Expedition Canada

Lions Rugby Yeah - Live rugby Sat Jul 17 Frustrated that I missed the end of the Gallaher Premiership when we left the UK, I was smuggly pleased to have found a way to stream the British & Irish Lions South Africa fixtures.  Once set up, no easy task and four password changes later, we settled down to watch the Stormers v Lions. Once we knew it worked and the rain had stopped, we set off for a walk I'd planned and return later to watch the rugby.  Many of Gibsons' roads up behind the town back on to the forested mountain-side and a number show trails heading into the backcountry.  Except the two I'd chosen to check out really didn't look like established trails.  No signs, no obvious trail heads, unimpressed navigator in the adjoining seat! 2962 Day Road Let's head for Roberts Creek Falls, suggested Fred, followed by driving instructions.  Good call. There were a couple of other cars in the parking area near the trailhead along with one of the best house num...

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. ...

Loosening Ties Thu July 15th Simple Pleasures At the same time we are making decisions about our continued presence in Canada and what we do with our main house in the UK, we learn the NZ branch has been granted residency in the country they love.  After two and a half years, the stress and uncertainty over their continued presence, Covid travel restrictions and wedding plans; their residency came through today - well tomorrow their time, it's already Friday there!  A bubbling, babbling Ros was overjoyed.  We were for her, though it cemented the international nature of the Cronk gene pool.   In some ways it reinforced our wish to stay in BC and loosen our ties to the UK.  We have decided to go ahead and put Eastcourt House on the market.  Even if our plans fail, we're not sure we'd want to come back to the house the 'kids' were brought up in knowing they were so far away and have all the maintenance liabilities of a three hundred year old pro...

Coincidence Tue Jul 13  Wed Jul 14 Needless to say, the tires were not delivered  to the repair shop  on Tuesday and only two were delivered on Wednesday.  That meant Tuesday was an enforced local day, not wanting to drive around on a 'donut' spare and not have a spare. We explored the local area, bought a Basil plant from someone's front garden, met locals Madeline and Vern who live behind us and were invited to pick raspberries from their garden.  Very welcoming. Most of the update/news is Wednesday driven.   This morning I was checking the UK bank account only to find those lovely people at Sky UK have continued to deduct our DD since we left the UK and returned our Sky Q box, three months ago.   A note to their email complaints department (I wasn't planning on ringing from Canada) and we wait to see how quick it's resolved.  Any senior Sky directors  reading this (you know who you are), expect an email if they don't sort it out ...

A Lie In! Mon Jul 12th Hopkins Landing The early routine remained the same only slightly later without Wimbledon encouraging Fred up to make the morning cuppa.  Tea delivered, I took Jack down to the beach at Hopkins Landing which has became the preferred local morning walk.  Only one other person out and they hadn't lost a iPhone, but suggested putting it on the Friends of Hopkins Landing FB page.  Over to Fred now I am no longer a FB user. I spent half an hour trying to get the phone working, succeeded in getting it charged and intermittently starting.  It's probably salvageable.  I dropped the phone off at the RCMP office in Gibsons in case the owner inquires.  If I had lost my iPhone I would be half way through calling the 25,000 residents of the Sunshine Coast by now!  With the bolt stuck in my tyre (now assuming the Canadian spelling tire) it was off to the tire centre in Gibsons to get a quote for at least two new tires.  There was gre...

iPhones and Tires Same view another scene Sun Jul 11th Another early start as you can tell from the picture with the sunrise behind the mainland mountains.  Thank goodness Wimbledon finishes today! With Fred again at one with the TV, I took off to Hopkins Landing again, to try and beat the locals to be the first on the beach.  One other set of footprints preceded me on the beach, so a fail!   It was a quiet morning apart from two families of Canada Geese who clearly did not want to be introduced to Jack, even though he was all set to swim out after them.   The geese that got away Huge enthusiasm these spaniels but not always great in the common-sense department! Half way along the beach I discovered a much loved iPhone, no longer in the company of its owner, looking freshly sea stained after an early morning (or middle of the night) dip.  It was not the waterproof variety and did not want to start up.  Returned  home ...

& Brewery Visit Sat Jul 10th Same view different scene - from bedroom deck great view to wake-up to The day didn't really kick off until the Ladies singles and doubles finals had been played.  It was an early start.  Fred was up at 0530hrs, yes you heard it here first -  0530!! The morning view from the bedroom deck is rather nice.  It's looking E by NE so the distant mountains are back-lit by the rising sun. While Fred was watching the tennis I walked Jack to the other side of the Langdale ferry terminal, to Hopkins Landing.   The addition of 'Landing' to the name I View of the ferry coming in, looking across to the mainland from Hopkins Landing beach  think gives it a rather quaint historical feel.  Gibsons was originally Gibsons's Landing after George Gibson, who with his sons established the settlement in 1886.  It was 'incorporated' in 1929 as Gibson's Landing and in 1947 renamed as Gibsons.  I think I prefer Gibson's Landing....