The sunshine coast

While waiting to catch the ferry from Victoria (Schwartz Bay) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen) on Dec. 8th I caught a snapshot of this line up of cormorants.

After arriving at Tsawwassen ferry terminal we drove across Vancouver and met our friends at the Capilaino Mall.  We spent the night on the Wall Mart lot.  The best we could do for dinner there was the Red Robin.  There was some shopping including a large hippo and a singing hippo by Dan.  In the morning we navigated to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal and caught the ferry to Langdale.  We drove to Gibson's Landing  where it is a must to have lunch at Molly's Reach.  We visited the information center and walked out on the pier.  The sky was overcast with bits of rain.  The above photo is looking out the window of Molly's Reach out to the marina.  In the summertime, the Sunshine Coast is a paradise.

After a bit of time at Gibson's we go Sechelt and a campground and go then go back to Sechelt with the Hagarmobile- This is the Airstream.  They bring their dog, Hagar with them.  The above photo is the sunset from the walkway along the beach, just at the Driftwood Inn.  The Driftwood is not open to diners so we go back to Gilligans Pub for our dinner.  Get back to the campsite and have icecream and talk over our plans for the next day.  The showers were locked and there was no one around this campsite to take our money, although their note said they would be back by 9:00.
In the morning we breakfast in Sechelt and head to Earl's Cove to catch the ferry to Saltry Bay (about 50 minutes) We drive into Powell River and find the Tree Frog Bistro for a most delicious lunch!  Then onward to Lund.  .. more photos of this later, perhaps.
After lunch we drive a very challenging road to Lund.  The light is awesome but there is no where to stop for photos and we want to get to Lund before dark if possible.  We book into the historic Lund Hotel and our friends get the Hagermobile plugged in out on the parking lot by the marina. I finally get a good shower! We have dinner at the Fish and Chips restuarant. 
In the morning we have a leisurely start.  This slower start leaves us arriving at Egmont in the dark.  We get situated in the campsite and into the Back Eddy pub for our dinner.  There is someone else having a birthday celebration here.  Quite a few people.  In our corner by the pool table there are some guys from Jasper who are going to kayak the Skookumchuck Narrows Tidal surge.
We start at 8:00 in the morning and get to the head of the hiking trail to walk to the lookout over the Skookumchuck Narrows.  Its raining lightly.  We have our umbrellas.  Its a 3.5 miles round trip through a glorious rain forest.

After our walk we go back to the Back Eddy pub for brunch and there are only hambergers available.  We then start back home.  This is a pretty long day, with the Langdale to Horshoe Bay, and a quick trip across Vancouver to catch the ferry at Tsawwassen to Schwartz Bay.  We have our dinner on board the 5:00 o'clock ferry and arrive home and unpack.  There has been some heavy rainfall in Victoria while we were gone.  All is okay at our place.
This is my youtube rendition of the Skookumchuck tidal flow.  I did not catch any of the kayakers in my video, but they were out there playing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7yaMgtO
Edit:  Let me see if I can make this into a hot link:  Skookumchuck Narrows video click here

Genoa Bay

This is from our trip up to Genoa Bay on the Pacific Coast Honda. I was using the wide angle converter on this shot, with the settings for quality set to wide. The lunch was good. We ate inside as most of the tables outside were reserved. It was very sunny. I got home with wind burn on my previously sunburned/wind burned speedster nose from the Antique Car run.

I loaded this to Flickr for the S3 IS group for our wide angle shots. On the matter of 72 dpi or 180 etc. dpi, Ken on Flickr has told me that it can be changed in photoshop, under Image/resize. So -- mystery solved. I think he was partially right, too in saying that it depends on the setting of photo size/quality in the camera also. I know on my scanner I can set the dpi for each scan. I haven't scanned for so long, though, I forget all that stuff. Next I have to learn to do the black backgrounds on Flickr. I hope to get a lot more of my photos tweaked. I want to get down town one day this week and shoot for the grid. I have to get the house cleaned up this week also.

I have a new book called Imperium by ___ Harris. Its about Cicero. It should be a good read. Its nice to be able to find something on the shelves besides murder mysteries and horror crap.

Mural Controversy Victoria BC Legislative Building

Quote from Wikipedia

In April 2007, members of the legislature voted to remove murals in the legislature lobby which depict scenes of B.C. history from 1792 to 1843. Artist George Southwell was commissioned to paint them in 1932 and they were completed three years later. ^[2]

At issue is the depiction of west coast first nation's people in a manner some regard as degrading. One painting titled Labour portrays bare-breasted aboriginal women hauling timber while a white man looks on. Another titled Justice shows a native leader standing before a judge. One interpretation of this latter mural suggests that the judge in question is the famous 'hanging judge', Matthew Begbie, suggesting the subjugation of natives to colonial law. However, Southwell's daughter claims that her father depicted the native leader standing before another judge, this one who in fact championed native rights.

Chief Ed John (himself a former cabinet minister in a prior New Democrat government) says the murals, remind him of how some traders treated First Nations women — not much better than prostitutes. ^[3]

Three of 71 members of the legislature voted against the motion to endorse a proposal to bring down the murals. Since the murals are painted on to the walls of the rotunda, the cost of removing them was estimated at $280,000. ^[4] The original 1991 report, first commissioned by the former New Democrat government, calls for the murals to be moved to a museum location where they can be put into better historical perspective.

Kelsey Bay

The wharf at Kelsey Bay was once the southern terminus for the B.C. Ferries Inside Passage route until 1978, when Highway 19 was extended north to Port Hardy, but is now a convenient stopping point for sport fishing and eco-tourism. Fresh seafood is often available from one or more boats tied up at the federal wharf.

I have 10 photos from our July 2002 trip to the North of Vancouver Island in our old camper van. The first day we stopped in at Richard and Rosalie's place for a wonderful dinner and a tour of the treasures in the trees. I have some of the photos of that visit noted under Richard's Rust on my page.

These are a few photos from Kelsey Bay where we had a coffee stop. Its a very charming little stop on our 5 day tour. We really must go to the North Island again and spend more time.

Eat Week

Shot with my S3 IS on 11 Dec. 1/160 sec. F/2.7 -0.67 exposure compensation.



Friends were to visit for what is becoming our annual 'celebration' week. I am calling it eat week because it seems we had some pretty good meals this week. Dinner at my place (with Ruby and Steve) on the 10th, after seeing Urinetown at the Belfry. On the 11th we went up to Chemainus and could not get into the theatre. It was pouring rain, so we just had a coffee and went on. Stopped in Ladysmith for a look at the Christmas lights, then on up to Nanaimo and stayed at my favourite hotel, the Dorchester. Nice evening meal in the dining room. After breakfast in the morning we went on to Englishman River Falls. The park was closed due to all the storm damage. We walked in anyway and got a look at main big Falls. We did not walk around as it would have probably been too dangerous. The bridge was shaking, the waterfall was roaring, mist flying everywhere. Wow, what a sight! We walked back to the car and carried on to Coombs. It was closed, as the power was out. No shopping! The goats were not on the roof but down in their winter pasture. After lunch at Parksville White Spot, we drove home with a stop at Harry & Jimmy's shop. Guy stuff! The weather on this day - 12th was better, but not great. Home in the dark and stop at Romeo's for pizza for dinner. Continued on my next post.

Under construction pages for Travel

Near Manitou, in Saskatchewan. At the campsite for the resort at Watrous, actually.
This one was shot with my 35mm Canon. I believe this is Kodak black and white film, tweaked in photoshop.

Spathe Falls, Wells Gray Park, B.C.