Black Bears, Rain

Super-Visas Approved 

Lone Heron on a diving platform Hopkins Landing beach

Thu Aug 26th

BREAKING NEWS
Having written all about bear encounters and rain, our lovely immigration advisor rang early afternoon to say out Super-visas had been approved.  We're over the moon. It means we can now stay for 10 years in 2 year chunks, longer initially if our visitor extension gets approved.  Should be enough time to get residency sorted! 

Earlier in the day .....

Having complained in yesterday's blog about the risk of bears being attracted by people not taking their green food bins in at night, a large male black bear interrupted my dog walk home this morning.  One hundred yards from home he ambled down the entrance drive from one of the neighbouring properties and disappeared in the bend in the road.   Dilemma, he's between me and the house, proceed or 'phone a Fred'.  As it was a local walk I had no bear spray or bangers.  I opted for the phone call.

Black bears we learn, tend to avoid human contact unless cornered or it's a mother with cubs.  The lure of food scraps was of much more interest than me or Jack!  That said, better safe than sorry.  'Didn't see him' said Fred as she picked me up, we did on the way back.  Big fella, ambling down a drive, now on the other side of the road... rich pickings!

Just before midday a Wildsafe BC Community Coordinator knocked on the door to spread the word about maintaining safe practices around the house with garbage, food bins, fruit trees and compost heaps.  We have none of the latter two and bought a large storage shed for the former two.  We got 10/10.  Not so the people down the road.  The challenge is a few of the properties are holiday lets and they won't necessarily be across the local authority apps and notices about changes to collection days.  That said most people should know not to leave rubbish out overnight.

Until the meeting with the bear the walk had been uneventful.  The view from Hopkins Landing beach, grey and overcast, but was as captivating as ever.

The overcast skies soon gave way to rain which looks as though it is set in for the day, but Fred and her ladies did manage their tennis match this morning with only a damp drizzle.  I could only just about see Gambier Island in the left foreground - the rest has now disappeared behind a curtain of water.

Early evening and the rain was easing, though only clearing fully tomorrow.  Not that we are going to be outdoors much tonight, there's reason to celebrate!

Cheers!