36 Hours Late: Weighing the Odds of a Wedding against Beluga Whales
I have a wedding to get to. I also want to go kayaking with belugas. While those things do not seem mutually exclusive, I may be the rare case where that is the situation. VIA Rail Canada is not well known for on-time performance, particularly on transcontinental service. Last week, I tracked one of their trains to see it eventually be listed as 36.5 hours late upon arriving in … Continue reading 36 Hours Late: Weighing the Odds of a Wedding against Beluga Whales
For the Love of Sailing: Discovering Something New
Until last year, I had never been on a sailboat before. Well, I’d been on the Bluenose II in Halifax back when I was the height of a garbage can. That does not count. In May, I was invited on board a friend’s family boat. I had no expectations – sailing had never even crossed my mind as something of interest that I should pursue. … Continue reading For the Love of Sailing: Discovering Something New
BC Parks Maps Just Aren’t What They Used To Be
In digging through my new collection of old maps, I discovered a rather rare and beautiful find – a full-colour map from the late 1970s. This is the crown-jewel of my map collection. I can find no information on this publication and BC Parks was unable to help date the map. The contents of the information on the reverse of the guide (see below) indicate … Continue reading BC Parks Maps Just Aren’t What They Used To Be
Peeling Bark on an Arbutus Tree
These trees are beautiful – they are the soul of Vancouver Island’s southeast region. This shot was taken during a rainstorm at Mt. Work, which explains the rich green-yellow of the exposed wood. Even the roots of these trees have this peeling type of bark. Continue reading Peeling Bark on an Arbutus Tree
CouchSurfing (or “the art of judging people”)
When I first bought my $350 railpass, I was quite excited. What a great way to experience Canada – from the comfort of a large, reclining seat with panoramic windows, a restaurant, lounges, and lots of great people to meet. Then I remembered that VIA Rail’s schedules aren’t daily. In some cities, it’s four days between a train rolling through their station (I said nothing … Continue reading CouchSurfing (or “the art of judging people”)
Stepney Explores 