Canada Day 2007 - Juan de Fuca Trail

Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on the west coast of Vancouver Island, we hike 20km from Sombrio Beach (Jordan River) to Botanical Beach (Port Renfrew).

First we had to catch the ferry to Victoria on a Friday night of a long weekend. Here we are looking East through Active Passage, a narrow pass between 2 Gulf Islands where the ferries usually pass. You can see the ferry above the navigation light on the left under the clouds building up over Vancouver.

Sunset looking West over Vancouver Island.

Sombrio Beach at the start of our trail, this is where we will spend our last night.

At the start of Day 1, 13kms to go.

We only got one photo of the mud and this shot does not give it justice. The distance obviously did not take into account of climbing up and down muddy ravines which made it harder than we imagined. At one point one of our group was up to her waist in mud. It took us 7hrs to hike 13kms......a long 13kms!

Nearing the end of day one. Most of the trail we followed the coast through muddy rainforest with with glimpses of the coast. Behind you can the Juan de Fuca straight and Islands.

Nikkers and Stef near the end of Day 1, 2 very tired hikers at this point.

The start of Day 2, a massive tree on the trail.

Lunch on Day 2.

After the severe storms last Fall we saw many trees blown over. Here Jessie and I check out the root ball of this one, the biggest of the most recent that have fallen. Notice the boards that we are standing on, these continued until the end. Day 2 and the remaining 7kms we a breeze after the previous day of hell through 13kms of mud. This hike is the closest thing to the Kokoda Track that I will experience.

Nikkers and I taking a break.

Made it! Here at Botanical Beach Nikkers and I check out a the rock pools and marine life that gave this beach its name. Hundreds of pools can be explored at low tide and it was great to finish the hike and wash the mud from our boots.

These little green creatures were everywhere in these pools and Nikkers was fascinated by them, some of them the diameter of your hand.

One of the bigger green thingies in a pool by the ocean.

Camp on Day 2 back at Sombrio Beach and Canada Day. As we were having breakfast in the morning we spotted a pod of about 15 Orca cruising by about 200m of shore. My first sighting a Killer Whale.

After hiking 20kms, setting up camp, dinner, dishes and a few drinks for Canada Day we tackled some charades which turned out to be quite funny!

A cool photo of us by the fire with Brad on guitar, we amused our selves by singing limericks about Juan de Fuca and why the hell he would make a hike in all that mud.

My lateset thing....

Climbing! I did not think i would like it as much i have. Though when you are outside, exercising, in remote locations laying around in the sun, what is not to like? Its largely mental but also physical but you do have to be fit. The best thing is that there is no referees.

Being built for rugby is of no real advantage when you are hanging on by your finger tips.

But first you need to set up an anchor, leaning the ropes as they say from Gibbons.

Thanks for the shoes!

Poor Beth having a real struggle belaying me as i take a rest. The taught rope behind Beth is the anchor to keep her on the ground if i fall.

Ahh that's better!

Joe & Olga`s 60th Wedding Anniversary

With Joe and Olga in Niagara for their 60th anniversary in April. Joe is one of very few Canadian WW2 vets left and for this gets flown around the country and the world at her Majesty`s request. I had a great time over a few beers listening to his amazing war stories.

Joe and Nikkers. Regardless of the family i some how always end up behind the bar.

Peas in a pod!

Donna, Jessica, Olga and Nikkers, four generations of Pasquino`s.

All the cousins of the Pasquino family. There is a dozen or so and only two boys.

Afterwards we went to the falls for a look with out the ice. You can see how close the edge is. The water is quite shallow here only a few feet but rushing very fast. The falls start here and horseshoe to the right and finish just before the rainbow in the middle of the photo. To the left you can see the American falls in New York State, quite dismal by comparison which must really piss the yanks off!

Nikkers and I by the falls.

No water restrictions here!

Bad lighting but a cool photo.

December 2006
Nikkers and her lil buddy Blake!!

Nov 26, 2006 - Snow in Vancouver!!

Snow in Van and lots of it!! Its almost all gone now but it was

fun while it lasted!! These pics were all taken right outside

our apartment...the snow caused lots of havoc on Vancouver roads and it was

more than the one snow plow in town could handle!

Dec 2, 2006 - Nikkers 2nd Annual Martini Birthday!!

Stiffy & Alex enjoying a Martini!

Nikkers & Rohan posing for a photo!!

Mixing up some Martini's - YUMMY!!

Stiffy, Barbie & Rohan - chowing down on some late night tight!!

Nicole, Karen, Kathy and Baz chilling on the couch!!

Nov 22, 2006 - HAPPY GRADUATION TO ME!!

Finally a nurse!! All that hardwork and support from family

and friends and it definitley has paid off!!

Julia and I enjoying our first beer as graduate nurses!! I happened to be in the bar a little too long and missed recieving my award..oops!!

I can see clearly now the rain has gone!

Looking North from the Burrard St bridge at Grouse Mountain. Recent storms have bought a lot of wind and rain to Vancouver which means snow at higher levels.

A break in the storm!

Late in the day we see the sun peak through for a rare moment. We have had many storms of late whipped up in the North Pacific and pound the BC Coast and Vancouver with more that 100km hour winds and over 4 inchs of rain on 4 seperate days in 10.

Oct 28, 2006 - Halloween!

With no plans to go out - Some impromptu costumes were thrown together and next thing you know ladybugs, nursing students and tacky tourists were unleashed!!

The lady bug and the tacky tourist out on the town!!

Ahh a little snuggle!!

Looking tough Michelle...what's Aaron doing with that nipple??

A plethora of costumes

Apples - are you dressed up?

Craig and Steph

Steph and I at the Beagle

3 hours drive from home!

"On a hippie trail thats full of Zombies". Not really, but the Anniversary Glacier is in between the two peaks that you see in front.

Mt Matier on the left and Mt Joffre on the right with the glacier in between. Our camp spot is on top the hump down from Matier`s right shoulder.

Looking at the North face of Joffre in what appears to be a forrested clearing. It is actually a clearing created by a 1/100 year avalanche. If you look closely you can see the tops of the young trees on an angle away from the mountain.

After 5 hours we reach the moraines where we look South up the glacier. Matier on the left and Joffre just out off view on the right. The rocks on the Col (a sholder between two mountains) at the top centre, is where we hiked and turned arround.

Comming down.

Craig and the thousand mile mountain stare with Mt Joffre in the background. No trees and the talus slope indicates thats we are near camp and at the end of our 6 hour approach.

Home Sweet Home! for the next 3 days anyway. Nikkers is out of the wind in the kitchen making some soup. The temperature drops quickly when the sun is gone and with the camp set up we have nothing to do but admire the view.

Nikkers early on the 2nd morning enjoying the only blue sky we saw that day. The clouds fill the valley below which gave us terrible, wet and cold conditions all day.

Laurie the first on the left, has pretended to fall into a crevasse. Paul is standing watching Craig build and anchor to take Laurie`s weight. Rohan, Kathy and Nicole G with Nikkers bracing to hold Laurie.

Nikkers on belay!

Trudging up the glacier which is hard with 7 different people. From Craig you see Rohan, Nikkers, Nicole G, Kathy, Laurie and Paul to ensure we dont fall......

......into one of these!

We made it to the top arround 5pm. Enough time for a drink, a snack and one quick photo be fore we head back down getting into camp on dark to finish off a bottle of Scotch. It really does warm the cockles.

Cerise Creek looking South towards Mt Joffre.