Category: Sunshine Coast

Music in the Landing – July 17, 2010

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Aaahhhh, Music in the Landing – one of the true joys of Gibsons BC in the summer. The town and a special donor sponsor free music concerts featuring local musicians just about every weekend in July and August.

Saturday nights are my favourite…a chance to sit back and relax to great music and great views after busy Fridays and Saturdays with guests and participating at the Fiddlehead Farmers Market.

This week was Lynne Dickson and friends. Normally, Lynne & Patrice (pictured here) partner with Wendy to be Definitely Divas…sweet jazz and standards. Tonight the joined with a couple of great guys for some fun music including Gord0n Lightfoot.

Picture yourself taking in a lovely summer evening with this as your view. Yes, all these picks were taken from my comfy lawn chair….all in sight while children play in the grass.

You can also find Music in the Landing on Friday evenings at 7pm in the Gibsons Gazebo, Saturday afternoons in Pioneer Park by the Visitor Information Centre, and Sunday afternoons at the Holland Park Market. Great music…good times…and a chance to meet up with old friends.

Summer at its best!

Thanks so much to Linda & Graham who organize and host Music in the Landing every single week! What would we do without you?

Gibsons Sailing School – July 13, 2010

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Today was one of those gorgeous summer days…perfect temperatures, sunshine, and absolutely necessary to get out of the house and enjoy.

I had the opportunity to go sailing today with Greig & Gillie from Gibsons Sailing School. Both are certified sailing instructors with the Canadian Yachting Association and both are comfortable and easy to talk to.

After a few minutes of introduction and safety instruction, we were off into Gibsons Harbour. I was aboard the “Sailing Still”, a Catalina 36′. These photos are of the “Django”, a 28′ Grampian.

After a bit of instruction, I was allowed to take the helm. I must say, this was a pretty cool experience. Greig did all the hard work working the ropes and managing the sails. I learned to tack and come about, and now I know the difference between the main sail and the jib.

Greig specializes in 4, 5, & 6 day courses designed to teach you to sail, read charts, and receive various levels of CYA certifications. You eat & sleep on the boat…plenty of room in the cabin. Sail across the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gulf Islands.

Gillie specializes in a 3 hour “Introduction to Sailing course. This is designed to help educate a person in the basics of sailing, gain some basic terminology, and have a wonderful experience on the water. She loves to take women out for “Ladies Day-Sailing”, a chance for women to learn and enjoy a very different and empowering experience.

For more information on Gibsons Sailing School, visit http://www.gibsonssailing.org/.


Gibsons Landing with part of Mount Elphinstone in the background.

All of this amazing scenery…only 5km from Arcturus Retreat B&B. What an amazing place to live and to visit.
“Django”

BC Bike Race – July 1, 2010

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Happy Canada Day!
In true Canadian spirit, we went out and supported the 500 riders competing in the BC Bike Race. This is a 7 day mountain bike trek from Vancouver to Vancouver Island across to the Sunshine Coast and over to Squamish & Whistler.
This is the 4th year for the race. Best part for me is that it literally races down our street! There is a trailhead at the end of our street that I have always enjoyed hiking. This trail connects into Sprockids Mountain Bike Park and over the mountain to the reputable Roberts Creek trails.
Thus, the last segment of the day’s ride is the decent down our trail and onto our street for a mad dash to the ferry and the finish line.
Riders cover a very wide spectrum. We’ve had Olympians and world champions. We have riders from many countries. We have men & women of all ages. There is a 60+ riding this year and there is a 15 yr old. It is hard to tell in this photo, but the guy in the center is a unicyclist! Can you imagine riding mountain bike trails…40km/day…on a unicycle?

They were muddy and wet today after a bit of rain last night…but the riders loved it. “Best trails I’ve ever ridden,” said one of the racers we talked to. The heart of the group took 5 hours to ride today’s course….and this was his quote.

I have a lot of respect for the race organizers. They have traffic control, trail markings, a bike shower, food at the finish line, first aid stations along the route, camping tent city every night, 24 hour repair crews to keep the bikes in top shape, and on-site massage teams to keep the riders in shape.
Very cool. Can’t wait to see you again next year! For more information on great Sunshine Coast mountain biking, visit www.sunshinecoastcanada.com/visit/activities/biking.php or www.bcbikerace.com.

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.

Soames Hill – Feb 22, 2010

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Heaven on earth. This was my thought today as I basked in the warm sunshine atop Soames Hill with beauty all around. Simply amazing…I could have stayed for hours ( I did stay 1 hour).

I can’t believe I waited this long to make this hike. Honestly, I was a bit intimidated by the description of 205 wooden steps to the summit. When I first moved here, I wouldn’t have made it to the top. I was in such poor physical shape.

Today I made it up those steps in about 20 minutes…breathing hard, but not tired. Then it is just a bit farther up the trail to the summit. So worth it! I will be back the next sunny day with an extra hour for a workout.


Today was another spectacular day. Glorious sunshine on a warm day. Flowers are blooming and pollen is in the fresh air. It feels like April or May…not February.

The sun was so bright that these first pictures miss the vibrant colour. These are looking south toward Gibsons…what a beautiful village by the sea. In the distance you can just make out Vancouver Island, but it was easy to see in person.

Keats Island. The tug made its way through Howe Sound and home to Gibsons Marina. Think how smooth the water was to create a wake like this from a slow-moving tug boat.

The vibrant blue and green really stand out in the photos facing east and not facing into the sun. Keats Island is in front and Bowen Island is in the distance.


Paradise only 5 minutes from my home….ok 5 minutes and then 30 minutes up to the summit. I hope to spend many more days atop Soames Hill on BC’s spectacular Sunshine Coast.

 

Snickett Park – Jan 18, 2010

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So, it’s the middle of January…the heart of Canadian winter. Well as you can see from these photos, there are only the smallest patches of snow remaining at the very top of the mountains. Look closely…it is still there…only at 1,000 meters or more.
Here along the beach of the Georgia Straight on the Pacific Ocean, temperatures are about 12C (54F) and every couple of days we get this gorgeous sunshine.
Overnight, we had just had huge storms with gale force winds and heavy rain. This coupled with high tides created lots of debris along the shore, though you can’t really see it here. Most of the rural areas were without power for hours as crews repaired the lines and removed fallen tree branches.
Meanwhile, many people were out to celebrate the sun, the warm temperatures and one of those many picture perfect days here on the Sunshine Coast. Maybe the storm was nature’s way of reminding us to get away from the computer and the office and to get outside to appreciate her.

These pictures are from Snickett Park which is a popular seaside trail in downtown Sechelt. Dog walking is an extremely popular activity here. Others finish off the walk with a friendly conversation on the many park benches taking in the spectacular view.

Here is to more days spent outside…at least for part of the day.

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.

Fly! Sunshine Coast – September 30, 2009

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I had the most amazing experience this week with my new friends Greg & Dana who own Fly!, a local air service. They are based at the Sechelt Airport and available for scenic tours, taxi service, and flight instruction. We had a beautiful sunny day and had a fabulous tour of the Sunshine Coast.

We flew north over Sechelt and over Sechelt Inlet, Salmon Inlet, and crossed the mountains to Jervis Inlet. We then came down over the Skookumchuck Narrows, Pender Harbour, and down the Georgia Strait coastline over Secret Cove, Halfmoon Bay and back to Sechelt.

This 2nd picture was the highlight of the day. This lake is about 2,500′ completely surrounded by forest. At the near end of the lake, there is an amazing waterfall that tumbles into Jervis Inlet below.


Sechlet really is the “land between 2 waters”. The Georgia Strait is in the foreground and Sechelt Inlet lies behind the town.

4 of us went up in a 4 passenger Cessna. It was very interesting to be able to see all the dials and gauges while we flew.

It is amazing the different perspective you get once up in the air. I know I live in the forest, but you tend to forget the immensity of this forest until you get above and see the vastness. There are just so many trees!

Fresh new snow on the mountains!

Safe approach back to the Sechelt Airport.

What a great trip! I would highly recommend a trip with Fly! the next time you visit the Sunshine Coast.

To see these areas on a map, click here.

Gibsons Landing Jazz Fest – June 13-14, 2009

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Gibsons Landing Jazz Fest is my favourite festival of the year, and there are a lot of community festivals to choose from. Every genre of jazz is covered and there is a mix of great local talent and big names. Jazz week is 7 nights of live jazz in most of Gibsons’s restaurants. Excellent entertainment for the price of a meal.

The official 14th annual Jazz Fest kicked off Friday with Sibel Thrasher backed up by 4 excellent local musicians. Sibel really knows how to entertain and leaves the audience wanting more. A true professional and an inspiring spirit.


Saturday we were blessed with sunshine and 25C for our main event in the park…5 groups and 5 hours of music. Easily the most entertaining of the day was East Vancouver’s Carnival Band.

Endless energy fills this group playing Dixieland Jazz. Not to be limited to the stage, they marched through the park around the audience getting everyone out of there chairs and dancing. In true carnival style, clowns and ringmasters filled their ranks.


Sunday afternoon features free jazz in Winegarden Park for everyone to enjoy. Three hours of jazz from very talented local performers.
Definitely Divas always puts on a great show. Great harmony and energy help them cover a wide variety of tunes, from Bugle Boy of Company B to Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics.

The final act of the festival was the Elphinstone Jazz Band, from our local high school. This is a very talented group of kids, many of whom have a future in music if they choose.


Winegarden Park is the perfect setting for an outdoor concert. The hill makes for a natural amphitheatre to sit an enjoy the sunshine. And then there is the view….great music with a picture perfect backdrop as we watch boats come and go in the marina.


I can’t wait until next year!