Vancouver Island part 2

We are ready for our trip from Vancouver to Toronto on the train and so we have time to tell you more about our memories of Vancouver Island. I think that the first thing I want to say is that our previous blog did not do justice to this beautiful island. So two more photographs showing firstly the extraordinary but very common sight of logs on the beaches and secondly a typical view this time taken on the ferry as we returned to the mainland. The logs are either escapees from the massive log barges that float from the forests to the sawmills or they are mature trees that have fallen and been carried down rivers to the sea. Both have been washed or
in some cases thrown onto the beach and the rocks by the winter storms. The wood is weathered and apparently tumbled like pebbles on the beach. It seems mostly just to be left, the sea water making the timber unusable. Some is used by the locals to create dramatic sculptures at the entrance to homes or in gardens. Unfortunately it is too heavy for these travellers!!! I will hand over to Fogg now but I will return later to talk about the Orcas.
Hi. The flying Fogg here!! In Victoria I fullfilled a boyhood dream and we flew in a six seater sea plane. A wonderful experience taking off from the water and cruising over beautiful beaches and
islands whilst looking at the snow capped Olympic mountains in the distance. We wobbled and dipped our way around the tree covered hills north of the city before landing smoothly back in the harbour. This photo shows Phileas alighting daintily from the craft wiping the palms of her hands!!!!!!!!!!! We had amazing views as we were both right by the window and Fogg was sitting right behind the pilot. It was a beautiful day and as ever Phileas was up for more adventures on the water not being content with a relaxing afternoon we were soon back on a boat run by the 'Prince of Whales' company looking for Killer Whales. Phileas has told me to say how much I loved the trip. Actually she does not need to tell me. It was Awesome. We came across a 'super pod' seen only about two or three times a year and we spotted at least twenty. Some in small pods as this photo shows and some 'breaching' but too far away for photos. On a completely different subject I would also like to mention how interesting it has been to learn a little about the North American First Nations peoples and the parallels that can be drawn between them and the Aborigines of Australia a subject I will be following up on our return to England. A brief comment about Victoria. Named after our illustrious Queen it is the capital of British Columbia and in some ways tries to be more British than Britain. It was quite bizarre to see Route Master buses and English pubs lining the streets but it is a wonderful place alive with street performers and 'artists' and a super harbour which was somewhere between Padstow/Hornfleur and Sydney in character. We found an excellent restaurant with harbourside seats from which we could see the parliament building lit up with fairy lights!. (Why don't we do that in London!) I know that Phileas is now champing at the bit to have her say so I wish you all well, Fogg.
Victoria was lovely and I think that as it only had the legislature and not all the commercial buildings it was able to keep a small town feel.
I was a bit nervous about the flight but in fact it was absolutely no problem despite Fogg's comment. The take off and landing were so smooth (it was a very calm day) and we were able to get wonderful views down onto the water and over to the islands and mountains. As for the whales, well that was very special and for me a real privilege. These animals are enormous, the dorsal fin of a fully grown male reaching up to two metres in length. They also swim very fast which made filming difficult and I have a lot of footage of water! At one point a large male came right towards the boat but submerged just as I got him in the view finder. He was identified by his large floppy fin which gave him the name 'Ruffles'! He is a film star having been used as a 'wild extra' in Free Willy!! The small pods were made up of either a male with a couple of 'ladies' or two or three generations of females; all were following the salmon.
We leave Vancouver having only had a short time to explore. This is a very exciting city which needs a revisit, sometime. Until then more adventures to come with a three day train ride across the Rockies and the Prairies to Toronto.

With best wishes, Phileas.