Expedition Canada

Global Warming? Ribbon Cloud in front of the mountains Fri Jul 16th The title is not meant to be flippant.  With disastrous floods in Western Europe, heatwaves in BC two weeks ago and forest fires still burning in BC 's interior and Western North America, we were not expecting to have to break out sweaters today where local temperatures only touched 20 C. The idyllic setting we have painted is not without its own problems aside from the forest fires that have received international attention. A number of local beaches around Gibsons have been closed due to E-Coli levels that exceed the minima.  See news report .   We are based just north of  'Langdale' on the map, just where the grey band stops. Some of the regular swimmers are still taking their morning dip, but fewer of them.  The Hopkins Landing and Langdale areas north of GIbsons are quite spread out and the majority of properties will be on septic tanks rather than mains sewage systems. ...

It's Warm Sun Jun 27th It is not often that you start a dog walk at 0630 and it's 21c.  Today was the exception.  It was going to be a two shower day - at least! There were few people "out and about" and we (Jack and I) were back on the Hyannis trail in North Vancouver, a route well trodden on our morning walks  during out last stint in N Van.  Jack seemed to know where he was going.   The tall pines helped make for a cooler walk and as we dropped down to Seymour Creek the temperature dropped a further few degrees. A round trip of 4.2k and 120m climb I was 'glowing' on my return.  By the time we got back the parking around the trailhead was full.   A new addition to the walk was some carefully placed rocks in a moss laden tree stump with ferns atop.  It looked like something from the 'Monster Munch' or 'Don't Forget the Honey Mummy 'advert, I can't remember which or what the last one was for!  Very clever. Our lovely host Shari drop...