Last Sunday morning I ventured into town - mainly to check out
the direction of lighting as I had decided that evening would be the
best time for most shots.
"A quiet Sunday morning at Sidney
by the Sea"
However, down at the water front, there was a sight just asking to
be photographed. I took a chance even though the sun was almost in
my face. You can see the result above.
It was the annual "Gathering of gaffers"
at Sidney and that wonderful craft in the centre is the 65 ft wooden
topsail schooner Alcyone making a visit from Port Townsend,
Washington. She is a training and charter vessel and, for anyone
interested, there is a relevant web site for the craft.
The photograph was taken at low water - not that it
makes much difference here! The water is very deep and hardly leaves
the shore - apart from exposing a few rocks. I have actually seen
whales swimming in closer to shore than those boats!
Sidney is, of course, located on a peninsular at the
southern tip of Vancouver Island. This is just off the west coast of
Canada and close to the border with the USA.
At the tip of the peninsula, there are magnificent
views across the Gulf Islands between here and Vancouver. Mount
Baker is clearly visible even though it is actually located in the
USA.....
Distant
views of Mount Baker in the USA
The ferry passes between the islands before crossing
the Georgia Straits to a port just south of Vancouver on the
Canadian mainland. It is a one and half hour crossing and very
scenic
Of course, I have my own boat - a 'Drascombe Lugger' called
"The Bucky Lugger"......
"The Bucky Lugger"
The photo above was taken six years back but that is
not me giving orders to the dog, I am the one peering from under the
sail. It is, of course, a wooden craft... not a Tupperware one...
and it is very similar to the Second Whitstable Sea Scouts vessel
featured on the web site in the past.
Of course, while boats may not differ too much, cars
do and I have included some photos of my early vehicles after moving
to Canada. I was living in Toronto at the time.....
My very first was the 1938 Dodge pictured above. It
was old and I paid juts 40 dollars for it. I later sold it to
a young chap for 50 dollars. He covered the holes in the floor with
cardboard and drove it 3,000 plus miles from Toronto to California !
My pride and joy came later... in the form the 1954
Ford Victoria (hard top). This was a smart looking vehicle with two
tone, metallic green body and cream top (see below).
The engine was a large V8 with OHV, automatic.
Notice the tyres are white walls (not seen today) and look at that
large steering wheel. The front seat was the typical American "
bench seat" that stretched from side to side. The hood ornament
took the form of a plane.
A handy feature was the spot light - with the rear
view mirror mounted on it. This could be operated from inside
- useful when looking for a house number. The car also had a huge
trunk (boot). On one occasion before we married, Anne had to climb
into it to gain traction in a snow drift.
The Ford is pictured on a typical Ontario unmade
farm road called a 'line' - with a number rather than a name!
Of course, before coming to Canada, I had never
thought of owning a car. Until then, I did everything on
a bike! While taking a driving lesson here, I came to a point
where the surface of the road had been dug up. The instructor said
to me "Go over on to the pavement''. I was totally
bewildered. He actually meant the on-coming lane that was still in
tact... and NOT what I now call the 'sidewalk'!
John Harman
June 2004
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