Canada 2018 - Vancouver and Banff


Diez Vistas, British Columbia Canada
    
Around the same time I moved to Málaga, my friend (Will) moved to Vancouver. He'd invited me over on numerous occasions, and with September off work for the summer holidays I finally accepted. The first hike we did was Diez Vistas (named after its ten views). The walk was nice, but Bear Aware noticeboards and caution signs are ubiquitous in Canada, and they made it difficult for me to relax in the forest sections. I felt sure I was being stalked and much preferred the open areas with less oppurtunity for a wily bear to conceal itself. The following weeks were full of activities, but there were a few things I particularly enjoyed. Watching too many Ray Mears videos on YouTube had left me wanting to catch something, kill it and grill it. A successful fishing trip on the Chilliwack River (mostly) satisfied the urge. I did catch a salmon and even helped with the cooking, but it was Will who killed and cleaned it. Next I wanted to see Banff National Park and the famous Lake Louise. It was a much longer drive than I'd anticipated and we spent 9 hours on the road before reaching our destination in the late afternoon. By this point we were irritable, and took a few perfunctory photos then headed into the nearby town to find somewhere to park and sleep. In the morning I woke to a view of pine trees and rocky mountains, which mirrored in the turquoise waters of the Bow River and lifted my spirit. During my last week there we sailed on Howe Sound to Keats Island, anchoring at Plumper Cove for the night.  The journey itself was amazing with breathtaking scenery. But what I enjoyed most was paddleboarding and fishing in the cove as the sun set, and the blues, whites, and greens of the daylight hours faded into the pinks, golds, and blacks of dusk.
    


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