Vancouver Island Circumnavigation

The Captain

Guipse Bay, place of an early 20-century utopian Danish settlement, now abandoned.

The knitting grows.

I am observing, sketching and photographing the boundaries between different elements.

Ocean Beach - Shed 4, Jacobson Point, Brooks Peninsula

One of the best surfing beaches on the West Coast of Canada, so the book says.

Though plastic is the main type of debris on these west coast beaches we also saw this huge vehicle wheel, the wheel of a plane, and rubber boots from Japan.

The day was a little chilly while the sun burnt exposed skin. 

My solution.

Sketching with water-colour pencil crayons and sea water.

Vancouver Island Circumnavigation - What I did this Summer

This summer Ron and I went on a big expedition. We explored the island we live on.  Travelling on our sailboat we took a month to circumnavigate Vancouver  Island.

We saw many beautiful sights including much wildlife: orcas, dolphins, sea lions, whales, sea otters, seals, bears, and birds - none of which I was able to capture adequately with  my point 'n' shoot camera.

I got lots of knitting time in. I read most of the books I stowed on board.

I did lots of quick sketches to make me really see what I was looking at.

My sketchbook is full of inspiration and ideas for future works which will keep me busy in my studio over winter.

Articulation's Victoria Study Session Continues

On the ferry, crossing to Saltspring Island for the day: to visit Articulation member, Shannon Wardroper's home and studio, to check out potential gallery space and time for a little retail therapy. 

Stitches Fibre Art Supplies, http://www.stitchesfibreartsupplies.ca/ very kindly opened up their store just for us, even though it was Sunday.

Continuing our study of railway hotels across Canada, we took a tour of the Empress Hotel.

This is the view from a 6th floor corner suite looking out over the inner harbour.

A table in the present day Empress tea room, set for their famous afternoon tea.

On the tour we learnt the tables were made from the original hotel floor boards after it was replaced.

Articulation taking the harbour ferry from the Inner Harbour, below the Empress hotel, up to the Upper Harbour.

We got off at Point Ellice House where we walked the grounds and toured inside the house with its intact, original contents. All chattels both inside the house and in their archives are thoroughly cataloged making it a perfect place to research the Victorian era in Victoria.

Leann Clifford

We did stop for afternoon tea while sitting out on the lawn but passed on a game of croquet.

We toured Fisherman's Wharf with its floating restaurants and floating houses that make up the village. 

We continued our driving tour around the Victoria peninsular, stopping and walking the historic sights, including Ogden Point breakwater without a breath of wind and barely a ripple of water.

After a week exploring and researching in Victoria we have returned to our respective studios across Canada to make a body of work for exhibition some time in the future.

Marina Reflections and Bull Kelp

While down at a marina on an overcast day I captured these great reflections of boat rigging and a moody sky.

There is just a hint of colour.

Bull kelp adrift.

I recently bought this bull kelp and otter bone basket made by Maggie Squiresmaggiesquires.net I
put it at our front entrance so all visitors have the chance to admire it.

Ocean Wildlife

As 1st mate on the boat I usually pull up anchor.
One morning I saw seaweed wrapped around the anchor. 

On closer inspection I saw it was a gigantic starfish either fighting with the anchor...

...or making love with it.

We saw 3 different types of whales in the distance and hundreds of dolphins close up.

This one played around the bow of the boat for a long time.
We watched each other.
I know I smiled a lot.

One morning a generous skipper, who moored next to us over night, gave us a bucket of prawns from his trap.

A few hours later, his steamed prawns made a delicious lunch.

Fundy Study

Isaac's Way in Saint John has a picturesque display of shellfish and fish on ice.

And I gave his seafood chowder an 8 - no potatoes, it was served on a brown rice/wild rice mix. Delicious.

Icons of the Bay of Fundy found in St Martins.
Fishing boats resting on the sea floor when the tide is out.

Covered bridges, tidal rivers, vernacular architecture.
Saint Martins has it all.

Leaf Peepers and Inverness

Another activity we have been occupied with during our tour of the Maritimes has a name - Leaf Peeping. Each evening we check the internet for the Fall Foliage Report before we plan our next day's route.

We had a memorable stay in Inverness Harbour on Cape Breton Island. The fishermen traditionally name their boats after their daughters because they will always have their daughters but their wives may change.

The coastline has a wild beauty. The days were cloudy, rainy and foggy so I focused on gathering interesting close-up shots with my camera.

Bluenose II in Lunenburg

After exploring wooden boats moored on the west coast of Canada a couple of weekends ago, I spent today on a famous wooden boat off the east coast. The Bluenose II is a replica of her sister, a fast fishing schooner built in 1921. The replica is in Lunenburg's harbour in Nova Scotia.

I captured another series of images that focus on line and circles on boats.

But I also found some interesting lines of stitching.

Technical Difficulties

Thank you to all of the people who let me know my blog was posts were not coming up with the images. It's nice to know you are all interested in what I am doing.

Here is the 2nd attempt with these images - reflections & circles from the Victoria Classic Boat show.