The Imperceptible Immigrant

Martin Mars

August 25, 2024 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

I first visited Canada in 2006, on which occasion I was introduced by The Girl to the delights of British Columbia and of Vancouver Island – along, naturally, with her family and many of her friends. The expedition was planned with the sort of thoroughness that is her hallmark and included my first meeting, in Nanaimo, with her father and her mother in law.

The four of us took a trip up island to Port Alberni and to Tofino. This memorable sojourn – the which included spending a day drifting down to Bamfield on the Francis Berkeley – has been replicated more than once when we have entertained visitors from outwith the province (or indeed the country).

Between Port Alberni and Tofino we paid a visit to Sproat Lake. Quite apart from being a very beautiful spot this 25km long lake is known for a number of interesting attractions, amongst which – until very recently – was that it was home to the Martin Mars water-bombers.

Now – I could regale you with the story of these huge and beautiful flying boats – built during the second world war and serving for many years fighting wildfires across Canada and elsewhere – but why don’t we let Wikipedia handle the honours in this instance. What gentle readers need to know for the purposes of this post is that ‘Hawaii Mars‘, which I believe to be the remaining flight-worthy aircraft (of the seven that were built) was this year donated to the British Columbia Aviation Museum, the which is right here beside Victoria International Airport.

A couple of weeks back ‘Hawaii Mars‘ made her final flight from Sproat Lake down to Victoria. For the last leg she was accompanied by the Canadian aerobatic display team – the Snowbirds. Many Victoria inhabitants turned out to view the spectacle, but we were fortunate enough to be gifted a grandstand view from our deck as the formation circled the airport.

As you would expect, this spectacle certainly brought a lump to my throat.

When the aircraft is finally ready for visitors at the museum I shall go and pay my respects.

Tags: History, Martin Mars, Tofino, Victoria

Most liveable

November 29, 2023 in Life in BC | Permalink

I have previously made mention within these meanderings of the fact that The Girl and I do not routinely read print newspapers here in Canada – a definite and somewhat unexpected change from our previous practice in the UK. Yes – I still read The Guardian and The Observer online – but sitting up in bed of a Sunday morning with an iPad on one’s lap is just not the same as having the multiple sections of a paper strewn around over the duvet.

However – just the other day The Girl returned from a few days in Vancouver where she had been attending an Engagement (what you and I might call a conference) bearing a copy of The Globe and Mail that she had picked up on the ferry. Now – if we did read a paper here regularly it would probably be The Globe and Mail – of which Wikipedia says thus:

“The Globe and Mail is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada’s most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it falls slightly behind the Toronto Star in overall weekly circulation because the Star publishes a Sunday edition, whereas the Globe does not. The Globe and Mail is regarded by some as Canada’s ‘newspaper of record'”.

Irregardless…

The reason for mentioning this at all might just be discernible from the accompanying image – of the front page of this particular issue. The piece referred to concerns the 2023 Canada’s Most Livable Cities survey – in which good old Victoria came out as the overall number one city.

Yaay Victoria!

If one is to accept that the data is accurate (and can indeed be interpreted in the way the the Globe and Mail survey does) Victoria comes out top in many categories – with the notable exceptions of the cost of housing, (which is uncomfortably high for many folk) and healthcare (where, as I have previously noted, there is a continuing shortage of doctors). There are those who gripe about such studies and one should certainly not overlook the problems that many localities face, but I believe that the great majority of those who live here are aware that they are inhabitants of a beautiful city and that to be so is a considerable blessing.

Tags: Canada, Celebration, News, Victoria

Weird weather

November 15, 2021 in Life in BC | Permalink

Is it really – I wonder – an inevitable effect of apparently unavoidable climate change… or does the west coast of Canada just suffer from wacky weather as a matter of course?

I ask because – as gentle readers may (or may not) recall – back in the summer we here in British Columbia suffered the most unpleasant and tragic effects of a ‘Heat Dome‘.

I will be completely honest here – I had never heard of a Heat Dome. As a climatic phenomenon it was a complete unknown. As it turned out I would have been happy to have made it through this existence without ever having encountered such a beast.

Why do I bring this up now? Because as I write we are heading towards (hopefully) the tail end of another weather phenomenon of which I have never heard. This one is called an ‘Atmospheric River’.

A what!?!

What the heck is an Atmospheric River? Well – Wikipedia can, of course, give us all the details – and here they be! To be honest, however, you will not really need to read up on this unpleasantness to have a good guess at what such a thing entails. It is wet… very wet… and it is in the atmosphere – until it falls on your head!

So – since sometime yesterday morning the rain has been hammering down pretty much constantly – and doing so with the sort of fierce determination that ‘gets things done’ (in this case flooding, mud slides, road closures, accidents and so forth). We have essentially been living on the inside of a cloud for the last forty eight hours and it is getting difficult to tell where the cloud ends and we begin. The situation is what might best be described as… wait for it… fluid!

Anyway – I have to drive down to College later to deliver a class and I am not really looking forward to that too much. it may be a bit of a hazardous journey.

Wish me luck!

Tags: climate change, rain, Victoria, Weather

Moonbeams, mushrooms, mountains and other magic

September 26, 2021 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

‘Tis the time of the year in Victoria that one repeatedly casts anxious glances outside – regardless of the time of day – to see what the weather is doing (or is about to do).

Today – for example – it is (to use the vernacular) tossing it down!

Yesterday was sunny – so we went for a walk and I got out in the garden.

This is the key of course. We venture outside whenever we can – to observe and enjoy the sights – be they what they may…

…like moonbeams – such as those emanating from this big golden full moon over the sea:

…or mushrooms! It is that time of year when the ‘fun guys’ poke their heads out for a few days before going subterranean for another cycle. These are the first of the crop:

…and mountains. This one you probably know already:

…and other magic! ‘Nuff said:

Tags: British Columbia, Fall, nature, Photo, Victoria

A day out

September 10, 2021 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

The new academic year stumbles somewhat uncertainly into life, with the Fall term kicking off and hoping – in this semi-post-COVID world – not to fall flat on its face. More of that in a near-future post!

For now though – one last day out before we knuckle down and try to surf our way through the unforgiving swell…

We live (as I am sure I have mentioned previously) near the seaside town of Sidney on the Saanich peninsula to the north of the city of Victoria – which itself nestles into the south eastern corner of Vancouver Island with the sea on three sides (See map for details). We face roughly east – looking out over the Haro Strait.

The other side of the peninsula is a deep natural fjord – the Saanich Inlet. I have previously published photos of the good ship Dignity exploring this impressive waterway.

On the far side of the inlet – and close up against it – is the Malahat mountain. To reach Victoria from further north on the island it is necessary to navigate one’s way down between the mountain and the deep inlet. For many years it was thought impossible to drive a road through this hostile land and it was not until the late nineteenth century that the fore-runner of what is now the Malahat Drive was constructed through the pass.

For those used to the grandeurs of other parts of Canada the Malahat may at first glance appear to be small fry. Looks can be deceiving. Weather conditions in winter can be bad on the Malahat and the road is often closed for periods. At the very least it requires snow tyres or chains during the winter months. The narrow and twisty nature of the highway also renders it vulnerable to accidents – which can easily cut Victoria off from the rest of the island for hours at a time.

The Malahat and the Saanich Inlet are – however – also strikingly beautiful and are now home to a new attraction – the Malahat Skywalk. Rather than me describing the attraction to you the link provided will furnish all that you need.

This outing was our first visit to the Skywalk and we were suitably impressed. I will add some images of it at the bottom of this post.

We also paid a first visit to Unsworth Vineyards at nearby Mill Bay, where their attractive restaurant serves a most acceptable lunch (and – of course – also where wines can be tasted).

All in all – a splendid day out. Thanks to The Girl – whose idea it was.

The views!

I added a small arrow to this next photo to indicate the rough position of our home!

Tags: Malahat, Outings, Photo, Saanich Inlet, Victoria

Summer nights

July 4, 2021 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

These long days and concomitant short nights give us opportunities aplenty to observe from our deck the ever changing evening light upon the waters of Bazan Bay and the Haro Strait. We find ourselves particularly enjoying the varied spectacles that are the sunsets which are a feature of the season. It occurred to me that the gentle reader might care for the chance to do likewise – however vicariously…

As ever – click on the images for the full effect!

Tags: House, Photo, Victoria, Vista

Things we like to think

June 21, 2021 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

“Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think”

Robert Henri

The weather has finally turned warm and pleasant, having for a long time remained stubbornly overcast and chilly. It was thus clearly time to visit our nearby shoreline – Island View Beach – to breath deeply of the ocean air and to ‘think things we like to think’!

For those unable to reach the coast for the moment perhaps these images might act as an aide memoire…

Nature – flora and fauna – naturally abounds…

Tags: Photo, Victoria, Walk

Lighting fireworks

May 26, 2021 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Life in BC | Permalink

“The neighbors are drunk and lighting fireworks. It must be Victoria Day!”

Unattributed

This last weekend was a long weekend here in BC (think ‘bank holiday’ should you hail from the UK). This particular one commemorates the birthday of the monarch for whom this city was named – Queen Victoria.

Now – as I mentioned in previous recent posts – having already resigned ourselves to the reality that we would not be traveling anywhere very far in this second year of the COVID, we have also now also had to accept the idea that we won’t be doing major renovations to our home either – given the current outrageous cost of building materials.

This is – to put it mildly – a bit of a bummer and left us feeling somewhat out of sorts and directionless.

Just at the right time, however, we saw advertised at one of Victoria’s loveliest downtown boutique hotels an enticing ‘Spend-the-night – Dine-in-room’ deal. We have not stayed at The Magnolia before but we have treated ourselves to its excellent restaurant – The Courtney Room. The restaurant is – of course – currently closed, but the deal (which ran only until the end of May) enables one to indulge oneself in their culinary offerings at a window table in a splendid bedroom, to spend the ensuing night in comfort therein and to do all of this in complete COVID safety.

What is not to love about that?

We visited on the Friday evening and dined splendidly on in-house breads & crackers with roasted eggplant dip and smoked paprika oil – dry-aged Two Rivers burger with aged cheddar and a splendidly fresh salad (for The Girl) – local catch of the day Bouillabaisse (for me) – followed by a Blood Orange Tart (with pumpkin seed frangipane, blood orange marmalade and Wild Mountain honey) and a Meyer Lemon Mousse (with caramelized white chocolate crumb and toasted bourbon meringue). All of which was washed down with a very passable bottle of Savigny-les-Beunes.

We watched the sun go down over the inner harbour and for a brief period all seemed right with the world.

The following morning the sun was doing its very best early-summer impression and we got to wander around downtown and to lunch outside one of our favourite predominantly vegetarian restaurant and juice bars – Re.Bar.

Because it would clearly have been a great shame for our splendidly indulgent weekend to peter out on the Saturday we also treated ourselves to some pampering at the lovely Brentwood Bay Spa on the Monday; a relaxing massage for me and a reflexology treatment for The Girl’s most lovely and dainty feet.

All in all a wonderful long weekend, during which it was possible – perhaps for the first time – to imagine what it will be like to emerge on the other side of this grim era.

Time to dream a little…

Tags: Brentwood Bay, COVID-19, Dining, food and drink, Victoria

Witty’s Lagoon

April 23, 2021 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

We have been blessed of late – here at the southern end of Vancouver Island – with a spell of good weather. The sun has shone upon our gardens and the temperature during the afternoons has several times crept into the 20s C. This is not expected to continue of course – it is still only April after all – but we have been enjoying it all the same. Next week it will rain!

The Girl – having been suffering a little cabin fever – suggested last weekend that we should go out somewhere for a walk. We have done plenty of such exercise in the immediate vicinity of our home, but getting away to somewhere else completely seemed like a good idea – in the service of our mental well-being.

The Girl suggested Witty’s Lagoon – one of the many bits of Victoria that she knows of old but that I have not yet visited. We duly set out for the southern-most tip off the island on Saturday last – taking the Olympus OM-D with us so that I could share photos with you good folk.

A short walk from the main entrance to the park – as one begins one’s descent to the lagoon – one comes across an excellent waterfall – Sitting Lady Falls. I leave it to the gentle reader to muse upon how that name might have come about:

The extensive but shallow lagoon lies behind the beach and is the point at which fresh and salt water come together. The result is a wildlife paradise:

The beach itself is unusual for the southern end of the island in that it is sandy; many of them are pebble. As is the case with other similarly located beaches the vista is of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and beyond that the Olympic mountains in Washington State of the US:

Pretty (spectacular) – ain’t it?!

Tags: Photo, Victoria, Walk, Witty's Lagoon

The longest year

February 15, 2021 in Life as we know it, Photos | Permalink

“If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.”

E. Joseph Cossman

So very much has happened in the last year; it is difficult sometimes to ‘get one’s head around it’. These photos were taken a year apart! Where would I rather be?…