The next level

Well, I've been slacking on the blogging, but you know, it gets busy sometimes! Naw, just lazy. Today's pic has a tote full of cockles and a couple beautiful scallops my friend Christine and I got on the beach yesterday. This made for a feast and 3 freezerbags full for future food. The meat on the scallops were definitely hockeypuck sized and had to be cut in half to cook properly. The cockles probably came out to 30lbs of meat!
Surf has been pretty mellow this week with only Monday being surfable with really nice waist high rollers. The period was really high so there was a considerable wait between swells, but still nice to paddle and get a few nice rides in.
Kudos to my swim club again who managed to win the developmental swim meet in Terrace over the weekend. The little troopers have really had a great time this year and personally, I feel really good with the work done so far. I hope that next year the team gets a really great coach to bring them to the next level.
As for my next level, I've managed to speak with a few schools about future endeavours as well as the EI office and a few government agencies. I was dead sure I was leaving the island until tonight... I got an invitation to join in on a potential multi-million dollar project outdoor adventure camp here on the island. We had an extensive meeting on the projects work thus far and low and behold we're off to see the site this weekend and do some brainstorming to see what could possibly come of it. The ED of the association is very passionate and educated (not to mention a wicked surf-kayaker) and I am very interested in seeing what the future has in hold for this organization. If nothing else a weekend down in Gwaii Hanaas National Park Reserve in a sea kayak should be amazing. I've only been to Moresby Island a couple of times, but the area we're visiting is no doubt amazing. Look for some amazing pics next week!

Top Ten Reasons

Top Ten Reasons you know you live in butt fuck nowhere in Northern BC...

10. You're friends give you their Cosco shopping list.

9. You look for a fire to put the paper into.

8. Work generally involves looking at someone elses work, and then of course, discussing it.

7. Two words - Indian Time

6. GOVERNMENT, Government... and another thing...

5. Skiing involves unreasonable altitude for the right high.

4. Stolen goods have a shelf life of 4 days, and then generally are resold to the original owner.

3. You kicked those Dawson Creek guys asses.

2. In doesn't really get cold, not that cold, really...

1. Want some fish

Two more swell days

Well the surf gods have been very supportive over the last 2 days with some beautifully shaped surf. Nothing huge, some good head high stuff at points, but mostly chest high with great shape to them. Looks like the weather that has been surrounding us all winter is back in full force. I'm beginning to really feel like a war-torn country with the wind and rain shaking everything up. Right now it's ripping at 70km outside my little shanty. Hoping the power stays on for the night.
Well, all for now. For those following the freaky deeky, creepy crawlies, this is another crab washed up in full form set next to a chiton. These seem to be blowing in quite regularly. Not really sure if you can eat these bad boys, but I'm guessing there is a market somewhere in eastern asia. I'll leave it for them. Howa.

Passing time

Nice pic of a mature bald eagle and 3 juvenilles passing time. This was again at the spit (I'm not going there anymore for dreadful fear of getting my truck stuck, or worse, lost in the tide. What a hairy ride out and back. The hammer was completely down and I understand the riders in "Dust to Glory" when they say if you let up for 1 second your buried. What a hair raising experience, but alas a good time! The spit was fairly mellow with only a small wave set and the northerly winds this time. Good agate searching, but no surfing. Been flat for nearly a week now and I'm getting antsy.
For those interested in the surf stuff, check out www.coastalbc.com and on the home page you'll see some of my home video of the surf in Halifax. I believe my mother makes a cameo voice appearance. This site also has some great photos, and the what not for both BC surfers and abroad.
Well, tommorrow better have surf or I'm going to start farting the bathtub to get some wave action. That might actually make the water smell better... ewww, we've got some water table problems right now that I hope clean up in the spring. Price to living out back of nowhere.
FYI, any friends of mine that are still on speaking terms with me can get together next weekend in Rupert or Terrace. Considering staying an extra day or two in Rupert as a possible 'vacation'. We'll soon see.
Also, planning a trip in March to Costa Rica or Mexico/Belize if anyone wants to join. Will be a 2-week+ vacation to points unknown and surfing is going to be the prime purpose. Not sure about the all inclusive or the shack on the beach, but I'm sure either will be fun for all. A possibility to drive down to mexico if I can get at least 2 more to share in the gas. Catch you on the flip side!

Frost - Bite!

Nice one!!! This doe steelhead trout was probably in the 20lb+ range! Released Jan 14/07

Another nice one released.


My buddy Jeff with a 36 inch Buck steelhead trout. Released Jan 14/07

Well, as you figured out, today was a fishing day. First one since the coho run back in November. And it paid off. Jeff and I got two fish each. And the river was incredibly busy, go figure for being miles from nowhere, down a dirtroad, miles from nowhere. As you may notice we released all of our fish which is the nice thing to do as per my new resolutions to release more than I keep, but to tell you the truth, we got these fish in the first half hour of fishing. We were allowed to keep 1/month, but said what the hell, looks like it's going to be a gong show fishing extravaganza today. We were High Fivin' and drinking beer at 10AM thinking the world was rotating around us. Then the 4 hours of nothing happened. Them's the breaks. I'm not upset, we really should be releasing all of these precious trout for future considerations, especially these monsters!! What beautiful fish! And the pictures really give the perspective of the good times on the bite in the snow. Never fished in the wintertime before, but with these beauties around, I just might do it again to get on the 'frost bite'.

Eating Rawight

Check out these veggies. The right way to see the world. Awesome vegggies from Barb & co. What a beautiful bounty. Local options are fruit and succulants, but feeling peppers is the way to go. CHO's are the way to gooo's, and B's ain't shit without the C's... Figure that one out!!

What a whirlwind with the cosmopolotin and the redneck lifestyle. A true admiration of the contraband. Live right and prosper. I think that was the lifestyle choice of the vulcan. Have fun. That seems to be the fun mantra. Bu'yall.

Have a nice drive - don't forget your chainsaw

Despite the entertaining photo, today was a blown-out surf day. Waves were in the 20 foot range, but completely unsurfable. So, went for a quick walk to the blowhole at tow hill and got to see the ocean make a mockery of these enormous boulders and logs that I thought would be there until I ceased to walk this earth. Amazing to see them rock and roll like the insignificant beings that mother nature makes them to be. Winds were 50 knot + out of the north west, which is a pretty cold wind and an unusually really, really strong wind. I'm hoping they'll bring some scallops up tomorrow am when I rise.
The ride out was eventful, and slightly stressful with trees fallen all over the road. I was once told by Paige (my dearest keeper of the bus), that on these days, drives are lovely to do, just remember your chainsaw, and she wasn't joking. I got to thinking half way in that we may get stuck out here. Ahh, we're ok, got's a lighter... yeah right. You couldn't start a forest fire here with a blowtorch and a gallon of gasoline.
So, tonight is mellow central, looks like the week of swell has come to an end. I'm guessing I get a couple days to nurse my back ( from a bad wipeout), and my nose. Don't quite understand the sinus problem, but it feels like an icecream headache about every 45 minutes and I sneeze like the devil himself is exiting my body. They say a sneeze activates the same neurons as an orgasm. Well, I think I'm about ready for bed... night.

Swell-o-rama

Coming in from the cold today. Surf and snow were in abundance today as they've been for the last 4 days. It seems to have steadily climbed in swell height over these last few days with today being a complete marathon to beat the break. Sangan was too gnarly for the novice, so we decided to book to a more sandy beach without the huge rip. Too bad really as yesterday it was breaking huge close to shore, barrelling at the point. Went to keyhole break and met a bunch of boys out in it after we did a quick session at Sangan, and all were in agreeance that the waves were 'incredible' to be in - if you could get there. Most of us made it for one ride and then got hammered back to shore and couldn't do it again. Them's the breaks. What a day though. The battle was intense with duck dive after duck dive all done in vain to get no more than 50 feet offshore. Amazing that it came up so fast today with a 4 foot swell at 8:00am and well over 10 foot at 3:00pm. These big tides seem to be really bringing this storm swell in. Anyhoo, going to try it again tomorrow and the day after that, and the day after that as long as mother nature blesses us with the stuff. For those interested, the pic is my way of keeping Jack Frost out of the house. Seems to work. And you know what... I've kept my dishes done! How are your resolutions coming along?

The tide is high

Another beautiful day of chest high rollers coming in on two nearly epic days with the wave shape. I get to really appreciate the Sangan break when the tide, swell and wind is right. Man it pulls up a perfect river break - both right and left handers. Man I wish I was good enough to really do these girls justice. Nonetheless, got to pump out some great rides for about 3 hours this morning with a few spectators from the beach. Amazing how quiet things are around with nobody around on such a nice day. I'm guessing most of the surfers are still on vacation. Tomorrow I'm hoping it'll be up for a few more hours and then scallop hunting for the falling tide. I'm guessing this great swell is going to bring up some more leviathans from the deep on this bright full moon. Stay tuned...

Underwater creepy, crawly, yummy things

Here's a fun picture of I'm thinking 8 different species of underwater creepy crawley yummy stuff. Two solid rock scallops beside the dungeness crab and a nuttal's cockle, butter clam and weathervane scallop with a piece of abalone in the middle with the blood star. Weather is up to it's usual rain and wind at night, but the days have been pretty mellow with little surf. Went out in waist high the other day at white creek totally getting used to the shortboards again. Beautiful rollers coming in, but just no real size. So, walking the beach on the cockle and scallop hunt has been fruitful with many, many, yesterday. Mmmm New Year! Nice to be back to the same ol' same ol'.