Who needs the south of France? On a baking hot June 1st, we swam in Harrison lake and bathed under a clear bleu sky. Following on from a very pleasant May, we figured this was the harbingers of things to come.
Harrison Lake
The very pleasant May did produce a bank holiday weekend when hardy Canadians resisted very poor weather to play mini golf and take in other activities. We realised over the summer the importance of the long weekends, usually with a public holiday Monday, where Canadians all take to something and everywhere is rapidly booked up.
Unfortunately, June was disappointing, especially since they had a beautiful and roasting June last year, and especially so on weekends until the end of the month. Then suddenly we were caught in a three week heat-wave with record temperatures, even recording 39°C inland 1 hour from Vancouver, before the air conditioning system, otherwise known as the Pacific North West, cooled it all down for a wet week after mid July. Thereafter weather was generally good, although never a long period of warm weather again, but enough to swim in lakes and even the sea – read on.
As the schools broke up, so Rudi was off for his sailing camp for two weeks. This involved me driving him 15 minutes every morning to the sailing school at Deep Cove, along the majestic Dollarton highway. Rudi really enjoyed the camp and is adamant he is now a sailor.
Rudi’s sailing camp in Deep Cove
Kes meanwhile went into a soccer camp, also in heavy heat, but also very much enjoyed it, although he didn’t seem to understand too many of the rules.
Kes summercamp soccer team
Since we had a lot of work to do on the new house, we spent most of the time in the North Vancouver area, but did take some opportunities to show off the two and three second tents in some park campgrounds. We didn’t stay more than one overnight in case the animals figured we had abandoned them.
These trips took us to the Cultus Lake region where I was sniffing round the possibility of acquiring a campground, and it was always good fun, building each time a nice camp fire, swimming in the lake, and a lousy Chinese take-away.
One of the reasons for staying local was the trail down to Lynn Creek directly from the back of our house. A great trail leading to the creek where we could meander from rock to rock and Buzz would love it.
Lynn Creek
This began to be curtailed in August as bear sightings increased dramatically to almost one per day in our street by mid August, and since their path to the street coincided with our trail to the creek, so we needed to self regulate! On one particular day, a picnic with the family and Cameron (a friend of Rudi) and a very pleasant afternoon ended with Buzz going mad as we walked back in the woods – we saw a black mass against the tree, that then turned round to reveal George the Bear’s large head. The barking stopped as we rushed the children to our gate (some 100 metres away still via a steep path), but fortunately Buzz came running back. Rick, our neighbour, had seen it all as he was above the incident in his garden, and the bear had charged Buzz who fortunately got away this time. Bearly!
This bear was scared of by Buzz barking, hiding behind the flowers, in our neighbours garden.
In March, we had bought lift passes for Grouse Mountain which overlooks Vancouver. These were valid for the summer and all winter skiing, skating, and sledging, the whole family paying 670 CAN$ (approx £300/450€). Several trips have been taken already, including a long one in July where we again saw the excellent lumberjack show, the bird show, and hiked up to the top to take some spectacular photos.
On top of Grouse, you can see Vancouver and far beyond.
It is also not uncommon to see deer or elk on Grouse Mountain, see picture below.
With plenty of fine weather in August we hired a boat one day to tour the India Arm, an estuary beyond Deep Cove with some magnificent scenery, waterfalls, and islands to jump off onto, and trails for those with time.
Indian Arm, beautiful spot, hard to imagine this is the sea!
Buying a boat here could become a necessity, especially as we have yet to explore the Howe Sound, the ocean around West Vancouver that is enclosed by a wide variety of islands great and small, and features very calm seas. One evening we took in Whytecliff park which is a very scenic inlet and rocks leading to a small island (if you don’t want to swim). The sea is warm here and sea lions are regularly spotted – we were lucky enough to get close to mummy and baby versions before leaving them to rest.
Walking to the island over the rocks to watch the seals.
As the long summer holiday period drew to a close, we kept up the pace, fixing up the house by putting a new floor in the kid’s play room (replacing a disgusting carpet), but also going on the Grouse Grind with Rudi and Cameron. The Grind is a hike through the woods from the car park to the top cable car station at Grouse Mountain. This somewhat arduous trek took just over 1 ¼ hours and left me feeling like my T shirt which was soaking wet and stinking, and in need of a change. Rudi was fine, no asthma problems, Cameron found it a breeze. I am getting old.
Then on a baking hot 29 August we went off to discover Twassassen, a town close to the USA border with an immense beach and shallow, sandy, and very warm waters tucked into a lagoon with views across to the mountains and downtown Vancouver. Wonderful place, great discovery. Good play area too, the kids had a great time.
Just adding this picture, taken today, Sunday September 2. This morning i opened The curtains in Kes’s room, when i saw Henry walking in the Garden, eating the black berries. Picture is blurry, as we took it through the window. As some people in our street cut their fruit trees down (the Bears came almost everyday to pick the fruit) i guess they now have to settle for some berries.
