Category: davis bay

SUP – Davis Bay

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What a summer. Today was the last day of July and not a single drop of rain all month long. Nothing but sunshine and perfect temperatures to be outside on the ocean. Today I took advantage of one of my favourite summer programs: WOW – (Wednesdays on Water) coordinated by my friends at Alpha Adventures.

SUP Davis Bay 10

Really, this picture says it all. Can you picture a better way to spend a summer evening? What a sunset! (Big thanks to Sarah for sharing the photos! I’m not brave enough to paddle with my camera.)

Having fun

Having fun

I’ve paddled in a number of places on the Sunshine Coast, but I really enjoy the WOW SUP program. Every Wednesday evening a group paddle goes out of either Davis Bay or Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. I love the social aspect. It is always a different group of people at different levels of experience. The conversation is always different and interesting. Tonight there were 4 of us along with our high-energy leader, Sarah. A teenager and his dad, a very mature 12 year old boy, and myself. The others were new paddlers, but Sarah had them confidently stand up paddling in the bay in no time.

SUP at the Davis Bay Pier

SUP at the Davis Bay Pier

I always enjoy paddling in Davis Bay. It faces west, so great sunset views and Vancouver Island is off in the distance. Cruise ships bound for Alaska sail past every evening, and we got to watch 2 of them tonight while we paddled. Davis Bay opens to the Salish Sea, a.k.a. Georgia Strait. A heron landed on the edge of the wood pilings shown above. It was so still, I thought it was a statue but soon enough it took off in flight skimming just above the water. Beautiful! Davis Bay is an active area where people come to swim, walk the long seawall, fish off the pier, or just watch the sunset. Tonight there were a group of about 10 who were jumping off the pier into the warm ocean. It wasn’t quite high tide yet, so they were jumping a good 10-15 feet into the water.  Definitely braver than me, but fun to watch while I paddled.

Let’s hope August is just as nice and provides many more days of fun on the ocean.

SUP in Davis Bay – July 4, 2012

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The sun returned and it was finally warm enough to really get outside.  I took advantage of the blue skies and celebrated some WOW – Wednesdays on Water with my friend and guide Sarah at Alpha Adventures.  This was my first time out on the water this year…it finally felt warm enough.

It was high tide and the water was so smooth.  Hard to believe this is the ocean, sometimes.  A quick reminder of some basics from Sarah and I was off.  This was only my 3rd time paddle boarding and the first time out since last fall.  Yes, just like riding a bike, it all comes back.  In no time I was up on the board and cruising down the beach.

Davis Bay w/ Vancouver Island in the background

WOW takes place every Wednesday.  It’s a social paddle…anyone can join and its about practicing skills, making friends and having fun.  My fellow WOW group members were all from out of town. John is visiting from the other Sunshine Coast in Australia. He chose the wet suit because we don’t have the tropical waters from Down Under, but he was sweating up a storm after the good workout that paddling provides. I was happy to not have ‘taken a swim’…a.k.a. falling in. Every once in a while a wave would run across the top of my board and my feet and remind me that the water is still cool. Two sisters from Canmore Alberta were in town for BC Bike Race (more about that tomorrow) and decided to have a little ocean adventure.

So much fun.  You know how the sun shines and creates a trail over the water as it gets lower in the sky?  I just let myself line up with that trail and paddled along.  Not a care in the world…just me and the ocean.  It’s a real sense of freedom.  When I looked back toward the beach, I couldn’t believe how far from shore I had gone.

These shots are from the beach after a good workout.  I can really feel my abs tonight!  A couple days of rest and then I hope to be back on the water for Sunday’s 2nd annual SUP Festival in Porpoise Bay.  Come out and try paddle boarding for yourself!

2 kayaks – 2 Alaskan cruise ships
smooth water with Vancouver Island in the distance

Sunshine Coast Art Crawl – October 23, 2011

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What a fantastic weekend! Too much to take in, but so much fun and perfect fall weather. Three all encompassing days of the 2nd Annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl. 108 studios and galleries participating representing over 175 artists literally from Langdale to Lund.

Now I really don’t know anything about art. But I do know when I think something is beautiful…amazing….and sometimes a little weird. I know when something speaks to me and I know when I wish I could have something to look at every day.

The best thing about the art crawl is getting to see where artists work…where they draw their inspiration and learn just a little bit about their process. It is also about all different kinds of art: paintings, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, metalworks, furniture design, carving, glass blowing, leather, perfume…you name it…it was here. What is really amazing is the high level of quality in some of these artists I am lucky enough to call neighbors.

This is Tien showing off his silver jewelry creations and his perfumes and lotions.


Friday night we mixed in a bit of live music at the Gumboot Cafe…one of my favourite jazz groups: Mimosa. Three amazing women who write much of their own music and perform in at least 3 languages. Don’t miss an opportunity to hear these talented ladies perform. Lively music makes you want to get up and dance.

OK, back to the crawl… I managed to take in 23 studios this weekend and came home with a small painting that looks like it could have been inspired by the beach just down from our house.


23 studios may seem like scratching the surface with 108 studios participating. However, it isn’t about quantity….its about enjoying art and listening to the artist talk about what it means to him/her. It is about talking to other crawlers and hearing their stories of the day. I went to a similar number last year. This year I was able to see many new artists and return to a few of my favourites. There will be plenty more to enjoy in 2012. Mark your calendars now for an October weekend visit to the Sunshine Coast.


Besides, it was a beautiful weekend. I started my crawl today in Davis Bay where there was a cluster of studios. I parked the car and got a nice walk in between visiting 7 studios. On the walk back to the car, I got this lovely view of the ocean. A perfect day for a little family time playing on the beach…and some feathered family feeding time as the tide started to inch its way back out.

Nope…not a bad way to spend a weekend.

Davis Bay Sandcastles – July 30, 2011

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It was a super sunny day for today’s annual Davis Bay Sandcastle Competition. This is an annual event put on by our local Rotary organizations. Boy, did they pick the day for a long very low tide!

Some very creative minds went to work this morning designing all elements of creatures. Here are a few of our favourites:

Amazing likeness!


Love those toenails! Purple clam shells

Seaweed for the thong.


Mr Tortoise soaking up some sun

 

Davis Bay – June 30, 2010

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Summer! It has been a while since I took a little time for me, so with the sun shining and B&B guests welcomed and settled I got outside today.

Davis Bay one of the largest stretches of beach easily accessible by the highway. There is a long seawall that is very popular for walking with wonderful views of the Georgia Strait and Vancouver Island. The water is warm, school is out and kids are enjoying the ocean on a sunny afternoon.

Plenty of room for everyone…even the geese are out for a swim. Grey whales have been seen in the area a few days this week, but no such luck during my visit today. I have heard that they have been very close to shore and quite a sight.


One of my favourite things to do in Davis Bay is frequent Feastro the Rolling Bistro. Yes, the odd looking purple taco truck has the most delicious food! Seafood tacos, West Coast bbq, mussels and more. Fresh fruit smoothies & real lemonade. Locally grown organic greens for salads and taco toppings. Yum Yum! Paul and crew do a great job and add a bit of flare to a walk in the fresh air.

Hello summer! So glad you’re back.

Polar Bear Swim – Jan 1, 2010

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I started off 2010 with a goal of taking in as many Sunshine Coast festivals as possible this year. First up, the annual Polar Bear Swim at Davis Bay on New Year’s Day. No ice and snow in sight this year, just a little wind and light rain. Too warm for any hypothermia but still a fun time for all involved.

The event kicked of with a few brave soles under the age of 12.

They were soon followed by a crowd of adults of all ages who braved the high tide and cool waters.

I think I will wait until summer to dip my toes in the ocean. Davis Bay is the largest public beach on the Sunshine Coast and a very popular destination. It sits at the mouth of Chapman Creek making it great for salmon fishing.