Y walk: Upper Goldstream Trail

Upper Goldstream Y Walk - arrow shows elevenses spot

 
A gorgeous fall day on Tuesday. The Y walk was in a totally new area for me. We walked through lush rain forest with tall Douglas fir and various trees draped with hanging moss.  We ended the walk by detouring to Goldstream Falls.

Goldstream Falls

Upper Goldstream River

The environment was a haven for mushrooms.  We came across one that looked as though it was covered with a slick gell and the other acting as a goblet for water.

Catching up!!

Shire horse with a long forelock

It has been sometime since I last posted.  Life has been busy!!  Anyway, thinking back to early September, on the suggestion of a friend, I went to the Saanich Fall which is held every Labour Day.  This fair has the claim of being the longest continuous running fair in Western Canada.   The day was hot and I treated myself to an ice cream cone which I ate as I wandered around.   There were sheep and llama's being walked around on halters; miniature horses, light horses and large draft horses showing off their stuff; goats, rabbits, hens, chickens, donkeys, food stalls, and barns full of produce and crafts with prize ribbons attached to the lucky winners.  I watched a cup cake eating contest with the winner taking home the $25 prize and saw and heard young children enjoying the midway rides.  I will definitely go again.

Went to Oak Bay with family in mid-September and my sister captured a couple of paddle boarders in the bay.  I hadn't seen this sport before but understand that it is quite popular.  We ate at the cafe and on our way in were entertained by a young child throwing food to a harbour seal.  I am still enamoured of the scenery and sealife on the island.








There have been a Y walks, of course.  Last week we walked around the Willow Beach area in Oak Bay.  We passed a house where the owner was creatively using golf clubs and tea cup and saucer sets stuck on stakes to tie up the dahlias, and using the cups and saucers for a hickory dickory clock.   We were told that the owner is an elderly woman who does all the work herself.  I didn't have my camera and decided to return another day to take pictures.
















The same day I returned to take the dalia pictures I had a successful geocache (with the aid of the hint!!) at Cattle Point. I needed the hint as it was one of those micro caches that I usually do not find.  The red arrow marks the spot of the cache.  The container for this micro cache was a tiny plastic tube that with a tiny roll of paper on which to write the date of the find.  There was just enough room for me to add my information.

I returned to the car via the beach. The tide had come in bringing with it a lovely deep green seaweed which was being gathered by a family.  I wish I had gone over and asked why she was gathering it.  I know seaweed used as fertilizer in gardens, as a beauty aids and used in cooking.

Dogs are everywhere.  These are not strays but well loved and catered to animals.  Most of them are friendly and will come up asking for a pat or attention.  Often they are like children playing in the sand or in the water.   I was particulaly amused by a golden retriever who waded out up to its belly and just stood looking down into the water.  It would come out, shake the excess water from its coat and wade back in again.  In the meantime, its owner lounged on the beach reading her book and keeping an occasional eye on her pet.

Mount Washington from Oak Bay Marina

It was a beautiful sunny day on B.C. Day (August 1) and it was an easy decision to go to Oak Bay Marina with mum for a stroll and picnic lunch.  The air was so clear that we got an extraordinary view of Mount Baker in Washington State. Wikepedia tells us that: "At 10,778 feet (3,285 m), it is the third-highest mountain in Washington State and the sixth-highest in the Cascade Range... not counting a subpeak of Mount Rainier." 

Mt Baker is also a volcano with a very active history in the 19th century but less active history in the 20th century.
It has the greatest volume of snow and ice within the Cascade Range volcanoes (with the exception of Rainier).
Its name was given by local Native Americans and means "White Steep Mountain"
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/cascades/mt_baker.htm

Mount Baker seen from Oak Bay Marina

Yachts in Oak Bay Marina

Victoria Symphony Splash

I went down to Inner Harbour yesterday for the 22nd annual Symphony Slash.  This is a huge event that has 40,000 thousand people sitting or standing around the harbour, on the lawn of the Legislative Building and Empress Hotel, on boats in and around the harbour, and leaning out the windows of the Empress.  "Admission" is by donation as the event is free. 

Each year the concert has a theme and this year the selections were nature-themed to honour B.C. Parks' 100th anniversary.  The selections included old favourites such as Roses From the South by Johann Strauss, Coming Up Roses by Jules Styne and By the Sleepy Lagoon by Eric Coates. But for me, the most beautiful and impressive piece was Winds of Kananaskis by seventeen-year-old Jared Richardson.  He spoke from the barge where the orchastra played and told us that he composed the piece when he was 15 after a vacation to the Alberta Rockies.  Also featured each year is an up and coming artist.  This year it was 11 year-old soloist Alice Haekyo Lee on violin. 

The evening always concludes with a performance of  of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, accompanied by fireworks and cannons which is followed by pipers ending the evening with Amazing Grace. 

Being a tourist in BC

Had out of town friends visit between July 11 and 20th.  It gave me an opportunity to play tourist and show them places on the Island and for them to show me places during our drive to Calgary.   Except for the two days in Victoria it rained for most of the drip but it didn't "dampen" our spirits. 

Tour itinerary included: downtown Victoria, Whitty's Lagoon (seals), Fort Rod Hill and Lighthouse, Chamainus (wall murals and picnic lunch), Little Qualicum Falls (walk), Ucluelet and its Wild Pacific Rim Trail (we saw a pod of Orcas and black bear across the inlet from our unit), Tofino/Long Beach/Wickaninnish Inn (walk on the beach, lunch and film on Sea Otters), Cathederal Grove (800 year old Douglas Fir trees), Coombs (goats on roof), Parksville (sandcastles), Mara Lake Prov Park (picnic), Three Valley Gap (western ghost town), Craigellachie (last spike), Rogers Pass (opening of TransCanada 1962), Yoho Nat'l Park (Takkakaw Falls), Kicking Horse Pass (spiral tunnels), Lake Louise, Banff, and Lake Minnewanka.  Photo album found at https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=103340800887993076561&target=ALBUM&id=5633483108728826161&authkey=Gv1sRgCIqHl9K15aDyzAE&invite=CIrE5esH&feat=email

Long Beach is beautiful in sun, cloud or rain.  I have walked the beach twice now and both times were in rain.  It didn't stop us from taking our pictures (even of each other!!)

Linda B taking a pitcture of me

Me taking a picture of Linda B

Linda (Ontario) and Barbara (Switzerland) Parksville Sand Sculptures

In Parksville we were there for the opening of the sand sculpting competition. The opening was done with a flourish of drumming, speeches and ribbon cutting.  Last year I saw the sculptures after they were finished.  This year we were there while they were still being created.  It was facinating to watch the artists completing their creations.  The first 100 people were given a small container of Parksville sand and, as we were among that first 100 we left with our free momento.  There was a map with pins to show where visitors to the event came from.  My visitors were able to pin Ontario and Switzerland!!.



Takkakaw Falls in Yoho Park, according to Wikepedia, is a glacier fed fall and is the second-highest waterfall in Western Canada. At its highest point the fall is 384m (1260ft), a measurement taken from its base. The actual free-fall of water, though, is 254m (833 ft). Takkakaw is a loose translation from Cree meaning "it is magnificent." While there, we saw a helicopter heading off into the interior with supplies.

Cowichan Bay Art Walk

A friend and I went to Cowichan Bay for an art walk.  The weather was lovely - not too hot and not too cold and it only took us an hour to get there.  We parked the car outside the village and took the gratis school bus ride in.  This was the first time that either of us had been in a school bus.  Our first stop was at Arthur Vickers' Shipyard Gallary.  His work is outstanding and we had an opportunity to speak with him and learned about his treatment of light.  http://www.arthurvickers.com/collection/   It was fun for me to meet with Arthur Vickers because I was in the studio of Roy Vickers, his brother, in Tofino a month ago.
Another artist I was pleased to met and see her work was Sue Coleman.  I almost bought home a picture but I resisted!!!

It took us several hours to visit the 29 artists in part because we would spend time chatting with them and learning how they created their art form.  Half way through we stopped for a cool glass of beer overlooking the bay and later had half a crab lunch which we ate at table on the sidewalk.

Cowichan Bay itself is a unique community as it gives a glimpse into west coast maritime lifestyle.  As promised in the write up, we saw the colourful and picturesque shops, restaurants and cottages  buwhich are built on stilts over the water's edge.  I will be back because there was a lot we didn't get to see.  For example: the oldest lawn tennis court in the world after Whimbledon; a 1890 stone "butter" church so named because the builders were paid in butter and the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre.

Cowichan Bay shops, restuarants and cottages on stilts

Muir Creek Beach Fossils

Marji preparing us for the field.  Chris is on her left

Wednesday June 15th was an interesting and fun filled Day.  Volunteers for the fossil animation cart were taken on a Royal BC Museum field trip to Muir Creek beach in Sooke.  The trip was arranged by Chris O'Conner and led by Marji Johns. Its purpose was to prepare us for our new volunteer roles starting in July.  Chris is the sponsor for this project.

We had barely set foot on the beach when a woman walking her dog pointed out Orcas swimming within viewing distance (and I paid to see whales in Tofino and here it was for free!) 

Marji was patient in explaining what we were seeing on the beach and teaching us how to look at what is today and what it might be in another million years. One example is how the wave patterns on the shore get fossilized as shown in the pictures below. 

Wave ripples tomorrow

Wave ripples today

There were many highlights including how the fossils are found in the cliff face (it was like looking at nature's own hieroglyphics); seeing fallen limestone gently chiseled to reveal  25 million year old beach fossils; seeing how similar the beach fossils are to our present day shells.  It was also exciting to be shown a fault line, small sand-filled burrows, the different layers of rock formations and the process of protecting the fossil samples for transportation to the Museum.

Tidal zone fossils

Fault line and sand filled burrow (bottom)

Inside fossiled rock

Wraping fossil sample for RBCM

25 million year old beach fossil

All in all a great day: new friends, new learning, new adventure!!

More pictures via Picasa web
https://picasaweb.google.com/103340800887993076561/MuirCreekBeachFossilsSooke?authkey=Gv1sRgCKngntqAuumw-gE#

Adventure trip to Ucluelet and Tofino

View from the Unit

Sunday June 12/11: I drove up to the Water’s Edge Resort in Ucluelet.  I couldn't have asked for a better day to drive up or a more welcoming resort.  The unit lived up to its promise by being right on the water’s edge and being serene and peaceful. Outside the unit window was an enormous, but at the same time graceful, nursing tree stump.  The stump is backset by a channel which is used by small craft to make their way to a sheltered harbour which, on the map is called a boat basin.  The reflection of the small crafts in the water made for picture postcard.   A picture opportunity I didn’t take as I was so caught up with the Resort’s amenities.  As I will be back here in a month, I will make time for photo opportunities.

Unit 107

Qualicum Little Falls Provincial Park

Runoff from Lower Falls

On the way up to Ucluelet I stopped at Qualicum Little falls where I had lunch sitting beside the falls. Free lunch, free seat by the water, life can’t getter any better. Because of the rainy spring the falls were like a boiling cauldron of water. 

Upper Falls

Wild Pacific Trail - Lighthouse, Otters, Trees and Sea Foam

Amphitrite Point Lighthouse
Wild Pacific Trail

Once I got settled into the wonderful RCI resort I walked the Amphrite Lighthouse Loop of the Wild Pacific Trail which overlooks the Barkley Sound.  The lighthouse on the point is named after a naval warship.  Initially built out of wood in 1906 the lighthouse was rebuilt as is in 1915 after the wooden structure was destroyed by waves.

The trail features some beautiful scenes and the windswept trees. I was fortunate to watch sea otters feeding.  They are different from the river otters that I have seen around Victoria.  The sea otters are heavier and have rounder faces and it seem to have plusher coats.  While

Windswept trees on the Wild Pacific Trail

walking the trail the barking of sea lions floated in the air but they were not visible.  I also noticed what looked like soap suds floating on the water.  This is sea foam: tiny, single-celled plants mixed with air and water.  Sea foam signals that the sea water is alive and well and producing tons of food up the foodchain. Where I saw the sea foam is where the otters were feeding.

Sea Foam

Whale Watching
Monday June 13/11:   The day was spent exploring Ucluelet.  The two “have to” is the acquarium, Ucluelet’s, and walking the Lighthouse loop.  Also of interest is the Crow’s Nest, Ucluelet’s oldest store built in 19908.  Stopped in at the Pacific Rim National Park and explored various spots
of interest.

Tuesday June 14/11:  Looking out of the window early in morning I sighted a river otter and heron.  As quickly as they were seen they were gone.   The afternoon was spent on a whale watching adventure with Westcoast Aquatic Safaris on their new boat Nanuq.  We saw two humpbacks and one obligingly dived for us so we saw the white underneath its tail.  I didn’t capture that image but did catch on camera the two grey whales feeding among the seaweed for the small shrimp-like fish they like to feed on.  The sightings were much better with the binoculars!!  We stopped to look for harbour seals but they weren’t lazing on the rocks but we did see an enormous eagle perched up high looking grandly over the rocky area.  The trip took 2 ½ hours and it was time that went quickly with the sightings and with the ongoing information about whales, eagle, history of some of the islands, logging and mining protests past, present and possibly future, provided by our interpretive guide.

Nanuq (left) Wasco (Right)
Westcoasst Aquatic Safaris

Grey whale spouting water

One of the few manned light houses left on the west coast

Beacon Hill beauties

In 1777, Dr. Samuel Johnson said, "When a man is tired of London he is tired of life."  The same can be said for Victoria and its surrounding area.  There is so much to see and to do and to enjoy. 

Just down the road from where I live, at Ogden's Point, is the world's longest wall mural.  I have looked it often but not taken any pictures.  The mural is a project of the First People's on Vancouver Island and was started in 2009.  All the painting has been done by hand and done by young people.  The mural's website theunitywall.com has a video well worth watching.  Another time I will add my own pictures.  theunitywall.ca

Yesterday I wandered over to Beacon Hill Park with my camera.  I knew that if I went out without it I would be sorry.  Sometimes the beauty of this place takes my breath away.

Bridge is replica of medieval bridge in Britain

Reflection in pool creates an impressionstic painting