Expedition Canada

Whales Galore Mon June 12th Biggs Killer Whales - Outside Gibsons Harbour As forest fires ravage large parts of Quebec and BC, spreading smoke and particulates as far afield as Europe, a couple of bits of good news have emerged.   Whale numbers are looking increasingly healthy for all but the resident  killer   S outhern  W hale .  A recent news article carried by CBC reports on the work of marine naturalist Tasli Shaw who this year has recorded nearly 800 individual humpbacks in the Salish Sea compared with 400 last year.  Link here .  Biggs Killer Whales, also referred as Transient whales, one of the two ecotypes or sub-species in the Salish Sea, have also seen a revival with 1221 identified in 2022, more than double that of five years ago. They feed on other marine mammals. The Southern or Resident Orca, whose main food source is Salmon, have been in decline mainly as a result of reduced salmon stocks.  We have seen both Humpbacks and...

Humpbacks Return Thu May 18th Orca cruising just past the start line I was sailing last Sunday after a break of two weeks and it felt as though summer had arrived.  We had good wind and a warm 30c, though a windproof jacket was still required.  In the previous race, we were in winter wet weather gear.  My brain-related knee injury, which had prevented my appearance for the last two weeks, is on the mend and it has reminded me that I should engage the grey matter before doing anything so stupid in future.  Bruised bones rather than anything more serious.  For those that missed the last blog, I'd jumped off the back of a stationary pick-up truck.  Doh! As well as good sailing weather we enjoyed watching a pod of Orca put in an appearance as we motored out to the start line.  They were heading out to the Salish Sea from West Howe Sound through the Shoal Channel which runs between Keats Island and The Bluff, a large outcrop that sits above Gibsons Marina....

Trees Down Mon Jan 23rd One of the Douglas Firs that had crashed down across the trails. The Holy Grail of wildlife sightings in BC is to see Humpback Whales breaching.  Black Bears are great, but not a rarity; Coyotes are quite common (Jack startled a youngster in Cliff Gilker during the week), Cougars fortunately not so common - and we have not yet seen one - no rush.   During the Summer we enjoyed numerous views of Grey and Humpback Whale tails, fins and  waterspouts, but the sight of a whale fully breaching has evaded us, till Sunday.   I didn't have my camera.  I kept the video running on my iPhone, and every time I stopped filming, they breached, but you get to to see their water spouts! On the final leg of our Sunday sailing race back to Gibsons Marina, a race that had been shortened due to very light, and at times non-existent, winds our skipper thought he heard a distant explosion; a crack and thunderous roar like a loud firework (his words)....

Plus a Bison Banquet Thu Nov 24th  After putting my pre-order deposit down in Nov 2021 for the all electric Rivian R1S (SUV), I finally heard last week that delivery will between October and December ........ 2023.  That's the good news and bad news in one!   I have finally been able to see one in the flesh at a customer event last Saturday in Vancouver.  Nick and I had a boys day in town checking out the vehicles, which continue to get amazing reviews.  Top Gear reviewed the R1T pickup .  They are impressive vehicles and the larger battery pack has a range of circa 320m (514k), though if I test the 0-60mph in 3 seconds regularly I suspect that may be a tad optimistic .    The event was busy, suggesting there are quite a few pre-order customers in BC, the launch province for Canada, the only country outside the USA where Rivian vehicles are being sold at the outset.  It's not surprising as BC has the highest proportion of EV sales in Nor...

Remembrance Day in Canada Mon Nov 14th  Remembrance Day is a Federal holiday in Canada , which means schools and other public services are closed.  Some businesses shut for the day as well.  The ceremony around the two minute silence is very similar to the UK with one exception, young people appear much more involved in the day's activities.   In Vancouver , a youth choir was part of the act of Remembrance.  The winner of a school Remembrance Day poem competition read their poem as part of the service.  I can't think of a better way of engaging tomorrow's beneficiaries in the sacrifice of those who went before us and who brought about the freedom we enjoy today, than by involving them in these events.   Despite recent rainfall, our drought continues and the Emergency Order has been extended.  Businesses that use water as part of their activities had a reprieve after the deluge and were allowed to restart water use, but have now had the b...

But in other news....  Mon Jan 17th Ferry departing Langdale heading for Horseshoe Bay Hurrah I hear you cry, he's not going to talk about the bloody weather again, 'we've had enough of the snow'!  If it's any consolation so have we!  It's now all over on the East coast, lots of it! Today it's Barclays 'Customer Service', self-unloading log barges and local wildlife. Our difficulties with Barclays arose  when we sold Eastcourt House  because  they had not cleared an old mortgage 'charge'. It led to a formal complaint from us and offer of £150 compensation from Barclays back in November.   This was after spending £100 on phone calls from Canada aside from numerous useless chat sessions.  The registered letter to Barclays accepting the offer and closing the complaint never arrived as Royal Mail were ' unable to deliver the letter as nobody was in '.   Two one hour phone calls at the end of last week, one of which was abandoned as the ...