Porta Bote on Buntzen Lake, BC , St. Patrick’s Day

I had the perfect Kevlar canoe from Western Canoe and Kayak on Salton Road Abbotsford BC. The problem became storage. It simply took up too much room in my storage locker.

As well, last year when I was carrying it on my shoulders a young kid offered to help me. My first thought was, ‘do you know I white water canoed all my childhood and youth. Do you know I did the mighty Winnipeg River. Do you know Ive portaged miles from lake to lake in Northern Manitoba and Northern Ontario?” What I did say though  was “thank you, thank you.”  Profusely. 

 I was staggering down  a hill through trees and and bushes over uneven ground and rocks and boulders thinking I’d been a couple of years younger since I’d last done this.  Somehow the canoe had become heavier. It was probably one of the largest ones WC &K had. I’d envisioned bringing moose I’d shot out of woods with it. I did catch  one fish with it  and shot one duck with it’s help.   It did provide evenings and days of enjoyable lake canoeing, never saw white water or streams and lived a good life.  We’re it not for the storage issue I’d have never parted from it.

I also have to admit, I’m getting older. I ‘m lightening up and  scaling down.  I have an inflatable on my sailboat and an inflatable kayak I’ve used maybe once.  I sent my AB hard bottomed with 20 hp honda down to Hay Bay for the nephews to use. The sailboat GIRI is on land waiting another expedition. .  I have a 2.5 hp Honda engine and an electric.   I was looking through the internet for storage  solutions and discovered the  Porta Bote.  

A folding boat. Really.  What a novel idea!

Next one appeared synchronistically on the side of RV near by.  It was taunting me.   Another great idea. Lock it to the side of the RV for storage . I’d only thought it would fit flat in the storage locker. Now I liked that it could be mounted on the RV ready for use.   It looks just like a surf board and not  much wider.  A few inches altogether. There’s a 10 foot and and 8 foot and one bigger. 

It was at the BC Sportsman Show. Maple Marine Services of Langley, 20693 Langley Bypass, a few blocks from the centre of town, is the distributor.  They had a booth at the BC Sportsman Show at Abbotsford Tradex. I’d spoken to them at the Vancouver Boat Show but they hadn’t brought one there. I wanted to see and lift one.  I was afraid they’d be too heavy but they’re manageable. They also come with wheels which is how I had transported my ocean going folding kayak.  I just have to order the wheels. The paddles and seats came with it.  

At Maple Marine, the staff were great.  “If you’re using it mostly for yourself and the dog and maybe one other , then the 8 foot is fine. But if you’re using it with another person and the dog or maybe even want to ferry three people, then the 10 foot is the way to go. It’s also our most popular size”. 

I got the 10 foot one. The Maple Marine staff  loaded it on my Mini Cooper S.  The greens matched colour.  Very fashionable. 

I  texted my friend Kevin about all the good deals on aluminum fishing boats they had at Maple Marine. His wife Anna and the kids are great fisher folk.  A good place to buy gear, small enough to be personal but big enough to have lots of great stock.

Eric, from Star Fleet RV, mounted the brackets for the Porta Bote through my RV side ensuring it wouldn’t be going anywhere soon. Eric does amazing work.

Laura was indispensable.  I’ve been “aware” of my back this last couple of months, usually a psychic

indication that government is somehow stabbing me in the back. Probably the consequence of carbon taxes or sociopaths bearing false witness.  Laura isn’t judgemental having injured her back once.  She kindly helped me carry the Porta Bote to my truck. I can lift alone  but we had to  maneuver around picnic tables and bushes and it was  just so much easier to ask for helped.   Also a woman looks darn sexy carrying the front end of any boat.    I will get the wheels for future now that I know how easily it will assemble beside the truck and can be wheeled to the water from anywhere near then.

At Buntzen Lake I unloaded the boat  and  Laura and I carried it to the water’s edge.  Laura read the excellent instructions showing me the pictures as I put it together. I’d seen an excellent video which showed it could be put together in 15 minutes. It took me a little over 30 minutes. It’s going to be faster now that I know what to expect.  

I pushed it into the lake for the inaugural immersion. I’d forgotten the champagne bottle to break across the bow.   I used a cut up water bottle as a bailer though. . I didn’t need to use it .  The boat remained dry as a bone. No leaks.  Smooth rowing. Moves like a skiff. Lots of maneuverability. Really comfortable. 

Laura is not by nature intrepid these days. .  She has all manner of laurels for just  hanging out with me.    She did motorcycle as a kid but traded her motorcycle in for a washing machine when she had her first child. Gilbert’s blind and he’d rather stay with her than  adventure with me.  He acts like he’s protecting her.   I convinced them both to join me though. A kindly gentleman who like several others had admired the boat now came to  hold the bow  at the dock so the dog could jump down on the seat and Laura could step down after. 

 “I don’t want to go out any further. Just around here.”

“Alright, I’ll just row us about close to shore.” 

Gilbert was delighted with the boat. He’s had to deal with squishy inflatables and tippy canoes so this stable sturdy little boat  was all a dog could want. He preferred my big sailboat but has been in every boat with me since he was a puppy 8 years ago. Now he’s a blind dog and I could tell he really liked this boat.   I rowed and Laura relaxed.  Gilbert was in dog heaven.

I began singing “Michael row the boat ashore” and Laura laughed. 

After a while I brought us ashore.  Boats must be off Buntzen Lake by 630 pm.   The park closes at 7 pm.  The Porta Bote  is just skookum.

It was really easy to take apart, 10 minutes max,  to fold it down. Laura helped me carry it back to the truck.  The three seats that give it it’s sturdiness  stowed easily in the back seat of the Ford F-350
Lariat.    

Driving out of the park we picked up an ice cream bar.   Both of us agreed, what  fun the afternoon
had been.

The next outing I’ll take the electric motor.  Buntzen Lake only allows electric. I charged my marine battery and tested the electric motor that night and amazingly the thing still runs.   I’m excited now to get out on the lake with a motor and the dog. I may even catch some trout trolling or casting.

I like too that the British Everest Expeditionary group carried the Porta Bote up Everest to cross a lake high up that famous mountain to shorten the distance of their overall climb. Not that I plan to climb Everest.  It’s just  nice to know I’m geared up for it:)

Tom and the Fast Dinghy

The hard bottomed inflatable with centre console and 30 hp Honda four stroke outboard accompanied us on our moose hunt last year. After the hunt it was stored at Tom’s for the winter with our intention of goose hunting.  Goose hunting season passed and now we’re into bear hunting season.  Tom and I don’t think we’re likely to use the boat for bear hunting.  It followed then that I should drive my truck out and bring it back to serve my sailboat.
On the way from Vancouver to Chilliwack I stopped at the Hub to get my hunting license renewed. I’ve already renewed my tidal and non tidal fishing license.  When I got to the country Tom figured with the boat out we should clean it.  So we set too pressure washing it. Tom had put a fin on the motor for better function and even tried sanding the bottom.
“What it needs is a coat of bottom paint to keep the barnacles off. I’ll remember to do that when I’m painting the big boat’s bottom next year.”  I said
Panda, Tom’s female  dog friend joined us. Gilbert had a marvellous dog time.
“We should take the dogs for a walk along the river.”
And so we did.  Lovely spring weather. Roaring rapids.  Blue sky with cumulus clouds.  New flower buds.  Green leaves fresh from winter hiding. Snow still on the mountain tops. Air fragrant with spring.
“My neighbours thoroughly off the grid, solar panels, heated basement water.” "
“Very smart."
“”It might be necessary."
“Self sufficiency isn’t something to be frowned at."
“The problem is the city folk."
“It certainly is.”
“Most are utterly incompetent and all they know is how to criticize.  They really are terrified.  A rat race of anxious and the other half zombies."
“Our parents generation were like most of the folk who are in the country, can raise their own food, know animal husbandry, construction, hunting, fishing,  all the survival skills.
"I know. I’ve developed a fair assortment myself. Just hope I don’t have to use them."
“Might have to if the city folk don’t lose their stupid. They’re so wasteful and destructive.
Yes they are. Talk pretty though.  Everything fashion and not a word of substance."
Always has been.
The dogs were wading in the river.  We slowly made our way back to the boat.
I missed backing up to attach the trailer and dropped a wheel in to Tom’s culvert.
“Stop!” he screamed.  I got out of the truck and looked at the brick culvert that had risen to interfere with my wheel.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was there."
“Put it in 4x4.” Tom said.
“I did and it still didn’t come out.”
“let me try.'
So Tom got in and with me pushing we made absolutely no headway.
“My winch, “ I said. “I knew there was something I was forgetting.
So with not much adieu I pulled out the cable and Tom tied it about a tree.  With him driving and me operating the electric winch the truck came free of the culvert.
“That just paid for the winch he said.  And now I know my culvert will withstand a tsunami.
It certainly will.  Tom had built a brick end to the large pipe he had running under his driveway.
“It used to flood until I put that it. The neighbour had a large pipe he wanted to get rid of. I found the bricks by the side of the road."
Well, now we can get back to hauling the trailer.
And so we did.
However we couldn’t find some parts so jury rigged connection with a set of clamps and hoped that it would hold knowing the chains would stop it from getting away if the trailer jumped off it’s ball.
The ride back to town was interrupted by a need for diesel fuel, a toilet stop and more coffee.  The coffee Tom had made earlier was raw in comparison.
It was night when we got to the boat launch.  Naturally we seem to do these difficult things in the dark.  Our first conundrum was backing the trailer down without hitting a couple of police cars which appeared but showed no interest in us so we tried to act naturally.  We had no idea what time the boat launch closed and Tom had only jury rigged a green and red light which came and on when jiggled.
He was afraid to get wet. I was in the back of the dinghy with the engine down trying to start all the while nervous in the police presence.  I really hoped they got their man so they didn’t investigate us with any interest since we weren’t sure the boat would float or the engine would work.  With a last push I got the boat free and the engine started only to have it stop minutes later after Tom rand the truck up and away with Gilbert certain he’d never see his Dad again.
All I had to do was drive a few miles from Indian Arm under the rail way bridge to Coal Harbour against full current, uncertain of the quality of gas in the engine, having figured the stall to be because the tank vent wasn’t working.  The rapids were exciting.  It was dark and I was keeping a lookout for wood and tankers and hoping the boat wouldn’t stop in the whirlpool around me. I’d only seen in the flicker of the white light I held in my hand pointing back as the required ‘stern light’.  I had on my life jacket but was mildly aware that hypothermia would get be with fair certainly if anything happened.  Regardly thanks to Tom’s fin I was driving full open throttle like a bat out of hell rwith the rush and terror growing on me to that point where exhilaration sets in.  This happened when I was just about under the bridge and saw the glimmer of a hope that I might survive this silly expedition.
Out of the rapids and up the creek I found my sailboat with an ecstatic little dog barking and jumping about showing me clearly his lack of earlier faith in my reappearance.
“Well done, “ said Tom.  “I realized you were going again the rush and the rapids would be rather fierce.  Did my fin help."
“it did indeed and thank you."
With that we headed out to our favourite lamb restaurant on Lonsdale Quay remembering to bring a box of leftover back for Gilbert.

Civilian Seal Visit and Decapitated Groundhog

I enjoyed waking on the boat this morning. Looking out my window I first had a troop of Canadian geese go by. That was followed by a dashing flock of young grey sea gulls competing for the mouldy bread I’d found in the freezer and threw out to them. The sea gull ruckus then attracted  a couple of young seals.  What a great visitation for the morning.
The temperature in Vancouver is steadily warming up.  There are crocuses showing all over the city.  I found myself already thinking of the Mount Vernon spring Tulip festival. We’ve been to Harrison Hot Springs and probably will be back sometime in March. That always seems to heal the ravages winter does to the aging bodies.  But the Mount Vernon Tulip Festival just blows the mind. The bright colours wake up the year.  
Laura’s sister has texted her asking if she’ll open her Maine Island Art Studio  April 19th. That's the first day of the Gulf Island Bird Festival.  Caroline annually puts down her paintbrush and picks up her running shoes to come to  the Vancouver Sun Run.  My Winnipeg friend Wes is right now doing his annual pilgrimage to the Mexican beaches. My Vancouver friend Richard has just returned from Puerta Vallata. Richard’s return  really must mean the worst of the Vancouver winter is over here.  Doug’s still fishing off the Mexican coast but Doug’s migrations are as much influenced  by fish movement as weather change.  He’s posting tuna catches on Facebook to the envy of all. Yet Bill just caught a monster trout here and put the picture of that 13 lb beauty up on Facebook.   That means more snowbirds will start their migration north.  I doubt Johnny off in Thailand will be affected by these local movements. He’s more affected by the elephants playing in the ocean off his beaches.  He was putting up pictures of that last month when insane Canadians were participating in the annual polar bear swims.  
I know there’s a ground hog out there somewhere doing computer projections of Climate Change.  I saw on Facebook that an eastern wolf ate it when it gave depressing news before their latest blizzards hit.   I’ve grown suspicious of the United Nations Climate Change predictors because their political hot air about Palestine and Israel seems to throw off all their instruments.  For all I know Islamic Nation beheaded the ground hog.
Personally I rely on evidence of Facebook friends. Laura posted the  pictures of crocuses.   In my office the wave of suicidal complaints that begin in November is cresting now that we’re at the end of January.  My accountant friends are becoming frenzied in the rush to meet the annual taxation jihad by our government.  Gilbert’s hair was so matted with winter growth that I’ve had him shorn last night so he’s half the dog he used to be.
Around me on the dock one or two other skippers are getting their boats ready for spring sailing.  There’s notices out of the spring Motorcycle Runs. It’s hard to believe that February begins tomorrow and the book launch for my book, Psychiatry and Addiction, Personal Perspectives is just a month off, March 1st, Sunday, at the Alano Club 6 to 9 pm.  When Bernice was helping me get that project completed it was fall and a spring launch seemed an eternity away.  Where did Christmas and New Years go
I spent the first couple of weeks of January in Turkey so the build of work that I returned to has had me run off my feet. Time just seems to fly with age. Looking in the mirror I ask who’s the guy with the white santa claus beard.  But I remember December when the ice was on the boat and water pipes on the dock were frozen I wondered if the winter would ever end.  Now I feel sorry for my friends out east.  This week I had the top down on my Miata sports car and lots of motorcycles were back on the streets of Vancouver.  In the rest of Canada people are envying their neighbours who traded their cars in for snow plows. Soon the ice from sleet and frozen rain  will have families  wondering how much their cars will get for a trade in on a Zamborni machine.
I’m so thankful in Vancouver that spring comes a couple of months before the rest of Canada. There has to be some advantages to living in a city where the average house price is a million dollars for a hundred square feet, you can’t park your car anywhere for the bike lanes, and free empty syringes of drug addicts litter the streets.  Thankfully the spring rains will wash the roaches away.
Of course, when I skied at Whistler each weekend I never noticed how sullen Vancouver was in winter.  I might well talk about that as yesterday but it’s been a decade now since I skied at Whistler.  Somethings just seemed silly as I got sober with age. One of them was putting boards on my feet and flying down hill only to wait in lines and do it all over again.  I remember I loved that for decades but today what I miss most is the cross country skiing I fell in love with years ago in Winnipeg.  I last did that a few years back only because there’s no ‘dog friendly’ ski trails hereabout.  So much of my activity depends on  dog friendliness.  Gilbert and I would rather walk on the sea wall than go up the glorious Grouse Mountain where he’d face all the existing predjudice dogs encounter here in this city that prides itself on tolerance.
It really is paradise here.  Every day above ground is a good day.  I must focus more on gratitude because I’ve become a little snarky with winter hibernation.  Fears,resentments and self centeredness are really such an easy ‘default mode’.  As my Christian psychiatrist friend  is fond of saying, the world doesn’t have much need for any more bitter old people.  
Just as spring is coming again this year after winter seemed like it might not end, so each day is a new day.  I loved most the cartoon posted this week on Facebook with twins in the womb arguing about life after delivery.  One insisted there was no life after delivery and everything would be just darkness while the other had hope that there’d be more light and they’d meet their Mother.  That was awesome.
I think in Vancouver the seals know more than the ground hogs.

Vancouver Boat Show, 2015

The Vancouver Boat Show 2015  at BC Place was as enjoyable an outing as ever. So much to see. I love the extraordinary boats on show.  Great new advances in water transportation.  Great event with Ferrari’s and Maseratis cars being sold with Executive ships for the Vancouver wealthy.  As well, something for everyone.  I loved the kayaks and canoes.
I personally covetted the Sea Doos.  I have an offshore sailboat, dinghy, kayaks, canoe and 20hp runabout Profile so it’s not like I ‘need’ any more boats. It’s just that I don’t have a Sea Doo and they’re getting better every year.  This year little sparks ran for $7000 but the best was a $17000 executive ‘commuter’ that went from 0 to 70 mph in seconds.  The fun seadoos get everyone wet but the commuter (really a motorcycle for the water) is protected so one can stay dry.  Obviously I need one.  The only thing is I have no where to store it.  They have trailers but I’d need another storage locker.   The guys from Ladysmith were the most informative. They also have the Can AM Spyder which Laura really liked.
Steveston’s Marine had a great selection of safety gear, fashion and everything a boat needs, everything. I shopped at Steveston for 20 years spending a fortune but loving all the high quality equipment.  I love the Mustang survival wear and Laura loved the Sperry boat shoes.
I remember my first boat show, more than 20 years ago.  Then I had an endless wish list.  Today I was very thankful because frankly I didn’t see anything I really ‘needed’ .  While I might like a million dollar boat I’m very thankful for my boat and the little ones I have. I’m so very thankful. My sailboat has crossed the Pacific twice and could today go round the world.  I did see a new set of unbreakable plates and bowls that I liked   The guys at ICOM told me something about the radios I have which I didn’t know. There was all sorts of expertise there.  But generally it was just a great outing.  A fantasy excursion.  If I had a few hundred thousand I’d definitely get one of the cabin cruisers. For hunting I’d love the amphibian aluminum boat that allows you to run an ATV ashore off the deck.  Maybe if we had one of those we’d have got a moose last fall.
Thee were a whole selection of affordable little fishing boats with motors of all sizes. Volvo Penta had a smaller and larger model of my recent new inboard diesel motor purchase so I just ogled that for a while. They look so pretty on display.  In my sailboat I sometimes just touch my new Volvo Penta 40hp engine and feel good with the world.  Having a new motor is spiritual.  I really am so grateful for the equipment that keeps me alive and allows me to so enjoy the BC Outdoors, not to mentions the world’s oceans.

False Creek, Vancouver

Gilbert, the cockapoo first mate and I actually got off the SV GIRI anchored off Kitsilano Beach. The surprise burst of sunshine and wind blowing away some of the cloud had me figuring this was a good time to go ashore.  With the Honda 20 hp and AB inflatable hard bottom dinghy Gilbert and I headed for the dog beach.  There he had a fabulous time.  He really knows how to work a party.  I’d hardly landed the boat before he was ranging all over the beach sniffing asses and genitals of every dog there. And there were a lot of dogs.  Great place. Great dog people.
Next stop, Granville Market dinghy dock.  I love False Creek. So many memories.  When I first bought the boat my ex wife and I lived on it at Stamps Landing while I worked in Leg in Boot Square. Later we’d move to the Fisheries Dock when we had the commercial fishing license and were outfitting for offshore. We studied sailing at Coopers.  They were good years for me.  She said they were then.  I remember the joyful novelty of shopping at Granville Island Market carrying groceries back to the sailboat in the dinghy.
Today I walked Gilbert all around Granville Island (not an island really, a peninsula).  At Starbucks I stopped for coffee.  Then I walked down to the Granville docks where I stayed after the separation.  I looked at the houseboats and remembered dreaming of living there with the boat tied alongside.  The cement factory has had some famous painters turn their old silos into art nouveau.
Keeping to the 5 knots/hour speed limit, I drove the dinghy down to Science World.     I’d lived  at the marina by the stadium.  (When I say lived, I mean, I’d live aboard for months at a time, taking the boat out most weekends.)  I used to shop at the Yaletown for groceries but today it looks like there’s no dinghy dock to let boaters go ashore.  I remember anchoring in Sausalito and how dinghy docks were every where so boaters could go ashore to shop.
Passing Burrard Street bridge I saw my old west end high rise apartment building. I had a great view high over False Creek. . Vancouver has so many great views.
I enjoyed circling False Creek in the sunshine seeing how development has occurred.   I remember anchoring in False Creek on occasion.  Now a permit is required and there’s three or four times the number of boats there than used to be.  It’s all so much busier and so much more built up.  The city is becoming  dense and  more metropolitan.  The police went by on quads.  I remember when they rode bicycles.
It was a beautiful day.  I loved the water taxi ferries.  Passing out of False Creek beyond the speed lane I gunned the engine, rising onto the plane and skimming across the sea back to the SV GIRI.  Gilbert’s resting now after his big outing.  Soon enough though he’ll remember I’m doing nothing and find me a ball to throw.

Canada Day

I’ve grown up singing O’Canada. I’ve been proud to sing God Saves the Queen too.  My dad was RCAF. I was proud he served his country. I’ve been a doctor and as a Canadian served in the north. When I sum up my career I simply say, “I worked in the areas of greatest need.”  Others did too.  Canadians aren’t individual grand standers. Hockey is our game because we believe in the team. There’s hierarchy but also individuality.
Wilderness is important to me. It’s part of what is Canadian.  We have ocean and acts of heroism by adventurers, fisherman and navy on either shore. We have the north.  Then there’s the south.  The Americans don’t like to remember it. I doubt it’s in their history books. But Canadians love to remember when we ‘whooped american ass.’  We pushed them back when they tried to invade. Now we love them as our neighbours. We were a Christian country and the majority still is. Love your enemy is something we take seriously. We work with those who try to hurt us.  We believe more in reformation than revenge. Of course we’ve had Britain and now the US doing the heavy lifting. But we’ve served too.  We are Canadians.
There are fireworks in the distance.  l like that so many participate in this day. I’m reading Colonel Hadfield’s book right now. He’s Canadian. So are Bare Naked Ladies.  We’ve got Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Margaret Lawrence.  We’ve even got Captain Kirk.  There’s Emily Carr and the Group of Seven, Glen Gould and Steppenwolf.  So many Canadians are the stuff of the Guess Who and the best of the culture and science and ideas of CBC.  We’re a railway from sea to sea.  We’re a great nation. We’re all about us and we care for the world. We’re green and we have water and energy and ideas. We share and we profit. We’ve taken immigrants and refugees.  We’ve done more for our aboriginals than any people in the world has done for theirs.  We learn together.  We are better each day.
I woke this morning. I slept in late.  I had two cups of coffee on a deck chair, throwing a ball for my cockapoo while reading Jackie Pullingers’ Chasing the Dragon.  Much to my surprise I got showered and shaved and onto my Harley motorcycle.  Gilbert rode in his little box behind me. We played Steppenwolf’s ‘Born to be Free” loud.  I drove us to the boatyard where my sailboat GIRI is up on the hard. The sun was hot and the sky was a beautiful blue.  Not too many clouds at that time.  Later they were a tapestry. I drilled holes in the steel of the zinc straps and mounted these last two to the steel hull.
Then Gilbert and I drove over to the docks where my fast hard bottomed zodiac with 20 hp outboard is chained.  We took her out for a spin.  It was hard getting up on the plane.  I beached her and cleaned barnacles that had attached to the sides since last I had her out only a few weeks back. Major growth in spring.  Gilbert kibitzed ashore with a poodle while I, in the ocean, used a paddle to scrape away the barnacles.  I’ll use a bottom paint on my dinghy when I take her out next.  Gilbert, with his lifejacket on, joined me, reluctantly, when I called him away from play.  Back in the boat, I pushed off the shore, started the engine, then gunned her onto the plane. Much better.
We drove out to English Bay. The water was rough. It was already 5 pm. I’d thought of anchoring off Spanish Banks and going for a swim but instead buzzed by George’s pink palace to take a picture and text it to him.  Then I drove back along the north shore seawall enjoying seeing all the people out on the beach. Lots of boats out in English Bay too. Fishing boats, sailboats, pleasure craft. Others just like me going for a spin.
I used up a tank of gas and had to refuel out in Coal Harbour off Lonsdale Quay.  Then back at the dock I unloaded Gilbert and tied up the boat.
Back home I had BC Wild salmon and watched Robocop.  What a great day.  Canada Day.  Deck chair, boat work, a ride on the motorcycle and a spin on the water. Blue sky and sunshine.  Out with my friend Gilbert. I wouldn’t want to be anything but Canadian and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here.  The day had started too with a picture of Eva, Gilbert’s girlfriend, my nephew Allan’s cockapoo.  My nephew Graeme, had taken her picture with a Canada Day scarf and sent it to me.