The Ward Wide Weblog

Tough Day

2010-12-18T03:43:00.000Z

Looked out the window this morning, saw the mountains covered in fresh snow. Checked my email, grabbed a bite of breakfast, dropped the kids and Gesa off at school.

Called my client at the ski resport, arranged a fifteen minute catch up. Now had an excuse to go, so drove up the mountain, did three runs in foot deep fresh powder, met Adam briefly, back in the office by 11am.

Winter in Cumberland is tough.

First skiing trip!

2010-12-06T08:03:00.000Z

So we live just half an hour's drive from a great ski resort, Mt Washington. We have managed to get ourselves sorted out with season passes, skis and gear for us all and winter tyres for the car, so we're looking forward to many days up on the hill.

Since the kids have never been near a pair of skis before, we booked them into lessons for this morning. They had a great time, Max is getting the hang of it and Issie appears to be a bit of a natural.

We put a bit of video of Issie here on youtube

Issieism

2010-11-04T04:06:00.001Z

We're walking home tonight and Issie says....

"I'm so accident prone, if I had a dollar for every cut and bruise I'd had, I'd be a millionaire...."
"Hmm, you're not accident prone. And anyway, a millionaire?"
"Yes, a millionaire"
"So Issie, how many days have you been alive?"
We work it out. 8 years is about 3000 days so that means about 330 cuts and brusies each day. I think someone would have arested Mummy and I by now.
"A thousand dollars every time.....??"

Maybe it's tough having a dad who insists on the numbers.....

Friends & Family Visit

2010-09-16T20:07:00.000+01:00

Sometimes I just need to remind myself how rich we are to have such a wonderful family and group of friends. We are fortunate to have had many come and visit us in our new home this year. We loved showing them how gorgeous British Columbia is and why we chose to call it home. We have still so much to explore, but Vancouver Island alone can keep us occupied for years!

In March, Nick's sister Beth and her husband Phil flew over from England. We enjoyed walks in the Cumberland Community Forest, sipping coffee in the local cafes, beer in the local pubs(!), checking out the music scene and pulling out my guitar (Phil is an awesome musician). In April, my Dad arrived from Montreal for a three week stay, taking advantage of the glorious warm, bright spring days to explore the surrounding area. In May, Nick's parents arrived from the UK, enjoying a few days of overlap with my Dad, and applying their joint gardening skills to our garden (thank you!). By June, my friend Helen had made her way from Amsterdam to BC for the start of a two month break. We loved having her drop in and out between her adventures in the Rockies and the island. Julia and Aiden took on a mammoth adventure driving up from Carlsbad, southern California, to little old Cumberland. Beach, picnics, sandcastles, Dairy Queen, need I say more? Awesome fun. Finally, at the end of the summer we caught up with an old Cambridge volleyball friend, Kevin, now living back in Vancouver.

We love our little corner of the world, and especially sharing it with friends and family. Our doors are always open, so come on by.

Trains, Beavers & Bowling Balls

2010-06-07T07:03:00.001+01:00

Nick started his journey to England on Monday 31st May by catching a ride with me in our car from Cumberland to Courtenay. From there, he hopped aboard the VIA train that runs once a day from Courtenay to Victoria. He only needed the first leg of the journey which would set him off in Nanaimo. From there, he walked down to the marina and spent the night on TyDewi, before catching the early morning ferry on Tuesday that would take him to Vancouver on the mainland. From Horseshoe Bay he took the Express bus to downtown and switched over to the SkyTrain that took him right to the airport. A few hours wait and he was on a plane and 8 hours later landed at London Gatwick. Hmm, then not sure if he took a bus or train, but once in Cambridge, I believe he took a taxi from the station. Why do I mention all this? Because Nick was extremely proud that he used his own power and public transport for all but 10 km of the journey. Ever since moving to BC, we have been trying even harder to reduce our dependence on a car. We still remain a one car family, yeah!

For the rest of us left behind in Canada, sigh, we have kept busy. We started swim lessons again, and enjoyed several Beaver outings. Issie and her friend Isaac, swam (graduated) up to Cubs in a ceremony at Camp Gilwell. It was also a chance for all the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures to have a final get together and send off before the summer holidays. We enjoyed cake, a walk down to the river, and an impromptu game of football (soccer).

This was followed by our own Beaver group camping trip to Comox Lake on Friday. After so much rain, we had no idea what to expect. However, the weather gods were in our favour and we had the most splendid weather. Our leader Nicole had already set up most of camp by the time we arrived, leaving more time for the kids to explore and play, and they certainly waisted no time. Issie immediately scolded me for not bringing her bathing suit. It NEVER occurred to me, after the cold and rain of the last two weeks, to do anything of the kind. Especially as the lake is glacier fed. So even in the summer it is on the chilly side. However, used to improvising, the kids decided they were fine to go in their underpants. While Max stayed mainly on the beach, Issie and Isaac did brave the fridged waters, with screams of delight. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and stayed up late around the campfire before snuggling into our cozy tent beds. It was a wonderful camping event even if the rain came just as we were packing up. Perfect timing is all I can say.

June is also a time for many school field trips. Last week Max and his class enjoyed some five-pin bowling. He had so much fun, he can't wait to show Daddy when he gets back, and is even planning to have his birthday there!! In the meantime, rolls of paper towel and a soccer ball make for good improvisation. Next week, Issie braves the outdoor pool with her class, while Max's heads off to Miracle Beach to rock pool. Watch this space.

REMEMBER TO CLICK ON THE COLLAGES TO GET A CLOSE-UP VIEW

Snow in June!

2010-06-07T05:47:00.000+01:00

Well, almost June! Just before Nick headed off to England, we drove up the mountain to walk in Paradise Meadows. Needless to say, the meadows are only slowly emerging, still under a whole heap of snow. This was very much to the delight of the children, while we tobogganed, built forts, threw snowballs, and generally had a great time.

Kids and their Imagination

2010-06-07T05:10:00.000+01:00

As many of you will know, Nick is away in England for the next few weeks, so the three of us are left holding down the fort. We have been plenty busy with school, swimming, Beavers, playdates, camping and more! Today however, being a Sunday, was a chance to catch up on some sleep and for Mummy to get some work done. So, the kids were left to their own devices.

We had a mellow start with some reading, followed by some DVD's. This inspired their next game of firefighter. They really wanted to use the hose, but from the 1st of June, water restrictions have taken effect already (despite all our rain), so he made do with the watering can. While I ran up and down between the computer, trying to mulitask with househould chores and keep a general eye, I noticed all the stuffies paired up. "What are you up to now?" I ask. "Oh, we all have partners and are heading to the ball. Who is going to be your partner Mummy, Daddy's is away?", asks Issie. I chose Chocolate, our newly acquired stuffed dog, snoozing under the rocking chair. Well, in actual fact, I was deligated to official photographer, to capture this wonderful moment.

Feeling somewhat guilty, and getting extremely annoyed at how long it was taking me to sort, upload, and figure out this online digital ordering, I bribed the kids into a shopping trip with promises of cake. "Ooo, who's birthday is it?" enthuses Max. "No one's, we can just have a cake because," I reply. "Well, in that case it is Howlie's 4th birthday today," answers Max. And so it is. With kids in tow, I manage to buy my photo supplies, groceries, and of course a cake, without any trouble or complaints. After dinner, we put in four candles plus one for good luck, sang "Happy Birthday" and indulged! "We have to save one for Daddy," Max insists. I try and explain it won't last that long (although I fear it probably would!!), but I decide to freeze a piece to satisfy his wish. So, Nick, remember to check the freezer on your return.

Somewhere between all that our neighbour Chris and two of his kids come over, and an impromptue playdate begins. I don't have much time to supervise, but the kids throw themselves into their imaginative world. Before long, Reilie comes down to me, obviously bored with the dolls, and wants help with the train track. Arg, I just so want to get the photos done. But I cannot refuse her adorable face, and while she looks on, I manage in about 5 minutes to put together a respectable track. Issie and Max reaped the benefits of this construction at the end of the day.

Watching them today I was so impressed with how resourceful they were, and what fun they had. Who needs tv, computer games, or other fancy gadgets?!

Seal Bay Regional Nature Park

2010-04-07T07:41:00.000+01:00

I love these photos so much I thought they deserved their own post!

Easter Weekend

2010-04-07T07:35:00.000+01:00

With Spring Break done and dusted, our Easter Break consisted of a four-day long weekend. Good Friday we sat out the fearce Spring storm that hit the island and west coast with wind gusts up to 98 km/h recorded at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal! Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oozH6Veba-Q&feature=related for a short news video to see how bad it really was. The historic Mill Bay Marina near Victoria was destroyed with many boats tossed ashore like toys. Although our marina in Nanaimo had their hands full dealing with lines and wandering boats, TyDewi, thankfully weathered the storm well, needing only a few extra lines to keep her safe and secure.

By dinner time Friday, the front had passed, making way for a beautiful, albeit cool Saturday. We were very grateful for the turn as Cumberland was holding their 2nd Annual Easter Egg hunt down by the No. 6 Mine Park. As part of Cumberland Community Schools Society, I was one of the volunteers, donating my time to help set up , hide eggs, and of course paint a few faces. Issie wanted to help too, so she painted my face! It was a superb event, with a bunny, donkey, music, and of course many smiley faces!
In our family the Easter Bunny arrives on Sunday morning. Issie and Max felt it only right, that if Santa and his reindeer can get cookies, milk and carrots, so should the Easter Bunny! So they left out a plate of goodies before heading to bed and hoping for dreams of giant chocolate Easter eggs! Well, the Easter Bunny did not disappoint. The kids spent a good portion of the morning, looking in boots, under chairs and in the book shelves to fill their baskets with goodies. Even Mummy and Daddy got a few treats!

Now, not that we did not have enough Easter delights, we took the children to the annual Comox Valley 'Easter at the Barn' event put on by the Therapeutic Riding Society. We had no idea what to expect. The kids passed on the egg hunt in favour of horse rides and games that guaranteed a winner every time. Whether it be a free pony ride, a bag of crisps or a stuffed animal. The later adding half a dozen to our growing collection at home!

To top off this wonderful family oriented weekend, the weather brightened up on Monday afternoon prompting us to explore someplace 'new'. Seal Bay Regional Nature Park did not disappoint. Only 20 minutes from Cumberland, it has very well layed out trails, especially designed for those in wheelchairs, that lead us through an amazing second growth forest down onto the beach. It was all so vast, beautiful, refreshing and wonderful. The kids came alive and all at once I realised how much I missed the ocean. Unfortunately, with the promise of a family swim (at the Aquatic Centre!!) our time there was all too short. We look forward to returning and exploring many more of the park's walking and cycling trails, especially as the weather warms up.

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter too!

Issie Celebrates 8

2010-03-16T23:28:00.001Z

Issie was very excited about turning 8 and all she wanted was a sleepover. So after an evening play date with some school friends, that included pizza, movie and popcorn, three friends remained for the sleepover. Downstairs became the girl's den, and after a little bit of excitment, pillow fights, nail polish disasters, etc., all was quiet after stories by 11pm.

Saturday the 13th was her actual birthday and she awoke to a table full of goodies. This was followed by a decadent breakfast of fresh fruit, waffles and hot chocolate. So all in all, not a bad way to bring in your eighth year!

Snow in March

2010-03-16T23:14:00.000Z

Just as the crocuses start to poke their heads out, and an entire winter passes with almost no snow, Cumberland woke up Thursday morning to some of the white stuff. It was our first time during the Spring Break to finally have a lie in, but afraid it would all melt away, I let the children know. Well we discovered our children can actually get up, dressed and out in less than 15 minutes!! The next day, to their enjoyment, even more snow fell which meant record snowfall on Mount Washington: 43 cm in 48 hours. Perfect powder conditions!

Saturday afternoon, to help celebrate Issie's 8th birthday, we packed all our snow gear and headed up the mountain. We actually hoped to go tubing (sliding down a snow covered hill on giant inner tubes), but with flurries in the forecast, and our car not equipped with snow tires, we only went part of the way up. We were thrilled to find a prestine snowshoe path, that doubled as a perfect tabogan run. The views were magnificent, the snow superb, and the sledding (skeleton or luge) a blast!!

Cumberland's on Google Streetview

2010-02-11T06:19:00.002Z

The google 'streetview' car has been round Cumberland, so you can now look at our village from all the main streets. Sadly they haven't done our street but the village centre is much more interesting anyway.

So if you want to look around, go to this link. In the map control on the left, you'll see a little orange dude. Grab him with the mouse pointer and drop him on a street, like Dunsmuir. The screen will split and you can click and drag to spin the photo or click on the arrows to move up and down the streets. Give it a whirl.

Found another very cool thing - 'Olympic view' lets you go down the ski runs etc for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics..... click here

Team Sweden play in the Comox Valley

2010-02-10T23:35:00.000Z

We are very fortunate living in the Comox Valley with Mount Washington a perfect training ground for the Olympic althletes. Many have arrived over the past week to train up on the mountain in preparation for the upcoming Games, with the public invited up to watch many of the practices and events. Unfortunatley for us, the mountain has not really been accessible to us this year (inappropritae vehicle). However, we were able to watch Team Sweden's Women's Hockey Team in their open practice at the Comox Valley Sports Centre on Saturday. They were warming up for an exhibition match against China the next day. We enjoyed the coaches putting them through their paces (and they were good!), even if I kept thinking of IKEA on ice!! I don't think the kids appreciated it as much as we did, but they enjoyed their free 'Spirit of BC' balloons and the sugar moose cookies I had made. 1500 lucky spectators got to watch the match the next day to see the more experienced Team Sweden beat China 4-2. It will be interesting to see how they do in the overall Games. We will watch the opening ceremonies on the big screen at the Cumberland Elementary School Friday, and keep up with the highlights via computer. Nope, we still do not have a tv!!

Tesco Vouchers!!!

2010-02-10T22:56:00.000Z

Arg! Look what I found in my winter jacket: £50 in Tesco vouchers (that's about $83 Canadian now, about $100 when these were still valid!!). Man you have to buy a lot of groceries for that. How times have changed for us.

The Best Birthday Present Ever

2010-02-05T23:54:00.004Z

OK, so Cumberland is not the same as the beautiful blue waters of the British Virgin Islands. Nor can I ever repeat the magic of celebrating my 40th with friends and family on the tiny island of Marina Cay as we did last year, however, the surprise 24 hour visit from my sister and her family is more than I could have ever wished for. Her husband and three kids had planned to come for a few days after Christmas, but she was unable to join them due to work commitments. Ironically she was actually flying into Vancouver...so close but yet so far. However, thanks to the weather gods out east, her return flight was cancelled, she negotiated some days off, and joined the rest of her family for the remaining trip to Vancouver Island. Fog stopped them catching a flight into Nanaimo, and they couldn't get on their first choice ferry. Many, many hours later, late Sunday night, they finally arrived! The cousins played, the adults chatted over wine, and we all collapsed into bed at midnight.

The following morning was my birthday, and with only one day together, no lying in was allowed. While Nick fed the troups on home-made waffles, Anke and I slipped off into Courtneay for some quality sister time. We enjoyed coffee, some shopping (Anke always loves checking out the thrift stores!), and picked up my rather decadent mocha birthday cake from Hot Chocolates: http://www.hotchocolates.ca/index.html (not just chocolates but an Artisan Bakery as well).

On return we bundled everyone up and headed out for the tour. Town was incredibly quiet with most of the shops still closed for the holidays. My sister was last here in August when we were just starting negotiations in renting the Old Post Office (what would become the Wandering Moose Cafe http://wanderingmoose.ca/), and sadly she never got to see the cafe in operation. But on this visit we got to go in and show them the space. Well, at least next time they come, they will be able to get a coffee now that it is open again (smile!). Here is a lovely write up we got back in November http://fireflynewbeginnings.blogspot.com/2009/11/wandering-moose-cafe.html

My sister's kids don't get any sort of this outdoor life in Montreal, so they were wide-eyed and energetic, loving the playground round-about and the walk in the Community Forest. Although it was quite funny to watch Anika, her eldest, exhibiting classic teenage traits, where fashion takes precedence over common sense! After our walk we all warmed up with coffees and hot chocolates at Tarbell's Cafe http://www.thecumberlander.ca/cgi-bin/show_bizsponsor.cgi?ID=16 before coming home to watch the final Harry Potter on the projector and devour my birthday cake.

All too soon the day was over, and by 8am the next day they were packed and back in the car and on their way to catch the ferry. In the meantime, we dressed in our old clothes ready to help move all the cafe stuff out of our garage and back into the Old Post Office. But I did it all with a smile on my face! There was alot to be thankful for.

Boxing Day Walk

2010-02-05T21:16:00.001Z

A beautiful fog came over Cumberland on Boxing Day, so we bundled up and headed for the hills, enjoying a walk up to Allen Lake Reservoir, Cumberland's water supply. It was sad to see all the logging happening along the way, and made us all the more determined to support the Cumberland Community Forest Society http://www.cumberlandforest.com/index.php . They have already preserved over 150 acres of forest around our community which is amazing.

As we climbed up we soon found some snow, enough to have a little fun in before drinking our hot chocolate and making our way down one of the killer mountain bike trails, in this case, Hai Gai. How they cycle down these trails is beyond me, it was hard enough to walk down them!!! Over the Christmas break we were helping some friends by looking after their pets while they were away. They were very generous and encouraged us to hang out and enjoy their wood stove (we only have a gas one, just not the same). So we finally did at the end of our walk, roasting marshmallows and enjoying a fun game of Mousetrap before heading home. A fun day had by all.

Our first Christmas in Canada

2010-02-05T20:56:00.001Z

Although we socialised with various new found friends before Christmas, Christmas itself was just the four of us. On Chrismtas Eve we walked down to the United Church for a candlelight service. Much to the children's delight, they were whisked away to put on costumes to join the other children on stage as angels and shepherds. Too cute and sadly only captured in our minds, the camera was left behind. The kids so loved their candles, they insisted on walking home with them still alight, and this magical moment I did capture on film. This was followed by our tradional fish meal, one present and the reading of 'The Night Before Christmas'. The kids made sure to scatter their reindeer food on the lawn before bed (thank you Auntie Beth!), and of course left milk and cookies for Santa and an extra carrot in case the reindeer were still hungry.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not give us any snow, and in fact, Christmas Day was rather dull, grey and bleak. Rather than our traditional Christmas Day walk, we hibernated instead, staying cosy by the fire while Nick roasted the other half of the turkey from Thanksgiving. After the feast we enjoyed unwrapping all the wonderful gifts that arrived in the post from friends and family afar...thank you! I particularly enjoyed the chocolates from Hotel Chocolat (one of my favourite shops in Cambridge)!!! I was delighted that the plate Max made on his fourth birthday before we left England, arrived safe and sound with our UK shipment earlier in the month. A nice addition to the wonderful collection we built over the years ("Thanks Penny" who ran Glaze to Amaze in Cambridge). We eat off them every day!

The Christmas Pudding & the Angel

2010-02-05T20:24:00.000Z

As I mentioned, Cumberland Elementary has great spirit, and they will find any reason to dress up and have fun. So, on the last day of school before the Christmas break, all the kids were encouraged to wear their Christmas hats. Nana's tea cosy, made a great hat for Max and Issie borrowed Max's angel halo from the concert, added her wings and voila, bacame a Christmas angel.

Lots of Photo Updates

2010-02-05T09:05:00.003Z

I have finally sat down to catch up on some much needed blogging, so as you scroll down you will catch up in words and pictures, about life in Cumberland with the Wards over November and December. Yeah, there is still a lot more to come, but at one o'clock in the morning, it is time to go to bed. Bonne nuit!

P.S. Remember to click on the photos to see them in detail.

December Snow

2010-02-05T09:04:00.001Z

We had one more snowfall mid December. It was magical! It just snowed and snowed for about 24 hours and we woke to a winter wonderland. The kids had never seen such amounts and were thorougly enjoying it: eating the snowflakes, jumping in it, shoveling it, building snow gardens and snowmen. Even after the snowfall turned to rain, I could not stop them from getting the most out of it. For in a few short days, all the rain just washed it away and all our beautiful snow was gone, and never came back. We ended up having a very green and wet Christmas.

Cumberland's Parade of Lights

2010-02-05T08:50:00.001Z

After all the rain we had in November, the first few weeks in December were dry and cold...very cold. Traditionally Cumberland holds a 'Parade of Lights' and Santa arrives by truck to greet the children. Apparently last year they had so much snow, it was cancelled. We wore our extra layers, warm socks, hats, mits and scarves, met Santa, enjoyed our free hot dogs and cookies, and then waited, and waited, and waited some more. Finally the brightly lit up vehicles came up the road, and spectacular they were. Unfortunatley, by this time we were hurting from the cold, so we quietly slipped away to the warmth of a hot bath and warm milk back home. Still it was an experience!

Our things arrive!

2010-02-05T08:34:00.000Z

The Christmas Season

2010-02-05T08:04:00.005Z

The snow has melted, but the weather has turned bright and cold. After only six short weeks of running the Wandering Moose Cafe, with a heavy heart we closed our doors. There is obviously more to the story, but the short of it was although we started
something great, for family and financial reasons, it was just not for us. The good news, there was immediate interest in the business, and after a month of negotiations, the paperwork was signed in the new year and the new owners re-opened the doors this week (February 2nd, 2010) to a warm reception from the community.

So, this freed us up for the month of December to enjoy the Christmas festivities around the village, starting with our own St Nicholas celebrations on the 6th December and Breakfast with Santa in the Recreation Hall. A winter wonderland of fun for the children with a pancake breakfast (including the Wandering Moose's coffee from Royston Roasters), crafts, music and of course a picture with Santa.

I was also now free to volunteer with the school again and joined Max's class on a trip to the ice-rink. This was Max's very first time on skates. In an hour he fell at least 50 times, but by the end, through sheer perseverence, he actually managed to stay on his feet and was keen to go again with the family. This we did, and we now make it a regular part of our weekends. In fact this weekend, The Comox Sport Centre will be hosting the Swedish and Chinese Olympic Women's Hockey teams at an exhibition match. The tickets sold out in 24 hours for the lucky few who knew of it. We however, did manage to get tickets to watch Team Sweden Women's Hockey open practice. It is the closest we will get to the Olympics, so we are all very excited.

Both Issie and Max have thrown themselves into the school community and have been actively involved in the after-school program. The Cumberland Community Schools Society provides all its after school programming free of charge to students and even offers adult based programs by donation. So a fiver gets me doing lunges and burpies at Boot Camp in a fun atmosphere (why else would you torture yourself like that?), and Nick throwing a frisbee around in a game of Ultimate. The kids have enjoyed Arts & Crafts, Floor Hockey, Skipping, Hula Hooping, Paleontology and Drama. It was no surprise then to hear that Issie was auditioning for a part in the School Christmas Play, "A Christmas Carol", she was always destined for the stage. But it was a surprise when the music teacher suggested Max would make a good Tiny Tim. Well, indeed he did, and Issie played a brilliant Martha Cratchit, his sister. The whole school was involved, so they also got to sing with their classes. It was a wonderful performance.

Max Turns 6!

2010-02-05T07:25:00.000Z

With the cafe in full swing, there is little time to plan for Max's birthday, yet somehow the invitations get made, 'Captain Thunderpants' is called in, Nick and the kids build a pirate ship, and the cake is ordered from Dairy Queen. Fun and laughter had by all. Thanks to all of those who sent lovely cards and gifts.

November Events

2010-02-05T07:18:00.001Z

Time to catch up on a few photos. November was busy for us at the Wandering Moose, especially on Sundays when 'Captain Thunderpants' (our friend Kevin) came in to entertain the children with his stories and songs. We also had our first snowfall. The kids were beside themselves with excitment and could not wait to build their snowmen and forts. Issie and Max joined in the Memorial Day ceremonies with their Beaver Group, and Cumberland was one of the lucky communities to have the Olympic Torch pass through. A truly memorable experience.

Thanksgiving and Halloween Canadian Style

2010-01-12T22:52:00.000Z

We are extremely fortunate here in the Comox Valley to have access to some amazing activities and places. In the autumn (or Fall, I guess) the focus is on Thanksgiving ( a month before the American version) and Halloween, which is such a big event on this side of the Atlantic.

Gesa's mum was here during thanksgiving and we bought a vey nice turkey from a local farm - in fact they split it in half so we could freeze one half for christmas, which was a very sensible way of avoiding complete turkey overload.

Come Halloween, the whole area is steeped in pumpkins every house seems to be decorated with the mock-ghoulish decorations we've become so familiar with. Cumberland has it's own frontier town approach, with one house putting on a firework display that rivaled many professional displays we've seen - only it was all set off on the street in front of their house as the crowd stood just a few yards away. Health and safety? Och, this is Dodge City, we do what we like.

All lots of fun as we headed into winter.

October Fun

2010-01-12T22:18:00.000Z

Hello all and happy New Year! Yes, we are still alive and kicking and enjoying ourselves here in Cumberland, BC. There is much to update, and Nick will write about that all soon. For now, I just wanted to share the fun events over the last few months. With a bit of luck, our Christmas/New Year's letter will follow soon too! Remember to click on the collage to view it in more detail.

So, we start with October events which included a trip to the pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving, Harvest Fest, Thanksgiving, Halloween, school photos, my mother's visit and the kids becoming official Beavers. Never a dull moment.

Cafe Photos (2)

2009-10-28T05:10:00.000Z

Cafe Photos (1)

2009-10-28T05:09:00.000Z

Hold the front page!

2009-10-28T03:18:00.000Z

Max got in the paper - by pure chance (and probably cuteness of blond hair). This was front page of the Comox Valley newspaper, and the only coverage of the Cumberland Harvest Fair!

Issie and Maxisms

2009-10-27T04:23:00.003Z

Max at the Café, talking to Brooke, our manager.

"We should have called this the Thrift Store Café, cos that's where we bought everything....."

Issie and the dinner table. We're having roll-mop herrings.

"Issie, you should try this, you might like it."
"No, I don't eat birds."
Puzzled silence.
"Oh, Issie, it's not Heron, it's Herring, it's a fish"

We're open!

2009-10-27T04:23:00.000Z

So the Wandering Moose Café opened it's doors on Sunday lunchtime, for a very quiet, gentle start with no publicity and a few friends and passers by. And it went great. We had a steady trickle of customers, never an empty room until the late evening, and a perfect day for us and our three staff to settle into the business of making and serving great coffee, food and gelato.

Today was good too, a very quiet morning then increasing numbers of people, many of whom had hear about us from their friends who came the day before. We look forward to watching that grow and grow.

Tired, but happy....

I know, I know

2009-10-21T06:47:00.003+01:00

We've been lamentably silent over the last few weeks. So a quick few lines on why. We are non-stop busy with our current project, which has been in the imagining since we left the UK and is now taking real, physical shape here in Cumberland.

For those that don't know, Gesa always wanted to run a cafe and we figured we'd arrive, get jobs of some sort, look out for a space to lease and go from there. Well, life isn't always so neatly planned. A great space came up a couple of months ago and we jumped at it. We're on a very steep learning curve and hoping to open up early next week. Here's the building:

It's an old Post Office on the main street here in Cumberland and the inside is gorgeous. We'll offer coffee, gelato (italian ice cream), baked goods and a range of snacks. Name still fairly secret and lots more to tell but that's for another day.

I've got a whole book load of stories about the ups and downs of opening a small business but for now we've got to make sure the next chapter goes well so off back to the grindstone. Bye for now.

Open House at Cumberland Elementary

2009-09-23T17:26:00.001+01:00

This morning the whole family went to school, to enjoy coffee, muffins and a personal tour from our children. Only ten days into the school year, Nick and I are already friendly with many of the staff and parents, and know the library and classrooms well. This morning however, we got to have a more indepth look at Issie and Max's work, and get an idea of how their days are organised. They showed us the music room, wow! Gone are the days of triangles and tamborines, today's music rooms are stocked with electric keyboards and loads of other funky stuff. Thy also have a well stocked library and a computer room, to which every student has access and their own password. Things have changed since we were kids! To encourage the children to show us around, every student was given a passport, which was then stamped as they accomplished each room or task e.g. introduce us to their teacher or principal. We are really pleased with the school, its friendly and supportive staff, and their understanding in Issie and Max's ups and downs acclimatising to this new way of life. Nick and I hung around long enough to observe the national anthem. Growing up in Quebec, we never did this, but I was forewarned this is done, like in the USA, each morning after attendance. So, to make sure our kids were on top of things, we got a great book from the library and we learned it over the summer. Well, I am proud to say, Issie and Max are one of the few who actually sing it! Above, a glimpse into life at school in British Columbia, Canada.

Scouts Canada

2009-09-22T17:47:00.000+01:00

I used to be a Brownie (Girl Guides Canada) and Nick used to be a Boy Scout, so it seemed natural to put our own children into the same. However, I ended up having a delightful conversation with the Scouts at KidsFest, who convinced me to keep Scouting in the family. There were several practical reasons for this, including the fact that at the moment Issie and Max would be in the same group, and even better, there are meetings right in Cumberland. In my day, girls were not allowed into the Scouts, but things have changed. Like fish to water, Issie and Max have embraced Beavers (young Scouts) with full enthusiasm. So you can imagine how excited they were last night when they got to take home 'Rusty', the Beaver mascot. They have Rusty for the week and taking their caring roles very seriously. They changed him into pajamas, made him a bed, and even made him breakfast this morning!

A visit to Coombs

2009-09-22T17:35:00.000+01:00

Another weekend outing, this time to Coombs. We went to explore a really neat reclamation yard. The kids had fun 'dusting' while Nick and I drooled over all the possibilities when it comes to building our own home. Just a little further down the road is the Old Country Market with its famous goats on the roof. Look closely at the picture, I did manage to capture them....just. The market itself is full of delicious local and imported foods, as well as many crafts and wares. We could not resist a few toys and some of their delicious treats. While Max nibbled on his watermelon cookie and Issie tackled her 'small' ice-cream, I wandered the many little gift shops behind the market. A lovely stop and worth another visit. Maybe mext time we will stop and have lunch in their cafe.

Comox Valley KidsFest

2009-09-22T17:20:00.001+01:00

Last weekend the Comox Valley put on a fantastic KidsFest. For only $3 per person, the kids then had access to loads of fun stuff, from bouncy castles and mini golf, to Karaoke (Issie was awesome) and circus performing. They even had a whole science area. Both Issie and Max delighted in creating their own bubbling volcano.

Maxism

2009-09-15T16:13:00.002+01:00

Max might not always adopt the most mature style in his responses, but he can use some pretty grown up language......

Scene: The Breakfast Table. Gesa has a big pile of postcards prepared the night before to send to friends and family. The clock is ticking and the school run looms large.

Gesa: "Now, I just need you kids to sign these cards."

Max: "WHAT? That is just too much. You can't expect us to do all this on a SCHOOL day."

The Walk to School

2009-09-12T14:33:00.000+01:00

Three days at school and they are already so independent! We walked along behind them yesterday and realised what a great view we get every day. In the winter, those hills are covered in snow.

Beer for the stupid

2009-09-12T14:26:00.000+01:00

This is a bottle of beer I drank last night.

Read the writing on the cap....

First day of school!

2009-09-09T05:28:00.000+01:00

The long awaited first day of school has finally arrived. Two very excited kids set off this morning, and we met them again at 12:30, this being a shortened first day. They didn't want to leave! The teacher's told us that they had 'loved having your kids in class', so that's great, we loved having them in class too! Here's to many more great days at Cumberland Elementary School. Just the walk in the morning is fantastic, with the mountains close behind us and the fresh air blowing through. Lovely.

A few days in the Comox Valley

2009-09-09T05:05:00.000+01:00

We really enjoyed showing Gesa's sister our new home. Here's a few photos from those adventures.

Hanging out in Vancouver

2009-09-09T05:01:00.001+01:00

We took a few days to go sailing again, having become very shorebased in just a few weeks. It was odd to have to take so much stuff down to the boat just to go out for four days. We used to just tidy up and sail away.

We took Gesa's sister and her two kids over to Vancouver with us, it was a great way for them to experience sailing and get back for their flight home to Montreal. After that, we just hung out and enjoyed the city. We rented bikes and cycled round Stanley Park, the fabulous forest park just next to the downtown core. We went over on the bus to West Vancouver for dinner with friends there, and generally had a great time.

Max found one of those slides that generate a bit of static electricity and make his hair stand on end, especially when he goes up and down it fifteen times.

Off to the Farmer's Market

2009-09-09T04:58:00.000+01:00

The Comox Valley, where we now live, is very strong on local food, sustainability and all manner of good stuff. Gesa took Issie down to the farmer's market and learnt all about composting systems. She came home telling me we needed to buy a $45 compost bin.

Little did she know that whilst she had been out, Max and I had been having some guy time in the workshop and turned a bunch of scrap lumber into a - you guessed it - compost bin. $0. So now we can keep our kitchen waste out of the garbage too.

In the workshop, Max isn't allowed near the big circular saw, but he's a master with the pillar drill and power screwdriver!

Mount Washington trip photos

2009-08-29T19:51:00.000+01:00

Up the 'mile high' chairlift, fabulous views down from the mountain and across the Comox Valley, Georgia Strait and to the Costal mountains of mainland BC. Awesome.

We're on facebook

2009-08-29T16:54:00.002+01:00

It's taken a while but seems like it's time to get into the next level of web / social networking beyond the blog, so we have a facebook page. Find me as Nick Ward, Cumberland BC. if you're already there.

Off sailing

2009-08-29T16:52:00.001+01:00

We've been doing great stuff here with Gesa's sister and her two kids, seeing the sights and going to places we haven't been yet either. Mount Washington was awsome. Photos will follow, really.

Right now we're off to the boat for a few days - the relatives fly back to Montreal on Sunday and then we relax on board for three days or so before it's back to Cumberland and busy busy. More posts then.

You'd have to be nuts....

2009-08-23T18:20:00.001+01:00

So what is this? Cumberland is a world class mountain biking destination and some of the trails are, frankly, scary. This is one of the jumps. It's six feet high! Nearby is an even bigger one.

You won't catch me doing that, although I fear Max and Issie might get well into this one day...

Mama Bear's Trail

2009-08-23T18:16:00.002+01:00

Do you remember me saying Issie and I went cycling and ended up 'off piste' on a track called Mama Bear's Trail? That was a couple of weeks back. Yesterday we all went and walked that way and guess who we saw? There they were, Mama Bear and two cubs, crashing through the undergrowth and scampering up trees. We were a good couple of hundred yards away and moved swiftly on, singing as we went. A delight to see, if a little nervy....

Maxism

2009-08-16T07:31:00.003+01:00

In the UK we have some sticky stuff used to hang up pictures etc, we call it 'blu-tak', it's usually blue.

We got some here, different name but we still call it Blu-tak. Except Max, who has mis-heard.

'Daddy, where's the Blue Tang, I want to stick up a picture?!'

I guess only a kid who's been snorkeling tropical reefs would come up with that one.

Wikipedia entry for the Blue Tang

Lets go Cycling

2009-08-16T07:28:00.000+01:00

Did I mention that we're regulars at the thrift stores?! So my bike was $90, Gesa's just $35, Issie's $30 and Max's bargain basement one was $20. Add in cycle helmets for us all, $3 each. And we're having a lot of fun. Issie and I set off to cycle to Comox Lake the other week and got a bit lost, ending up well and truly 'off piste'. We stuggled up an fabulous root strewn mountain bike track, then found the down, with sections so steep Issie couldn't stay on her feet, let alone her bike. The local biking community build and maintain these trails with jumps, BMX sections, trail markings and all the rest. I see the kids getting totally into it in years to come. I see a few cuts and bruises too.

For now, we need to get Max off and away on two wheels. Here's our recent attempts:

Daddy checks out Max's new bike. Cool.

OK team, let's go to the school playground.

That's it Max, pedal, pedal.

Hmm, yep, nasty tumble there. Get back on,
one more ride around then we'll go home and try again tomorrow.

Right now, he's got the hang of pedaling, and is great at stopping. Turns are nearly there and we have yet to conquer the standing start. It won't take long!

Moving in - frugal style

2009-08-16T07:16:00.000+01:00

Moving into a new house is always interesting. When that house is unfurnished and most of your few belongings are back in the UK then it gets even more intriguing. We know we have one dining table, an armchair, a double mattress and a rocking chair back in storage. Other than that, it's all small stuff.

The photos show our lounge, with the balcony currently home to 'moose', a nice steel sculpture Gesa found a few months ago. In the kitchen there's enough space, even if the style wouldn't be our choice. Our bedroom has an en-suite and - gasp - a walk in closet. Oh the decadent north american life.

So we need to furnish a three bedroom + den home from scratch. Gulp. Fortunately, the Comox Valley is big on thrift (charity) stores, and we have become true aficionados of these fabulous places.

See that chair there, and footstool. Gesa calls it her 'ikea chair' because she always wanted one from there in the UK. Found it in Value Village for $22. Then we found a white one, without the foot stool, in the Salvation Army for $16. Good start.

Following the philosophy of reduce, reuse, recycle, we have tried to buy very little new. It also follows my philosophy of 'frugal'. Last weekend we had fresh bread from our $15 breadmaker and crispy waffles from our $3 waffle maker. Mmmm. We've been finding furniture, tools, hi-fi, clothes and kitchen ware. Our regular run into town (Cortenay) for groceries takes us on a loop past three great thrift stores, so we always stop and check them out. If you want it NOW, go buy it new. If you can wait a week or two, save 80%. At the same time, our money goes to local community charities instead of the big box stores, and we save a lot of stuff from landfill. Works all round, for us.

We're also benefiting from being in a new development with building still going on around us. The nearest built on plot is about two hundred feet away, and that house has just been sold but the new owner wants some changes. In the UK you couldn't do it, but here the timber frame construction makes it easy. A wider balcony and an extra patio door - no problem, rip off the vinyl siding, take the circular saw to the underlying frame and bingo, new doorway. Change the size of the downstairs suite, just rip out a few interior walls and rebuild a few feet to the left. The crazy thing is that the house was built a month ago so all the materials being taken out are brand new. Sadly, it's cheaper to use fresh ones than pay someone to strip out the nails.

We gain because a quick word with the project manager and we have all the scrap we can take. They pay for landfill disposal so it helps them too. I have more 2x4 timber than I can use, and plenty of 2x6 and even 2x10. Taking the nails out isn't that hard, and now I've built two big workbenches and some shelving in the garage. Cost me a few dollars for screws. It's a tragedy to see brand new 14 foot lengths of 2x10 timber going to the tip. Sadly our reclamation must be the exception not the rule.

So we're getting set up in our home, and thoughts turn to business and earning a dollar or two to support us. That's taking a lot of effort and time right now so apologies for the lack of posts, we'll try to catch up a bit.

Family photo

2009-08-16T06:52:00.000+01:00

From the boardwalk in Comox, in our first few days ashore.

Back in Nanaimo

2009-07-31T19:37:00.000+01:00

Here we are, back and getting ready to move in. In fact, Gesa and I have the magic school bus all loaded up with stuff and are off to collect the keys to the house and unload the first lot into the garage. One more night on the boat then we all go up to Cumberland tomorrow.

Had a great, great cruise up to Desolation and back, wonderful places, amazing weather and great swimming. Some photos here and more to come. N.

Up North

2009-07-23T16:34:00.000+01:00

Apologies to our regular readers, but we've been a bit quiet on the blog. As usual this reflects the opposite in daily life - things are getting busy as we begin to reattach ourselves to the land. We did, though, have a great trip across to Vancouver where we met up with friends and had a great afternoon and evening with Gesa's sister. It was very good to catch up with everyone, and the anchorage was perfect. We stayed in False Creek, near a place called Granville Island, which is a pretty big tourist and artist place, with markets, studios, playgrounds and other attractions. We had a lot of fun, especially on the hot day when the kids found the water park, and spent too much money - but the food from the market was superb and shows that you really do get what you pay for.

On the way back we stopped for a couple of nights at a nice place called Plumper Cove, a little park accessible only by water about twenty miles north of Vancouver. It was a nice quiet stop and some good walks in the forest and on the coastline.

Back to Nanaimo we made a trip up to Cumberland and Comox to check mail and see that our house is still there - it is and it looks like it will be ready for us in a few weeks time. WE sorted out gas, power, internet and phone - the usual necessities of modern life, although we have eschewed cable TV and will try to get by on dvd's and video over the internet for now. We've also been thinking about stuff we want to have for furnishings and houseware. We have ended up finding pretty much every thrift (charity) store in Nanaimo and Courteny, and there's a superb selection of second hand stuff. In most cases, this ticks the boxes of being more environmentally friendly as well as much cheaper. For example, we all have cycle helmets now, four of them cost us twelve dollars. One new one would be thirty, and have a load of cardboard and plastic packing. So it's thrift stores for most stuff, then if we buy new we buy high quality so that we only buy it once, hopefully.

We then spent time preparing for my parent's arrival on Friday. They are with us for two weeks sailing then another week as we move into the new house, so they will see some of our new life too. We found that the marina has some small storage cages up in the underground carpark, so we rented on for a month and took loads of stuff off the boat - mostly books and clothes - as well as storing our new houseware purchases. There is a lot more space on board right now, many lockers are not even close to full. It's amazing how much can be accumulated even on a small boat.

Mum and Dad's arrival coincided with the start of some superb weather, and we have had a great trip up the coast. Apart from motoring everywhere because of light or northerly winds, it's been a really good trip so far. We've had a couple of quiet coves all to ourself - rare at this time of the year when everyone is on vacation - and are now in the famous Desolation Sound. Poor old George Vancouver was pretty down by the time he got here, and it was raining too, so the area gained it's undeserved name from that. In reality, it is majestic, and, like Princess Louisa Sound, defies description or photography in it's grandeur. Massive mountains rise behind the shore line, and sheltered coves make perfect anchorages. It is a deservedly popular place, and sadly it has some of the features of beautiful places in the Caribbean or Bahamas, it is a spot where the rich gather to burn gasoline. There are quite a few big motor yachts, with powerful dinghies to zoom around the area and even a float plane anchored just next to us, probably to ferry guests in and out and avoid the need to spend a day or two on the water traveling here. Of course, I might argue that when it's so easy to get here, the experience is dimmed and just becomes another neat place you flew to once.

Thankfully, this place overwhelms even the most vulgar attempts to show off. The best anchorages are too small for the big yachts, who anchor outside in the deep water and all their toys don't buzz around where we are. Next to these mountains, even the biggest boat is just a dot on the water and we can all admire and enjoy these surroundings together. It really is fabulous, especially when the sun shines!

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Engine fixed - let's go!

2009-07-10T16:29:00.002+01:00

So we got the engine problem repaired, relatively simple once we found the right mechanic - experience and the correct tools make all the difference.

Today we cast off the lines once more and head for Vancouver itself, a chance to visit the city, meet friends and, hopefully, meet up with Gesa's sister who will be there briefly as part of her flying rota, she works with Air Canada.

Time to go sailing, yipee!

Swallowing the anchor....

2009-07-07T21:24:00.001+01:00

Swallowing the anchor is the cruisers' term for packing ones bags and moving ashore. The term is apt, the process can, at times, be about as pleasant as swallowing a large lump of pointy steel. In our usual way we aren't hanging about too much, choices are thought about, options explored then we go for it in a pretty decisive way.

The key things here are a house and transport. Up in Cumberland we found a brand new house, very close to the kids school and ready to rent just when we want to move up there, at the start of August. The house ticks a lot of boxes, three good sized bedrooms for all of us, a large basement room for office / guests, and a big garage to set up as a workshop area. Lots of storage too. Sadly, it's darned ordinary, unimpressive and contains one of my biggest pet hates about North American houses, which is that the most distinctive feature is the garage door. Sigh. This is temporary, we keep reminding ourselves, although we expect to be here at least a year.

Next up, a car. Given that we are likely to be hauling around a lot of stuff, and/or kids friends, and/or guests, the obvious choice was a mini-van. Seating for seven, lots of space, comfortable. Also boring, not very fuel efficient and wallowing around the bends. We'll do our best to shop very locally and use the car as little as possible. We kind of managed it in Cambridge so hopefully we can do so here too. We think we found a decent example, it's 2002, with quite a lot of miles but seems to be in good shape. There are so many to choose from that prices are very reasonable, in fact it's less expensive than any car I ever bought in the UK.

To help us drive less, and enjoy the local area, bicycles are essential. I found a good one locally, second hand, and spend a half day with Max helping me to clean, adjust, oil and generally turn a scruffy neglected bike into a pretty good one. Then, yesterday, we were browsing the Charity stores (a favourite activity lately) and found a nice mini-mountain bike for Issie for $30, which seems like a good deal. It's very like the bike she had back in the UK which she did very well on. In the same store were cycle helmets, and Max got a very cool one for three bucks. Reduce, reuse, recycle.....

Maxism

2009-07-03T20:22:00.004+01:00

We've all been learning the national anthem, Gesa found a great book in the library and the kids are enjoying it. Max sings:

'O Canada,
Our home and native land.
True pastry of love...'

That'll be 'true patriot love, in all our hearts command', Max.

O Canada, Our home and native land

2009-07-03T20:21:00.000+01:00

Here we are in Canada for our first 'Canada Day' celebration as residents. Many of you will have been to one of our annual Canada Day parties in Cambridge, where we all dressed in red and white and invited any canadians we knew to come over for a BBQ. Now it is our chance to join in someone else's party, and it was a lot of fun.

Nanaimo held a gathering in the big waterfront park, and took the opportunity to open a new section, the Spirit Square. The weather cooperated, the choir sang 'O Canada', speeches were made and a most enormous cake was cut. There were plenty of activities too, Issie and Max got to try kayaking and street hockey - Max showed an aptitude for hockey which he must get from me, obviously, and I can see him chasing a puck or ball around the street or a rink in years to come. Issie turns out to be pretty good at throwing an american football too, but perhaps I'll do my best to steer her towards rugby. She shows talent when it comes to tackling her brother and I reckon American Football just wouldn't be physical enough for her....

I reckon Canada does this national celebration thing pretty well. More evident and patriotic than England's complete apathy to St Georges Day, not as alcoholic as St Patrick's Day and much less jingoistic than the Fourth of July. We fit in well here.

A day out in Victoria

2009-07-03T20:13:00.000+01:00

Here's some pictures from our day out in Victoria. Our friend on the next door boat, Jim, was at an event in town for the day and offered to take us, so we jumped at the chance. The event was an outdoor equipment show, so Max and Issie had fun on the climbing wall and other entertainment. I went off to find the fast ferry and go to America and back to get my residency visa activated. Meanwhile, the team looked around the city, took in an IMAX movie and kept a lookout for all the painted eagles that we find all over Vancouver Island.

Owen and Amanda visit

2009-06-28T21:08:00.000+01:00

All the way from the UK, Amanda and Owen came to spend a some time with us, and we managed to cruise down to the nearby Gulf Islands. We had a great time, did many things, such as: played on the beach, walked in the forest, had ice cream, drank some wine and beer, caught prawns, collected and grilled oysters, camped on an island, got (temporary) tattoos, played games and generally had a lot of fun.

Maxism

2009-06-28T21:02:00.002+01:00

Max is playing on the beach.

Wow, Mummy, look it's a hermit crab shell but it's not a crab, it's a HERMIT SNAIL!!!!

Nick's birthday, and hanging out in Comox

2009-06-28T20:43:00.001+01:00

I turned thirty-something again a couple of weeks ago, succeeding in making it to Canada before I turn forty. Because of a calendar mistake by Gesa, we also celebrated Father's Day on the same Sunday, a week early as it turned out but a nice double celebration none the less. I was woken in the morning for cake and gifts, and we had a lovely morning before we moved the boat across the anchorage to and found that a large many-armed starfish, known locally as a sunfish, was hanging out with us. We returned him to his normal home. Later we went to the local coffee-shop, the Komox Grind, for a coffee and the usual wifi and phone calls.

Another event put on especially for my birthday (well, maybe not) was a big Outrigger Canoe competition. Mid morning the ladies one and two person canoes came racing by in a big fleet. Seems we were anchored right on the line for the first leg and they went around us, paddling hard. Looks a bit like hard work to me.

Over the next couple of days we hung out in Comox harbour and took the chance to get up to Cumberland, our new home. We rented a car and went to look at some houses, and ended up choosing one and signing a rental agreement, so we have a new house! It's a completely new house, in fact, still being built so we have the advantage of that, even if the house is very ordinary. It's also a few hundred yards from the kids' new school, so we went and enrolled them there too, so everything is getting slowly sorted out for our life ashore.

More photos from a couple of weeks ago

2009-06-28T20:26:00.001+01:00

Up in Princess Louisa Inlet, we anchored in front of Chatterbox Falls, and quickly met a lot of new friends tied up to the Park Dock. There was a regular cocktail hour, and when we said we were going to hike up to the Trapper's Cabin, there was a rapid divide into the 'we're too old for that' camp and the 'we'll go with you' group. Led by Fernando on his boat, Isabelle, we had a great hike up the hillside.

Down at sea level again, the beach was a favourite and cocktail / appetiser hour became a regular event, on the last day we lit the campfire in the shelter and had a marshmallow toasting time, fun for all.

On the way south again, we stopped at the Harmony Islands, a little group providing shelter in the otherwise open and forbidding Hotham Sound. Friel Lake Falls tumble fourteen hundred feet down the mountainside to empty directly into the sound. We anchored inside a tiny cove just big enough for us, tied back to a tree on the island and watched the raccoons feeding on the shoreline. We dug for and enjoyed clams from the shore and had a very comfortable couple of nights of peace and quiet.

Whilst at Egmont we met a very nice chap called Gus who came and introduced himself. Come over one day, he said, we live in a bay over there and would love to see you. Anchored at the Harmony Islands we zipped across in the dinghy and went through a narrow gap in the rocks to find a beautiful sheltered cove, a true little oasis on the coast. Sadly, Gus wasn't there but a friend was, and he showed us around. After some twenty five years there, they have built up a beautiful homestead and fish farm business. We'll certainly go back one day and say hello again.

Leaving the Sunshine Coast, we headed back towards Vancouver Island again, stopping for a night in the harbour of Vananda, on Texada Island. We took a walk ashore and had a drink up at the local Inn, with a great view down into the bay. The seals swam around us, we explored the beach at low tide and fished a little from the boat. We almost instantly caught a rockfish, but we're unsure about eating it and know that they are very long lived and slow growing, so we put it back carefully and didn't fish again, it's too easy to catch and harm something you don't want. The next day we upped anchor and headed off to Comox.

I Am Canadian! (Resident....)

2009-06-21T21:43:00.003+01:00

Yesterday we were offered a lift to Victoria by a friend who was going there for the day. This was the perfect opportunity for me to pop across to America and back so that I could activate my visa that allows me to be a permanent resident and work here.

For arcane reasons, I have to leave and re-enter the country to do this. So I hopped on the fast ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, which takes fifty five minutes and costs not a lot. I had half an hour in America, grabbed a sandwich and confirmed that Port Angeles is not a top destination for a day trip. An hour later I was back, at the counter with a very gracious Canadian immigration officer and we took about forty-five minutes to complete all the paperwork. Not only am I now allowed to live and work here, but all our possessions, including the boat, are officially imported and we can get on with bringing things over from storage in the UK and changing the boat to be Canadian registered.

It was all very straightforward and I got the chance to read a lot of my book. Back in Victoria, I searched out a pub where I could sit quietly and enjoy a pint in celebration, before fining the family and going for ice cream. They'd had a fun day in the city and Gesa had finally found a pair of walking boots, after a long search.

Now it's on with other new life stuff, like social security numbers, healthcare, driving licence and so on. So much to do....

Photos, lots of photos

2009-06-19T06:39:00.001+01:00

On our way up the mainland shore, we anchored in Pender Harbour, which would certainly bear more exploration. Sadly we only had one night but we did do some school - experiments with water, mixing and dilution, ate our prawns from the night before, watched a biplane perform acrobatics above us but still not match the splendor of the local bald eagles, and we saw the local entry in the annual unco-ordinated dragon boat paddling competition.

In the little village of Egmont, we took a fabulous forest walk to the Skookumchuck Rapids, where the tide rips through at up to sixteen knots. It was certainly fearsome.

The village turned out to be holding it's annual 'Egmont Day', I guess in England this would be a village fete, with tea on the lawn and a cricket match. Here it was a parade, games for the kids, burgers for lunch, a salmon supper and a canoe race. I'd only been in a canoe once before and so it was with interest that I saw two young lads push off from the dock, practice a few strokes then roll over and almost sink. Uhoh. That's cold water, that is. We didn't sink, and fortunately we didn't win, carefully coming second in our heat by about six inches to avoid having to race again in the final. That's wisdom what comes with age, that is.

Issie and Max were delighted to get to play on some other kids bikes and skateboards, even though Max's first skateboarding attempts left him with an array of cuts and bruises his enthusiasm was undaunted. I suspect there will be more band-aids required in years to come....

On the thirty mile trip north to Princess Louisa we saw the astounding mountains, snow capped peaks and tumbling waterfalls all unwind before us as we motored along. Even the kids found it difficult to stay below decks for this trip, proudly wearing the masks they made at Egmont Day, playing dominoes on the foredeck and soaking up the scenery. Through the Mailbu Rapids and anchored at the Chatterbox Falls, we saw local Meganser ducks paddling around and watched a floatplane drop in to collect some hardy, and wealthy, souls who had hiked across the glaciers and down to the inlet.

The Best Laid Plans....

2009-06-18T05:42:00.001+01:00

We were due to head down to Vancouver today, stopping at a nice island called Jeddidiah overnight. In Vancouver we planned to meet up with Owen and Amanda, great friends from the UK and take them for five or so days sailing.

The sailing gods had other plans. In fact, today it was the turn of the evil god of diesel engines. Up till now he has, thankfully, left us well alone and we've offered tributes of fresh oil and filters at regular intervals. But the gods are capricious, so when the engine was slow to start this morning, I looked at the fuel supply system before we pulled up the anchor.

There was an ominous whiff of diesel and a slow drip drip drip around the injector pump. This is a complicated bit of kit that takes fuel from the final filter, jacks it up to high pressure and squirts it into the cylinders. I pulled out the manuals and poked about a bit but it quickly became apparent that we needed a professional opinion. One of the skills I have been developing over the years, and it's a costly training course, is when to stop meddling and call in someone who really does know what they are doing. With tolerances to a thousanth of an inch, injector pumps clearly fall into that category.

So we now know that the leaky bits can probably be repaired without removing the pump from the engine, but it's a careful job because there's lots of tiny parts to lose. That would get us going again but the pump is probably in need of removal and overhaul, a fairly lengthy and costly job. Given that we have just a few weeks left of active cruising before we have to get stuck into proper life ashore, we'll probably try to do the quicker fix then prepare to overhaul or replace the entire engine during the winter.

For the four years we've had the boat, we knew the day would come when we have to make the 'good money after bad' decision about the engine. It can certainly be rebuilt, but it's likely that the cumulative wear over its twenty year life is high enough to make it a close call between rebuild or replace. Both need this engine to be lifted out of the boat, a complex procedure in itself. We've got some more time to think about it, it would have been nice to have got through the next six weeks before this happened but hey, such is life.

So we'll now limp down to our berth in Nanaimo, where we can stay comfortably and be within easy reach of mechanics and other good boat stuff, as well as plenty for us to do when not aboard. We can run the engine enough to get in and out of harbours and anchorages, and it's only sixty miles south. Unfortunately, the wind doesn't blow much round here in the summer so it will probably be a slow sail but the upside is that we can stop almost anywhere when the weather is this calm. We'll leave early in the morning.

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A few photos!

2009-06-16T18:13:00.000+01:00

Our very nice friends on Protection Island, Nanaimo offered us some of their tasty wine. Turns out they made it themselves, so we thought we would give it a go, especially as it works out MUCH cheaper. All we have to do is choose the kit, pour in the yeast and the rest is done for us over the next five weeks. From July 4th it will be ready to be bottled, and we do that ourselves too!! We will let you know how it turns out.

After we left Gabriola, we sailed across the strait towards Gibson's and anchored for the night. For Canadian television buffs, this is home to the famous Beachcombers series. The longest running TV programme in Canada. I was a fan in the 70s, and had a real kick sitting outside Molly's Reach having a drink and watching the world go by. It is now a proper cafe, but during its filming years, it remained a set, and curious tourists apparently always knocked on the window for a peak!

And here we are in Smuggler's Cove, another of the many marina parks that are up and down these waters. The photos speak for themselves: beautiful and tranquil, a real treat for us all. The perfect place for Max and Issie's first dip! Still too cold for Nick and I.

Photos from Princess Louisa

2009-06-14T21:12:00.000+01:00

A few of the views from the fabulous Princess Louisa Inlet, including Ty Dewi anchored in front of Chatterbox Falls. Pictures can't do it justice, it's a constant feast for the eyes and the mind.

The hike to the Trappers Cabin

2009-06-14T21:08:00.000+01:00

Some photos from the scramble up the mountain in Princess Louisa.

Super, Natural BC

2009-06-12T04:37:00.000+01:00

So the advertising slogan for this place is just that, Super, Natural British Columbia. Up here in the coastal mountains, it is certainly true. We have just spent a few days at the breathtaking anchorage at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet. We have seen bald eagles, seals, otters, mink and bears. We have hiked half way up a mountain, anchored beneath a waterfall and had a campfire in the forest.

We traveled thirty miles up Jervis Inlet, a wide river of sea water, with only the occasional logging camp to betray a human presence. At each of the three main turns in the inlet, the mountains became steeper, the shoreline more rugged and the snows covered more of the peaks. Near the top of Jervis Inlet we waited to enter Malibu Rapids, where millions of tons of water drain or flood on each tide, these ones run at up to nine knots. We wait for the wavelets to subside then follow a few other boats through into the protected waters of Princess Louisa Inlet.

Four miles long and about half a mile wide, the inlet is bounded by five thousand foot high mountains on all sides. Some of the slopes are sheep precipices of barren rock, and snow melt cascades down the mountain sides in more than thirty spectacular waterfalls along the inlet. At the end of the inlet is Chatterbox Falls, the biggest of them all and in full flow with the springtime melt. These falls have eroded enough rock from the mountain to make a substantial beach and delta which gives just enough space to anchor. There is also now a Park dock, where about twenty boats can tie alongside. We wanted to anchor anyway, which was good because the dock was full by the time we got there.

When they say 'just enough space to anchor' they mean it. We approach the beach in front of the waterfall and watch the depth sounder refuse to stop flashing the last reading it had before things got too deep, back at the rapids. I tell Gesa to shout when she can see the bottom and creep in towards the shore. We must be less than twenty yards away when she reckons we have ten feet depth at the bow. Back at the stern where the depth sounder is fitted, there is eighty feet. We drop, reverse and manage to get a firm hold. The flow of fresh water from the falls keeps us back off the shore and we have the most fabulous anchorage we can remember for a long time.

The area is a provincial park, only accessible by water apart from the few brave souls who hike in over the mountain, along the glacier and down the trails to the water's edge where, after a call on their satellite phone, a float plane comes in to pick them up. That's adventure tourism for you. So it's only the fortunate few who can get here by boat, and we find a diverse group tied to the dock. As the kids play on the beach, they are rapidly spotted by the grandparents of a lonely nine year old whose school in Colorado has an odd that breaks for summer at the end of May. He's missing playmates and suddenly we are swept up into a very enjoyable social round of appetisers and drinks on the dock at five pm each evening and a big group of new friends to make. By one of the strange coincidences that happen all the time in this small world, one boat at the dock is our neighbour from Nanaimo - he didn't know it at that time but our new marina berth is next to his boat

We mention we were going for a hike tomorrow, and suddenly we have a group of nine arranging to meet on the dock early in the morning. One, Fernando, has done this hike before so it's good to have a guide.

The hike is to an old trapper's log cabin, high up in the mountain some five hundred metres above. The guide books give it a fearsome write-up, describing it as a tough scramble more than a hike, but we've heard that it's manageable so decide to go as far as we can with the kids. Well, they, of course, are little mountain goats, scampering up every rock face with just spindly tree roots to grab onto. We climb over four foot wide dead tree trunks, under fallen trees, up rocky slopes and through some of the most fabulous forest I've ever been in. It's wonderful.

After two and a half hours, we are nearing the cabin which is beside a big waterfall. We can hear the waterfall just ahead and Fernando remembers the final rock bluff we walk around. He's a few hundred yards ahead when he comes back, there's a big, big bear down at the falls. It's the shape of a black bear but creamy white and beige. I want to go and see but the kids are with me, so we wait a little, talking more loudly then normal to let the bear know we are there. I go on to look at the waterfalls, I want to see a bear! But he's gone and I return to the group. Gesa has been a few minutes behind everyone at this point, and comes walking up. Hey, I saw a bear go past me, sort of whiteish. She's the only other one of us to see it, which is a shame and a relief to everyone at the same time. We think it must be one of the rare 'spirit' bears, a black bear with a gene that makes their coat this colour. We had lunch at the ruined cabin, enjoyed the view down the inlet from the waterfall and then headed down. The kids were unstoppable, and tromped off ahead. When we got back to the dock it was, once again, appetisers and drinks for the adults, tales of hiking for the stay-at-homes and the kids ran up and down the dock, endlessly. Whilst we rested tired legs, they were bounding around. We all slept well, though.

We had a long lie in and a lazy day. Our friends took the kids off to the other end of the inlet where, out here in the middle of nowhere, is a big camp for high school kids run by a christian foundation. The place was once an upscale resort, with heated swimming pool and beautiful cabins; once that went bankrupt it became this summer camp with a stunning location, right at the rapids feeding into the inlet. On the way down they saw otter, mink and seals. Once there they had a tour of the place and freshly made ice cream. Luxury.

That evening we lit the camp fire in the fire pit ashore, inside a nice open lodge which would shelter us from any rain - though we've only had one brief shower all our time here - and catches the sparks from the fire. It's a lovely evening before an early night - we have to leave at six am to catch the slack water at the rapids on the way out.

Princess Louisa is indeed a very special place and we shall certainly be back. It's a long trek to get there, but well worth it.

Now we're on our way to Comox, over the course of four days, where we shall get ashore and sort out some of the realities of life, like looking for a place to rent in Cumberland. We'll get on the internet there too, so there will be plenty of pictures to come. Words can hardly do justice to the places we've been, pictures struggle even more but we shall try.....

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Quick update

2009-06-07T06:01:00.000+01:00

It's been a very busy day and I'll have to write more and add pictures later. A quick 'teaser' of an update. We're on our way to Princess Louisa Inlet, one of the best cruising destinations on this coast, so we keep being told. Five thousand foot cliffs, thundering waterfalls and reversing tidal rapids await us over the next few days.

On the way, we've stopped at the little town of Egmont, pop. 300ish. Just a few miles further up the Sechelt (sea-shelt) Inlet are the fastest tidal rapids in the world. The Skookumchuck Narrows (skookum - strong, chuck - salt water) are where two hundred billion gallons of water squeeze in or out of the Sechelt inlet every six hours. It produces tidal streams up to 16 knots, and a series of rapids and whirlpools that have to be seen to be believed. We hiked through wonderful forest for three miles to be there when the ebb tide was running strongly and it is a wonder to behold. You don't mess with the Skookumchuck, that's for sure.

Back here in Egmont, we've had the luck to arrive in time for 'Egmont Day' (I'm an egmonster, say the t-shirts) . A whole day of activites, a parade, food and fun for the kids and us grown ups. Issie came joint first in the sack race, Max played frisbee and rode a skateboard, I got roped into a canoe race and Gesa took many, many photographs. The salmon, corn and salad dinner was $6 each.

Activity was centered around the Egmont Community Hall which is an interesting old building. You look at it and wonder when it was built. And then we find out that it wasn't built here, it was the recreation hall at an old logging camp a ways up the inlet. Egmont bought it for a dollar and it was cut in half, floated on two huge rafts of logs and dragged down to Egmont, then pulled up the hill and put back together. And it turns out that it was all done by the grandfather of the guy I ended up paddling a canoe with out around the island.

I love places like this, how can you not, the way they take visitors in their arms and wrap you up as if you were family. We'll be back, and next time, we'll practice paddling a canoe.....

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Swimming, anyone?

2009-06-05T05:43:00.001+01:00

Now that we have fitted a heater, the weather has taken a sharp and distinct turn for the warmer. We are sweltering in the high twenties (celsius, low eighties 'F) with barely a breeze to cool us down. If this is what the heater did for us, it's worth every cent.

The water temperature, however, is still in the mid teens. That's enough to keep Gesa and I out of it but the little mermaid on our crew is keen to get wet.

Here we are in Smuggler's Cove, a gorgeous anchorage consisting of three or so pools, each a couple of hundred meters wide and joined by narrow channels. You enter through a rock channel barely thirty feet wide, with nervous looks at chart and depth sounder on the way. Once inside, we anchored the bow and took a line back to an eye set in the rocky shore, there's not really enough room for us to swing to our anchor. The setting is magnificent, wooded rocky islands and a network of trails within the park. We have fun exploring.

In the late afternoon, the kids want to go to the 'beach', a rocky slope of pebbly beach covered with barnacles and oysters. Issie is adamant she wants to swim, Max merely wants to take his toy boats. We put Issie into her wetsuit and Max gets his swim shorts just in case he wades in a little further. He has a regular habit of forgetting how long his trousers are relative to the depth of the water.

On the beach, Max plays happily whilst Issie dips a toe in the water. Er Daddy, can you swim with me? No fear kiddo, you're on your own today. She walks out until her knees are covered and stops. Daddy, I don't like all the barnacles and crabs around me. The bottom is crawling with hundreds of tiny crabs, I'm not too surprised she's wary about them. Why don't you go in from the dinghy where it's a bit deeper and you don't have to put your feet down? OK.

I push the dinghy out a bit into deeper water and she hangs her legs over the side. At this point, Max wants something and I help him out, at the same time he takes off his T-shirt, it's hot in the sun. I look back to Issie to find her still hanging off the dinghy, face fixed in concentration and muttering to herself. 'I can do this. I am a mermaid. I can do this' she says quietly under her breath, not realising I am watching. Looking up, she sees me, paddles her legs a little and comes back to shore.

Clearly deciding she needs support, she attempts to enlist Max as an ally. 'Look Max, there's a great place for your boats here, just swim out a little with me'. He's not entirely convinced, but wanders over and into the deeper water. Before I know it, he has nonchalantly flopped down, swum a few strokes then stood up and gone back to playing. No big deal. Issie, still there in her wetsuit and goggles, has run out of options but is still not quite willing to jump in. She plays a bit with Max instead.

Time to go, but she's still telling me she wants to swim. OK, so why don't you swim towards the boat and I'll follow you with the dinghy and pick you up when you want to stop. This seems like a good idea so Max, still unnecessarily nervous about deep water, puts on his life jacket and sets off. I shadow him with the dinghy and motion to Issie to follow. Wait Daddy, wait, I'm not quite ready. We go through a few loops of this before Max and I have to turn around and go back to get closer to where she is. Eventually she jumps in, swims about four strokes and then is lifted into the dinghy. Max could have been at the boat by now but has been hanging around and is cold, so he comes in too, shivering a bit, poor chap.

Back aboard, we have showers and get ready for dinner. Getting changed in her cabin, I hear Issie talking to herself again.

'Phww. Now I know what they mean by cold'.

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Prawns

2009-06-05T05:43:00.000+01:00

Gone are the days of mahi-mahi and tuna, welcome salmon (if we ever catch one) and prawns. Now, these tasty little devils live in the deep deep waters around here, and can be tempted into a trap. We have a nice net trap, with funnels to lead the prawns in and, hopefully, make it hard for them to get out again. Local knowledge tells us to bait it with a tin of cheap cat food, lower it two or three hundred feet and wait a few hours.

Down at Gibson's Landing, we pick our spot, drop it over the side and watch as the line snakes down, down into the deep cold waters. Eventually the line stops sinking and we know the trap is on the bottom. Over goes the marker float and a weight to keep it all straight up and down over the trap. At last we are properly using Max's lobster trap float, all the way from Maine.

The next morning Max and I get up early and head out in anticipation. We haul up the trap, hand over hand, coiling hundreds of feet of line into the big five gallon bucket we have for the purpose. Finally the trap appears through the gloomy water. Excitement mounts, hope swells in our hearts and then reality swiftly intervenes. Nothing. Darn it. Back to the boat, where an expectant crew makes quiet comments about 'all that effort'. We think about it and decide that puncturing our tin of cat food with a screwdriver wasn't good enough, we need to open the tin a fair bit further.

Next day, we are at a beautiful spot called Smuggler's Cove. Just outside the anchorage the water drops away rapidly, so we try again. The following morning we go out and haul, haul away. Bingo. We have prawns. Well, three at least. One of them is pretty big and chunky, the others are small little things but edible none the less. On the water we meet some other sailors who have a lot more experience at this, they suggest a different type of cat food - they kindly give us a few tins - and that an hour is enough if you find the right spot. So we drop the trap again.

A couple of hours later we go out once more and hey presto - four prawns! At least we are improving, this is going in the right direction. We eat them as part of dinner tonight, not exactly a full meal but a good start. Right now it's working out at about $10 a prawn but hopefully that average will drop soon.....

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Let there be heat....

2009-05-30T17:36:00.001+01:00

Now we live in the semi-frozen north, a heater is a necessity. Even on some summer days, if the weather turns it's cold enough to be uncomfortable so we decided to get the job done here and now. We bought a highly recommended and popular heater called the Dickinson Newport, which is made right here in BC and runs on a slow drip feed of diesel. No pumps, no electricity, very simple and safe.

There are four challenges to be overcome.

1) Where to put it - boats seldom have a spare corner for this and that. Fortunately we've seen photos of another Young Sun boat that had this heater installed and it was right behind the mast support, so that was easy. To the left, the 'before' photo, and the 'after' photo is below on the right.

2) Making a hole for the chimney. The three inch piping that forms the chimney needs a five inch hole in the deck, to give space for heat to dissipate. That's no easy task, but luckily I asked around the anchorage and there's a shipwright living on his boat here who had the right tools and came to cut the hole for a few bucks. He's also familiar with the heater and gave me a few useful pointers. The photo there is of Max looking through the hole in the roof.

3) Mounting and heat shield. The heater needs a secure mounting and something to protect the surrounding woodwork. I designed a simple stainless steel bracket to do both jobs but it's not always easy to get these made. Luckily there's a heating engineering company in Nanaimo who do it, within walking distance of the docks. I went in on Monday lunchtime, got a call at 8:30am on Tuesday to say it was done. And they only charged me an hour of labour, the materials were free as it was a small job. Great service and a nice job too. The bracket fits perfectly and leaves space underneath for the carbon monoxide alarm.

4) Fuel supply. It's not easy to find space for an extra diesel tank either, but fortunately our shipwright friend suggested using a standard outboard tank from the locker in front of the mast, which then feeds by a drip-siphon effect to the heater. Perfect.

So installation went really well and, despite a few hiccups in getting the fuel flow running smoothly, it's now all nice and toasty warm. Of course, this is the cue for the sun to come out and we've had a glorious few days but I'm sure that won't last all summer....

Ty Dewi aka Nanimo Marine Salvage and Harbour Protection

2009-05-30T16:24:00.006+01:00

What is it about boat owners on this coast that makes it difficult for them to keep their boats in one place? After our 'good deed' in Salt Spring, the past twenty four hours see us helping out with three more.

Yesterday evening, as we were saying goodbye to some friends who had been aboard for a drink, the wind sprang up from the north-west. It's blown at, oh, maybe twenty knots at times which seems to be a BC yachtsmans gale, given the effect on the harbour.

Near us is a knackered old concrete boat in an advanced state of decay, obviously bought by someone with more hopes than money. She's been gradually dragging her anchor towards us all week in the light southerlies. With this shift, she swung around and merrily advanced on a nice sailboat who had anchored there for the night. Her crew looked nervously as the big ugly boat stopped a few feet ahead of them. I popped over in the dinghy, suggested that the boat was on a very light anchor and they'd be better moving, which they did. As for the concrete boat, I'm afraid she's one of the few that I wouldn't fight to save if there's no-one aboard. She actually stayed put all night, but as I write she's gone another thirty yards to the south.

At the same time, we noticed a cute little racing boat that we'd looked at on her mooring on the otherside of the harbour. She was now on our side of the harbour and moving gradually southwards. This one I'd better go get. It seems she's dragging because, apart from her mooring being too light for the job, she's got her keel tangled and is sideways to the wind. I decided to pull her backwards a bit and that worked to free the keel. Then she was lying to her mooring which I could untie more easily. After an aborted attempt to tow her by her bow, I lashed the dinghy alongside and brought her up to Ty Dewi. Unlike the last time, we now have a rough plan for these events and Gesa had already got fenders out, lines ready and we tied the boat alongside us. This morning I went back to her mooring buoy, copied the phone number from it and left the guy a message. He's on his way.

As I'm putting the phone away, we look across at the next door boat and find it's two next door boats, almost touching. Here we go again. The boat that has dragged down is another one here just for a night or two, and has a dinghy alongside but no-one is awake yet. Once again I grab my lifejacket, jump in our dinghy and pop over. A sharp rap on her hull brings a sleepy face to the companionway door. "Yep?". "Sorry sir, but you're dragging." He looks out. "F**k. Sorry, let me just get dressed." He's got his son aboard and doesn't need help to move his boat, so I come back for breakfast.

Lord knows what would happen if a real breeze ever blew through here. Now let me go look up the laws on salvage rights....

Issieism

2009-05-26T18:42:00.001+01:00

Issie is reading about forests.

"There are two types of trees, coniferous and delicious."

That'll be the yummy maple syrup tree, then.

Pirate's Cove

2009-05-25T23:38:00.000+01:00

On De Courcey Island, in a tiny place called Pirate's Cove, we did get an anchorage pretty much to ourselves. The cove is mostly marine park and is truly beautiful. The entrance is very narrow, you point the boat straight at the rocks, lining up an X on a tree with an arrow on the rocks. About thirty yards from shore, turn sharp left and through a gap only twice as wide as the boat and into the cove. Ashore there are trails, a campsite and information about the little park. Someone had recently set up a 'pirate's treasure chest' on the shore with a 'take something, leave something' notice, so the kids did exactly that.

Clam Bay

2009-05-25T23:34:00.001+01:00

Clam Bay was a lovely stop on the way to Salt Spring from Ladysmith. Apparently it is usually empty, but this was a holiday weekend and there were thirty boats there enjoying the peace and quiet. It's a nicely sheltered bay at the point where Thetis and Kuper Islands almost meet, there's a narrow cut through to Telegraph Cove on the western side, which we rode in the dinghy.

A few days later we passed by on the way north, the bay was indeed empty! It's only twenty miles from Vancouver so it's not surprising that the hoards invade on a long weekend. I reckon that as Summer gets going we'll need to go further and further north to get an anchorage alone.

Salt Spring Island

2009-05-25T23:31:00.001+01:00

Salt Spring is one of the most popular of the Gulf Islands, easily reached by ferry and home to a diverse community of folks, with a heavy artistic and craft bias. There seems to be some bi-polar nature to the island, the influx of second home money having led to a lot of very wealthy part time residents contrasting with the more bohemian group. I have the feeling that leads to some interesting politics on the island, but it's easy to see which side drives the economy of the place. It was fun to stay for a few days, being on the water and making the most of the little village of Ganges. Very arty.

Photos from the Painted Turtle Guesthouse

2009-05-25T23:27:00.001+01:00

Remember the Painted Turtle, the Guesthouse with the amazing coincidence? Well, here's some photos from our stay, mostly of the 'greatroom' where we could all sit, relax, play, make food and generally chill out before getting some sleep and off to meet Ty Dewi the next morning. We'd highly recommend the place to anyone.

Nanaimo photos

2009-05-25T23:25:00.001+01:00

Catching up a bit here, some photos from a couple of weeks back when we first explored Nanaimo. There's lots of history and activity here, and the more I explore the town the more I like it, it is a proper little city with all the services and stores that go with it, but most things are within walking distance. Everyone's really friendly too. It's a bit 'gritty', not all prettified and suburban, and we like that as our regular readers will know. It's a good place to have as our nearby city.

Anchored on the runway

2009-05-20T17:00:00.000+01:00

Float planes are a regular part of life out here, with so many islands and sheltered, flat water everywhere. Here in Ganges we were careful to anchor well to one side of the channel so they have plenty of space, but clearly they go wherever they feel like. We've had planes pass both sides of us, within thirty or forty feet on their way to take off. We wave at the pilot and passengers, they wave back. It's neat. One day we should take a flight just to see these islands from above.

Sartorial elegance as ever

2009-05-20T16:51:00.001+01:00

I've always wanted an excuse to buy one of these shirts. Ever since I was a kid, visiting friends' farms in Northumerland and watched the lads working on cold mornings in thick padded plaid shirts, I've spent at least a tiny moment of every cold morning wishing I was a little bit warmer.

And now we're in Canada, and it's cold in the mornings, and I'm on the water, so I can justify buying one out of more than mere vanity - this will get used most mornings for the next couple of months, I suspect. It even has a hood!

Altogether now: 'I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK.....'

Issieism

2009-05-20T16:38:00.003+01:00

We're off to a place called Pirate's Cove today. I tell the kids that. There's a little discussion about pirates, how they still exist in some parts of the world and so on.

'But there's none here, and there never were anyway', I tell them.

'No,' says Issie, 'it's too freezing cold.'

I must say, if I were a pirate I'd choose the Caribbean too....

Gesa's sixth sense

2009-05-19T06:28:00.003+01:00

Call it a sixth sense, call it paranoia, but Gesa has a useful knack of knowing when something's not right.

We're in a little village called Ganges, a harbour on Salt Spring Island. It's an interesting link to our old home, for the boat used to be kept close to the old HMS Ganges training station at Shotley Point in Suffolk. This village is named for the same line of ships. For Arthur Ransome aficionados, some of the stories are set around Pin Mill - especially 'We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea' - because Captain Walker was stationed at HMS Ganges.

But I digress. We've arrived, we anchored, we explored. The usual we came, we conquered, we saw sort of thing. Back aboard for dinner, the rain is falling softly in it's British Columbian way and a cold breeze rises across the anchorage. We periodically look out the window to make sure we're in the same place but after an hour or two of not shifting, I do it less and less.

Gesa looks up later and says 'we're moving. Oh, no we're not, that boat is moving. Nick, he's really dragging!'. I agree. There's a thirty-fiveish foot yacht making her way quite rapidly across the anchorage towards a rocky shoreline. Clearly no-one is aboard, and if she doesn't stop soon it's not going to be pretty.

At times like this, it's really good to have a pre-prepared plan, to know what to do and just swing into action. We don't, so I wing it. At least the dinghy keys are where they should be, a lifejacket is right there and Gesa quickly grabs a length of line for a tow rope. I set off in the dinghy and manage to get a line on the boat's bow, make it fast to the dinghy and try to tow her back to safety. My first try only manages to stem her drift, my tow line is too short and I risk getting tangled in her useless anchor line. Lengthening the tow works, and I'm able to make some headway. When the wind gusts up we are dragged backwards but slowly I make progress.

After about fifteen minutes we are close enough for Gesa, who has been on deck watching and slowly freezing, to throw me a second line and we can tie the wayward boat to Ty Dewi. At least now we are in a fairly stable state, although I'm not happy to leave things like that. Gesa can get a warm jacket and gloves, and then we work hard to get the boat closer, another line aboard and bring her alongside us so we can lie safely until the owner returns.

We're most of the way through that when he does return, with a friend from another boat. They've obviously realised what's happened although until I told them, they didn't know how close his boat had come to the shore - less than a hundred yards at one point. Now we can let the boat go free and they lift the anchor in the normal way and head off across the harbour. I'm not sure, but I think they tied to a dock. He comes back to say thanks again and let me know that he does a lot of miles and has been to a lot of harbours and it's only in this one he really has problems. Well, I saw the size of the anchor on the end of that bit of rope and I'd say he could do with an upgrade.

The wind shift, and the extra load on our gear from two boats, has left me less confident in our position so we lift and reset our anchor twenty metres further into the channel. By now, of course, the kids have been awake and enjoying the bonus playtime as we sorted everything out so we have to go through a round of negotiation and threats to restore order before we can make a cup of coffee and settle back to our evening. Oh, the fun and games we have.

Interestingly, the Ransome book I mentioned begins with a dragging anchor - the kids are staying aboard one night when the wind builds, the anchor drags and they find themselves blown out of the harbour and with little option but to run downwind to Holland.

TyDewi Heads Down to Ladysmith

2009-05-16T21:52:00.001+01:00

TyDewi sets off on her first sail (motor) from Nanaimo to Ladysmith. It is a three hour trip, with only the Dodd's Narrows to add a little excitment into the journey. Once through here however, the scenery is breathtaking. Kayakers take advantage of the calm, warm weather, seals pop their heads up for a peak, and we keep a watchful eye out for logs! A new hazard for us up in these waters. It helps when birds sit on them! We met up with our friends at Page Point Marina nearLadysmith and have enjoyed a wonderful 24 hours here. Gesa even enjoyed a little time ashore with them as they searched out some local artisans. At Yellow Point they found a delightful garden gallery, fifteen years in the making. Gesa could not resist our first purchase of Vancouver Island art..a moose!! Now we just need to figure out where to store it. It is an exceptionally amazing place here, where else can you say you have seen seals, a bald eagle, heron, woodpecker, racoon, mink, and squirrels all in one day?!

Back Aboard TyDewi

2009-05-16T21:25:00.001+01:00

Within minutes back aboard, the kids just got right back into their usual routine: dressing up, play-dough, computer games etc. Clearly the 530am wake-up was just a bit too much for Issie, and she soon fell into a deep three hour sleep. After loading up the boat with provisions and returning the rental car, we motored the short distance across to Protection Island. A beautiful, calm anchorage with a great view of Nanaimo. From here we could just watch the world go by, and what a different world it is indeed. Float planes, ferries, water taxi's, you name it. By our second night, the weather had improved considerably, warm and sunny, good for putting the sails back on, and a dinghy trip ashore to the Dinghy Dock Pub. There we enjoyed a pint and met some interesting local liveaboards who have a pet cockatoo named Molly.

TyDewi is Offloaded in Nanaimo

2009-05-16T20:53:00.001+01:00

After a month on the high seas, TyDewi is reunited with her crew. The ship collected quite a few more yachts when it stopped in Mexico, so we were among many like minded sailors, keen to get their boats off and safely afloat again. Although some had engines stop etc., we got off without a hitch, and were moored up within minutes at the marina...phew!

Afloat Again

2009-05-15T04:58:00.000+01:00

Well here we are, back on board our home. Ty Dewi arrived, safe and sound on Tuesday afternoon. We were even there to see the ship pull into the harbour, having driven down to Nanaimo that afternoon. Unloading wasn't till the morning, so we went and stayed in the now famous Painted Turtle guesthouse, and had a very pleasant night. The alarm made for a less pleasant morning at 05:30 but we were down at the ship on time and everything went very smoothly.

We were floated, the engine started first time, thankfully, and we motored off the ship to the nearby Nanaimo marina. We could stay there for three hours without charge, so we took that opportunity to unload and return the hire car and get a few other tasks done before we went a few hundred yards across to the anchorage. Here in Nanaimo harbour we share the water with quite a few marinas, a nice anchorage, a few little water taxis, a couple of big ferries and frequent landings and takeoffs of the float planes to and from Vancouver. For a small city it's a busy place.

Yesterday afternoon, once we were anchored, it started to rain. And it rained and rained. The temperature fell to less than ten degrees and it felt darn cold. Nobody told us about this. Well, that's not exactly true, everybody told us it was cold and wet up here, but the reality can be a little harsh nonetheless. Today I went and ordered a heater....

Then today was a lot nicer, sunnier, warmer and generally a good time to be living on the water. We got some tasks done on the boat and ashore, most important of which was to package up my passport and send it off to London, where the Canadian government will put a visa in it and I can become legal. I'll have to nip down to the USA and cross the border to actually 'enter' Canada and activate the residents visa, then that wil be it, I can live, work and play here in BC. Very exciting.

Tomorrow we sail for the first time up here, a short three hour hop south to a town called Ladysmith where we can meet up again with our friends from Calgary. We have to pass through Dodds Narrows, a small gap between Gabriola Island and Vancouver Island where the tides run up to six knots, so timing is all. Luckily, we have things in our favour all morning. We'll be towing our fishing lines and hoping for salmon too. Gesa and Max are now our official fisher-persons. Until I am resident, a fishing licence costs a fortune, but Gesa's is just twenty-six dollars. Max's licence was free, so we got him one. Issie isn't at all interested!

So off we go, time to begin our cruising adventures in the Pacific.....

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Place we like....

2009-05-12T04:48:00.002+01:00

So having done some touring, we had been planning on continuing to explore by boat and see what other coastal communities are like. And we will still do some of that, but we think we've found the place we'd like to live. It's a small village called Cumberland (on google maps here) just outside Courtenay in the Comox Valley. It's got some history, being one of the older settlements on the island and having been built on the strength of a nearby coal mine. At one time, it was a city to match Victoria, and also claimed to be the smallest and westernmost city in Canada.

Now, a hundred years later, it is what we might call a small town or large village of about three thousand, with historic buildings on the main street, older housing surrounding that and a recent growth of new housing on the outskirts. The building of the main island highway, with an exit just two miles from the village, makes it ever more attractive as a tourist destination and a place to live.

The village is close to many parks and forests, and has become a bit of a centre for mountain biking. It's also home to a strong community of artists and draws on the cultural traditions of the families whose forefathers came here to work the mine from Europe, China, Japan and all over America.

I'm sounding a bit like the tourist guide here, selling the place as a destination, but perhaps that's because we've really taken a liking to it. Some places just feel right, and for us, Cumberland seems to be one of those. Top middle in the collage are a couple of photos with mountains in the background. They are taken from the schools that the kids would go to until grade 10, when they would need to take a bus a few miles into Courtenay. These views from the playground sum up why we wanted to bring the kids up out here.

So our plan now is to sail for six to eight weeks, and look for a place to rent in the village from August onwards, then come ashore and get stuck into whatever there is to do for work around here. That might sound a bit a**e about face, but like many people we have met here the approach is to find a place we want to be then work out how to support ourselves.

For the next couple of months we'll really enjoy exploring on the water and look forward to our new start on this, the most interesting of islands we've visited in our whole island odyssey.

Places we've been.... (2)

2009-05-11T17:57:00.000+01:00

Comox is a coastal town about halfway between Nanaimo and Campbell River. It is almost joined to another, slightly larger town called Courtenay, which is a touch closer to the main highway. Comox downtown is very pretty, it is neat, tidy, clean and full of nice little stores. It is clear that this is a thriving tourist destination in the summer, and there was plenty of local life right now too. It's known here abouts as a retirement community, and certainly the quiet, tidy feel echoed that. We really liked the place, and would like to live nearby and have Comox as part of our regular life. In some ways it is a little too perfect, almost like one of those science fiction movies where the town is taken over by aliens who try to blend in by doing nothing wrong. Courtenay, next door, is clearly where the original humans have been displaced to - still a nice looking town and with a more varied range of stores and services. It also has the bigger 'box' stores for those times when you need them.

Just a few miles from our place in Parksville is one of the island's many, many parks. Here at MacMillian Park is a stand of ancient trees known as Cathedral Grove. This stretch of forest contains trees over 800 years old, despite many being lost in a fierce windstorm in 1997. The old growth forest is magnificent, having never been cut for logging it retains the diversity of wildlife and leaves dead trees both fallen and standing as habitats and nutrients for the next generations. One of the biggest trees is almost nine metres around, Max did his best to hug it. This is temperate rain forest, which means that the climate is cool and damp, as we are so often reminded, and that means moss and greenery everywhere. Just like Ireland, being on the eastern side of a huge ocean makes for an emerald isle.

What is more amazing, for us, is that this isn't a vacation, this is where we want to live. It'll be important to remember, years from now, that part of the reason we are here is for all this natural beauty, so we must take our opportunities to get out and enjoy it, not get bound up in work, school, activities and everything else that tends to take over when you lose focus on the big picture.

Places we've been....(1)

2009-05-11T17:25:00.001+01:00

As you may recall, part of the point of this week ashore has been to get in the rental car and go look at places we might think about settling down, as well as just getting a feel for this part of the island. So here are a few photos and thoughts about where we've been.

We're staying in Parksville, at a lovely flat (condo) in a nice little beachside development. It's a great place for a holiday, and that's what the town is about - lots of rentals, holiday homes, beachfront and attractions. The provincial park next to our place is a nice forest walk, the views over the beach and to the mountains on the mainland shore are fabulous. We played mini-golf because the kids really wanted to, and we've been able to stock up at the big supermarket, get a video from the rental store, and all the other nice things about being ashore. We also celebrated Mother's Day (different day to the British one) with Gesa getting a massage from Issie and Max! It's too much of a seaside vacation town for us, though, as a place to live.

Nanaimo is a major gateway to the island, being the other end of the ferry to Vancouver City. We last saw it ten years ago, as we drove off the ferry. It docks in the scruffy, cargo dock part of town and leads you rapidly out through commercial sprawl. We were unimpressed. This time, we went to the heart of the city, which is really a mid-sized town, and walked around the ten or so blocks that make up downtown. It is really nice, with some historic buildings - Nanaimo was built on coal mining and export - and a very attractive waterfront. We'll be unloading Ty Dewi here and spending a bit more time in the city so we'll explore some more. Much as we like it, even this small city is bigger than we want to live in, so it'll be nice to have Nanaimo in easy reach without living right there.

Willow Point is really a suburb of Campbell River, the main settlement halfway up the island. Above that, there's little but wild space and wild small villages until Port Hardy at the northern tip, so Campbell River is our northern boundary for places to live. Here at Willow Point we found a lovely stretch of beach with massive driftwood logs, neat purple starfish and other critters, and some nicely done signs and 'interpretation'. The rest of the area is nice but quiet and suburban, didn't really push any buttons for us.

Campbell River is much more interesting, a lively waterfront and clearly a major town in this part of the world. Quadra Island is just a half mile across the water and that creates strong tides between, we watched ferries and boats being swept forcefully along as they transited the narrows. Around the town, many signs show the history of the area and the massive changes that have happened since the fifties, when much of the waterfront was just a muddy pile of logs being shipped out. Now there are highways, ferry docks, marinas and, just back from those on reclaimed land, shopping malls and public spaces. There was plenty to interest us in the town, and the surroundings are truly fabulous, just minutes to mountains, lakes and waterfalls. As a place to live, though, something didn't quite click. Perhaps it is the recent nature of the shopping areas, the way that the shopping malls replace much of the high street and leave parking lots as a major visible part of downtown. The marinas would be a great place to keep our boat though, if we can get a space - everywhere has a waiting list, so it seems.

Issieism

2009-05-10T05:59:00.002+01:00

Issie is using her new wristwatch to learn to tell the time. It's working pretty well.

Down on the beach in the morning, I say it's time to go back as Mummy will have got everything ready to go out.

'No Daddy, Mummy said we had to come back at 10:15'
'Well, what time is it now?'
'It's 10:21, that's not 10:15'

Sadly, I have to remind her that Mummy probably wouldn't find that a valid reason for staying on the beach for another eleven hours and fifty four minutes.

Maxism

2009-05-10T05:51:00.002+01:00

Max is learning to read and is at that point where he reads signs to us, sometimes right, sometimes not so. We are driving around the island and he is looking out of the window.

'Why are there so many signs saying 'don't marry'?

We are puzzled, we haven't seen anything exhorting us to avoid matrimony.

Then he points one out. It's election time round here and the roadside signs support the candidates, one of whom is called.....Don McRae

Small world

2009-05-09T07:20:00.006+01:00

Sometimes the strangest coincidences bring us together. Yesterday we were in Nanaimo to look around. We also wanted to find a hotel for the night before Ty Dewi turns up, because we have to be there at oh-early o'clock in the morning. I was going to look into the standard cheap-o lodges on the edge of town but we are walking through the town centre when we pass a nice looking guesthouse with a board advertising $70 specials.

We walk into the interestingly named 'Painted Turtle' guesthouse and have a lovely chat with the Australian owner who was travelling five years ago with his wife and just liked it here. The place is great, immaculate and interesting. They have a two year old and a new baby so common ground is quickly established. We book a family room for next week.

Today I get an email from my mum, who rents out a studio apartment attached to the family home back in Shropshire.

You will love this! I have today spoken to a lady called Doreen who lives in western Canada and has booked the Croft for an eight night stay in late May early June. We got talking as you do, with our important canadian link. She was quick to say you and Gesa should go into the 'Painted Turtle' in Nanaimo which is a guest house run by her daughter Angie and her husband Bruce, and I think she said they have a baby now."

Serendipity is a wonderful thing to have on your side.

Instant eh!

2009-05-09T07:19:00.000+01:00

Thus proving that someone in the Canadian Immigration Service has a sense of humour, this advert made me laugh. (Click to enlarge it and read the small print) You have to know that Canadians are often teased for adding 'eh?' to the end of every sentence.

Calgary

2009-05-09T07:16:00.000+01:00

In Calgary we stay with friends we made in the Caribbean, last seen on Statia and Saba where we hiked mountains and ate chinese food. Back in Canada they have a beautiful home filled with lovely art and, more importantly for some, a den with games and big screen tv. We relax and feel very much at home. Gesa meets an old friend in town, whom she hasn't seen for over ten years, and we discover a city of fossils and gemstones. At last the day comes to go to the airport and fly off to Vancouver Island and a whole new adventure.

Edmonton travels

2009-05-09T07:10:00.000+01:00

Up in Edmonton we spent time with our dear friend Ian, and stayed with friends just outside town. We played in the local playground, and took a trip up to Elk Island Provincial Park where the bison roam free and spring was trying ever so hard to spring. The kids couldn't believe their luck that there was still snow to be found but the locals were rather sick of the stuff by now. Ian drove us down the very straight road to Calgary and we admired the acres of farmland peppered with nodding donkeys. Issie has been reading ahead in class and told us that they are really called pumpjacks. Smart alec.

Riding the train to Edmonton

2009-05-09T07:05:00.000+01:00

The transcanada train is a lot of fun, even if you get off before the best bit past the rockies. Stopping halfway in the elegant Winnipeg station for a few hours, the kids pose with Gayle, who looked after them in the observation car, and then Issie met a mountie. We visited the railroad museum, and the girls went off to the Forks shopping centre for a bit or retail therapy and sightseeing. The very Canadian named girls, Aurora and Mackenzie, looked after us in the dining car, we saw old grain elevators and new grain loading in Saskatchewan, sunsets, lakes, trees, farmland, cities and all manner of scenes passing the windows of the train. And a truck stuck under the loading bay at the station. Never a dull moment.