The World Gets Ever Smaller

Marlborough

Wed Nov 29th

Two of the family of otters on the shoreline

On my morning ambles with Jack I've got chatting to a fellow dog walker who has a bouncy Irish Terrier, eight months old and paws the size of snowshoes.  Well I never...she is from the UK and lived near Bristol.  Her husband comes from Marlborough and he and his three brothers, all went to the same school as Nick and Ros. One brother in the same year and friends group as Ros.  

I suspect one of the masters from the school and occasional reader of this blog, might might know the four Loosemore lads.  It's Tom who is out here and living a few hundred yards away, as the Bald Eagle flies.  

This is the second person from Marlborough (Pop. 9129) we know living on the Coast (100km long and Pop. 32,000), though the first one moved from Marlborough when the population was probably half what it is now!  I am going to have to start reading up on 'probability' though I suspect the rugby coincidence of 50 years is statistically rarer.

Departing Langdale for Vancouver

I am writing part of this blog sitting at the front of the ferry on my way over to North Vancouver as a foot passenger to 'sit' for a sickly Seb, so I am steeling myself for a busy day!  The wailing foghorn of the ferry preceded its arrival as visibility is down to about 100m on the water.  On land it is clear.  It is such a mournful sound as it bounces off the nearby mountains and echoes round the Howe Sound.

On arrival Seb seems on the mend, and whilst not his usual 100% happy-chappy self, produced a few smiles and chuckles.  He reserved the broadest coy grins for the young ladies working in the coffee shop who looked adoringly at him and where he slurped a small lidded espresso takeaway cup of warm milk proffered by the staff, plus he devoured half of my croissant.

Downtown Vancouver from Lonsdale

On the walk down to Lower Lonsdale waterside he caught the eye of another young woman who noticed his fascination with trucks and cars.  She said her husband was a firefighter at the local fire hall and they loved having children visit where they let them sit in the firetrucks and were often treated to donuts.  It's on the list for my next visit.

Lonsdale is the old shipbuilding district of North Vancouver and it's where Nick and Lizzie are renting while their house is renovated.   It still has shipyards along its shores including the large Seaspan marine business, as well as some of the city's cargo docks.  It has become rather gentrified over the years, with attractive residential accommodation and waterfront walks, cafes, bars and restaurants.  A ferry (Seabus) connects the area to downtown Vancouver, making it an easy commute, which Nick and Lizzie are using to get to work. It's certainly more picturesque than commuting into London by train!  If you are ever in Vancouver, it's worth a visit.

Last Sunday, Nov 26th,  we were back on the water in Fast Lane, finishing first on handicapped time in a fleet of ten yachts.  Our first 1st place and by a decent two minute margin ahead of our nearest competitor.  Winds were a bit variable, but we had a local sailmaker on-board whose knowledge of sail trimming (setting), wind angles and tactics probably exceeded the combined knowledge of everybody else in the fleet.  It was bloody cold with temperatures hovering just above freezing as we headed out in to the Salish Sea.  

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) cutter was out stopping motor boats as we motored back into the marina, we know not why.  They were clearly focused on their task and they roared past the sailing fleet at a rate of knots leaving a 1m+ wake behind them.

A family of five otters have been fishing along the Bonniebrook shoreline.  They are not there every day, but I usually spot one or two of them during the week.  

Across the street a juvenile Bald Eagle,  spotted by Fred, whose photo I posted on Instagram turned out to be a Red Tailed Hawk.  Another first.  I had been a tad unsure about my ID, but could not think of anything else.  A local birder who saw the Instagram post put me right!  I've not seen one before and didn't even know they were a resident bird.  In hindsight it was fluffier and shorter than a juvenile Bald Eagle and the distinctive markings on its chest will help ID it in future. 

Morning sea mists and fogs have produced some beautiful sunrises and the colder clearer days some amazingly colours as the sun sets over Vancouver Island, when not fogged-in.   

Christmas concerts are in final rehearsals and I've been asked to join the Suncoast Messiah Choir to sing in the bass line-up for their Christmas oration.   Going to be a busy month!

Still not much snow in Whistler, though some is forecast this week.  It seems to have been falling in Europe this year instead!

Seb - cafe society!

Red Tailed Hawk

North Shore mountains prior to arrival in Horseshoe Bay

Sunrise over Bonniebrook

Sunset over Van Island

Sunset looking towards Sechelt

Sunset over Vancouver Island - from the deck

Sunrise - Bonniebrook