Fishermans Wharf

Water taxis among the float homes...

Water taxis coming and going from Victoria's Fishermans Wharf...

Ogden Point

If you were to enter Victoria Harbour from the ocean, you would pass the Ogden Point beacon. It's located at the end of a long breakwater that is a favourite with local and tourists for walking. 

The colour of money

A lot of green went into this hobby...

Green is the colour of money. And I'm guessing a lot of green when into the care and upkeep of this smart looking car seen in the parking lot of our local airport.

That's some shine...

Bouquet of Memories

No, not a scene from Yellow Submarine...

Today's image is inspired by a towering sculpture at Victoria's International Airport. The artist is Illarion Gallant who has a number of impressive art installations throughout the region. 

The name of the piece is "Bouquet of Memories". Gallant invited students and staff of a neighbourhood school to write a paragraph of their favourite memory. The collection of memories is sealed in a capsule inside the seedpod of one of the colourful poppies in the sculpture.

Thunderbirds are Go!

Poised for take-off...

When I was a kid, one of my favourite TV shows was Thunderbirds, an action series that featured puppets marionettes instead of live actors. The coolest part of the show was the sleek air- and spacecraft that were the actual Thunderbirds.

Last summer, I watch Victoria's relatively new bridge as it was raised to allow a barge pass through from the upper to the lower harbour. In the upright position, the bridge resembled some high tech spacecraft about to launch. It would have looked right at home among the Thunderbirds.

Haunted

Every day she waves at me

That small girl that only I can see

I wish she would stay over there

I don't like her hungry stare

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This alley in Bastion Square is next to Victoria's now defunct Maritime Museum. The building once served as Victoria's old courthouse/jail, and is generally considered a centre of supernatural activity.

All quiet on the western front

Victoria's Empress Hotel lit up by the setting sun...

Recently my wife and I went out for dinner where we were treated to a glorious sunset illuminating the front of the iconic Empress Hotel.

Normally our summer waterfront would be bustling with tourists from around the world. 

Not in 2020... the year of COVID. 

Instead there's an unsettling quiet downtown. No buskers, no crowds of excited pedestrians, no pedicabs, no outdoor music or festivals, no harbour traffic... This lack of energy and vibrance that hangs over everything is eerie.

Will we still be here a year from now I wonder?

Not up to code

Sketchy sun shelter... (say it fast five times!)

I'm not sure I would trust the integrity of this death trap DIY structure of beach logs standing on an Oak Bay beach.

On a roll...

Kayakers getting wet during manoeuvres...

Although it looks like a couple of these kayakers are having problems, it's all in hand. This group were practicing their rolls which is a fundamental skill for kayaking.

Some were more successful than others...

The Island

But is it art, really?

Recently a public arts group, built this small artificial island, complete with its own tree, and anchored it off a nearby park. "Island" is really just a fancy term for dock.

They invited the public to come and "experience" their art, and locals were happy to oblige during these hot days of summer.

All of this seems innocent fun, except that they moored it in a controversial section of our Gorge Waterway. This particular section of water has become the site of derelict boats being used by the homeless, or those who simply want to live on the water without the responsibility of buying waterfront property.

The city has spent years trying to clear the boats out. The problem is that the water is owned by a different level of government. They had just started making headway with the problem, when this island came along to encourage others to simply put up any old floating bit of junk to live on, and justify it as "art".

The Watering Can

Wet and fun, oh yes!

On a summer day, a popular destination for kids (and their grateful parents!) is the giant watering can in Victoria's Beacon Hill Park.

Whether it's a shower, a spray or a spew of water, it's all good medicine for hot and hyperactive children coping with severely restricted summer activities during these days of COVID-19.

Duck soup

We live close to a small nearby lake known as Swan Lake. It was carved out via glacial action and is fed only by a few streams and rainwater.

All of which means the water is relatively stagnant. In the summer, algae blooms spread across much of the lake's surface creating a pea soup effect.

However, it doesn't seem to bother the numerous ducks, cormorants, gulls, turtles, frogs and small fish that call the lake home.

Lost Airmen of the Empire

 A tribute to the fallen...

On a wind swept rise adjacent to the Greater Victoria Airport, you'll come across this sombre piece of art. It's a tribute to the airmen who lost their lives in the great wars of the 20th century.

The artist is Illarion Gallant who has numerous high profile art pieces installed throughout the area. I like his art for the fact that it's accessible and unambiguous unlike say a banana duct- taped to a wall.

Secret squirrel

A local ninja squirrel makes off with the goods...

Recently we've been going through bird seed for our feeders at a goodly rate. We didn't give it much thought... simply continued to load up the feeder every few days.

Early one morning I looked up from my coffee to see this guy/gal doing squirrel gymnastics to get to the seed.

Mystery solved... we've taken to setting out a separate supply of sunflower seeds for the local squirrel population.

Not a ride at the fair...

Industrial carousel...

Although this looks like some sort of high-tech fair ride, that's only an effect of the wide-angle panorama setting on my phone.

This is a stacker-reclaimer... a big-ass piece of engineering designed to move coal between freighters and rail cars at nearby North Vancouver.

The sheer size of it captures the attention of everyone who drives, cycles or walks past its construction site at Victoria's Point Hope Shipyard where it has been under construction by Ralmax Group for the the past eighteen months.

No, not the seats for the ride...

The Moss Lady

Serenely sleeping in the shade...

You'll find the Moss Lady tucked away in the shade of Victoria's Beacon Hill Park.

Artist Dale Doebert was inspired by the Mud Maid in Cornwall’s Lost Gardens of Heligan. The 35-foot long sculpture is covered with a specially designed clay-based acidic soil so that she will eventually be cloaked in moss.

Them!

Beware of mandibles!

Them! is the cinema classic that started the whole 'giant mutant bugs' trend in the 1950s. It's the tale of giant ants that threaten a small New Mexico community.

While these ants aren't gigantic, they are very nearly as scary to me because they can deliver a pretty good bite. I discovered them outside my backyard shed. In the process of sweeping them away with my feet, a few managed to climb up to my arms.

I didn't give it much thought until I felt a startling pinch.

I had never encountered such aggressive ants before in BC in all my decades here. A helpful expert with the municipality identified them as formica ants.

From the website insectidentification.org:

This group of ants do not sting, but they can bite using strong mouth parts. They also spray formic acid from the tips of their abdomens at predators or perceived threats like human fingers. The formic acid can cause mild to severe irritation depending on the proximity of the target.

To boldly grow...

Sticking out like a sort thumb...

I really have to get out and walk around the neighbourhood more.

Following on from this post about strange local flora, I recently discovered this bizarre looking tree. Deep red-purple colour and mixed textures make it seem like something out of Star Trek to me.

No idea what it is...

23.5

The mysterious red door...

23-1/2 Fan Tan Alley in Victoria's Chinatown has been featured here before, but I've never caught a glimpse of what lies beyond the door until recently.

Nothing remarkable, just stairs leading up to ???

I've always been curious as to what the 1/2 means. Is 24 considered an unlucky number in Chinese? Did they somehow build an extra apartment between 23 and 24? Is it a portal to some alternate reality?

Norwegian Bliss

One big boat... one colossal cruise ship...

It was two years ago that I featured the cruise ship the Norwegian Bliss. At the time it was the largest cruise ship to ever pull into Victoria.

Cruise ships are unlikely to return to Victoria this year. Local and federal governments are not allowing cruise ships into Canada until at least October.

Not that it matters since cruise ships are likely not going to see the numbers of passengers that they need to stay operating for a long, long time.

In the meantime, the Norwegian Bliss is on the East Coast hoping to re-start operations to American ports in the fall.