This week started with beautiful weather...some clouds but plenty of sunshine too. Fall is definitely in the air though as temperatures at night are dipping down to single digit levels and daytime highs are in the mid to high teens (these temps are in Celsius of course).
Saturday (Oct. 4) morning we decided to drive out to Seal Bay Regional Nature Park for a hike. We took the Coupland Loop Trail and instead of taking the usual "Don Apps Trail" that zig-zags down to the beach, we continued along to another trail that goes pretty well straight down. Here I am at the top...
And down we go...
The final bit has stairs down to the beach...
The tide is out...
Steve took a short 33 second video of the view...
After sitting on a log and taking in the beautiful view, it was time to hike back up.
It's along way up!
Made it!
Our hike was about 2.5 km (1.55 miles) but it involved a fair amount of elevation change...so we decided to reward ourselves with a stop at "Timmie's" (Tim Horton's) for coffee and a treat 😁.
It was such a lovely day that we decided to go for another walk in the afternoon. We went down to the river from the campground...
The water is fairly murky so we weren't able to see any salmon but the seals entertained us (a 37 second video)...
Merganser ducks sitting on a log with a sea gull...
Sunday (Oct. 5) was another beautiful sunny day. After our usual morning walk, we puttered around doing "stuff" until it was time to walk up to the Gladstone Brewery. Walking across the bridge, there are numerous salmon fishers out in the Puntledge River...
A 57 second video of the spawning Pinks below the bridge...
Monday (Oct. 6) was another beautiful sunny day. After lunch we went out to the little trailer to winterize it. The process went smoothly...and quickly! Before we knew it, we were on our way home to take care of a bunch of chores on this sunny day.
Tuesday (Oct. 7) was a very chilly start to the day...but we did have a gorgeous sunrise!
After my Pilates class, we went to Nymph Falls Nature Park for a hike. I know we have posted many pictures of this park but this was an unusual heart shaped display on one of the picnic tables...
A picture taken while on our walk Wednesday morning (Oct. 8) a dark and gloomy day at the airpark/riverway path...
Steve heard splashing behind him against the shoreline and for the first time saw a huge Sea Lion with a salmon in the Courtenay River. It was gone before he could get a photo but managed to get (a 21 second video)...
After lunch we drove out to the Puntledge River Hatchery. There were plenty of fish in the holding ponds, Pinks, Coho, and Chinook...checking them out in the underwater viewing area...
I'm standing on top of the fishway...
Here is a 2:41 minute video that starts with salmon in the river...and then shows some Coho being transferred from a holding pond into a mobile tank. They are transporting them to Comox Lake...basically giving them a "helping hand" rather than having to make their own way up the river to the lake.
We were hoping to see the egg and milt (semen) collecting but it wasn't in operation today.
On our way home from the hatchery, we stopped at Puntledge River Park (not to be confused with Puntledge RV Park 😉). There is a short .63 km (.4 mile) loop trail that starts along the river and then loops into the woods...we walked along the river and turned around.
Foot bridge crossing Morrison Creek...
Hard to see but there are spawning salmon below...
There were a few fishers here too...
He just released a Pink...
Rain set in the next couple of days...so we really didn't do much. Steve took the car in for a service on Thursday morning (Oct. 9) and we got out for a short walk with our umbrellas after lunch. Friday morning (Oct. 10) we also managed a morning walk at Nymph Falls carrying our umbrellas...before the rain really set in...
Saturday morning (Oct. 11) we woke to the pitter-patter of rain on the trailer roof but it didn't last. By mid afternoon some sun was breaking through the clouds.
We are heading down island (again!) tomorrow...looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with Rob, Angie and the boys. Both Steve and I have appointments there next week and I will be grocery shopping and preparing meals for Rob and Steve to take on their hunting trip. They leave next Saturday for a week. I will be enjoying a week doing a bunch of stuff...without Steve 😁.
The first few days of this week started off with lots of sunshine and blue sky. Unfortunately, as we approached the weekend, the forecast indicated some major rain coming in.
Sunday (Sept. 21) morning we decided to drive to Point Holmes and walk the waterfront trail. It's only about a km (.6 mile) each way but it was a beautiful morning.
Some interesting sights along the way...Where's Waldo?
We're midway on the trail looking towards the BC mainland...
Midway looking back...
There were even some folks swimming...Brrr!
After such a beautiful morning, we were surprised to see some rain in the afternoon...that was not in the forecast! So where I started off walking down to the laundry room, I ended up driving the short distance rather than getting soaked. Needless to say, we drove up to the Gladstone Brewery for our Sunday services after the laundry was done, rather than walk.
Monday (Sept. 22) morning's walk took us to Nymph Falls...Steve took a couple of pictures of unusual fungi growing on the tree stumps and ground...
The afternoon was spent taking care of chores around the trailer, as well as running some errands.
Tuesday (Sept. 23) morning after my Pilates class, we decided to hike to Browns River Falls. We have passed lines of parked cars to the trailhead many times but after reading the description, I wasn't really keen on having to navigate down to the falls using ropes.
But today Steve wanted to take a look...so off we went. There's no signage so we started off in an open area along the powerlines before we spotted a trail heading into the forest...
The drop off into the river canyon is just ahead...
Okay...here's the start of the ropes. Pictures never convey how steep something really is!
Looking down as we continue on...
I'm coming!
There's the end of the rope down there...
Almost there...
Steve stumbled on a rock here and took a tumble spraining a finger...ouch!
Looking towards the top of the falls. There's not much water with the drought we've been having...
We're at the edge of the falls where there is only a trickle in a couple of spots. The square box is a fish ladder for the salmon to get above the falls...
Looking back towards the trail we came down...
2:12 video at the Browns River Falls...
At the falls we found another trail and decided to take it back up the cliff...more rope work!
Upper body strength was needed to pull ourselves back up! (of course it doesn't look that steep in the pictures!)
Once up the steep "rope part," while I waited, Steve took a look at the trail that goes in the other direction. It wasn't shown on our All Trails app and continued on, so he turned around...
That was a really cool hike and a challenge for my new knees! We'll have to return when the river is running higher with the fall/winter rains to come.
Wednesday (Sept. 24) Steve has a nasty bruise with lots of swelling from yesterdays hike. It was a week before he could remove his ring which normally slips off easily!
We were back at the Airpark/Riverway pathway for our morning walk. Quite boring compared to our hike yesterday, LOL! Steve captured a floatplane getting ready to take off.
Thursday (Sept. 25) morning we had a beautiful sunrise...
We are heading over to the mainland today for a doctor's appointment tomorrow (our family doctor is in Vancouver) and to visit Chris, Angela and Isaac. After getting the car all packed up, we hit the road at 10:30, arriving at the Duke Point Ferry Terminal in Nanaimo at noon...in time for the 12:45 sailing.
As we sail away we pass by a tug pulling a log boom...
And a couple of freighters at anchor...
Seaspan barges...
At one point the ferry did a hard turn to port to avoid hitting a Humpback Whale which we did manage to see in the distance. One was recently killed from a ferry strike on the northern route to Prince Rupert.
We arrived at Chris and Angela's at around 3:30. After big hugs, we unloaded the car and got settled. Tonight there are parent/teacher meetings at the school so both Angela (she is a grade 4 teacher) and Chris (to meet with Isaac's grade 2 teacher) had to leave just after 5:30. We had an early dinner and then they were off, leaving Isaac with us to look after and put to bed. We played a couple of games of Rummikub...Isaac won both games (okay, Gramma had to help a bit with the second game)
Our doctor's appointment on Friday (Sept. 26) was at 10:30, so we gave ourselves an hour to battle the traffic from Coquitlam into Vancouver. We were finished our appointments at 11:30 which was perfect, giving us an hour to get out to the Cactus Club Cafe in Burnaby to meet Steve's cousins and their spouses for lunch.
On the right is Bev (cousin) with her husband, Rob, sitting across the table; beside Rob is Grant and Cheryl (cousin)...and of course, me and Steve across from them...
We spent a wonderful few hours catching up with them all...so good being able to connect. Another reason for meeting was to return the cold therapy ice machine Bev/Rob had lent me to use during both of my knee replacement surgeries. Thanks so very much, guys!
It was after 3:30 when we got back to Chris and Angela's place. I was surprised that we beat Angela and Isaac home but they arrived shortly after. Chris (who works from home) finished early and we all enjoyed a beverage before Chris and I started preparing dinner. They had a "Hello Fresh" meal to prepare tonight and if you have ever prepared them, it's nice to have 2 of you doing it...because there is a lot reading and in my view, easier to split the duties. It was a pork tenderloin with garlicy mashed potatoes, green beans and the most delicious garlic mushroom gravy...absolutely amazing! A lot of garlic so it's a good thing we were all eating it, LOL!
It's Chris and Angela's 11th wedding anniversary tomorrow, so Chris bought her flowers today...awww...
As I just mentioned, Saturday (Sept. 27) is Chris and Angela's anniversary, so we are taking them out for brunch at The Boathouse Restaurant in Port Moody. It's a beautiful location on the Burrard Inlet waterfront in Rocky Point Park.
We were early so we walked down the recreation pier...as you can see the clouds have arrived. Rain was originally in the forecast but thankfully it spared us today...
Looking back towards the restaurant...
Rain in the distance...
We were all hungry and a little early for our reservation but they weren't busy so we had no problem getting a table...
Steve, Chris and I had delicious Caesars with a shrimp, pickle and lime...
And Angela a Mimosa...
After a delicious meal, we drove over to another side of the inlet to Old Orchard Park, where we parked and walked down to the beach...
Looking back across the inlet towards the pier and Boathouse Restaurant...
And then we took a trail that leads to one of Isaac's favourite spots...Old Mill Site Park...
There's a geocache at the end of the spit but with the tide still a little high we had some scrambling to do...
Chris and Isaac exploring the ruins...
Steve joined them and got a shot of the freighters. They are loading up with Sulphur...
The co-ordinates for a geocache is in the tree, but after spending considerable time searching we never did find it...
So it was time to head back...
We did manage to find a geocache that looked like a rock near the start of the trail...
Isaac found a Jellyfish on the beach...
Chris and Angela are having a date night out for their anniversary so Isaac, Grampa and I made individual pizzas for dinner. Isaac making his...he only likes cheese and pepperoni on it...
Sunday (Sept. 28)...We had lots of rain overnight and the clouds/fog were partially obscuring the high-rises in Surrey. This is the view of the Fraser River from their living room. Too bad they have all those wires and poles to look at too...
A game of Jenga with Grampa...
Chris, Angela and Isaac had a birthday brunch to attend, so while they were gone, Steve and I walked around Como Lake. It's a small lake with a trail that circles it...it is short but good to get out for some fresh air. It's a popular spot for fishing too...
Look at the size of those leaves!
A tree island...
That afternoon Angela and I went to the mall for a little shopping...or I guess I should say "looking". While we were gone, Chris and Steve took Isaac to his gymnastics class, a short distance from their house. Isaac is in red on the right...
We all arrived back home at the same time...then it was time for some relaxation...
Monday (Sept. 29) morning we said goodbye to Angela and Isaac when they left for school. We weren't in any hurry since our ferry back to the island wasn't until 12:45. After big hugs, we said goodbye to Chris at 11:30. Thanks so much to both you and Angela for all your hospitality!
Unfortunately, leaving at 11:30...was a mistake! We should have left no later than 11:15. When you have reservations for the ferry, there is a window of time that you must arrive at the terminal...not too early and not too late. Well, we arrived at the gate at 12:17...2 minutes late, that's 120 seconds...and they would not honour our reservation! Good grief...2 minutes! Sheesh! To top it off, it was "touch and go" whether we would make the 12:45 ferry since we were now put at the back of the line. The next ferry wasn't until 3:15. After some very anxious moments, especially when they stopped the line going onto the ferry at us, we finally boarded being one of the last few squeezed in. I'm glad our car is small!
The rest of the trip was uneventful...we docked at the Duke Point terminal at 2:50 (5 minutes late) and arrived home at about 4:30.
A big storm came in making Tuesday (Sept. 30), Wednesday (Oct. 1) and Thursday (Oct. 2) very wet windy days. A lot of rain but it was desperately needed! We did manage to get out for a walk on the Mallard Trail during a short break Tuesday morning. The leaves are beautiful this time of year...
The forecast for Friday (Oct. 3) was a mix of sun and clouds...it was mainly cloudy with some sun peeking out briefly in the afternoon. But we managed our 4 km/2.5 miles powerwalk along the river (Riverway/Airpark pathway).
That evening we enjoyed a wonderful dinner and visit with Earl and Allison in their new home. They seem to be settling in well. No pictures on the walls yet as they want to paint first.
