Rain

Today the rain is soft. It starts out with small drops onto the tiles in the garden, creating a pattern that slowly fills in to make them different and darker tiles. Sound is muffled, yet the voices of people who are outdoors seems to be quite clear. The voices of the crows and ravens are always clear.

I stand under a tree, trying to get pictures of rain drops on the plants and the rain makes a sound on the leaves like raindrops on a tent roof. In a way, under the tree is like a tent. The rain does not get through.

As it rains harder, the small puddles finally accumulate on the street. The drops collect on the wire deer proofing fence. Patterns from dripping rooves form on the pathway. The picnic table becomes a mirror for the sky.

Sometimes the rain comes in patches. I'm able to watch as the patch travels over an area and crosses near me, but not on me. The patches on the ocean are like frosted glass. Sometimes, these patches are almost like mist.

The tales and legends that come from this coast are ones that come naturally, created by these magic mists, these almost live emmanations, spectral beings that pass, whispering as they go by. Almost like the description of inspiration where you need to run and catch it before it is gone, I almost feel the need to follow the rain to hear more of what it has to say.

The crows and ravens that inhabit this wet landscape seem to follow me to see what I have to say to them. Even in this rain, they land nearby and roar at me “Mind what I have to say”.

I had a dream, as a young woman, that I was a spirit in search of a form. I looked at many different forms, seeing the pros and cons of each and finally decide on a clam. This is a safe place to be of the world but hidden from some of it. Just as I am about to enter that form, a seagull picks up the clam. It is soaring high and drops it on the stony beach and the clam breaks open. Alas, this is not what I want to be after all. I think that since the seagull can beat the clam (rocks, paper, scissors) I should be a seagull. My strategy for accomplishing this is to find a high place and jump into the gull as it soars by. I find a place with great updrafts and when a gull comes by, I jump at my chance...and miss. I fall, fall, fall into it's shadow. And I became a raven. Or maybe I should write Raven. It showed me who I was or needed to be. I have always taken the Raven as my personal spirit animal. I'm sure that they have not finished showing me which way I must travel next. All I know is that they called to come west this year and are still whispering in my ears. Somehow, it all sounds like the rain.

Spring in Nanaimo

It looks like it's going to be a rainy long weekend. For all the people who had barbeques last night, you did well. We've had three days of blissful sunshine and warmth and now it returns to the rain and cool for the weekend.

I have no more particular excursions in mind, so I am exploring the city of Nanaimo more thouroughly.

This is the CN train station that is being restored. Big cafuffle in town right now as the government does not want to pay for the track and rail repairs needed to run it safely. Vancouver Islanders (do you say that?) are all riled up as they joined the confederation because of the promise of rail link to the rest of Canada. Now it seems to be lapsing. An interesting argument to watch.

One of the collectables that I've done is all the civic art. For a city this size, there is a fair amount.

The other is old cars. There are lots around. Quite a few that I haven't been able to get pictures of but that I live in hope of seeing again. This city also boasts a large amount of veteran motorcyclists. A lot of silver hair and beards drifting out of helmets, riding exquisite big machines that roar up and down the hills of this neighbourhood.

The Old city quarter, high up from the port area, is charming. Lots of boutiques, restaurants and cafes.

You need to be in good enough shape to get there from the downtown core because it's all uphill.

There is a fabulous food shop with all the most wonderful imports you could ask for. I usually like to call those visits food tourism. At $8.00 for a tiny jar something or other, it's best left on the shelf.

I discovered a Mexican Cantina in the area that is just my favourite style. Run by a man from South Carolina, it has a lovely mixture of hippie and happenin' with what looks like a nice up to date Mexican kind of menu. A good lunch possibility. I wasn't disappointed. The wrap of chicken and beans, with HOT sauce was perfect.

Nanaimo just opened a docking area for cruise ships. The town was flooded with at least a thousand people last week. It was interesting to see the slowly spreading swarm coming from the area where the Gabriola ferry docks. It's all been a good economic boost to the city.

Spring flowers are everywhere. The flowering shrubs are coming into their own just as the flowering trees end.

This is broom.

For an easterner like me, seeing things like holly bushes is still a novelty, whereas here, they are common in people's gardens. Varieties that go from your Christmas card dark green leaves with red red berries, to the variegated varieties. For you non-gardeners, variegated means two toned leaves. Anyway, they're all prickly! There are also a lot of exotics that can survive here because of the tempered climate.

I've been down to the Piper's Cove to see how the bald eagle couple are doing and I think there are nestlings as the activity level was high. The male went off, plucked a sizeable fish out of the ocean and brought it back to the nest. There was a lot of ripping and tearing going on, but I was at too low a level to see if they were feeding babies or not.

The one interesting animal I have seen here seems to be a Nanaimo specialty. Black rabbits. I've seen them all over town.

I've been told that there is an otter that can sometimes be seen right down in the docks area. I wonder if he lives close by or like all the animals, he has a wide shopping area that is covered every day. I hope to get a glimpse of him as that is another animal that is on my wish list.

Nanaimo has what is probably the largest number of second hand book stores I've ever seen. This is a good thing on a day like today as I've run out of reading matter (to hold in my hands). I have one that I downloaded from the Toronto library this morning. I don't mind reading from the computer at night. No light in the room needed. If it's cold though (the house has the heating turned off) it is not comfortable.

Nanaimo is a pretty nice place, all in all.

Tofino and beyond

Today was the day to drive to Tofino. I watched as the mountains approached and began the climb.
Wow! The first part of the drive was between Nanaimo, Parksville, Coombs and Port Alberni.

The highway goes up through the mountains as it works it's way over a ridge of small-ish mountains and down to Port Alberni.

Twisting and turning it's way up, up, up to reach a point almost in the clouds. Cathedral Grove, a park, is a very old growth rainforest that is partway there.

So incredible. Truly the Mecca of trees.

The emeralds of the mosses, the blacknest of the wet trunks, the chilling mist and damp of walking in that forest is awe inspiring. A very magical or mystical kind of place. I felt very tiny amongst those giants.

Then, going down, down and down to Port Alberni and there it is. A Starbucks. A bit of a breather.

Only another 130 kilometres to Tofino.

And only more wows!

What a drive. The first part was hills and valleys, the second part was a paved logging road. Very narrow in many places with overhanging cliffs and soft shoulders on the down side. It was a bit of a jaw clencher. The speeds posted varied between 80kms and 30kms, with good reason.

Of course, it rained on and off during the drive to Tofino. There will always be the tailgaters to add to the stress of slowing down enough to do hairpin turns that they are familiar with but that I am not.

Pullovers were a lifesaver. A lot of traffic coming out of the Pacific Rim Park, but not as much going in. It is a Monday and I was not expecting much. The whole 170 kilometres took me (with stops for gas, coffee, photos at Cathedral Grove and the Tourist info place outside Tofino, from about 8:45 to 12:15 or so. Okay, I'm a Granny driver when it comes to roads like that.

Tofino is at the end of a penninsula going into Clayoquot sound. I passed turn offs for three or four large beaches that are the spots of choice for all the surfers. I'll see those tomorrow.

The hostel I am staying in is right on the dockside in downtown Tofino. Very nice, very clean, great views. I am in a female dorm, for four. Easy walking distance to all the amenaties. I skope out where I'm going to have dinner and where I'm going to have breakfast. Food, second only to coffee.

This whole area must be such a zoo in the summer. I am here the week before the May 24 long weekend and I'm sure that though the weather might not be as warm as it could be, it's certainly a lot quieter now than it will be in a few days.

With the evening came clear skies. At last!

I went to one of the beahes on the Pacific side and saw an Osprey! I was thrilled. In the harbour, I saw harbour seals, eider ducks, a kingfisher and of course, a bald eagle. More inland, there were wilson warblers, that I at first mistook for goldfinches. The beaches also had sandpiper flocks that would swoop around in a group and land running.

I sat and watched a gorgeous sunset before repairing to my room.

The next morning, I stopped at one of the Pacific Rim park beaches that was nearer Ucluelet. Watching a small flock of ducks skimming along just above the surface of the water when there was a geiser that shot up into the air. It was several gray whales! Tail splashing and all! There were either seals or otters bobbing around too. All of this was attracting gulls. There must have been a school of fish to keep them in the area for so long. I stood transfixed for about 40 minutes till my arms could no longer hold the binoculars. What a thrill. My dream came true. I saw whales. Of course, no pictures, but I was happy now.

A pretty cove in Ucluelet.

An Arctic Loon was doing a little fishing while I was there.

Because the day was a sunny one, the drive back seemed a breeze. I know I was only gone overnight, but the easy pace of Tofino and it's people made it feel like I was there for many days. The difficult road, the speed I had to travel it made it feel like I had come many, many hundreds of kms rather than just 170 kms. It's isolation from any city or other small towns makes it, literally, the end of the world. Same for Ucluelet.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and was amused, on the last leg of the journey, to stop at a place called “Goats on the Roof” a year round ourdoors-ish market. Very charming and, for a Tuesday, very busy.

In all, a very good day.