Snow Arrives

Vancouver Grinds to a Halt

Sun Dec 4th

Bonniebrook Beach on Tuesday

In a country known for having the odd bit of snow, you would not expect a major provincial city to grind to a halt when 15 cm of the stuff decorates the streets.  That is what happened last Tuesday (Nov 29th) as CBC reports.   Ferries were cancelled between Metro Vancouver and Van Island. Flights

No view of the North Shore from Nick
& Lizzie's deck

also cancelled at YVR.  Some drivers were stuck in their cars for upwards of 8 hours in parts of Metro Vancouver.  Vancouver Island was also badly hit and a number of areas had power outages.

This was the day Fred was looking after young Seb in Vancouver, heading over on the 0620 ferry, long before the winter weather action got underway. I gallantly suggested she take the 4x4.   As conditions worsened, the cancellation of the Van Island ferries meant the extra boat that normally compliments the rush hour crossings to the Sunshine Coast was stuck in Departure Bay, Nanaimo.  Fred managed to get an Uber, escaping the chaos happening behind her, to Horseshoe Bay for the 1620 which left late but at least sailed.

Meanwhile back on the Sunshine Coast I had the 2WD Nissan Leaf to get to my 1415 appointment.  All was going well until I got to the short hill up from Bonniebrook Beach whereupon I discovered 2WD EV's don't do so well on snowy roads.  I managed to get up the hill back to our road with my foot on the floor using the tree shaded,  snowless parts of the road to get around the snowy bits.  Attempts to get up our drive were abandoned until the application of a snow shovel and salt were completed.  My Discovery Sport (with winter tires) has gone back up in my estimation as it coped admirably.  Despite the treacherous conditions and maniac Coast drivers, Fred got home safely, dropping a friend off on route, but needing a stiff drink when she arrived! 

Seb entertaining granny!

So why, you might well ask, did Vancouver come to a standstill?  Part of the answer, highlighted in the CBC report, is that Metro Vancouver spends only $10m a year on snow clearance.  Compare this with Montreal which has a budget of $187m.  It is not helped by various parts of the road infrastructure being managed by different provincial or city/district agencies.  

Today Sunday, the sun is melting the snow but more is due later next week.

The Friday prior to the snow I popped over on the ferry as a foot passenger to rendezvous with Nick and Lizzie at the Horseshoe Bay terminal, to pick up some wet weather gear for sailing.  They were heading up to Whistler for the opening weekend with some friends.  The plan was great in theory.  We would meet up during the twenty minute ferry turnaround and I'd be back on the return boat.  Except they were delayed, so I missed the return sailing and had to enjoy the hospitality of the Horseshoe Bay pub.  I should buy shares!

I limited myself to a single pint, unusually abstemious I hear you say, then sat in the ferry terminal waiting room reading my book.  The terminal is due to be modernised over the next few years, which is good news.  The architect who designed the existing waiting room, with the beautiful views of the Howe Sound immediately outside, used windows where the transom blocked the view of anybody of average

height.  Warwick Davis or a Harlem Globetrotter would have been right at home!  In fact the combination of window frames ruins much of the view.  A complete lack of thinking in the design.

The new sailing gear was put to good use in the Sunday race with reasonable winds and balmy -1 to +1c all day.  We were on a different boat to our usual machine, which has been readied for sale.   I was helming as the owner wanted to try the spinnaker in a race. We were a crew of three.   It was, to say the least an interesting race!  As we came up to round the top mark the spinnaker caught a gust of wind as it was being dropped and had to be released by the foredeck crew, the boat healed right over and with the rudder mostly out of the water I struggled to get the boat heading downwind.  A useful learning opportunity! 

A gin clear but cold sailing day last Sunday Nov 27

As we headed back up the course, another boat with right of way was hidden by the genoa (a big wrap-around sail in front of the mainsail) requiring a rapid turn to pass behind the other boat - by just a few feet!  We were sailing a crew member down so not as many pairs of eyes keeping a lookout.

Today's racing was cancelled due to ice in the marina and a lack of wind.

We have a busy few weeks ahead.  The three Christmas Concerts of the choir I am part of is immediately followed two concerts with the Coast Messiah Choir.  

I have always wanted to do the Messiah, so have volunteered for that as well.  Four rehearsals, the last with the orchestra and soloists coming over from Vancouver.  It should be a good event.  A shiver went down my spine when we did the first run-through of the Hallelujah Chorus.  It sounded pretty bloody good.   

Cronk towers with our modest lights!

Plans are being advanced for Fred's hip op.  It looks as though we will be heading to Calgary in Jan or Feb. Tests and x-rays have been done on the Coast ahead of a 'virtual' consultant consultation in the next week or two. The ski season is going to be limited to the odd day here or there and season passes are being refunded.  Hey Ho!

Since all the garden Halloween decorations have been returned to their cardboard boxes for another year, the Christmas light displays, Santas, candy canes, reindeer and snowmen are illuminating neighbourhood gardens.  Some are quite tasteful;  others... hmmm, the objective seems to be to see how much of the yard can be filled with all things Christmas.  Increased electricity costs don't appear to have put many people off.  Pics to follow in the next blog.

The odd sightings of bears that have not yet headed off to hibernate are still being reported.  Bald Eagles and River Otters (which don't hibernate) have been seen regularly along the coast and there have still been a few sightings of Humpback Whales, though the number has dropped off.

And the drought situation? It remains the same. Whilst the Chapman Lake level has risen with the brief period of warmer weather ahead of the arrival of the snow, it has not been enough to lift the water restrictions.  The Coast Reporter update is here.

A frozen Chapman Lake

And finally,  Santa was at the local shopping mall this weekend, for the local littluns to say hello.  No more sitting on Santa's knee.  The children sat on a bench a few feet away - a clear gap from the Christmas celebrity.  Understandable - but a sad reflection on the times we live in.

And some other pics from the last couple of weeks.

Morning-lit clouds

Sunset over Van Island

Good for tobogganing

Snow dude

Late afternoon over Van Island

Cold!

Sunset over Van Island from the office while I finish this blog