Snow Incoming for Xmas

And We Can Water Gardens!*!?#!

Sun Dec 18th 

Water seems to have percolated underneath the ice and snow covering Chapman Lake. As a result, water restrictions have been eased back to 'Stage 1' - more here.  Pools can be filled, cars washed and lawns

Interesting!  Not sure of the Christmas credentials
of some of these characters!

watered.  The cars do need a clean and are looking particularly grimey after four months of restrictions. I suspect not too many people will be filling pools, hot-tubs maybe, but with snow forecast, temperatures around 0c and nothing growing, watering gardens is only for the foolhardy.

To the frustration of residents, the Sunshine Coast Regional District are considering putting up water rates by 25%.  There is considerable opposition given that users have not been getting the service they have been paying for. But new investment is needed. Lack of past investment and long term planning is the root of the problem, coupled with new developments along the Coast. 

More tasteful

It feels rather festive here at the moment.  Christmas lights adorn many businesses and front yards 
(gardens); surrounding mountains are cloaked in snow which is getting lower, and it's chilly.  Not quite as cold as the UK, but that is about to change here.

Last Sunday's local yacht race went ahead in a balmy 5c!  No wind on the outward leg. On the way back I thought the mast was going to separate from the hull.  The sails were hauled right in and the boat was creaking, heeling and crashing through the swell.

Even more tasteful

   

It was cold, despite the multi-layers of wet weather gear and hard work.  We were second over the line, by one second! Fourth on handicap time.  We need new sails!  We were back on Mandala as the sale fell through and we all want to be out sailing.  It was the last race of the year, with the winter series starting after the New Year's Day 'Frostbite' event.  Mandala's owner is currently down in San Francisco, checking out a BB10, our potential new racer!

The race followed several days of King tides - the highest of high tides.  The expression predates Charlie's accession to the throne and are the same as 'Spring' tides in the UK.  Gibsons Marina and the West Howe Sound between GIbsons and Keats Island, and further out in the Salish Sea were awash with logs that litter the beaches, until high tides lift them off.  Our passage out to the start was slow going trying to avoid the hundreds of logs floating around.

Some of the 'log jam'

Yesterday evening was the start of five days of choir concerts.  The first three, with the Suncoast Phoenix Community Choir - a mix of traditional and contemporary Christmas choral music including pieces from Vivaldi's Gloria. This is under the inspirational music direction of Sara Douglas.  

This is closely followed by two concerts with the Sunshine Coast Messiah Choir, singing a selection of traditional choral pieces, followed by Part 1 of the Messiah, finishing with the Hallelujah Chorus.   It should be a great five days, if the voice holds out.  Both choirs sound brilliant and we're amazingly fortunate to have such talent on the Coast, especially amongst the people who are prepared to lead and accompany the choirs.

Our Christmas tree is up, temporarily it was down in the small hours of Friday morning after leaning too far past its centre of gravity overnight.  Now back up and properly secured.  

You would think that in a province/country with more pine, fir and cedar trees per capita, than probably anywhere else in the world, a Christmas Tree would be competitively priced.  Our 8' tree cost $150.  We're not sure how this compares with the 2022 Burbage Christmas Market and Tree sale, but suspect it is more expensive.  That's £90 on today's forex rate.  Looks good though.  Our local garden centre had a skinny 6' pine at a eye watering $219.  "Crazy Bob" who operates up in the forest having taken over from  over from 'Crazy Mike' who ran it last year, looks a bargain by comparison.

Our first concert yesterday afternoon played to a packed audience of about 100 people and we had a standing ovation at the end.  Good fun.  We should have done an encore!

The local wildlife remain ever present.  The family of five river otters continue to fish off the beach.  A huge noisy sea-lion is often seen cruising past in addition to the seals that are a regular feature.  The pair of bald eagles regularly leave their discarded fish skeletons around ready for Jack to hoover them up, unless I get to clear them up first. 

Walking back from our afternoon excursion the other day, two Coyotes came trotting down the track on
the other side of the road.  They looked as though they were making a bee-line for Jack which gave me a brief nervous moment, but they took off into one of the local gardens and disappeared as quickly as they appeared.  They were smaller than the large male I saw in Cliff Gilker Park in the Spring.

The Humpback and Grey whales have reappeared.  The local food source must have encouraged them to stay rather than head off down to Hawaii.  Three were sighted close to shore this week. A total of 396 individual Humpbacks have been spotted in the Salish Sea this year,  up from 293 in 2017.

The Kits branch head this way next Wednesday and we get to enjoy our first Christmas with our grandson.  Ros is staying in NZ, but is heading back this way for a few months next summer.  Can't wait.

Jack was at the 'barbers' this week so I had an hour to myself in Gibsons while he was having his short back and sides.  It was 'Fritter Friday' at the Beachcombers coffee shop.  They do make the best donuts and fritters I've eaten.  Too tempting not to join in the Friday fun! I had a leisurely stroll around Lower Gibsons - views I don't tire of. 

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and 

a Happy New Year.

Bearing back to the finish - taken by the boat that beat us over the line
by one second!

Gibsons Marina before we got underway - snowcapped North Shore mountains in the distance

A Hippo?

Bonniebrook Beach sunrise this last week - amazing colours

Soames Hill - from Gibsons Marina

In need of some TLC

Mt Elphinstone from Gibsons Marina

Tree root ball on beach - very well weathered!