Cronk Convention

Sort Of

Sat Jun 25

Sunset Over Van Island

For a few hours on Friday the complete Cronk dynasty were all on the same continent, the first time in probably six years.  Rosalind had arrived from NZ and at the same time she was heading away from the airport in a taxi, the Norfolk branch were going in the opposite direction for a flight back to Blighty.  The clan didn’t actually meet, but a rare occurrence nevertheless.  

Shortened Veg Bed

The Norfolk branch left the Coast on Tuesday and spent a few days exploring Vancouver and catching up with the Kitsilano (Kits) Cronks, now including 2-month old Sebastian.  We started catching up on jobs unattended since the move.  

On Monday the septic tank was emptied.  Not something you’d normally expect to read in these pages, but we discovered the previous owners had built raised veg beds over the main hatch which required some excavation by the ‘technician’. As a result two days were spent remodelling the middle veg bed to ease future access.  Fortunately nothing had been planted in it.

Pruning of the lower branches on the shrubs continues to be carried out by the local Black Tailed deer, who have found another way into the front garden.  A further hole in the netting has to be repaired.  The bushes have all now been sprayed with deer repellent.  It’s too early to tell if that works or not. So far the Blueberry and Raspberry bushes have survived the onslaught.

Wildlife highlight of the week was the dead seal washed up on the Bonniebrook shoreline.  Well, less so the seal, more the dozen or so Turkey Vultures that turned up to recycle the remains.  The odd Bald Eagle also hung around though wasn’t too interested in joining the party.  The vultures are great aviators and have been soaring around in front of the house. 

Turkey Vultures snacking on ex-seal

Tides and birds have finally dispatched the odd odour that lingered around the beach much of the week, thank goodness!

Last Sunday I took part in my second yacht race on Mandala.  We came sixth out of seven competitors on the adjusted time.  It was the first time the spinnaker was flown by the current owner of the boat or the new crew.  Great fun and I think we all learnt a lot.  We were a crew of five, though a sixth pair of hands would have been useful when getting the spinnaker up or down.  We will be racing every a Sunday through the summer and have also entered the Gibsons regatta in July.  Work to be done if we want to improve our placing. Mandala is a 38' Catalina.

Mandala on the right

Summer has finally arrived on the Coast with temperatures forecast to be up in the high twenties this weekend and early next week.  The shorts are now out of the closet!

Two more shipping boxes were emptied this week.  The toys and gifts that I had made for the annual Burbage Christmas Tree Sale and Market have been picked up by the Suncoast Woodcrafters for their annual Toys and Gifts programme.  All the woodwork is donated to a local group for distribution to those in need.  It was satisfying to see it going to a good cause.

Friday evening we checked out our local restaurant, Chaster’s, which is down near the beach alongside Chaster’s Creek. The food was good and we were honoured by the presence of Queen Elizabeth who sailed past on her way to Alaska, while we were dining.

Exploring the local wine list I started with a Dirty Laundry Sauvignon from the Okanagan, we then moved on to a Duck Pond Pinot Noir from Oregon.  Before you ask, neither of the wines tasted like their namesake, in fact we’d buy both again, but who the hell makes up these names?  Perhaps the owners majored on reverse psychology when they were studying. It worked on me!

 Queen Elizabeth who swing by for dinner

Rosalind, who we’ve not seen for four years due to NZ Permanent Residency applicant travel restrictions and then Covid, is spending the weekend bonding with her new nephew in Kits.  She’s coming over to the Coast on Monday when Fred picks Ros up and then goes on to get her sister from YVR.  Another few weeks of tour guiding beckons.

Jack, who continues to make the most of his new environment has taken to the sofa on the deck after his morning walk/swim/forest trail.  He’s not normally allowed on any furniture, but he’s discovered we make an exception with the outdoor sofa and makes the most of it.

The local Gibsons Jazz festival is on this weekend

and while Jack was at the groomers being shawn Saturday lunchtime, we wandered along to Winegarden Park to catch the first two acts.

The first group from the local high school, Kellough's Krumbs, were very good.  The second band Ya Ya Shine had a brilliant female vocalist called Sarah Noni.

The sun, coupled wth the backdrop of the marina made for a great setting.

Jazz Festival in the Winegarden
(but wine and outside drinking not allowed in BC!)