Moderate Breeze

Woke up to SUNSHINE – well really a mix of sun a clouds but it was dry after a few quite wet and also cold days last week. There was wind in the forecast as well and since our lake is busy with a rowing regatta today, Jeff and I packed up the surfskis and kites and headed back to Spanish Banks. This is already the 4th time this year we have been down there. That’s probably just as many times as in the last 5 years combined. Way back we used to go there a lot. When we started with sea kayaking in 1998 we always paddled out of there. Mind you we also lived much closer to it back then. I think we went less and less after we started with flat water paddling on Burnaby Lake in 2003.  That’s when paddling change from fun in the waves to no waves allowed as I got into tippier boats…. And today was a windy day. The kite-surfers were out in full force seen as fast-moving colourfull dots on the ocean. Since we haven’t been in big waves Jeff and I decided to do the safe thing and paddled east into False Creek rather than out west into the wind. We had some fun riding waves all the way and a relaxed paddle around the Creek out of the wind. By the time we came back out of False Creek the wind had picked up even more – a moderate 15knots is my guess. It was hard work paddling all the way back up to Spanish Banks against the wind and in 3-4ft waves (sorry no pictures to proof it;  can’t take my hand off the paddle in stuff like that). The average speed going out was over 10km/h not even trying hard, the average coming back about 7km/h and working. A great ~15km paddle.

Leaving Spanish Banks

Entering False Creek – Burrard Bridge

Paddling the Creek

And back out again under Granville Bridge

Back at the beach it was time to get the kites out – we had been looking online at all those tricks people can do with them. Time for us to try. Well, it for sure is much more difficult than it looks. The wind also seemed to die down now that we wanted it and became variable in strength as well as direction. But we got a good hour of fun in the sunshine at the beach. What else could we wish for :-).

Kite-surfers out in full force

Time to fly the kites

Back home – squirrels always steel the bird fod at our neighbours

Travel Theme: Benches

This was last weeks already. I thought, benches? That’s something for people who travel cities so it’s not me. But when I looked through my pictures for the “Contrast” theme, I realized there are quite a few of benches in my collection – maybe not the kind one would expect…. There are much prettier pictures in Ailsa post and the comment section mind you http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/04/12/travel-theme-benches/

Apparently THE picture to take when in Nelson, BC

Feeling young – visiting the “Tierpark” in Waldsolms, Germany

Most of my bench pictures are like this – Campsite on the Big Island of Hawaii

Resting on a bear – Hallo Bay, Alaska