Expedition Canada

Day 1 - We're Off Monday June 2nd, 2025 Sebby - checking our route After months of planning, several changes to the route and dates, the first leg of our 20,000k trans-Canada  (and back)  adventure, starts today.   We will be travelling through nine of Canada's provinces; British Columbia, Alberta,  Saskatchewan , Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec,  New Brunswick,  Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.  We won't get to Newfoundland & Labrador as the shortest ferry ride to them is around twelve hours and Jack would have to go into a crate-kennel, where he is bound to let everybody know of his displeasure.  Fred would probably not enjoy what can be rather rough seas!   We also won't get to any of the three territories, Yukon, Nunavut or Northwest Territories, though we're thinking of Yukon next summer.   The three month outbound leg will get us to Cap Breton in Nova Scotia on August 24th, when we turn around and head back. ...

Cronks Go Camping Earl's Cove RV Campground Greetings from a sunny Earl’s Cove at the northern end of BC’s Sunshine Coast. Almost the most northerly part unless you get the ferry across to Powell River.   We’re on a "shake-down" trip with the new 25' RV (caravan to the Brits), checking out how it all works, which buttons to press to turn on lights, heating (still haven’t worked out the hot air system yet) etc etc.  So far we’re still talking to one another crammed into a 200 sq ft shoe box, but it’s early days :-)   Earl’s Cove has the ferry terminal for Saltery Bay/Powell River and, close to Egmont, a small hamlet at the top of the trail that takes you past Brown Lake to the Skookumchuck rapids.  Egmont is worth a visit as the views across the top of the Sechelt Inlet are lovely.  We first came to Back Eddy’s pub and restaurant during our initial 6 weeks living at this end of the Coast in 2021.  It’s the kind of place where you want to leap into ...

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 rug...

Orcas off Camp Byng Fri March 3rd Our Bonniebrook Beach Day 18 post op, Fred's rehab goes from strength to strength.  Crutches have been cast aside and a hiking stick is only being used when out and about.  Whilst not rushing up and downstairs, she's now climbing up and down pretty normally, the one thing she could not do before the hip op.  The medical team from Calgary are keeping in regular contact and the local GP is impressed with progress.   Physio phase 2, as distinct from home physio exercises, starts Mon 13th, exactly one month after the op.    A long weekend of Sebby-time when we got back from Calgary was good Fred therapy. Camp Byng - Quite different to the other Hammersmith!  As I have been doing two walks a day with Fred out of dog-walking action, I've been varying the routes.  My local favourite is Camp Byng; a 210 acre Scouts of Canada campground.  Closed up this time of year and slightly overrun/rundown after Covid; it is...

Ship Leaves Southampton Wed Feb 23rd The good news is that the ship with our container on-board has departed Southampton. As I write this, it is berthed in Antwerp where we assume it's loading and unloading more containers before heading west to Canada.  Estimated arrival in Vancouver is now March 10th.  We anticipate we will be reunited with our possessions around the end of March. We have to add secondhand values ('pre-used' in Canada speak) in case we are charged duty once the goods leave customs.  Our shippers have said duty is not payable given we are technically Temporary Residents based on advice from their Canadian agent.  Their Canadian Agent has since suggested it might be so we now don't know what to assume,  but if we have to pay duty, we'd prefer to do so on the basis of second hand value, not the insured replacement cost!  With that in mind we went 'flagpoling' today.  Some ancient Canadian ritual you might wonder, perhaps akin to the UK'...