There is always chatter on the VHF radio up at the top of Johnstone Strait, off the northeast tip of Vancouver Island. The whale watching community in the area is a tight-knit one. If ever there was a whole lot of talk on the radio, it was a good indication that something was up. It…
The humpback whale’s breath reeked of dead and rotting fish. I wasn’t supposed to be that close, and I always taught my clients the same rules when it came to respecting whales. It was the summer of 2006, and I was working as a kayak guide off northern Vancouver Island. It was easy to follow…
My trail of choice isn’t necessarily my favourite, but it’s pretty, quiet, and convenient, shared only with a couple of other regulars and the birds and squirrels. Unless, of course, it’s New Year’s resolution season or mushroom foraging season. In the autumn, this area is a favourite of mushroom pickers. I took up mushroom foraging…
In the days of the steam locomotive, working on the railway was a hazardous job. Rates of injury and death were high, especially for the fireman who was responsible for shovelling the coal into the boiler. Today, with the advancement of technology and safety regulations, working on the railway is much safer. One thing, however,…
Born and bred BC Rainlanders know all about dealing with a rainy winter season on the coast. Days and weeks of dull, dark, grey weather can affect mental health, making self-care especially important. Sitting inside and staring miserably out the window as atmospheric rivers roll through won’t do much to help your mood, but there…
A glance at the comment section on any wildfire news story will often find it filled with nostalgia as folks reminisce about the Martin Mars water bombers, amphibious planes used in aerial firefighting in BC for over 50 years. These large capacity planes were once the largest in the world, with the ability to deposit…
At one time there was a trail, my mom insisted, though I had my doubts. We were somewhere in the bush on Little Nicomen Mountain, between an old logging road and the back of Raven Bluffs. We’d made a loop, going from the bluffs to the cabin to the hang-glider launch, then down some logging…
Years ago, the city of Melbourne, Australia, gave email addresses to its trees so that people could report on their condition. To their surprise and amusement, people also started writing to their favourite trees about how fond they were of them. You see, we all have favourite trees, whether we know it or not. It…
If you live on the South Coast of BC, you might decide to put out a hummingbird feeder in the summer. This might be just a whim, an innocent gesture to watch these delightful little birds zip hither and thither, dainty and adorable, but also surprisingly vicious. These guys can be very territorial, often guarding…
