Herring run

Whalebone beach has been a scene of feeding frenzy today as shoals of herring attracted thousands of seabirds, dozens of bald eagles and countless marine mammals to feed upon both the roe and the herring themselves.

Low tide revealed seaweed caked in herring roe - providing a veritable feast for the thousands of gulls that have been following this week's herring run. 

Among the gulls came the bald eagles - sometimes twenty or more could be seen perched on distant rocks.  A solitary sea otter sat patiently on the rocks for the herring to approach, then slipped silently into the water after its prey.

And then came the Stellar Sea Lions - dozens of them could be seen offshore among the seals, with a handful swimming close to shore where the waters were almost white with the roe.

Mostly the sealion swam and dived alone, but this playful pair clearly had the same unsuspecting fish in their sights. 
And all the time their barking echoed across the beach.

 Inquisitive seals are no strangers to Whalebone, but the stellar is normally to be found in the waters off Entrance Island - and while their calls can be heard around Sandwell Bay and Whalebone, it is rare for them to be seen in any number this close to Whalebone beach.

Back to the island

It's eight weeks since I left Gabriola to return to the UK.  The snows of December and January had gone by the time we arrived back, leaving a bitter coldness that has made it impractical to get out and repair the flat roof over our garage. "Not to be used at temperatures below 10 degrees" said the instructions on the roofing adhesive. So, the garage remained unrepaired and the rain continued to soak through. A job for next time I think.

After installing a brand new kitchen in our island home, it was inevitable that there would be a call for improvements in the kitchen back in England. 10 years ago we'd installed woodgrain-effect cabinets that were starting to look their age (so I was told) and it was time for a new look. Over the past few weeks there have been cabinet doors everywhere waiting for paint to dry - and in the last couple of days some semblence of normality has returned.

So I am now tasked with returning to the island to start the next stage of renovation. I predict regular visits to Arbutus Building Supplies (what would we do without them?) and a return to construction site living for the next two months. All closely supervised from afar thanks to the wonders of the internet.

At least I'm not flying with British Airways.......

Bloganalysis : the meaning of life?

"A blog is usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs." (Wikipedia)

So what motivates a Blogger?  Amid the inevitable suggestions of "having too much time on your hands" and "because you're a geek" , the art of blogging takes many different directions, and can reveal much about the author - both good and bad. 

Unlike a conventional website, your Blog will immediately broadcast your writing to your select audience (your followers) with the potential to reach a much wider audience in the shape of those who follow other Blogs - especially those who have kindly provided links to your own blog. Your followers will start out as people you know - be they family or friends, work colleagues or business acquaintances. Then suddenly you find complete strangers declaring themselves as your followers - and when you take a look at their blog, you can sometimes (though not always...) make a connection.

Your generic Blogger probably subscribes to social networking sites too - but maybe started to realise that Facebook has been taken over by fantasy farmers and Twitter just doesn't allow you the space to say everything you need to say in 140 characters. Where Twitter excels, though, is the potential to entice a much wider group of followers (those of your choice and of theirs) to taste a morsel of your news before being drawn to a link taking them, wisely or unwisely, to the heart of your Blog. Twitter, in particular, has increasingly become a promotional medium for business - a quick hit on their customer base, and an efficient method of checking what other businesses are up to. Bakers to Bankers, they're all inviting us to follow them on Twitter - and then suddenly you realise that there aren't enough hours in the day to read everyone's tweets!

By comparison, Blogging remains much less pressurised. You can blog once a day (or more), once a week, once a month - or whenever. Half the joy of blogging is taking time out - just to read what others have been up to, marvel at their photographic prowess or catch up on their recent travels. No matter how long it's been since you last visited your Blog, your invitation into someone else's world is still there - minus the mystery eggs and lost black sheep - and uncluttered by several hundred retweets from people whom you neither know nor care about.

You may still come to the conclusion that your fellow bloggers have too much time on their hands, or that they are simply geeks. But you may also learn something new - and something of genuine interest to you. You find yourself waiting for their next blog - just to see what they've been up to, where they've been or who they've met.

Then you start to wonder what other people really think of your Blog? Are they really interested in what book you're reading, your latest DIY project, or what your kids are up to? In most cases the answer is probably not - but what the heck - you enjoyed writing about it; someone, somewhere, probably wanted to read it, and as for everyone else?  Do we really care?

A Blog is what you want it to be. Period.

There's a little bit of Canada......

....celebrating  tonight in the Midlands - the British Midlands that is. 

Canadian medics at the University of Warwick Medical School (and a few of their British counterparts) had gathered together to watch with bated breath as THE final olympic event was played out at Canada Hockey Place. 

Judging by the wild cheering in the background of our daughter's phone call after 7 minutes of  overtime, the ex-pat audience approved of the final result. AND SO THEY SHOULD!!!!

Great performance Canada; great games Vancouver. There were plenty of critics and not a few skeptics - but the skeptics have been won over and the critics - well, they'll still be there in 2012 when the Summer Games open in London. Against all the odds, Vancouver has pulled it off.

What's the betting it snows in Vancouver next week!

Salt Spring Island's housing needs sound so familiar

So, the recently completed housing needs assessment on Salt Spring Island confirms that the lack of affordable
housing is affecting virtually all segments of the population - and the most urgent need is housing for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

These findings should come as no surprise, since they mirror many of the concerns expressed in the Gabriola Island Affordable Housing Needs Assessment completed just three months earlier.

There are strong similarities (and a few notable differences) between these two island communities.

• Both are projecting significant population growth over the next 20-30 years - and in both cases the majority of that increase will be older people in retirement, or approaching retirement.
• Both communites have identified a shortage of good quality, affordable housing - especially in the rental sector, on which so many people, both young and old, are now dependent given the steep rise in property prices in recent years.
• More than 20% of the housing stock on both islands is owned by non-residents, often standing empty for much of the year. Rentals on these properties are often seasonal, resulting in displacement of tenants for part of the year.
• There is a serious shortfall in housing for those with special needs in both communities
• The number of homeless people is increasing - though in both cases, "couch-hopping" probably disguises the true scale of the problem
• For those with low (or no) income, access to essential services is made much more difficult by the lack of transport.

One major difference, of course, is that Salt Spring Island residents benefit from a community transit service which offers several trips a day on a network of bus routes linking several of the outlying communities with the island centre at Ganges. Four out of five Salt Spring residents believe that the ability to access public transit has opened up realistic affordable housing options in most parts of the island.

Here on Gabriola, the absence of public transit makes the village centre and north end of the island virtually the only realistic option for many who cannot afford to own, insure and run a car. Sure, we pride ourselves in our willingness to offer a ride to those we see walking along the road - but, if we're honest, we're all becoming just a little selective in who we will stop for, and who we will drive past. And not everyone wants to be dependent on the goodwill of others in their daily lives - so, for some, the hardship and isolation just spirals.

Of course, with a population of 10,000, the economics of a public transit service on Salt Spring stacks up more strongly than it ever will on Gabriola - but the social cost to the community of not having a bus on the island is becoming ever more evident.

Sure, the Islands Trust must sit down and reflect on the need to legalize the use of suites and cottages as affordable housing - but without the ability to access essential services, the scope for offering truly affordable housing is severely limited.

Next stop Gabriola?

International transport group Stagecoach will shortly commence trials of an innovative amphibious bus on Scotland's River Clyde.

The new £700,000 ($1.1 million) “amfibus” can carry 50 passengers and is built in Holland by Dutch Amphibious Transport Vehicles BV of Nijmegen.  Based on a bus chassis, the “amfibus” incorporates a hull to allow the vehicle to float and is fully safety certified for operation on road and water by European transport regulatory authorities. On the road, the vehicle operates like a standard coach. In the water, the “amfibus” is driven by twin water jets and can achieve a speed of 8 knots.

Brian Souter, Stagecoach chief executive, said: “This is an exciting transport project that would provide a seamless bus connection between two important local communities. “Passengers can use the amfibus to travel over road and water without having to leave the comfort of their seat to change from a bus to a ferry. It shows the potential of Scotland’s rivers and estuaries to be links rather than barriers to travel and we are looking forward to testing the technology on the Clyde.”

Stagecoach has already carried out tests of the “amfibus” in Rotterdam harbour where the vehicle coped well from the wash from heavily laden barges and provided a smooth travel experience. The “amfibus” being demonstrated next week is due to be used by Rotterdam Splash Tours for excursions around the harbour from next month.

A similar vehicle (or should that be "craft"?) was trialled on Lake Michigan last year. I wonder what became of that?  Since the Stagecoach group is already well established in eastern Canada, maybe they could extend the trials to include Gabriola?

Olympic expectations

With about 600 staff at Vancouver City Hall assigned to Olympic host duties, it's good to see that the City has issued a protocol guide to avoid potential embarrassment to visiting dignitories.

Almost nothing is left to chance. There is useful information at every corner:

• You never say "That's not my job". You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. If you are not, then you need to find another job.
• Protocol is whatever your boss says it is.
• You must display the famous "protocol smile" in all circumstances, no matter what is going on behind the scenes.
• Remember that protocol smile. It needs to get larger the worse things get. Let them think you are in complete control.
• Don't fold or cross your arms, and keep hands away from your mouth. Both actions can send negative signals.
• Always sit or stand 'tall' with shoulders slightly back and chin up for self confidence.
• Smile "gently" and with sincerity. Do not overdo it. False smiles can look artificial and never-ending smiles may invite suspicion.
• Looking into the other person's eyes shows your interest in the conversation. Do not stare too intently. Staring can be perceived as threatening.
• Minimise your use of hand gestures.
• Avoid playing with your hair, tie or jewelry, biting your lip, drumming your fingers or jiggling coins or keys in your pocket
• Nodding usually means you agree. Too much nodding may give the impression you are insincere.
• To shake hands, make eye contact and extend your right hand with the thumb knuckle facing up. Keep your hand straight, with your fingers slightly relaxed. Grasp the other person's hand and pump once or twice while standing still. Do not use a loose, limp grip.
• Be helpful but discreet in embarrassing situations. Try to move the individual out of hearing range of others and quietly let them know "Your trouser zipper is open"
• Present and receive business cards with both hands. Never use your left hand to present or receive a card. The left hand is reserved for "unclean" functions in middle eastern cultures.
• No "Tweeting"
• Never dress in clothes that are too tight, they make a slim person look gaunt and a large person look heavier.
• Avoid wearing short socks. If they are too short, they may show bare leg when you sit down. Wear knee-high socks or stockings that reach above the calf.
• Socks should match your pant colour.

Doesn't leave much room for fun, does it?

Sign of the times

One of our favourite walks is through the Government of Canada lands off Joyce Lockwood Park at the far end of Whalebone Drive. On a recent visit, we noticed a sign that we hadn't previously seen - banning the picking of Salal in the woods.

I know that Salal picking is a problem elsewhere on the island, though I've never seen anyone taking it out through Joyce Lockwood Park.  Have similar signs gone up elsewhere on the island I wonder?

Pineapple Express rushes in

No-one on Gabriola will have failed to notice that it's hardly stopped raining in the past week - and that temperatures have been unseasonably high.

At midnight last night, the temperature here on Gabriola was hovering around 12C - nearly 10 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year.  On Monday, Vancouver International Airport registered a record high temperature of 13.1 degrees. The previous record of 12.2 degrees was set back in 1941. The mild temperatures will continue for the next few days although no records are expected to be broken.

After a brief respite this morning, the rain is back and is expected to continue on and off  for the next week.

The cause of this unusual phenomenon?  The so-called Pineapple Express - a strong and persistent flow of atmospheric moisture and associated heavy rainfall from the waters adjacent to the Hawaiian Islands and extending along the Pacific coast of North America.

A Pineapple Express is driven by a strong, southern branch of the Polar jetstream and is usually marked by the presence of a surface frontal boundary which is either slow or completely stationary, with waves of low pressure traveling along its axis. Each of these low pressure systems brings enhanced rainfall.

The conditions are often created by the Madden-Julian oscillation, an equatorial rainfall pattern which feeds its moisture into this pattern. The composition of moisture-laden air, atmospheric dynamics, and orographic enhancement resulting from the passage of this air over the mountain ranges of the western coast of North America causes some of the most torrential rains to occur in the region. In British Columbia, Pineapple Express systems typically generate heavy snowfall in the mountains and Interior Plateau, which often melts rapidly because of the warming effect of the system.

Throughout Vancouver Island, the effects of this Pineapple Express are already being felt.  

The mayor of Courtenay, B.C. has declared a local state of emergency after heavy rain caused local rivers to flood their banks, forcing the evacuation of about 40 people in the city on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Mayor Greg Phelps issued the order after high water levels in the Browns, Tsolum and Puntledge Rivers caused flooding in the low lying areas adjacent to the Tsolum River and Courtenay River overnight Monday.The city also opened a local community centre for any evacuated residents, closed several roads and the Fifth Street bridge, and urged drivers to avoid the city's downtown core.

B.C.'s River Forecast Centre has also posted flood warnings for the nearby Puntledge and Browns Rivers while a flood watch is in effect along the Nanaimo River, south of Nanaimo.

The mayor plans to keep the state of emergency in effect for several days because there are very high tides forecast through the week and more heavy rain in the forecast. "We've decided to keep our local state of emergency in effect, because that gives us the power to keep things like the reception centre and the people in the emergency shelters," said Phelps.

Residents in low-lying areas of Courtenay were evacuated in mid-November when heavy rains, melting snow and high tides pushed the Puntledge, Courtenay, Tsolum and Browns Rivers over their banks. Further south on the island, residents of Duncan and Cowichan were also evacuated last November, but so far this week, that area has not been affected by flooding.

To those back home.....

Those of you back in the UK (and France) who are currently sitting in a deep freeze looking out on the snow might consider you have it tough. In parts of Canada the temperature has fallen below -30C and windchill has made it feel like -50C.

In Gabriola, however, the sun is out - the birds are singing - and the temperature is a balmy 6 degrees. I just thought you might like to know!