Tag: Arctic
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A Coastal Rainforest Giant
The tree’s massive trunk is covered in thick gnarly brown bark… and stretches defiantly over 65 metres into a cloudless Vancouver Island morning. A broken top, a silent witness to the prosperity this ancient giant has afforded to surrounding conifers: a mix of maturing Red Cedar, Hemlock, and Sitka Spruce.
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The Marble Maria Monument
A search in Vancouver Island’s Nimpkish Valley for a stone and marble monument to Maria created by Italian pioneer Rufino Mancinelli. Know locally as the Marble Maria the shrine is a tale of romance and lost love. The stone memorial is about the size of a large woodshed, the work of Rufino (Manny) Mancinelli, an…
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The Magic of Trout, Nature’s Living Jewels
To many trout fishing is more than just a pastime; it is an art form, a meditative practice, and spiritual journey into the heart of nature. For centuries, anglers of all ages have felt the irresistible pull of trout waters, captivated by the beauty of these elusive fish, and drawn by the wonderful environments they…
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A Hike to Historic San Josef Bay
Welcoming our Netherlands friends, René and Hanny Gijsel to San Josef Bay promised to be an adventure especially during May, a time of natural flora renewal after long cold winter months… invigorating aromas, colourful vibrancy, and subtle forest sounds captures one’s auditory soul and visual imagination… San Josef Bay
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Ronning’s Garden, A Horticulture Wonder
It is easy to describe my serene feelings of peace and tranquillity while exploring North Vancouver Island’s rainforest hide-a-ways. Today’s adventure is no exception and takes us to Ronning’s Garden situated on the old Wagon Road to San Josef’s Bay on northern Vancouver Island. The gardens are an amazing haven for the soul, a collection…
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A Personal Paramedical Journey
At a colleague’s request I have attempted to put a few inspirational words together to those considering a paramedical career in British Columbia.
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The Fishing Lure
An ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once stated, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” This sage advice, written about 500 BC, underscores the value of fostering self-reliance over providing temporary solutions
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A Woodland Afternoon
The air carried a pleasing sweet earthy scent, a mix of fall leaves, fir cones, moss, fungi, and ripened berries; as we quietly walked on an old gravel road unremitting forces of nature would soon reclaim. Our goal: simply to enjoy the outdoors and forest life amidst the openness of shoulder-high young rejuvenating evergreens and…
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Morning Mist
The trail was a vibrant tapestry of fallen leaves, ferns, each step releasing an earthy aroma of October’s decomposing fish and foliage. Scavenger birds flitted above the river looking for salmon carcasses, their piercing calls counterpoint to the rhythmic sounds of the flowing waters.
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A Grizzly Bear Encounter
The sun was high and warming to the grizzly bear as he moved slowly down a narrow path.. He was heading towards a grassy estuary, a favourite summer feeding area for bears, deer, moose, ground squirrels…. But today, a primeval stirring was in the June air; an irresistible restlessness felt throughout the Wild kingdom, the…
