SUP - July 24, 2011

Today was an amazing day. Summer has finally arrived in earnest here on the Sunshine Coast and we were looking for some fun in the sun. Our good friends at Alpha Adventures hosted the 1st Annual SUP Festival in Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. I've been wanting to try this hot new sport out for a while now, but everything finally came together today.

What is SUP? Stand Up Paddleboarding! I am so sorry not to have pictures...I didn't want to worry about the camera on the beach and in the water. I'll try to get some from a friend to add to this post tomorrow.

Picture standing on a surfboard in fairly calm water and using a single paddle...something like a canoe paddle, but really long. How hard would it be? Balance of surfing but advertised as easy as kayaking? It was awesome!

Thanks to Jamie Mani, Alpha Adventure co-owner, for hooking us up with equipment and a quick 5 minute lesson. Yes, a whole 5 minutes to get a pfd, learn how to measure for the appropriate paddle length, learn to carry the board into the water. Next, you get on the board in a kneeling position on all fours and center yourself on the board. I like to think of it as yoga prep...do a few cat/cow to get comfortable on the board. When you've got the feel of it, roll back onto your toes and into somewhere between downward dog and forward fold. Get your balance and roll yourself up to a standing position. You're up!

This is where the work begins. This isn't just standing on a board and paddling. This is balance! Core muscles working, knees bent, thighs engaged, arms & abs pulling through the water. This was a perfect day to learn...sunny and warm so not a big deal if you fall into the water. We were out at high tide on Sechelt Inlet, so fairly calm water and a very long stretch of shallow (3') water. Just a little windy to cause some waves to give you something to pay attention to. Now you learn to paddle and steer and see how brave you are to venture to deeper water.

So much fun, but high concentration necessary to not fall into the water. (only once!) After a break to warm up & dry off in the sun, I took a second try at it. Amazing improvement 2nd time out and able to enjoy and look around a bit more. What a gorgeous day! Shallow enough water to feel very safe, but so clear you could see the bottom. Lots of families out enjoying a day at the beach and trying out the equipment. I am looking forward to upcoming Wednesday evenings when Alpha Adventures does regular SUP nights in Davis Bay. Yes, come out after work and try paddleboarding in the Salish Sea. Can't wait to try this again!

To watch a video of the day, check out http://vimeo.com/2688035. Thanks to Laurie at Bigpacific.com for the photo & video!

BC Bike Race - July 7, 2011

This week's highlight was BC Bike Race's annual appearance on the Sunshine Coast. This is a premier mountain bike race with over 400 riders from all around the world competing for 7 days. The Sunshine Coast is proud to be home for 3 days of the race.

Today, riders made the trip from Sechelt to Langdale...38km with 1,400m of elevation climbing. Serious stuff, but they all love the 7km downhill decent at the end. These are the same trails that I hike regularly on Mt Elphinstone. The last kilometer comes down through our neighborhood with the finish line at the ferry terminal.

The fastest riders made the trip in 2 hours. A good number were in by 3 hours and some made a day of it. There is obvious relief & joy when they hit the finish line.

The first rider I spoke to was from Belgium and the next pair was from the UK. Love to see people come from around the world to ride in my backyard. The brits loved the course, but were disappointed that they hadn't seen a bear yet. I told them that was probably a good thing.

One rider said, "The most fun you can have on your bike."

After the race, there is still much work to be done. The support team for the event is as least as big as the riders themselves.

Each day there are celebrations and awards for top finishers. Teams of 2, individuals, and two race categories. There are a number of women racing, and the best are right up there with the guys. These women rock.

What better after 3 hours of gruelling riding than a massage by this caring crew?

The first task after the race is food & drinks. Tables are layed out for the riders with fruit & drinks to rehydrate. The second task is to give the bikes a quick shower and get them loaded up on the truck for easy transport on the ferry.

Once the bike is taken care of...its time for the riders to have a shower, too. Yes, there is a mobile truck for that, too.

Then its time to hit tent city a have a good long sleep. Afterall, there is more singletrack waiting the next morning.

Good luck to all the riders in stage 6 & 7!

Independence Days - July 4, 2011

Immigrating to a new country means many changes & new experiences. I can't imagine what it must be like for those who move half-way round the world. I may have moved a couple of thousand miles, but it is still the same hemisphere, the same language and many similar customs.

Some of my American friends ask, "Do you have the 4th of July?" I say, "Yes, its just like July 3rd and 5th."


Today, I had errands in Sechelt, so I decided to make some time for me and enjoyed a quiet hour break on the beach. Unfortunately, my favourite Sechelt lunch stop was closed (Monday), so I chose the 2nd best thing and picked up sushi to go for a picnic on Sechelt beach. As you can see, I pretty much had the place to myself. The kids were out swimming and jumping off the pier. It may be summer, but it's not warm enough for me to actually be in the ocean just yet. Such a nice time to sit and reflect.

Canadians celebrate the nation's birthday on July 1 - Canada Day. In fact, celebrations are very similar to American Independence Day events. Parades, honour to military & to country, bbq, concerts in the park, and a general day of outdoor fun. It's just that Canada didn't have a revolutionary war. Everything happened peacefully and orderly, so the emphasis on fireworks just isn't there. Sure, some celebrations include them...but it isn't the headline item like in the States.

Canada Day is a birthday party...an opening to summer to be spent with family and friends. The first of many long relaxing weekends by the ocean, camping, or just entertaining on the deck.

Music in the Landing - June 26, 2011

How does a month go by so fast? I download a bunch of pictures today...that I meant to write about when I took them... Oh well, I am writing now and that is what counts.

Today was a treat of Gibsons in the summer: Music in the Landing. Today was the first performance of the year. Free concerts in the park in Gibsons Landing on weekends all summer long.

First up were the Knotty Dotters. These ladies are a 7 piece marimba bank playing music inspired by Zimbabwe. Always lively, they just make you smile and want to dance.

I have tried to attach a video that I shot during the performance. There may not be sound, but you can still see the energy that these fabulous ladies play with. One of these days, I'll upgrade my old camera and then maybe I'll have full video capabilities.



Music in the Landing takes place Friday evenings in the Gazebo down by the government dock. Saturday during the day there is music near the Visitor Information Centre and/or in the space by Sweetwater Bistro. Saturday evening are full concerts in Winegarden Park...perfect for friends & families to bring the chairs/blankets and enjoy. Sunday afternoon concerts are part of the Gibsons Landing Sunday Market.

Don't miss! Great concerts all summer long...all local performers.

Soames Hill - May 20, 2011

Spring has truly arrived...just in time for Victoria Day weekend. Three weeks since my last real hike and I can feel it...mentally and physically. Why do I let time slip by without getting outside? I couldn't pass up the sunny and warm afternoon, so I headed for one of my favourite spots: Soames Hill.

A big THANK YOU to the SCRD parks staff for the installation of the new trail signs. Made of wood, they look completely natural along the trail and are a great resource for hikers. There is no getting lost in this park.

Since today was a bright sunny day, I headed directly for the green trail...the 250m summit. Since I haven't been hiking regularly of late, I was feeling the cardio workout. My quads gave a cheery "Hello!" at about step 150..(there are 206 stairs). But this hike is completely worth the effort. The view from the top is simply amazing.

I could sit up there for hours. It is a great place to think, to relax, and soak in the sun. The rockface at the summit shows the power of the mountains and the ocean is such a deep blue. It was low tide today...you can see the sandy beach ringing the land. This is Gibsons Harbour...a few more boats popping up as summer approaches. Vancouver Island is in the distance with a few snowcapped mountains still in view. My photo skills don't do it justice. It's an amazing 240 degree view.

This is the view to the southeast. Keats Island is in front with the Paisley Islands in the back. We can't see these from town...only up this high can we see over Keats. Look at all the boats who have already arrived in Plumper's Cove for the holiday weekend. It was just a little hazy. On a crystal clear day, you can see to Richmond and YVR.

Paradise....just 5 minutes from home. One of the best places in the world to simply escape for a while.

Skookumchuck Narrows - May 2, 2011

Monday was an adventure day. We are entertaining guests from the U.S. so we took the day to explore the Sunshine Coast. The highlight was an evening cruise with Bryce of Sunshine Coast Tours to explore Skookumchuck Narrows in Egmont BC. Bryce is an excellent tour guide who freely shares stories and information about the area. Monday was an extra large current day and we happened to find some avid kayakers taking advantage of the rapids. Even though it had been a rainy day, the skies cleared for our afternoon cruise and we had a wonderful time on the water.


I highly recommend this tour. The hike in through the forest is an easy trail through the provincial park...baby strollers are often seen...and is 45min each direction. Huge ferns and endless Douglass firs, hemlocks & pine trees line the route past Brown Lake on your way to 2 viewing points for the Sechelt Rapids. The boat trip into Skookumchuck Narrows is a special treat, especially if some in your party aren't ready for the hike. From land, it is hard to feel the full power of the rapids. From the boat, you can hear how hard the motor runs just to keep still against the fast current.

The Sechelt Rapids are a natural phenomenon that occur at least twice each day. Tide changes move millions of liters of water from the Pacific Ocean into a narrow spot at the top of Sechelt Inlet and then back again. A shallow section of the inlet bordered by narrow granite cliffs creates either fast moving salt water rapids or amazing whirlpools depending on the direction of the current. Skookumchuck Narrows is home to the fastest tidal currents in the world.

This was an experienced group of kayakers and we enjoyed the show. Surfers are sometimes seen here, too. In between tides, this is also a wonderful place to dive. Underwater reefs and bountiful sealife make for an exciting underwater experience.

Wildlife is plentiful. We saw many types of ducks and various migrating birds on their spring travels north. Bald eagles nest high in the trees and we were happy to see one looking for its dinner.

Altogether a great day experience.

Spring - May 1, 2011

Well it took a while, but spring has fully arrived on BC's Sunshine Coast. April went by so fast with a bit too much rain and cool temps. But here we are with gorgeous sunshine.

I can't believe 2 full weeks went by without a good hike. You can tell I'm out of practice...I forgot the camera! I managed to get out Friday with some good friendly encouragement and took to the trails on Mt Elphinstone. We came across some significant trail development. A whole new trail appeared in the last 2 weeks since I've been on the mountain! We decided to follow it down...serious work was done! So many cutbacks and some serious built up curves for the mountain bikes. This new trail (still unnamed) will be a great ride, but it's not a trail for a leisurely hike. Lots of up and down for jumps and some serious curves.

When we reached the bottom, we ran into a student and his dad headed up for a ride. We mentioned the new trail, and the student had been involved in building it. Turns out it was the final project for the Capilano University Mountain Bike Program students. They built the entire trail in the last couple of weeks. A rock feature, a water crossing, wooden jumps, and serious reinforced turns belonged to each group of students. Great to see students gaining practical skills and leaving a great gift to our trail system.

There is also a new sign at the entrance to the park announcing "Sprockids Bike Park". So much to explore....grab you bike (or your hiking boots) and get outside! It won't be so long till I get back on the trails.