West Coast Email Forward

The following is a minute-by-minute report of the extreme weather concerns in Victoria , British Columbia:

6:22 a.m. Temperature plunges. Word spreads that a Victoria man finds ice on his windshield! Curious neighbors gather to watch him scrape it off with a credit card. One motorist, a former Albertan, claims use of mysterious "defrost" switch on dashboard can aid in process.

9:30 a.m. Hardware stores sell both of their snow shovels. Islanders begin cobbling together implements made from kayak paddles, umbrellas, plywood, cookie sheets and boogie boards.

10 a.m. Golfers switch to orange balls. Beacon Hill Park cricket players, anxious not to repeat the ugly "snow blower incident" of the Blizzard of '96, switch to orange uniforms.

Noon: Word of impending West Coast snowfall tops newscasts across Canada. Saskatoon hospitals report epidemic of sprained wrists related to viewers high-fiving one another.

1:20 p.m. Elementary schools call in grief counselors. Grief counselors refuse to go, citing lack of snow tires.

2:30 p.m. Rush hour begins an hour early as office workers come down with mysterious illness and bolt for home. Usual traffic snarl is compounded by large number of four-wheel-drives abandoned by side of road.

2:50 p.m. Airplanes are grounded and ferries docked. No way to travel between Island and rest of the world. Times Colonist headline: "Mainland cut off from Civilization."

3:22 p.m. Prime Minister Harper announces Canada 's DART rapid-response team can be on the ground within six months." We can't leave Victoria to deal with 225 centimeters of snow on its own," he tells Mayor Lowe. "Um, that's two to five centimeters, not two-two-five," replies the Mayor. The Prime Minister hangs up.

3:33 p.m. Provincial government responds to crisis by installing slot machines in homeless shelters.

4:10 p.m. At behest of Provincial Emergency Program, authorities begin adding Prozac to drinking water.

4:15 p.m. Fears of food shortages lead to alarming scenes of violence and looting. Grocery shoppers riot across the city, except in Oak Bay , where residents hire caterers to do rioting for them.

4:30 p.m. Bracing for the arrival of snow, the city is gripped by an eerie stillness reminiscent of Baghdad on the eve of the invasion. Searchlights comb darkening sky for first sign of precipitation.

4:48 p.m. Panic ripples across the region as words come in that the first flakes of snow have fallen on the Malahat. False alarm! "Flakes" turn out to be nothing more than anthrax spores released by terrorists. An uneasy calm returns to city.

5:40 p.m. Television reporter, Ed Bain, shaking uncontrollably, tells viewers that snow warnings have been extended. This weather pattern could go on for days. Mercury plummets to Calgary-in-August levels. Martial law is declared. Victoria-area politicians announce plans to establish an emergency command centre aboard HMCS Regina once it reaches Oahu .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Victoria Blizzard 2008 - Revenge of the Commuters

Chilled Victoria commuters faced their second day of winter hell today, as an additional ¼ centimeter of the peculiar white stuff fell, bringing the Island to its knees and causing millions of dollars worth of damage to the marijuana crops. Scientists suspect that the substance is some form of frozen water particles and experts from Saskatchewan are being flown in. With temperatures dipping to the almost but not quite near zero mark, Victorians were warned to double insulate their lattes before venturing out.

Victoria police recommended that people stay inside except for emergencies, such as running out of espresso or biscotti to see them through Victoria's most terrible storm to date. The local Canadian Tire reported that they had completely sold out of fur-lined sandals.

Drivers were cautioned to put their convertible tops up, and several have been shocked to learn that their SUV's actually have four wheel drive, although most have no idea how to use it.

Weary commuters faced soggy sushi, and the threat of frozen breast implants. Although Dr. John Blatherwick, of the Coastal Health Authority reassured everyone that most breast implants were perfectly safe to 25 below, down-filled bras are flying off the shelves at Mountain Equipment Co-op.

"The government has to do something," snarled an angry Trevor Warburton. "I didn't pay $540,000 for my one bedroom condo so I could sit around and be treated like someone from Toronto

Back In Vic

Wow! I'm am back in Victoria finally, and am not sure if I will ever leave again! (well, yes I will, it would be very hard not to considering that I work on a boat) However, after having cancelled flights both ways and a hour delay at the last ferry (that I shouldn't have had to take if my flight wasn't cancelled) I have realized that I either have very bad karma, or someone is out to get me! On the up side my door was just knocked on and it was my bag that I had to abandon in Vancouver so I could catch the ferry (that ended up being an hour late)

Chartwork, Check

Exciting news! I got a call from Transport Canada this morning saying that I had passed my chart work exam. I felt good about the exam when I was finished writing it, but it's always nice to know for sure. That's one down out of 5 that I need to write for my 150 Tonne Masters Ticket (or actually I just learned that it should be referred to as a certificate of competency and it is a major faux pas to call it a "ticket")

It's a love hate relationship

So I love the snow, it makes the city look pretty and makes me feel like Christmas, however, not being able to drive into one's own driveway because you can't shovel it because the city is out of shovels isn't as much fun, good thing I have friendly neighbours. Also when your flights get canceled its kind of a bummer, and even if the snow makes me feel like Christmas, it definitely won't feel like Christmas if I never make it to where Christmas is, which is Calgary. Here's to hoping that the direct flight will prove better luck than the stopover in Vancouver....

Oh the weather outside is Frightful...

1100H

If you're from Victoria.... I however will take this opportunity to say that I did not grow up in this tropical island city and I can drive in the snow and no you should NOT slam on your brakes when you start to slide! and yes there are still two lanes even if you can't see the dotted line anymore...


I even hauled myself out of bed to be at my yoga class at 0730 to find that whoever had the keys to the studio couldn't get here, so the class had been canceled and they would still be running the 0930 class if I could come back, which I did. And still there were only about 10 people.

Now you are probably thinking that snow if Victoria, does not constitute of "real snow." Well you're right, it will probably be gone by the end of the day, which is why I'm not shoveling my driveway or the sidewalk! I passed at least 30 people out busy shoveling their drives on my way home from yoga. But why? I ask. It's gonna melt and you can get your car out already! Here's some props to the true Victoria who I saw on their bicycle at 730 this morning!


In any case, it started snowing last night and this morning I woke up to a beautiful blanket of white crispness, yes the crunchy kind, and I had to brush off my car (with my mitts, cause who owns a ice scraper here anyways?) Reminds me of Christmas. What a perfect day for the SALTS Christmas party! We are even going caroling in a horse drawn wagon!

1321H

Correction: I was just informed that the Christmas party has been postponed until further notice...

One Down and One to Go...

So, today was the final day of my "Simulated Electronic Navigation" course at Camosun. The thing with having a class that is a one week (five days) intensive, all day long class, is that you are taught new information on the last day and then expected to write the final (50% of your mark) the last three hours of class.... well I passed, no problems, and I felt confident during the exams as well which is always a good sign. Although I have to say that I have a beef with Transport Canada courses because there were definitely some people in that room who got their certificate who maybe shouldn't have.... I figure if I'm answering peoples questions on how to plot a LAT/LONG and do a simple 60D=ST time formula, then maybe they shouldn't be certified to do advanced radar plotting....just a thought.
So next week I have one more class and then I'm done formal school for a bit and onto more self study for some other Transport Canada Exams, the first of which is actually this coming Monday! Ack!

Other than being back in the school/reading/study mode I have been getting immense enjoyment out of a Bikram Yoga class that I started trying out. Basically it is yoga in a room heated to 105 degrees with about 50-55% humidity. It brings me right back to offshore when you are lying in your bunk and feel the sweat pooling....Okay I know that sounds gross and who in their right mind would voluntarily put themselves through exercise in a heated room, but I LOVE it!

Bay Street's First Christmas!

Hey Mom, Here you go. I only really decorated the fireplace room because I am working in the other one right now. I haven't got the outside lights up yet, but I hope to this weekend!

Its Christmas Time!

Okay, for all of you out there who believe that Christmas should not start until the end of December, humbug on you! As a kid we always used to decorate the first weekend in December, after a HUGE housecleaning of course, it was like the reward for cleaning the whole house top to bottom, and hauling all the boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations up from the basement... sneaky sneaky pull a Tom Sawyer mom.... "It's fun!"
Okay, actually it was, I remember my friends being shocked at the transformation that would occur. We even changed our doilies and tablecloths; we added trim in the kitchen and bathroom! Although we didn't go as far as my Swedish relatives who change their curtains for the holidays, and one of my aunts even sets aside an entire room of her house and makes it into a little winter wonderland complete with fake snow and a train set!
Back to the point. I got Christmassy today and listened to Christmas music all day (there is already a radio station playing only Christmas music; 106.5fm) and I put out the few decorations and lights I had. I made rye bread, chocolate chip cookies, sweet almonds, shortbread, and drum roll please....swedish MEATBALLS! I officially feel like Christmas, I have a poinsetta, I have lights inside, and I'm getting ready to put them up outside too, and my house is clean, except the room that I started refinishing woodtrim in (don't ask me why I decided to start this project now). I have been procrastinating this for a while now, and I finally got the scraper out and bought a sander and I'm ready to keep plowing away tomorrow.


Have a Happy Holiday Season Everyone!

I'm on a roll!

Wow, it's been a while since I have updated my blog. However I will have to make this short as my computer is acting up... first it was the disc drive and now it's the space button on the keyboard. I have to hit it really hard to ensure a space every time and it makes for tiring typing! Wow!

November on the Island

O.k. today marks halfway through November and I was in SHORTS!! And I still have flowers blooming in my garden, not just blooms left, but still blooming! Despite that I have been thinking that it seems to be getting colder every day, and then thinking that I was a wuss for thinking that, didn't I grow up in Prince George??!!



I was very thankful today to wake up and see blue skies and sunshine. My much neglected yard has needed some attention and today was a perfect day for it. I managed to get the majority of my leaves piled up and ready for pick up...I'm pretty sure that Victoria spends as much money on leaf removal as Prince George does on snow! I also took a load of cuttings, etc, and the last of the random objects lying around my property to be mulched/recycled/garbage.

Paint Colours and Reno's

Finally back on the blog, for those of you far away, here are some pics of the paint coulours before and after (the green and purple are the after shots) I still haven't gotten around the scraping off all of the last persons messy paint job, but at least the house is clean and not robin's egg blue anymore!

Victoria, Hardy, Ukee

O.k. so I've dropped the ball on the whole blog thing...but life is less exciting when I'm not trapezing around the ocean... Well actually I guess I still am, just in a less exotic and tropical setting. However something that I have realized is how lucky I am to have the chance to sail around the the coast of BC and specifically a chance to come to the west coast of the island every year. After spending time in these tiny, (and often times wet) west coast towns of Port Hardy and Uclulet and seeing all the tourists, foreign and local, coming here for their holidays... I learn to forgive the weather and enjoy the beauty for what it is. It's so easy to forget that what I spend my everyday doing and seeing is a holiday for the rest of the world.
We leave on our last summer trip on wednesday, its hard to believe that this summer season is already over, the fall goes by so fast...

Tahsis

O.k. So Tahsis. A beautiful little spot on the west coast of Vancouver Island. I stayed in a cabin in Daffodil Bay (and don't let the word cabin confuse you, it was really more like a house, but it was made of logs and not my house, so therefore I am going to call it a cabin) In any case, we caught some fish, dug some clams, picked some oysters, paddled some kayaks, and had a fantastic time. Pics are up in my web albums.

New Fun From Facebook

Or at least its fun when you are so beyond tired, but you drank too much coffee that day and can't sleep....Create a Cartoon Image of Yourself...or at least you can try. Here's mine:

The Prince Update...

Haha, just kidding, no I didn't find my prince charming... however I have had a couple weeks with Prince George just hanging with my family and my dog, etc.

It's been crazy adjusting back to life on land, really busy (I bought a house!)and really relaxing (thank you SALTS for the massage and pedicure!) and I have to say that after last offshore I was missing the boat and the life terribly, but this time I'm not as much and I think the difference is that I know that I will be going back and that those people (because that really what you are missing) will be around and in touch and thats an exciting prospect.
I realized when I came up here that all my close friends have now moved away (actually closer to Vic, if not in Vic) which is good, except when I come back here to visit. It did allow me however to spend some quality time with the fam: bbq's, going to the lake, camping, getting my wisdom tooth out (wait that wasn't so much fun!), walking the dog, movies, etc.

The weather was great, sort of, until it started pouring rain at the most unexpected moments. For example, when my sister and I had pitched the tent (with no tarp of course) and spent a beautiful afternoon laying in the camp chairs and swimming (yes, swimming in the northern lakes, it was that hot! and remember I'm used to the warm waters of the south pacific, and the somewhat cooler waters of Hawaii...)then just as we light the fire it starts pouring cats and dogs on us as we scramble around trying to get the tarp up and the wood out of the rain. No joke, we watched the rain come over the lake like a squall in the middle of the Pacific!; or the next night when all of a sudden we get these thundershowers and lightening...out of nowhere! (we were not camping anymore at this point)

Next up, back south for Cirque, Salmon, Storage Lockers, and Sailing... I'll keep you posted.

Where I've Been

• Create your own travel map or travel blog


• Visit TripAdvisor.com

All Hands

A little somethings I was having fun with on leg seven of this past offshore. I saw a spread in Irving Johnson's Book, Sailing to See call "All Hands" and wanted to try it out for myself. For those of you who would call themselves a land lubber we give a call of "all hands ...." to perform various tasks around the boat, most often "all hands on deck to raise sail"



Click on the slideshow to view my picassa albumns and see the pictures in larger format.

Home Sweet? Home

I have returned! We came home to an amazing amount of support on the dock and after a lovely ceremony and being lovingly mobbed for an hour or two I packed up all my things and am officially off the boat until the end of July. It was fantastic to see everyone's face once again and I look forward to spending time with every one! Love to you all, Sarah.

PT At Last

Wow, so excited to be in Port Townsend again. I have very nostalgic feelings toward this place since I first visited it last offshore and so enjoy its artsy, nautical, laid back lifestyle. The last passage was a fantastic one, even if it did have want for a little more wind, we ended the passage with a four or so days of great sailing and some of the calmest waters that I have ever experience offshore (save for PNG maybe...) Looking forward to a few slow days enjoying and soaking up the last of our time out here. Can't wait to see you all!

Made it, and leaving again...

Hi to everyone whose following my travels,
We made it to Hawaii finally, and I haven't had any time to write or update or upload pictures. It has been incredibly busy here, a lot of work to do, and three work days full of refinishing, painting, etc. We didn't quite finish it all up, so the days inbetween the legs were full of finishing up all the work that was left over. I had a fantastic time with my sisters and was so excited to be sailing with them for the first time all three of us were sailing together. Oh yes, we crossed the entire Pacific Ocean as well, almost ran of out of fuel/food, stopped at Midway (an off limits island) managed not to get shat upon by the 2 million albatross that live there and I performed in a sweet awesome band called Scupper 2 Scupper (more on this later, and yes to all you leg 3'rs of 03/04 who remember this sweet awesome band, I know I ripped you off and I know I infringed on your labels copyright.)
Off ot Kauai now maybe I'll get a chance at a computer there, but most likely not, see you all in a month in Victoria!

love Sarah.