The Murray Chronicles

March 05, 2017

Wave-watching at Long Beach near Tofino

The day after the day Jeem and G. G. Blynn went surfing at MacKenzie Beach was the day Jeem and G. G. Blynn were released from Tofino General Hospital.

It was also the day the entire gang: Sherry, BT Mendelbaum, Jim, G. G. Blynn and Jeem, decided to go wave-watching at Long Beach. There was the minor issue of the court order prohibiting Jeem and G. G. Blynn from being within 100 metres of any beach along the west coast of Vancouver Island, but our lawyer friend and fellow traveller, BT Mendelbaum (disbarred), convinced the others that all would be fine.

It was incredible.

The sound of the waves, like jet engines, was amazing.

February 24, 2017

Surf's up ~ Jeem is down

It was a bit sunnier on this brisk, windy day in February, and Jeem had talked G.G. Blynn into going surfing with him. No one else in the group was sure if either one had ever surfed before. "Maybe the Newton Wave Pool in Surrey," guessed BT Mendelbaum (disbarred).

"Now we want to head out there."

And so they were off.

Getting into the water was the easy part. Swimming, paddling against the tide, the crashing surf, was quite another thing altogether.

"I think Jeem is getting on his board," Sherry called out to the others. "Oh, oh" mumbled BT Mendelbaum.

"Yes, he's up!"

"No. He's down again."

So it went. Never quite making it. Never quite riding the big one.

But a great deal of paddling, and getting wet and numb from the cold.

"How long do we have to watch this train wreck?" complained BT.

Tofino: Low tide and high tide at MacKenzie Beach

Well, it took a bit of wrangling to get everybody back in the car after stopping at Cathedral Grove. BT Mendelbaum, disbarred, decided to check the various parked cars for signs of premature rust (something about a class action of some sort), and G.G. Blynn wandered off the path entirely looking for "fresh powder" apparently.

Finally, we arrived at Tofino and MacKenzie Beach, a wee bit later than expected. Group road trips are never that easy.

The tide was out. The air was cool but calm, and the clouds heavy. It would snow a bit this night.

The next morning, the tide was coming in, crashing against the rocks with a frenzy. The air was cold and the wind brisk.

"I could surf in this stuff," said Jeem to no one in particular.

"Not near those rocks I hope," was Sherry's response.

"No. Out there." And with that, Jeem was off to find a wet suit and a board. Tomorrow: surf's up.

Photos by Jeem.

February 23, 2017

Vancouver's new logo

The City of Vancouver has just spent $8000 on a new logo. It will cost much more to implement the change, to letterhead, trucks, cars, banners, and god knows what else, etc.

The new logo

Mayor Gregor Robertson says the new logo is "bolder and brighter and cleaner" than the old one. Right.

The old logo

City staff suggest the new "wordmark" presents an image of Vancouver as "as a modern, innovative and highly desirable place to live and work." Okay.

$8000. Or would it look better as $8000? Or maybe: $8000? What exactly are those people doing up in City Hall anyway?

February 21, 2017

Cathedral Grove ~ with snow

It's a magical kind of place anytime, but with freshly fallen snow....

Cathedral Grove was quiet when we arrived last week, between two snow storms.

A person, even a shorter person, has to bend slightly to accommodate the snow-heavy branches along the footpath.

The largest tree in the park, still standing, despite assurances from our fellow traveller and legal advisor, BT Mendelbaum, LL.B.(disbarred), that it had been toppled in a windstorm is over 800 years old, 76 m in height and 9 m round.

It is a magical place. Especially in the silence of the snow.

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2017 by Jim Murray.