Looking back from the lighthouse along the breakwater at Ogden Point in Victoria.
I understand that the fencing along the sides is new, because, well, you wouldn’t want to get washed off the breakwater on a windy day, I guess.
Victoria
Salmon run
A salmon run is quite an event, and worth a visit if you get a chance.
The chum salmon are running in the Goldstream River right now. They are not as colourful as the sockeye and chinook, but the run is impressive none the less.
The fish in the photo are close to 2 feet long and are working their way up the river from an estuary at the end of Saanich Inlet on Vancouver Island. The run continues through mid December.
The strait off Victoria’s waterfront
I find something relaxing about this shot. Not sure why.
Could be the clouds, the waves, the mountains, the showers in the distance…
Could be everything together.
It’s a typical scene on the wet coast though.
Coastal Pilot
There are two of these yellow pilot craft that dock beside the Ogden Point breakwater in Victoria. Their job is to ferry coastal pilots out to foreign vessels entering Canadian waters in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They also pick up the pilots when the boats are ready to leave our waters.
The pilots have local knowledge about the coast. They take charge of vessel navigation, to ensure they stay in safe channels on their way in and out of ports along the inner coast.
Sounds like a great job, meeting new folks, sailing on all kinds of vessels, and spending your day travelling our beautiful coast.
Still, cranky skippers could be a pain in the a**, I guess.
Temporary
This ‘beach house’ appeared one day, on the beach off Dallas Rd in Victoria. It had a side door, a picture window facing out to the sea, and two rooms. Clearly the labour of love for someone.
Or maybe they were just having fun. It was gone the next day, scattered out along the beach, and there was absolutely no hint of it left after a recent storm.
I hope it served its purpose…
Safe return
One of the Canadian Navy’s second-hand submarines returning to base.
We can be proud of our veterans and serving military, but it’s a shame how the government dances around equiping our soldiers, sailors and airmen.
Remembrance Day eve
These preserved guns, and other older canon installations at Ft Rodd Hill Park in Esquimalt BC, are a reminder that the west coast of North America has faced it share of wartime threats.
In the second world war, for instance, these guns were used in combination with submarine nets to regulate traffic in and out of Esquimalt harbour. The nets went from about the Fisgard Lighthouse (seen in the upper right) across to another fortified installation.
For a while, Japanese submarines plied the west coast, looking to disrupt shipping. In fact, there are reports of at least one submarine (I-26) attacking a west coast lighthouse at Estevan Pt. on Vancouver Island.
There was never the death and destruction felt elsewhere during the war(s), but men and women still had to be there to stand on guard.
I’m thinking about this now, because my dad was one of those people. He flew the east and west coast of Canada in a Canso aircraft as gunner/observer, looking for submarines and other enemy shipping. Luckily, he said that on the west coast, most of the time they were just spotting whales.
Just remembering my dad on this Remembrance Day eve.
Lighthouse
This is getting to be one of my favorite walks – out to the lighthouse on the breakwater at Ogden Point.
A seal in a herring ball
On the Ogden Point breakwater in Victoria the other day, a couple of seals had herded up a herring ball. One of them swam off to preen, while the other periodically plowed through for a feed.
Nature in the raw…
A beautiful, windy day on the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Waves captured just east of the Ogden Pt breakwater.
The wind picked up this afternoon and whipped the Strait into a mild frenzy.
Quite a few cars along Dallas Rd got completely soaked. I can’t believe people would park there, when the salty waves were washing onto the street; but there ya go.
Some folks walking along the sidewalk and out on the breakwater got pretty much drenched too. Quite a surprise, I expect. You run to miss one wave just to meet another, as it crashes over you head-on. I stuck to the high ground, but still got misted once or twice. Even though you think you’re invincible, nature will get you one way or another 😉
I’ve seen pictures of Dallas Rd. in a windstorm before, but I don’t think I’ve actually been down there during one. Quite exciting.
Definitely had to wipe the spray off my camera when I got home today.
donsca 