Fish guts and wolf watching...

Friday night dash to the ferry preceded a glorious weekend on Vancouver Island.  Made the 6.55pm crossing and after some great views to 'the island' and back to downtown we commenced a slightly hair-raising 3 hour drive across windy roads to Tofino on the West Coast.  Full realisation of the amount of logging in Western Canada brought about by the huge logging trucks coming in the other direction... but the Jeep persevered.

Saturday was spent touring old growth rainforest and coves along the 'long beach' in the Pacific Rim National Park.  A Parks advisory out re cougars and wolves (special packs have adapated to coastal living) did not deter me, Mark and his mum and dad from spending twilight on the beach on 'wolf watch'.  No wolves but lots of bats and some very hardy surfers...

Sunday dawned incredibly foggy (the islanders refer to 'Fogust') making for a mysterious start to our kayaking trip.  I pumped our guide for wildlife info, her top West Coast animal encounters included a raft of 250 sea otters and wolf swimming between islands.  We landed on Meares Island, protected by the biggest act of civil disobedience in the 80s to prevent the thousand year old giant trees being logged.  Check out the biggest we saw on the right- pretty amazing stuff.  Planning to join the Friends of Clayoquot Sound to keep it protected. 

Then back across the Island and to work.  Small matter of my 30th birthday quickly dealt with through fish and chips on the beach and another trip to Beaver Lake; great sighting this time as he checked out how his damming was going...  Beautiful sunset was a great finish.

Next update following trip to Manning Provincial Park on Saturday and Squamish the rest of 'Labour Day' long weekend.


Ooops, almost forgot:  On the way across the island bumped through a seemingly innocuous puddle only to realise about 30 seconds later it was obviously the aftermath of some roadside fish cleaning.  Stopped at the next garage and cleaned the car like crazy... which reduced the smell by about 10% (it seems to have weirdly got into the engine and air vents).  We're already in our landlady's bad books and we fear a stinking Jeep in our parkade is not going to improve relations... 

Just in case you're interested... new job

Obviously my main priority with this blog is to tell you all about all the fun things I get up to in evenings and weekends.  But in order to fund these activities have taken a job at the British Columbia Law Society; working in the Membership Services department.  Very nice team and as in Vancouver a 'large' law firm is anything with over 8 lawyers it hopefully won't be too stressful.


It's 25 minutes on the bus over Lion's Gate Bridge, see piccie, start at 9am, finish at 5pm on the dot and actually take an hour for lunch.  Taking a bit of getting used to.  But not much.

Wriggling otters and lots of flying things...

A great day at Stanley Park last Saturday - took part in the Bioblitz:

- 'Seining' the sea, caught mini 'butter sole' and perch.  But distracted by the glitzy display put on by the three river otters seen the previous week.  Watched them for 20 minutes playing in the sea and catching a HUGE flounder!  Mum otter took the lion's share and the kits got the scraps at the end, maybe she's trying to persuade them to stop playing and start fishing?  See 1 minute video (you might want to turn off the sound unless you want to hear me wittering!)

- Watched an incredibly dedicated volunteer catch and ring Anna's and Rufus hummingbirds; they live and migrate all along the Pacific coast; Mexico to Canada, who'd have thought? [Hummingbird is in the little mini blanket on the table]

- 'Helped' some slightly less skilled volunteers net bats along Beaver Creek, lots of bats but all a bit traumatised in nets...

- Then tried to attract owls with an ipod full of owl calls and some speakers.  Worked a treat with 2 barred owls flying in to find out whether they could fight off the interloper... luckily didn't swoop too low.  

Next wildlife opp is to kayaking on Clayoquot Sound on the western side of Vancouver Island where spending the weekend with Mark's parents.  Will update following that! 

Golden ears and bear impersonations

Have now got a job working at the British Columbian Law Society as a membership person.  Pay is much better than for 'fun' jobs and the people seem nice, most importantly everybody leaves at 5pm which is very exciting!  To celebrate last few days of freedom (start on Monday) drove to Golden Ears provincial park and hiked 22km return to Alouette Peak. 


Gorgeous sunny day although spent 95% of the walk in thick forest (some old growth with enormous trees).  Pretty steep in places and a LOT of snow near the top - a lot of trails in North Vancouver are still closed due to snow from last winter.  They only have a couple of months to thaw out before it snows again!


Climb totally worth it for the amazing views from the peak, see below.  Hard to believe it's only 1 hour drive from downtown Vancouver!


Having just read books on grizzly bears, cougars and wolves, did spend a lot of time looking over my shoulder and shouting 'hey bear'.  Very near the car park at the end, I had thought the two women in 'sneakers' and hot pants had heard me approach behind them.  When I was within about 2 metres I was just about to say 'excuse me' to overtake when they simulataneously stopped, turned round and let out the most almighty screams!  They were convinced my thudding feet were a bear, and as the trail was pretty steep I was quite high above them, also carrying my 'anti cougar' stick so looked a bit threatening.  Being a mini person not sure I have ever scared anyone before so I also screamed - but note to self: do NOT do this if encounter real bear myself!

Beaver updates

I can only imagine you have all been waiting with bated breath for the next installment of the Stanley Park wildlife saga...  


Returned on Tuesday and spoke to the very nice volunteer at the 'Nature House'; there are two pairs of beavers living in the park in separate lake as well as the otters...  Three hours later, I'd seen three beavers, one very happily munching on some trees.  





The first beaver family are apparently in trouble with the park as they keep trying to block the exit to the lake; every night they fill it with sticks and mud and every morning the rangers dismantle it (see left)... I hope they don't get evicted!  


Off to a 'bio blitz' there today where we will be catching (and releasing) hummingbirds and bats apparently...

First BEAVER sighting and otters!

Having borrowed a book called 'Wilderness on our doorstep: Wildlife in Stanley park' took myself off post job interviews to the huge park next to downtown Vancouver.  The book said 'beavers used to frequent the park, but now only smaller mammals are seen' so I had no hopes there but did think might see the family of river otters mentioned...

 

Lo and behold!  Met a former wildlife photographer photographing herons who reported that he hadn't known a beaver live in Stanley Park for years but had seen one last week... and about 30 minutes later one emerged from a beaver lodge!  He chomped on trees for a bit, then swam around the mini island, across the lake and back and disappeared into a creek.  Photo above has him in the very far distance as blob, but mainly is to show proximity of skyscrapers!  Photo opposite is his lodge (the messy pile of sticks and greenery).

Not long after, three river otters emerged (think two were smaller and juvenile) and swam around the shoreline before disappearing up the same creek.  

Needless to say, pretty exciting.  You can see here the otter heads (v poor) but will be back tomorrow evening to see if my rubbishy camera can capture anything better.  

Yet more reasons to visit Vancouver...

Weekend of kayaking with eagles and seals

Had an awesome weekend kayaking up a fjord on eastern edge of North Vancouver; Indian Arm.  Teamwork properly kicked in and managed to paddle pretty much in unison in our double kayak for two days, with only occasional regulation of my paddle speed by Mark, and only occasional correction of his steering by me. 

Hot and sunny on day one, overcast on day two, but clouds did allow a magical first couple of hours on the second morning on very still waters watching nesting bald eagles and harbour seals (no piccies I'm afraid as not quick enough with the removal of cheap camera from dry bag and quite far away). 

Only slightly weird part was that the campsite at the top of the fjord (accessibly only by water by mainly kayakers, canoeists and a few motor boats) seemed to be hosting an impromptu full moon party complete with competing stereo systems (soft rock and trance) till 3.30am, cranking up again at 6.30am.  Seems North Vancouverites might be a bit starved of party venues.  Despite the whole campsite looking like the 'naughty campsite' on the bear posters, no furry visitors, although we think we might have heard a cougar across the water (there have been sightings in the area recently...)

So when you come, we'll take you kayaking! 

Flats, jobs and our very own JEEP!

So, we've made quite a bit of progress setting up our life here in North Vancouver (apparently a different city to actual Vancouver):
- All set in our apartment which is starting to feel like home, though still need a little bit more free/thrift store furniture


- Both busy job hunting - second interviews for 6 month to 1 year jobs for both of us next Monday, fingers crossed.  Won't say what yet in case jinxes but definitely office based (more boring but much better paid than 'fun' jobs).  


- Located local climbing wall and running/tri club (no prizes for guessing who found which) and also an amazing local kayaking destination - we are spending the weekend kayaking up Indian Arm, camping up and then returning the next day.  And its only 30 minutes from our house by bus!  http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/indian_arm/


- And more fun than any of the above:  We have purchased a massively old school Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Drives really nicely, got a couple of bits to fix which will do tomorrow, then available for weekend adventures.


So we're pretty much set up for visitors, summer or winter (and first arrive next weekend in form of Mark's mum and dad...) 

Working at the 'Chateau'

Not sure that anyone who designed or worked at Chateau Whistler has ever actually seen a real chateau http://www.fairmont.com/whistler - a lot more concrete than you might expect...


We were working at a 'hotel buy out' by a big US insurance firm - 850 well fed Americans became dramatically well fed throughout the week with really staggering quantities of v nice food and drink.  Two nights were outside lakeside dinners at 'Lost Lake' with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra playing (as they featured the 'star wars' theme tune it didn't seem aimed at classical music aficionados...) and we got the unwanted fillet steak, scallops and raspberry tarts, so not too bad.


But it did make me realise that I am NOT cut out for any job which involves standing for any period of time, nor that involves hoovering large ballrooms or having to wear a school tie.  Probably a good thing as will have more time for crazy activities. 

4 bears and counting...

Finished our week working in Whistler with a trip up Blackcomb mountain, across the Peak to Peak Gondola to Whistler mountain and then back down.  

Still lots of snow up high with some of the trekking routes closed due to it (good news for the heli-skiers though) and some great views although pretty touristy (not unexpected).  Most importantly, our chairlift went STRAIGHT OVER a bear who was weirdly fluffy like he'd just been shampooed.  We also saw a fab marmot (though no marmottines Nicky and Adam) posing outside his den.

And after a 5.30am trip to the golf course (where a bear last week stole someone's golf bag and one of the cubs caught trapped in the golf buggy pen) saw a lovely snowshoe hare (not quite the same as a bear, but pretty rare).

Got some good pics which should be posted somewhere on here now...

xxx

I saw a bear yesterday!

Waitressing in Whistler going well, nice hotel and have most of the mornings off to look around Whistler.

More importantly, yesterday saw a black bear and cub on the way to work - also got up at 5.30am to see some of the bears which live on the golf course (one stole someone's golf bag last week and took it into the woods - the hotel had to buy her another one).... but no luck.

Did see a very cute snowshoe hare though...

Fingers crossed for the rest of the week bear-wise...

N x