Trumpet Fanfare

Bank Account Open!

Fri Apr 22nd

Hopkins Landing - from the sea - Soames Hill to the left which has stairs to the top!

It might not sound very important but it will make a huge difference managing our presence here.  We can move our iPhones to a Canada location, which means we can download Apps  that are not available on the UK site; we can move mobiles to more competitive contracts rather than pre-paid and most importantly we can move money from the UK when the £ - CA$ is more in our favour and avoid excessive bank charges.  Driving licences next.

If you thought the musical opening was for a family event, we are still awaiting news on that front!  

The week seems to have flown by.  I made a quick trip over to Vancouver to pick up a keyboard to start a long-promised aim to improve my music reading and playing.  Fred has been playing lots of tennis and Jack has been on lots of walks.  

It does not feel Spring like yet, even though the buds are bursting.  The temperatures have been below average and are set to remain so for a week or two, but the sun is out so it looks the part.  

The Sunshine Coast Regional District, who supply our water, have started snowpack measurements in the mountains above the main reservoir lakes to establish potential water supply levels for the summer ahead according to the Coast Reporter. 

Photo - Sunshine Coast Regional District

Above the main reservoirs the snow/water measurements were at 91% and 94% of normal.  Last year they were above normal and significant water restrictions were in place for several months.   So despite the above average rainfall in the Fall (4 meters between Sept and March), higher than normal snowfall (several feet locally) in parts of the Coast this Winter, water shortages loom large!  Excessive rainfall that washes out the salmon spawning rivers and runs off in to the sea and there is set to be another water shortage.  The joys of local authority long term planning! More snow and rain through Spring may save the day, but I'm not sure residents are optimistic.  In parallel, new development proceeds at a pace adding to the unsatiated water demand. 

BC Ferries, our necessary transport between the Coast and mainland BC, continue to enjoy operational challenges.  Mechanical issues on some of the ships, dock issues in Langdale and crew shortages that have led to cancelled sailings.  A number of crossings have already been full, pushing vehicles on to

Queen of Surrey - courtesy BC Ferries

subsequent sailings and many crossings have been delayed due to loading and unloading issues.  My crossing back from BC on Wednesday was 30 minutes late.  The Queen of Surrey, our regular ferry, is back from overhaul and with a fresh coast of paint but delayed an immediate return to service due to mechanical issues.  Crew shortages seem to be an issue across North America though I have suggested to them that there are 900 mariners looking for work in the UK who might enjoy the stunning scenery of the BC archipelago.  I've not heard back! 

I've been over to the new house this week to meet an electrical contractor to get a quote to install a charge point for Fred's EV and met the previous owners, our current tenants.   They move to Vancouver Island on May 18th when we take possession, we move in on May 21st.  Movers are booked and we are assembling cardboard boxes.  In parallel, we have heard from our shipping agent in Canada that our container is ready to be cleared by Canadian Customs so we have to head over to Vancouver in the next week or so with all of our paperwork, to see if any duty is payable.  We anticipate being able to do this alongside another important visit to Vancouver!

Fitted windows!

Back from Vancouver we headed down to the local Mexican restaurant in town for supper, The Barefoot Gecko.  At this time of year many restaurants are only open later in the week, this was the only one open on a Wednesday evening, plus they close at 8pm!

Interesting venue.  The food was fresh and service good, though I have to say Mexican food is not at the top of my culinary tastebuds chart.  The architecture was quite fun inside and out, though having windows frames in the brick surrounds that have not been bedded in was a surprise, not least given the winter we have just had.  Very Mexican, very incongruous. 

Walking back from Hopkins Landing beach the other day I enquired of a fellow dog walker, what the black fine mesh sheets of netting were suspended off aluminium poles (I get corrected by the locals when I don' call it aloominum!) drying on a wall alongside the beach.

Herring spawning nets apparently.  They suspend them off the wharf to allow herring to lay their eggs.  This year they had none, though he noted there were large shoals of herring fry swimming around beneath the pier.  I checked and there were, though I am not sure I know what herring fry look like!  They were, he thought, too late putting the nets in the water.  The herring catch has collapsed this year, quotas have not been achieved and some fishermen have returned with empty holds.  CBC ran a story here.

View from the ferry

Soames Hill above Gibsons

Mist on yonder mountains 

Lone heron on Bonniebrook beach, unimpressed by the weather