Taking a Shower

I crept out of the house onto the driveway as fast and as silently as I could, light rain was falling and I managed to take one more picture with flash, the owl was watching me and a raindrop gives a moody moon effect in the picture.

Barred Owl

In the evenings and at dusk we hear these chaps behind the house and we were enthralled last night when one flew past our side window and landed on our hydro wires in front of the house. This first picture was taken through the front window.

Buzzing the Gazebo

A little slower than the Fraser Blues but here we are buzzing Gibsons Pier and Gazebo back in June, Thanks to my mother-in-law for the great picture. She has documented her trip across Canada and a visit here to Gibsons in her blog http://escapingchorley.blogspot.com/

Artisan IPA

Bowen Island Brewery (which isn't on Bowen Island) have excelled in their latest offering of an Artisan crafted India Pale Ale. This, in our opinion, exceeds the tasty quotient of Bowen Island Extra Pale Ale. This is indeed a very tasty beer.

And introducing....

Sergeant Pepper:

Today in Tomatoes

I think we will be having a tsunami of tomatoes in the next few weeks.

Today in Paddling

A day that could melt the heart of anyone on this harsh planet of ours, a long, slow paddle out of the gap, around Preston Island with Seals, Otters, Eagles, Herons and all others lining up to compete with what was just pure bliss, good weather, great conditions, good friends and water borne chatter.

Gosh

This sensational photo is from this weeks Coast Reporter, first hand pictures from one of the Fraser Blues Navion aircraft during our Sea Cavalcade last weekend. Photo : Allie Nichol

Business as usual

The GLHA (Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority) don't need bigger boats, they just want everyone to bring theirs and pay rent for a year long hole in the water.

Permission to Buzz the Gazebo

In this world of political correctness, is was a refreshing change to see a close-up display of excellent flying, the likes of which is a dying art in these fiscally responsible years. 

Summer is finally here

Although summer started a month ago, today actually felt like it. Hopefully the end of the Sea Cavalcade for 2011 indicates the start of a true Indian Summer. It wasn't the best cavalcade this year, but we enjoyed ourselves and look forward to more sunny days.

Four-Fifths

The Fraser Blues usually fly five classic Navion aircraft, they had five up yesterday but today they ran their display with just four.

Fraser Blues

The future of the Sea Cavalcade, and the Fraser Blues display team is in doubt, hopefully we will see the team in action next year, but for now, here are a few great shots of todays performance.

Aftermath

Coast Guard Auxiliary unit 14 having some fire extinguishing practice.

Boom

As usual. More driftwood in the harbor.

Countdown

Gibsons Sea Cavalcade policing prior to the expected boat explosion.

Boat

A handsome visitor to the harbor for the Sea Cavalcade.

Bull

The Steak House extension of Smitty's Oyster house is progressing slowly and looks like it might be finished too late in the season to be of any use to the tourists. Looking forward to having our first steak there.

Sea Cavalcade 2011

As we walked down to the marina for this years Saturday parade the Fraser Blues flew overhead providing a fantastic photo opportunity.

Breakfast

A couple of early morning visitors to our front garden, I was standing in my pajama's at the front door taking this picture as the pair of them chomped on the salad bar again.

Huli

Sunday the 17th of July was the first of the two Gibsons Paddle Club Huli days, days in the year when capsizing a canoe is acceptable.

As the Pacific Ocean is warmer (relative term) at this time of year (as opposed to September or early October) we decided to volunteer in the OC4 support boat and also participate in an OC6 Huli practice.

All went well and it was a great day. Someone was taking pictures so we'll try and upload some soon.

Tomatoes and a Pepper

Later than normal, our vegetables are doing what they are supposed to do, a couple of tomatoes and a pepper from our front step.

The Chase

Eagle versus Theagle, Theagle was chased and then Eagle returned to before mentioned rock.

Eagle on a Rock

A bald eagle was sitting, minding his own business on a rock with Canada Geese friends when he was buzzed by an annoyed seagull, hilarity ensued.

Paradise

Siwash Rock.

Watery Tart

More of the same, cheese sandwiches, wallets and MP3 players secured in tupperware and we continued in the dampness, not that we were complaining, it was fantastic.

Especially with the occasional wet woman on a rock.

Stanley Park Sea Wall

The sea wall walk is about nine kilometers, very scenic, rather wet on Thursday and here is the Brockton Point Lighthouse that overlooks Burrard Inlet. A gap in the rain and the camera was allowed it's duty.

Vancouver

It was a rainy day, Thursday, but we walked around Stanley Park, about ten kilometers of dampness and nature and lovely.

Here, a series of pictures with occasional commentary, a lovely Thursday before a couple of beers.

Langdale Ferry Terminal

Hopkins Landing

Hopkins Landing is down near the ferry terminal at Langdale, here the Queen of Coquitlam, the BC Ferries local service to Horseshoe Bay, was maneuvering into dock.

Marine Drive

Photo taken along Marine Drive near Hopkins Landing. North Shore Mountains across Howe Sound.

Tiger Swallowtail

This handsome thing was photographed along Reed Road during our walk today, we believe it to be a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, quite common on the coast at the moment.

Belted Kingfisher

Usually when we take our camera on a walk, we see no wildlife. Usually when we see a bird flying and try to take a picture it never works out, today was an exception. We arrived down at Hopkins Landing after a long walk and Karen spotted a Belted Kingfisher, who spotted the pair of us and took off like a rocket.

Snap.

Kiwi's are so negative

Factual evidence:

This during an extended four and a half hour Skype session at the weekend, alcohol was involved and mucho talking across the world. I bet now that Microsoft own Skype they will kill this type of freeby off pretty quickly.

Canada Day

It is amazing that a week has gone by, a whole week since the paddle club gave members of the public a chance to go out in a canoe around the bay.

Two years ago, we were members of the public and not just members.

It is amazing that two years has gone by...

Crucil

The new house across the road on Tricklebrook is almost finished, pictures soon.

At the South end of the road, Crucil, a new townhouse complex is underway, eight new single family dwellings in such a small space. We will track the progress here.

Foundations on July 1st, 2011

Salad Bar

Shopping

We had just arrived back from our walk, we had been shopping, and in the garden a pair of male deer who had been feasting on the salad bar that Karen affectionately calls her garden.

Here, Karen is offering desert, while I creep up behind with some barbecue sauce....

At the back, steering

Today was my first paddle as a steerperson.

The weather and marine reports indicated winds at 10-15 knots and basically a calm and normal day, I had taken my steering clinic a few weeks back and I was ready for a nice calm paddle down to Granthams landing.

It was, and then, it wasn't.

The return journey was difficult, winds picked up to probably 25-30 knots, we were in an OC4 and the wind was in our faces, plus the tide was coming in, so the boat was a handful, it was, surprisingly, a lot of fun.

So, there you go, just a journal entry of the first time.