Grouse Grind, Sailing and Victoria

Hey all,

I have done a number of things since my last blog so here we go. My last full day in Vancouver my friend Alyssa and I climbed Grouse mountain. The climb is called Grouse Grind. It was steep and made me realize how out of shape I am! I am going to start running again. Alyssa and I have decided to start doing alot more climbing so I have a goal to work towards. The climb must have taken around 1 hour - 1.5 hours but we didn't time it. It was straight up at points but the view was amazing at the end. I am excited about doing more climbing. The next day my friend Robin, his girlfriend Erika and I took off on our sailing adventure. We left after sunset on monday and went to Bowen Island not far from Vancouver. There was little wind and the swells were over 1 meter high. It was unpleasant going after awhile because that is the type of conditions that bring on sea sickness. But it was fun anyways and there was so much phosphorescence in the water - what that means is when you disterb the water it lights up and glows. We were trailing this long stick we had and it left a long strip of light behind the boat. We could also see little gimmers of fish swimming under the boat. We docked in Snug harbour that night and the next day we woak to see the mountains on the main land draped in clouds. The second day - tuesday 29th - we half sailed and half steamed across the Georgia Straight that separates Vancouver Island from the main land. It wasn't that windy but we had a lot of fun. Pat, Robin's friend joined us for the crossing and he brought his fiddle and played for us. Around 1 hour out of Nanaimo the storm that had been on the horizon all day switched the wind in a totally different direction and picked up a lot of speed. It was the fasted sailing of the whole trip. But was as if it was timed perfectly because we hardly got wet because we just snaked along the storms edge, using the wind but out of the rain and the worst of it. We dropped Pat off and stayed in Nanamio that night. The next day we sailed out of Nanaimo and headed to Silva Bay on Gabriola island. We ended up having to steam at the end because the wind died, but it was worth it because Gabriola island was my favorite place I have been yet! It was soooo cool. Just a spread out hippy island where everyone is in to boats. There is also a boat building school at silva bay that is really the center of this community of boat builders, and my friend Tim went to that school so Robin knew one of the boat builders - Richard - and we hung out with him a bunch and went to his house. Crazy guy, but nice and his work is really cool. The island is just so laid back and everyone says hi to each other and knows each other. It is also so beautiful and natural - there are black berries everywhere. The only problem is that big money has started coming there and it has made it much more expensive in the last ten years, forcing some of the hippies out. The next day we just hung out on Gabriola and picked berries and read and just relaxed. Friday I got up early and watched the sun rise and they hitch hiked to the Gabriola ferry terrminal ( you have to hitch hike on the island because there are no buses or anything, everyone does it). Then I took the ferry to Nanaimo and caught a bus to Victoria and headed to my place. . . which leads us to my next adventure. The apartment sucked. It is just run down with dirty carpet and kind of smells bad and broken. Anyway so this lead me and my new room mate Julie to look for a new apartment. Julie is great, she is fun and easy going and likes going on road trips etc. We had a stressfull afternoon and morning this morning but we have been able to find an apartment and we are going to be moving in either sept 15 or oct 1 depending on what we can work with the first landlord who has seemed suprisingly understanding about our decision so far. The new apartment is more expensive but it is super cute it is one half of a house in the area of town called fernwood a very quaint neighbourhood where everyone knows each other. The house has good sized living room, kitchen, bathroom and bed room on the first floor as well as a big laundry closet. And there is a loft bedroom over the living room but it is tucked under the roof of the bedroom so it is not really open to the living room giving it more privacy. I will take pictures after we move in and set up a bit. Well that about brings us up to the present. Please write I miss you all!