Dancing with the dolphins and other marine adventures

Picture this:  It is late September. After five days of nonstop rain, several campervan problems, potholed logging roads,  and itinerary changes, the day finally dawns to the promise of mixed sun, cloud, light wind, light showers.  

And so....off we go, to catch a ride on one of the last whale tours of the season offered by a reputable company operating  for the summer out of Telegraph Cove.  Covid precautions are strict - a limited number of passengers, all wearing masks all the time (even on deck), multiple hand sanitation stations on the small boat and instructions to use them every 30 minutes. 

After on-ground instruction, the small group of us board the boat, and we cast off, one of the local dogs peering over the rail to bid us farewell. We're on an adventure - and what an adventure it was!

We hadn't gone far before we saw the first sighting - the blow from a whale, as the large grey humpback emerged from the water.  

The captain immediately slowed the boat and turned off the engine while we were still a long distance away - almost too far for my 30x zoom to reach. 

[As an aside: I had been hesitant to do the tour as I had witnessed first hand how disrespectful and disruptive some whale tours are.  In a hike this spring further down island  Sally and I had been having lunch on the bank of  Dodds Narrows when we spied a pod of about 6 whales just about to head into the narrows, where they would pass right by us.  Before I could even get the camera out, numerous whale boats appeared from both directions, racing against the flow of water directly toward the whales, ignoring all regulations regarding distancing, and corralling them for the sake of giving their customers a closer look.  The whales turned tail and swam quickly back in the direction they had come.  I was disgusted by the various tours' actions. 

Such was not the case on this tour.  All afternoon, at any sighting of wildlife, the engine was shut right off and we just drifted on the water, enjoying the peace, the views, and the marine mammals and birds.   And the same was true of other boaters in the area - we only saw two other boats,  and both shut off their engines and kept a respectful distance from all wildlife.] 

Often the whales, sea lions and dolphins swam right up to our drifting boat, checking us out as they dove under and over each other.  After they had moved on, the captain restarted the engine and we slowly sailed along until, in the distance, we saw more marine life and stopped once again. 

The most gob-smacking, awe-inspiring, breathtaking, mesmerizing, heart-stopping experience had to be the dancing dolphins.  There were at least a hundred of them - white-sided dolphins flying through the air, leaping over and under each other , like a beautifully choreographed dolphin version of Swan Lake. Never in my life have I seen anything so incredible. It was hard to capture good photos -  I was so  completely entranced with them that at times I could do nothing but watch, camera forgotten in my hand. 

Some came close to the boat, bursting out of the water with such speed that I missed the shot, and at other times circling around like sharks in the movies.

And then there were the whales - we saw at least a dozen, all humpbacks.  The marine biologists on board were able to identify some by name, from their tail markings in particular.  This one was named Argonaut:

If you google his name and "humpback" you will find several links with information about him - he has been a regular around the island for several years.  In fact, you can even sponsor him  through the Marine Education and Research Society , and there are even a couple of fictionalized books about him and his family - the first of two (so far - it looks to become a series) can be found here.

The whales, like the dolphins, were fascinating to watch - they would rise like a great grey submarine, float along for awhile, then the body would hump, twist, and dive, often scattering any fish, dolphins, birds, or other marine life in its way.  Humpbacks have baleen plates rather than teeth - around four hundred thin plates that hang down from the upper jaw and filter incoming water (which is then expelled through the blowhole) leaving the krill and small fish behind to continue the journey through the digestive system. They do not eat seals or dolphins like some whales do, just teeny little seafood hors d'oeuvres!  In this series of shots I took, you can see the whale preparing to dive and then displacing other sea life:

Preparing to dive

Here's a larger one of that displacement:

We didn't just see whales and dolphins, but drifted around among a diversity of  birds and waterfowl, beautiful scenery, some porpoises, seals, and even a sea otter.  I wasn't able to get a good shot of the sea otter or porpoises or even the birds, but at least the scenery stayed in one place while I focused the lens! 

Towards the end of the afternoon, as we headed back to Telegraph Cove, we stopped to watch a colony of sea lions.  They were all ages and sizes - from the very young to the huge male adults.  They were also tons of fun to photograph as they constantly popped up from rocks, made funny faces, and expressed themselves vocally as well.  And it was also hard to get a photo of any one or two sea lions without being photobombed by another!

See the photobomber?

Here I was trying to capture the 'family' - baby and two adults who I thought might be its parents, when who popped up from the rocks but Uncle Fester! 

The kiddie pool - lots of little ones having a swim!

♪ ♪ Oh Sole Mio ♪♪

With the camera on continuous shoot, I was able to capture a few things that I'd missed with the human eye.  My favourite was this little interaction between a young sea lion and a much bigger adult - the dad perhaps? (My camera shoots 10 frames per second on continuous shoot, so these shots are just a fraction of a second apart)

Do you see what happened here?  The big guy gave the little one a kiss! And in the third frame, there's
a hilarious photobomber just above the little one's head. 

We bid the sea lions goodbye, but nobody waved back.  

There was one other mesmerizing and awe-inspiring event that afternoon.  It was one of those days where the lighting constantly changed - stormy clouds, blue sky, cotton clouds, grey sky....and sudden showers during sunbursts led to continual rainbows that followed us the whole afternoon, rainbows peeking out behind picturesque islands, rainbows arching from island to island, broad shafts of rainbow plummeting into the sea, rainbow-encrusted clouds hovering just above the ocean.  

The rainbows held special meaning to me that day.  My dear friends Del and Mark had just four days earlier laid to rest their beautiful Molly-Dawg, aka Princess Molly, who never failed to make me smile when we had the opportunity to visit. 

While I am not generally given to flights of fancy, I felt Molly's spirit telling me she had reached the Rainbow Bridge, to please let her mom and dad let her know she was well, she was free, she could run like a pup, and her old pals , including King,  were there running with her. She said it was everything that her mom promised her it would be.  I was profoundly moved and as soon as I was able upon return to camp, I messaged Del to let her know.  The constant rainbows, the symbolism, the sense of peace as I thought of Molly and King and of my own dogs who had passed, moved me just as the sight of the dolphins dancing had thrilled me.  Such strong emotions, such spiritual experience. 

It was truly a day to remember, a day full of unique experiences, a day desperately needed after five days of rain and vehicle woes, a day on which one is grateful to be alive, to be so immersed in nature, to live in such an amazing part of the world. 

And it was on that note that our camping trip came to an abrupt end, for the very next day my camping and hiking buddy, Sally, tripped over a log in camp and received a severely broken ankle - one which required surgery with pins and plates and which will keep her off the hiking trails for many months.  In fact it is only this week, almost three months after our day on the waters, that she will be allowed to fully weight bear.  She ended up in hospital, I drove the campervan back home.  The rest of our north island tour will have to wait for another time. But the day dancing with the dolphins and watching the whales, all in a sky full of rainbows, will never be forgotten.

                                                               ---------

[Post script: Once again, I must apologize to followers who are not on facebook and may have missed my photos and stories this past while.  The last three months have been...challenging...for a number of  personal reasons, not the least of which is that  my Maggie was diagnosed with cancer.  Mags underwent surgery to remove a mast cell mammary tumour last week.  I am still awaiting the results of the pathology to find out what stage it was at and whether they got clean edges.  Mast cell is fairly common (as are mammary tumors, though usually in unspayed dogs).  If it is stage 1 or 2, the prognosis can be excellent.  If stage 3, then life expectancy is generally a few short months.  I should have that information some time this week.  Meanwhile, Mags is recovering well, wearing a cute little onesie which is used in place of chest dressings and to prevent any chewing or scratching of her 4" incision. I will keep you posted.  J. ]

The Trip - Part Five: Coming Home

Mill Lake, Abbotsford, BC

The last two nights of our trip were spent back in the Fraser Valley at Ann and Ken's house.   Eddie was still terrified of the stairs down to our basement suite in their home, but was more settled this time being left down there while I visited upstairs for a while. On Sunday morning, I took him for a long walk, then left him in their care while I headed to Cloverdale for a  family gathering to celebrate my mom's 94th birthday.

It's not often our small family can gather the clan all in one place, but we did pretty well.  My sister-in-law Bev and her mom Pearl even drove down from the Okanagan (where Eddie and I had just visited with them) for the occasion.  Also attending the party were my brother, my daughter, my two favourite cousins, and my nephew's mother-in-law.  My two nephews, one touring Europe with his family and one in Winnipeg, were understandably not able to make it.   We feasted on sandwiches and pickles and peach cobbler and birthday cake, drank tea and coffee and OJ, and talked and sang 'Happy Birthday' and opened gifts, and laughed.  And laughed and laughed.  Getting together is such a joyous occasion for us all. Mom had a very good time.

Mom, on her 94th birthday

Back to the Fraser Valley, where Eddie waited for my return - as long as he didn't have to climb the stairs or negotiate hallways or elevators, he was just fine thank you, though he'd rather be camping. We compromised   by going to one of my favourite Abbotsford parks - Mill Lake, a beautiful oasis in the heart of town but easily accessed without much traffic in the mornings. When we lived in the Fraser Valley, I used to walk Sadie and Charley there often - a 2.5 km path loops around the lake.  It is just as beautiful, and in the early morning hours just as peaceful, as I remembered:

Large trees spread their branches above grassy lawns,

While leaves and marsh divide path from lake,

And lily pads provide shelter for frogs and fish.

There are resting places where one can watch the birds, 

And scenes more reminiscent of country than city.

Beautiful stone walls add a touch of old-world charm, 

And a walkway reminds us of home!

(Though Eddie insisted it was different, and
just as scary as halls, stairs and elevators!)

So we went back the way we came. 

And then we headed back to the ferry

B.C. flag atop BC Ferries

And soon we were back home!

Back home to Allie, 

'Bout time!  Whereya bin?

Back home to our Sea Walk

Back home to Crofton Lake:

And back home to our doggy friends, Sadie B and Georgi who we were looking after for the weekend, 

I love my family.
I love my friends.
I love my beautiful, beautiful province.
And I love coming home.

Sunrise on Osborne Bay

It's good to be back.

The Trip - Part Four - Camping at The Creek

From Vernon, we headed southwest on the Connector and Coquihalla highways and zipped on down to Hope, BC, then a short distance back north up the Fraser Canyon to Emory Creek.  There is a cooperative campground there, where for several years I had a lot, which I first used with a little old motorhome I owned and later with a nicer, newer trailer.   There is electricity and (except in winter) water to each lot,  and even flush toilets and showers in central washrooms. But unlike most private  camping or RV parks, trailers are  not right on top of each other and most of the lots are generously sized and quite private with tall trees around them.  Hiking trails, a creek and a river, and a lodge with a small library and other simple amenities complete the facility.  Not exactly roughing it, but not fancy-schmansy either. And an on-site caretaker lives there year round to keep an eye on the place and keep everything running smoothly.
Best of all, my friends Ann and Ken purchased the lot next door, which they retain to this day.

Here's an old photo of the site I once owned (the next few photos were taken around 2006/07):

And the route from my old house to the campground

And a couple of scenes around camp

Ann, Ken and my dog Charley along the banks of the river

Railway trestle over Emory Creek

Shortly after our arrival at our friends' lot, we were surprised to see another vehicle pull in.  Some friends of ours dropped in to say hi.  Coincidentally, they had been the ones who introduced us to Emory Creek many years ago, when they invited Ann and I to a women's camping weekend on a lot then held by another friend of theirs.
It was great to see "Bradner Jean" (to differentiate her from "Crofton Jean") and Andrea, and we all had some good laughs.

Friends
Bradner Jean, Andrea, and Ann
(Posted with their permission)

Then we set up my tent and gear on Ann and Ken's lot:

Eddie watches from the safety of a crate
while I get things organized in the tent

From Eddie's perspective, the next couple of days were the highlight of the trip.  He took to camping like a duck to water.  I can't help but wonder if this is something he has done before, because the moment I pitched the tent, he hopped inside and settled down like he'd been living in a tent all his life.

Eddie in his new temporary home -
no stairs, hallways or elevators!

He also loved sitting around the fire,

And watching the squirrels and jays steal peanuts and sunflower seeds.  I wonder how many dog owners out there have a dog who, without any command from me, just does this:

Squirrel?  What squirrel?

Eddie loved, loved, loved camping.  I rarely see him so relaxed. The only thing he didn't like about camping was the deck and trailer on Ann and Ken's lot.  That, he wouldn't go near!

I had planned to have Eddie sleep in the van, thinking the night time noises of the forest would keep him alert and awake all night, but that wasn't the case.  On the first night, my friends went into the trailer, and I decided to sit comfortably in the tent with Eddie and read for a while before putting him to bed.  When the time came to put him in the van, he refused to leave - he was quite comfy where he was thank you very much.  So I pulled his crate out of the van, put it in the tent, and he bedded down for the night.  I never heard a peep from him until we got up the next morning.

Emory Creek has an interesting history. A tent and shack camp was first established in the mid 1800s by miners looking for gold.  While panning was lucrative, no great seams of gold were found for mining and so they moved on.  In 1879, the area was chosen as  the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and a booming little town with thirteen streets, a newspaper, shops, saloons, a sawmill and a brewery was established.  The terminus ended up being established a little further north, but traces of the old cement docks are still visible along the nearby Fraser River when the water is low.  By 1885, with completion of the railway, the town was abandoned.  Later it became a private 'resort', with cabins and tent sites for rent, and sometime around the 1970s (I think) became a camping cooperative.

Some of the cabins along the creek are still maintained and used by coop members, and this delapitated one holds some of the caretakers equipment

This next cabin is said to be the 1934 PNE Prize home - the very first "Prize Home" of the Pacific National Exhibition.

1934 PNE Prize Home?
A wee bit smaller than the monstrous prize homes today! 

It was, according to oral history of the oldtimers, built elsewhere and then moved here long before the property became a camping cooperative.  If that information is correct, the original owner/winner of the prize home was Leonard Frewin, " a lowly mechanic who won his true love's hand - and her father's approval" after winning the home.  (Source: The Province) .  

Though the occasional bear or cougar is sighted in the area, none were around while we camped.  The only wildlife we saw was the almost-tame squirrels and Stellar jays who like to pester the campers, and are more entertaining than any television show today (though that's not saying much, given the state of current programming!).

He can have the scotch - I'm havin' the nuts!

Hey dog! Aren't ya gonna chase me?

Oops!  Dropped one!

Oh well, there's lots more!

Hey!  You with the thing in front of your face!
Put that down and find me some more nuts!

Our second night out, it rained steadily for several hours.  Thinking of the logistics of packing up wet camping equipment at 6 AM  on a Sunday morning in order to reach  a planned family event in Surrey by eleven, we decided to decamp a day earlier than planned and spend the night before the event at Ann and Ken's home in Abbotsford.  But that - and the photos of the beautiful lake in the middle of town - shall be the subject of the next  (and probably final) post on our trip.

In other news, Eddie and I have started school - we are doing clicker training with Cowichan Canine Behaviour and Training Ltd., and Eddie is responding beautifully.  I'm sure I will be blogging about that in the upcoming weeks and months.  Thank goodness something is going well, because a gravel yard  truck delivering some materials I needed (for a project  I'm doing around my shed) managed to take out the corner of my eaves yesterday.  As I've said before...there are NO competent businesses in this area,  and I'm now in the middle of  what is heating up to be a huge headache, dealing with ICBC (the provincial vehicle insurance company, for those of you reading from afar), and getting quotes from restoration companies.   

That's all, folks!