Expedition Canada

Yacht Refurb Progresses Sun July 30th Sechelt Inlet Sunset - Print now framed and on wall This time two years ago we were in the grip of a heat dome with temperatures in the high thirties peaking at 43c.  This year we are closer to seasonal normal, unlike other corners of the planet which are suffering significant heat-waves ...... or floods.  Rain is in short supply and the 43mm (first rainfall in two months) that fell some days ago will do little to alleviate the water shortage on the Sunshine Coast, or indeed the rest of BC.  Across the other side of Canada in Nova Scotia floods are the order of the day.  We live in a time of stark weather contrasts around the globe.  There are,  according to current press coverage , climate change deniers still out there.  I wonder what it will take to change their perspective.   The current Ashes Test series continues to engage  this very small part of the Coast.  If England are lucky they will...

'Abbey Rd' Bears Tue July 11 Off to the diner You don't need to go down to the woods today to be sure of a big surprise.   It's not my picture, I wish it were,  but taken by  Mark Mendonca a resident of Pemberton, just north of Whistler.  You can read the full article from Pique, the Whistler/Pemberton news magazine here .  We have not seen our resident local bear yet this year, though neighbours have.  The Black Tailed Deer are also wandering around with their fawns who are not unlike UK Fallow Deer. We continue to deter them from the garden and have now erected a $300 fence around our blueberries for the $30 worth of fruit we will probably eventually harvest.  As we can now buy 5lbs of Canadian blueberries for $25, I have serious doubts about the economics of our fence.   At least we can use the fencing again next year if I haven't erected fencing and watchtowers around the whole house! Friends opposite us have been hosting a mother an...

Canada Day Sat July 1st 2023 Returning to the Coast from Vancouver last Tuesday Canada Day falls on July 1st which means Monday will be a public holiday, giving Canadians a long weekend to the start off school holidays.  Ferry services are full and the summer population of the Coast is set to double.  BC Ferries is taking some stick at the moment because of the high level of cancellations.  Staffing is the biggest issue, a common problem in global shipping at the moment, according to the newly appointed CEO.  Ferries to and from the Sunshine Coast are heavily booked through July and into August meaning many travellers are having to turn up on spec.  Delays are frequent.  Apart from the first ferry of the day they have problems 'loading and unloading' ferries ... they do however, have to unload them first before they can load them and operational errors compound the problem.  Last week, a ferry was being moved at our local Langdale terminal, from the ri...