Gambier Island

On Easter weekend, Lucy and I were fortunate enough to be asked by my friends, Bob & Brenda, to go to their house on Gambier for the weekend. I grew up just 15 minutes boat ride from this Island, but was only on it two or three times in my entire life!

Lucy and I took the water taxi over and it was Lucy's first time on a boat. At first she was a little hesitant about climbing on board, but once on board she settled down at my feet and occasionally poked her head up to look out the windows.

Once on Gambier however she was in her element and so was I. No motorized bikes or vehicles are allowed on the Sea Ranch where we were staying. The place was so quiet you could hear the birds singing and the Blue Jays were gorgeous.

Once I realized that there were hiking trails all over the island and no bears and rarely a cougar Lucy and I took off to explore. We hiked as much of the trails as we could every day. Lucy happily running through the trees free as she could be!
On the last day we came across a deer quietly grazing on the ridge above where we were. Lucy had no idea she was there, but it clear that she knew we were there.

There are a lot of deer on this island and they are a dwarf breed that does not get very big so it is difficult to know how old this doe may be, but I am betting that there was a fawn or two somewhere nearby.
The weekend ,the best I have had in many years, was over before we knew it. It reminded me so much of my youth growing up in Gibsons, surrounded by water and trees and nature I can hardly wait to go back again.

Eagles in Cougar Canyon

The warm weather and little rain means that the trails in the canyon have started to dry out and Lucy and I have resumed our daily walks there. For the last two years my friend Chris has been telling me that the eagles have a nest in this huge tree, but I have rarely seen them. So this year I decided to take my camera every time I went and make a point of checking the tree. There are only a few spaces along the path that the tree can be seen from. Today I got lucky and managed to get these pictures of the young eagle. Some days there are two eagles sitting there one very large one and this little one. I find it so thrilling to see these lovely birds. There is something about eagles that I find mesmerizing and I am not sure what it is. I used to think that Blue Heron's were my favorite birds. They always make me smile, but eagles fascinate me and make me want to find places where they are so I can watch them.
There are many eagles on Gambier Island I am told by my friend who has a cabin there. They come to eat the salmon as they spawn up the creek. The Sea Ranch, where my friends house is, buys a flock of lambs every spring and raise them. Last year a lamb died and two eagles devoured it in one day leaving nothing but a lump of wool! I can't imagine that their beaks are that strong, but I have seen them take a large salmon right out of the water and fly away with it!
These birds are so amazing I cannot imagine that people would want to harm them, yet that is exactly what is happening to these beautiful creatures. There is such a huge market for their feathers and talons, even though it is illegal, people shoot them and sell their parts. The fines and sentences are not harsh enough to prevent this heinous act. For me nature is so beautiful and so precious that I cannot imagine wanting to harm any of it.

MS Super Cities Walk 2007!

It did not surprise me one bit that when I got up this morning at 6 am it was dark, drizzly and cold. After all this was the day of the MS Super Cities Walk that my family and I do every year and not once has this morning begun any other way. We have to be at the park before 9 am because we have to register and turn in our pledges and then we stand in the open at Lumberman's Arch in Stanley Park being blasted by the cold wind off the water for over an hour before the walk begins. Lucy of course loves it as she gets lots of attention dressed in her MS shirt and red helium balloon tied to her butt! She is such a ham!
I have been really busy all year and have had little time to focus on raising funds in the way that I have in other years, but some people came through for me and the rest of the family pitched in and raised some pledges as well to bring our total to almost $2,000.00!
Of course there was the customary eat your heart out brunch at the Knight & Day Restaurant on Boundary afterwards where we all eat too much and then go home for a good rest till next year!

My thanks to everyone who gives so generously to our little team!

Friends - by Sark

YEAH!!!

FRANCES

GRADUATES!