometers off Highway 101. The road leading up to the campground – a road with no name – isn’t paved. Since my younger cousin Anita doesn’t have a truck, it took us over twenty minutes to reach the campground.

We found the place nestled in the heart of the forest and astride a fast-moving stream. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting warmth and yellow glow on small patches of land. Yet, there were also some things I noticed that neither Christy nor the photos had revealed to me. The ground was mostly covered in dirt and gravel. There was little grass. There were also no outhouses and no campers (granted it was the end of March). There was no running water except the stream. The only real amenities were picnic tables and fire pits. It was a campground fit for those who like it rough or those who enjoy a medieval style adventure, as I do.

I honestly wouldn’t have minded it so much if the nearby stream had been a lake. There was stagnant water though. I wasn’t sure where because I couldn’t see it. I only knew it was there because my relatives said so. Wherever it was, the stagnant water created a problem. Mosquitos, medium sized and brown, buzzed around our heads as we exchanged conversation. Fortunately, we were fully clothed with only our heads and hands exposed, so the mosquitos mostly went home hungry. At one point, Rob eyeballed me and asked, “So, what do you think?”

I looked him back in the eyes, then did a double take of the campground. “It’s really nice. I like it.” I lied. The only thing I truly liked about this campground was the stream that tumbled over a small cliff, taking on the form of a mini waterfall. Christy was right in that regard: the stream was well worth the visit. As we left Homesite Creek Campsite, I asked myself: is this place still in the process of being developed? I can only hope that it is and that it’s completed before the onset of summer.

Deanna Proach is a travel writer, an avid lover of medieval history, and the author of two novels: To be Maria and Day of Revenge. Learn more about her by checking out her website found at www.crusadesandcrusaders.com.