I will leave it for the end of the post π
It's been about a month since my previous post. In meantime, San and I started camping and hiking every weekend. We've been lucky with the weather so far – meaning, no rain – and we tried to visit new places and walk on new hikes. Or, new ones for me, at least.
Stawamus Chief
A big piece of granite rock rising above southern entrance to Squamish, some 45km north of where we live. I mentioned it before but until now we didn't have a chance to hike. It is not a high mountain – about 700m with 3 peaks connected by a well maintained trail. But damn it was busy! A trail starts near Shannon falls with wooden stairs so most of the people probably think it stays the same way all to the top π How else could they explain bringing small dogs and 2-5 years old kids even though a shortcut to a second peak has chain attached to rock to help you climb steep sections :doh:
The view from a top is spectacular, overlooking Howe Sound and Squamish.Howe Sound from Stawamus Chief
Revelstoke Lake
On a long weekend, for Canada Day, we spent wonderful 3 days fishing and camping on a Revelstoke Lake, a dam lake that starts just north of Revelstoke and extends for about 130km. A lake is surrounded with some wonderful mountains and glaciers and is full of fish :chef:holding a 8 lbs burbot
Actually, I caught 3 smaller ones than the one on the photo. This is just to show how big these beasts are π
The place is surrounded by some very high mountains – Rockies are in the neighbourhood – and I had a chance to practice even more with my new Canon π
Rainbow Lake and Callaghan Lake – Whistler
Two weeks ago we went to Whistler area again. We've found a nice looking, privately owned camp (proper toilets, showers and even internet access :doh: ) and the goal for that Saturday was to visit Rainbow Lake, some 8km west from Whistler Village. And that was our first hike that we needed to stop about half kilometer before the lake. First we saw a huge pile of bear signs, then a minute or two later, right at the place where trail disappears in a high and dense bush, we've heard a bear who was, obviously not happy to have us in his dining room :left: Maybe it would have been easier if we have seen it, then we could wait a bit and maybe a bear would be first to move away. But we didn't really were in the mood to make evening news so we returned. After 7km of hiking :irked:
Next day we went to another beautiful lake in the nearby area, this time with a car, we didn't have enough time for hiking (8.5km one way).Callaghan Lake, 1204m above sea level
Cypress Provincial Park
Last Saturday we went to another place that we somehow missed to visit last year even though it is literally in our neighbourghood – Cypress Provincial Park. Actually, the goal was to hike to Eagle Bluffs, part of Black Mountain that gives probably the best view to Vancouver, Burrard Inlet, Bowen Island and part of Sunshine Coast. Eagle Bluffs are about 1000m above the sea and the view is amazing.Burrard Inlet and UBC from Eagle Bluffs
Another big animal, this time a bird. I could not believe how big ravens, actually, are :left:
Kayaking – Gulf Islands
For last Sunday, we decided it would be a good idea to break a routine with camping and hiking and to do something else. Kayaking was one of the ideas. I was kayaking only once, last year on Kentucky Alleyne Lake but never tried it on the ocean. We rented a guided tour among northern Gulf Islands (close to Vancouver Island) and experience was excellent :happy: The fact is the ocean was so calm, almost flat, so it didn't really feel like doing something completely new. But Sandy told me this is not usual, sometimes people need to pedal very fast, against wind a waves. Our guide told us that only a week ago he was having another couple on a tour and the wind and waves were hard on them, they almost cried before reaching Link Island, where they could have some rest :left:
Anyway, we kayaked around Link and Mudge Islands then back over the strait.Link Island and Mudge Island are connected when a tide is low
Being in kayak and especially in the ocean, you need to have a proper clothing that will protect you and prevent water from entering kayak if the waves are high. It is the yellow thing that you can see me wearing on a photo below.
And no, Kimmie, this is not a tutu π
***
more photos here, here, here, here and here π
hehehe
Great post, I always enjoyed your travel and outdoor posts … tutu :p not even close, I would say (as a man) … but suits you well.:hi: San! π
π Great post, Darko! Excellent pictures, as always!
San ;)Dirk, thanks. We are using every opportunity to be somewhere during weekends. There are so many things to see and visit in BC :up:Dennis, I am waiting for Kimmie to see this :PThanks :cheers:
:wait:
Good thing you and San didn't make the evening news. Love the Revelstoke Lake photo, the Raven photo and the Callaghan Lake photo. :up:
With as many times as you've gone hiking, I would think you would have tanned by now. I take it you don't tan … maybe just sunburn instead?
A Tutu? Why are you wearing an inflatable raft that is too small for you at that? Seriously, does that Tutu / Raft Wannabe thing snap onto the Kayak?
Wow, it's all very nice! π
Carol, yes, we are glad too :happy:Carlos, yes this is a thing that helps you cover yourself and prevent water entering kayak. It snaps around the edge of kayak and if you flip up-side-down this is the first thing to pull to get yourself free from kayak.I need time to tan, I got sun burned easily :left:Louis, thank you :cheers:
Looks like you and San are having so much fun exploring your environment. :up:
Originally posted by gdare:
He usually wears tights with his tutu so the sun never sees his legs….:whistle:
:happy:
π
Maybe Darko could go get a Spray On Tan.Of course, don't over do or else he'll wind up looking Orange. :insane:
Didn't know safety gear came in tutu form, buddy :whistle: Seriously, though, absolutely amazing nature shots, as usual. Helluva catch you got there, too. Did you throw it back, or was it food? Ravens are really quite something. I like to look at them.
Star, we are. Every weekend a new trail or camp :up:San, yeah, right :rolleyes:Carlos, I am too tall so one bottle won't be enough. If I start from face my legs would remain white :left: :insane:Kimmie, it is not a tutu :PAs for fish, I returned only one, the first and a smallest one – it was just too bad to take it. San returned two and the rest of them (there were 6 of us fishing) were taken for food.Thanks!
Wow, you're exploring BC well enough! :DI feel giddy even looking at that first photo. I've no head for heights :faint:Ravens are certainly enormous. I saw one perched next to a magpie once, and it dwarfed its cousin!
Bloody hell! That fish must be the size of me. For the record, my geography is awful so your blog is my unofficial research into how the world fits together naturally. Things like islands being linked when the tide is out are things I just don't naturally consider when thinking of how places work. That last photo looks like you killed the Power Rangers and are wearing their skins. :left:
Adele, I was standing at least 2 meters from the edge of the rock while I was making that photo. Because a step after that the next solid ground is about 100m lower :insane:Mik, I needed to google 'Power Rangers' to get a full picture of what are you talking about π My knowledge of costumed super heroes covers Superman, Spiderman, Batman and Silver Surfer, everything else in uncharted territory – the same way with your geography π
Sooo … that Tutu teasing that you dreaded, is that from that certain Avatar you had years ago?
But it WAS regarding that Avatar?
You are in eco-heaven!
:lol:It was something Kimmie came up with π
Carlos, yes :DAbbacus, yes we are. I love western Canada and northwest of USA (Washington and Oregon) because it look much similar to what we have here. We hope to go to Alaska one day, too :yes:
what a lovely couple you are , thanks for sharing such moment with us . i think Kayaking was the most amusing thing you did , isn't it , for me it is a dream i wish i may realize one day .
what a big fish , i couldn't see it at first ,i have to reload the page twice to see it , did you firy it :chef:
Rania, thanks π Kayaking was a completely new thing to me. Last year we kayaked on an small lake and it was a first time I ever did that :yes:Yes our friends fried the fish, it was excellent :chef:
awesome! your Canon treated you well. that third photo is gorgeous. so how did you and San prepare the beast fish? π bet it tasted good.
It wasn't us who prepared it. Our friends did. It was fried in oil and the taste was yummy π
delicious!
:p it's called a spraydeck… I've long lost mine somehow and the kayak really fills up when we hit whitewater. :insane:in just a few weeks we're going on a 5 day kayak trip So this post really put me in the mood for it. :up:
Have a great time! Make some photos so we can enjoy, too :yes: :cheers:
you know it. :up:
Fantastic picΒ΄s of fantastic landscapes!!!. :cheers:
Fantastic picΒ΄s of fantastic landscapes!!! :cheers:
Thanks Nic :cheers: