Thursday, September 24, 2009

Port Renfrew on the West Coast of Vancouver Island


Getting there is half the fun, they say. The road to Port Renfrew from Cowichan Lake used to be gravel, travelled by logging trucks and die-hards with four wheel drives. Now it is paved. However, signage seems to suffer a case of arrested development...funny way to indicate a right turn in the road.


But, when one gets to the open fjord of Port Renfrew - what a welcome to the Pacific Coast. Long beaches, lined with hundreds of logs, which have been deposited by storm surges high on the sand. And some not so high, like this one.
A thin layer of fog hangs over the waters. Surf breaks as smooth as if cut by a knife. The mountain tops of the US Olympic Peninsular rise far away on the horizon.


High fir, cedar and pine covered cliffs line the shore outside the fjord, and the surf crashes relentlessly over rugged rocks.


A little new shoot grows between the many stranded logs on the beach.

Park-like setting with a West Coast Salish flavour of the Port Renfrew Hotel and Resort. A surprising bit of luxury in the midst of a wild and empty landscape.

Tiane, a First Nation girl from Lillooet in BC's interior, working at Port Renfrew Hotel & Resort. She showed me the rustic - but very luxurious - cabins on the seashore. The porches which are overhanging the water are innundated by the crashing waves when the winterstorms batter the West Coast.

Botany Beach near Port Renfrew, where the tidepools at low tide offer ever fresh insights into a secret and wonderful intertidal world.

More Magic Mushrooms growing on tree barks


The west coast shoreline does not offer easy acces to 'higher' or safer ground to escape from rising tides, rogue waves or just plain getting off the beach. Exits are marked with red buoys hanging from tree branches or, as in this case in Botany Beach Park, with a highly visible traffic sign .

These escape signals are posted along the entire length of the West Coast Trail, a demanding and rugged five day trek without any connection to civilization, or indeed, any way off but at the end of the trail.
The trail follows roughly the West Coast of Vancouver Island between Port Renfrew and Bamfield. Intrepid trecking afficionados sign up for it and brave the elements (completely self sufficient) as well as suspension footbridges over rushing rivers, dizzying ladders up and down steep canyon walls, climbs over slippery mossy treetrunks, exposed hikes along forbidding rough shores and rocky outcrops. Each year a couple of hikers succumb to some mishap or other - and complicated air and water rescue efforts get them out of there - after the outside world finds out about them, which could be a while. No cell phone coverage either...
Well, it is what is called a "Classic Hike".

With the ususal suspects never far away...Deposited no more than a few minutes ago, still steaming, half digested berries glistening: a perfect example of bear poop. That is when one starts to make a lot of noise, hastens ones steps and gets 'outtathere-in-a-hurry'...even without a complicated rescue effort.

Landlubbing again


A room with a view again. The sea looks and feels different viewed from high above, as opposed to about knee-level when I stand up in Millennium Dragon's cockpit.
Shopping Cart Cruise Ship at Ogden Point in Victoria. (Note the cart 'handle' at the stern) I always wonder, whether someone has to insert a Loonie into the black slot at the 'handle' to remove a chain locking the ship to the dock? And maybe there are little wheels just below the waterline under the bow and the stern to make it run better along the sea bottom?

A new roof on the neighbour's house. If these guys slip they are going to have a long time to think about it, before they get to terra firma.

One of the hundreds of transluscent jelly fish, softly winging their way through the clear waters surrounding Millennium Dragon. Thousands of delicate tentacles slowly beat up and down like a strangely alive gossamer halo to propel them to a destination they will never see.

Back in Homeport

Summer is almost gone. Albeit, judging by continuing cloudless skies and almost hot daytime temperatures it could just as well be the middle of summer.
Millennium Dragon is finally tied up at her home dock - a sad day in a way...another season is over. Of course, I could sail much longer, but daylight hours are at a premium. What does one do at anchor, after the sun goes down around 19:00? Read, solve Sudoku and crossword puzzles, listen to the radio, cook a dinner, watch the little fire in the fireplace, listen to music? Most of that consumes precious battery power for lights, and the solar panel does not get enough sunshine hours any more to keep up with all that wild consumption.
Chilly daybreak happens around 06:00 hours, but it stays chilly for at least another three hours, even if the sun is out. Rolling out of a warm bunk to prepare breakfast in a frigid galley, wipe almost frosty dew off the deck and face a muddy and heavy anchor is not something condusive to early risings.
At least the pleasant climate facilitates touching up brightwork (that is the wood that needs varnishing), waxing topsides, doing some mechanical and electrical maintenance in rather pleasant circumstances.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Saturday on South Pender Island


I took advantage of the Pender Island Public Transport, in other words official hitch hiking. An elderly couple in a beat-up little Toyota picked me up at the 'Car Stop' beside the Marina. They were headed for the Farmer's Market via a pit stop at the local recycling depot. Fine with me, I had no particular destination in mind anyway.
This recycle depot is not your usual run-of-the-mill drop-off-bottles kind of thing - this is an artistic treasure trove and a cash-less shoppers paradise.
There was a burial ground for discarded barbecues, bathtubs, buckets, sinks etc...just right for a new resident with little money and lots of mechanical knowhow. Artistic little knicknacks like garden gnomes and 'figurines', old implements and tools...
This friendly canine, not part of the merchandise but probably recycled, was welcoming shoppers to the recycling boutique - just go in, serve yourself....

Twenty years in the recycling business, the anniversary party is scheduled at the local community hall...and the lady who runs the joint is still enjoying it. She explained that she had decorated the sides of her barn (she also is a local rural resident) with all kinds of recycle art


like this

or like that

or maybe something with a more maritime flavour?


Compact a la Pender Island
The lady expatriate from Russia at the local Farmer's Market, selling a selection of vegetables, flowers, homespun wool, and knitted hand puppets

The hand puppet is the one on the left
Pet portraits....take our pick, painted or carved?
Sculpture a the entrance of 'New-2-U' second hand store...
More handwoven, hand knitted, hand crafted woolly wonders...Pender Island South sells them all.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Commodore's Cruise to Otter Bay, North Pender Island



Once a year it's party time. Commodore's cruise to Otter Bay - civilization: Docks, Marina store, showers, laundry, electricity, water, WIFI...

First time in three weeks that I immerse myself in all those niceties.

A small armada sails from the sailing club for a rendevous here in Otter Bay - bar-b-que, wine and cheese, breakfast ashore, appetizers and mingling.


One of the Club Pooches partaking in the wine and cheese happening


Sunset is earlier every day, darkness sets in around 19:00 hours - that's 7 p.m. for the land lubbers.

Otter Bay on North Pender Island


Tied up at Otter Bay Marina, in a spot normally occupied by an RCMP police launch. But the mounties must be off getting their man, so there was a small slot for Millennium.


Low tide at Otter Bay





Last days of summer in Montague


Last morning in Montague Harbour for 2009


Hanging off a buoy in Montague

The morning fog still chills the air ...

Going Once


Going Twice


Sold out to Fall

September Cruising - Pirate's Cove Photos


Tied up at the base of a cliff, in South Bay of Pirate's Cove




Magic Mushrooms on Pine Bark




A little swimming hole, tucked away in a secret corner of Pirate's Cove.


My Post Office for Pocketmail postings. The only spot with decent cell phone coverage.


Barge and tug at work removing one of the old Dinghy Docks in the Cove


Where is the net?


Surfer Boy in Pirate's Cove


Late summer day looking across Tricomali Channel towards Valdez Island


The Farm - near Pirate's Cove on de Courcey Island


Stern-tied in Pirate's Cove. The owner's of this boat live in Golden, almost in the Canadian Rockies. He works there as a Heli Ski Guide, she writes chilren's books, mountaineers and skies both downhill and cross country.

September Cruising Photos - Montague


And what would cruising be without another boating dog, this one has learned to balance on an inflatable Kayak. Brainy little Russel terrier


Dry Run in Kayak School


Beach Pebbles as seen through the brains of a Lion's Mane Jelly Fish


Montague Public Telephone Telus - almost broken communication


Sunfresh an scrumptious! Pretty good with yoghurt for breakfast. The roadside are full with these bushes.


Kayakers at low tide on Montague Sunset Beach