Our final workaway is at a stunning location on the sunshine coast, a ferry ride from Vancouver. We have this fantastic view across Porpoise Bay with a range of mountains on the far shore. It is staggeringly beautiful, especially on a summer day with bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds framing the mountains and reflecting in the water across the bay.

It has taken two days to get here from Mexico as our flight left Saturday evening and arrived 5 hours later in Vancouver, Canada. We gained another couple of hours which meant it was 8.30 pm when we arrived. As it was Canada day and Canada's 150th anniversary, all the accommodation was very expensive so our host arranged for his sister to collect us from the airport and give us a bed for the night. We really appreciated their hospitality and had a really comfy night. The next morning they took us to the bus station and left us with instructions for the final stage of our journey. A short bus ride took us to the Skytrain, then a transfer to another bus which took us to Horseshoe Bay to catch the 2.15 ferry to Langdale. More lovely scenery sailing between the islands then we docked at Langdale where we caught our last bus to Sechelt where our host John was waiting to meet us. A short car ride to Porpoise Bay and here we are staying in a house on the shore of the bay. Can't wait to explore tomorrow.

6/7/17

We have been so lucky with the weather, beautiful sunny days and blue skies with the temperature reaching about 24°. It is just perfect with a slight breeze, without the humidity of Mexico.

We have seen lots of wildlife, the area around the bay is lush with vegetation down to the shore of the bay. A path leads down to the shore and the stoney beach where the kayaks and rowing boats are moored. The kayaks were fun but hard work in a stiff off-shore breeze, so yesterday we took the rowing boat out and took a crab pot which we dropped in the bay with a float. Later to day, when the tide is higher, we will row out to see if any crabs have crawled in to eat our fish head bait.

Seaplanes take off from Sechelt, which is just a short distance along the coast, and fly past the house. Some are off to Vancouver and act as water taxis and some take tourists for a trip around the bay. We are hoping to fly in one next week.

This week we have been helping John and Penny, our hosts, by decorating and gardening amongst other things. Whilst Chris was gardening he has been visited by a deer and her two fawns which are very sweet. When we took the row boat out we saw her again walking along the beach with them both. One of the fawns was very interested in the Canadian Geese that congregate along the shore when a giant eagle swooped across and frightened him so he rang back to his mum! As we were rowing away from the crab pot a seal popped his head up to watch us. They are easy to spot as their heads are really black and shiney, so the light reflects off them. In the evenings and early morning the bay is extremely flat and calm so you can see a disturbance in the water straight away. Killer whales sometimes chase seals and dolphins into the bay, but we haven't seen any yet.

10/07/17

On Saturday, Penny and John lent us the car so that we could drive along the Sunshine Coast highway to Egmont and Skookumchuck Narrows where the tides meet to create whirlpools and standing waves. From Egmont it is an hour or so hike through lovely red cedar woods to reach the narrows. It was a hot sunny day, so it was nice and cool walking through the woods. At the end of the trail there are two viewing areas which overlook the narrows, so that you can look into the whirlpools or watch the boarders surf the wave. We didn't see any boarders or canoists, but the view across the narrows is quite spectacular with snow capped mountains bordering the water. The narrows are at the opposite end of the bay we are staying so all the water is forced in and out twice a day through this narrow channel which creates the salt water rapids. The viewing area is a small rock outcrop which is surrounded by rock pools full of beautifully coloured star fish and sea-urchins. It was a lovely place to sit and eat our picnic.

After walking back to the car we visited the small heritage centre which had lots of information about the early settlers and a collection of artefacts people had donated over the years and we spent a pleasant hour reading about the people who worked and lived in the area.

13/7/17

As you know, Chris likes anything to do with trains, planes and automobiles, so it won't be a surprise to you all that a trip in a sea plane was at the top of his 'to do' list. Off we went onTuesday afternoon to take a 30 minute trip in a Dehavilland Beaver seaplane, taking off from Sechelt and flying up the Bay to Skookumchuck Narrows and around the coast. It was very exciting, the take off very smooth and the view was amazing. We could see lighter patches of water that the pilot said were groups of jelly fish swimming together. Unfortunately still no whales! The saltwater rapids were even more impressive from the air, a standing wave twisting across the narrow channel.

We had headsets on so that we could talk to each other and hear the pilot tell us the names of the places we were flying over. The landing was just as smooth, no 'bump' that you get from the wheels touching the ground. Although we were lucky the bay was so flat and calm as it definately made it smoother. Chris was like a kid in a candy shop a big grin on his face the whole time! Quite an experience.
18/7/17
Yesterday was our last full day in Sechelt so our hosts kindly took us out for a farewell meal to Molly's at Gibson, famous for a TV show that ran for many years. We had lovely fish and chips followed by icecream. It has been a fantastic two weeks and we will be sad to leave though we have managed to complete quite a few projects over this time. I decorated the ensuite and Chris built a hatch and stairs with John down to the cellar, as well as gardening and moving boulders across the drive (no mean feat!). We leave this morning on the ferry for Vancouver train station and a journey to Toronto by train which takes 4 night and no Wi-Fi. We arrive in Toronto on Saturday.