Many a Jumping Orca

Breaching whales are always a spectacular sight.  They may do it for communication, socialization or just playing around.  Orcas, dolphins and humpbacks as well as other dolphin and cetacean species can project themselves right out of the water.  A fully grown orca can get the power to do this with about 4 tail waves.

The orca below has done such a big spy hop that it is practically a breach.  Spyhopping is used to help them see around the surface of the water.  They could be orienting themselves using the land or checking out what is around them including observer boats and the shoreline.

Sideways breachs occur when the animal propels itself out of the water at an angle to land on its side.  The orca below looks like she is stretching her paddle shapped pectoral fins up towards the sky.  I think we all wish we could move in the water like them.

For Bob

 This past week our good friend Bob Taylor passed away. A brilliant photographer with a sharp eye and a long list of published books, he was a passionate voice for conservation and nature. Running tours through the Canadian arctic (particularly the bears of Churchill) as well as Eastern Africa he was always on the move and always charming, professional and patient.

 My father toured Kenya with Bob in 1986 and took me with him in 1996. The incredible experiences I had in that country were directly responsible for Kathryn and my tour with him in 2010. Bob strongly recommended the Galapagos and Quest tours to us at the time which obviously contributed to our end decision to visit the islands with that very company. Furthermore, Kathryn has been incredibly inspired by his efforts in photography and conservation and his influence certainly contributed to her working as a naturalist this past summer.

Through decades of tours in Eastern Africa, Bob built up a special rapport with many of the safari drivers and lodge staff. Henry Nzioka poses at Sweetwaters with him in the photo below on one of their many tours of Kenya over the years. Henry was a driver when I went with my father in 1996 and their friendship was already long established then.

 

I think Kathryn summarized it best:

A wonderful man of the world and naturalist died. Bob Taylor you opened up another world for me. No thanks will ever be adequate. I know that there are more worlds for you to explore.

Indulging my Plant Lust

With Geordie and I's move to the 4th floor on the west side of the building I can finally indulge my plant lust..... oh yes....  My geraniums have exploded.  I thought I was going to lose them for awhile but they rallied and have been blooming non stop.  I see alot of balconies with geraniums so they must like this side of things.

I also got some marigolds.  Now I have something for Day of the Dead for my skulls and bone dolls!  It started with one flower and then more came.  The English mint that I took out of that pot and put in another is bent on world domination. I sense a Dr. No scenario only its an English Mint stroking a white spider mite. 

Best part is the T O M A T O E !  I have been wanting home grown tomatoes near forever it seems.  I found a patio roma variety so I got it and it has been producing like nobody's business.  I have done BLTs, and fresh toms with home grown basil, fig infused balsamic vineger and mozza cheese.  Hmmmm Baby!  I'm a bit worried about it now because of the heat wave and the yellowed leaves but I continue to enjoy the wee bit of gardening I can do out there.  The orchid continues to struggle..... so the epic continues.

"Roughing It" in Qualicum Bay + Bonus Vancouver Island Timelapse

A bit late in stating the fact but we have had a lot to post about lately.  So lets go back to the Easter long weekend where Geordie and I headed to the very sweet community of Qualicum Bay.  We stayed at the below place which was beach front.  We saw LOTS of Harlequin ducks, sea birds and even some whales waaaaay off in the distance. 

It also had a BBQ where Geordie and myself gorged ourselves on free meat. For some reason a lot of the time we get given free meats when we visit Vancouver Island. Last year it was fresh caught Sockeye Salmon. This year free shishkabob.  So we filled it with delicious carcinogens and ate it all up.  So much meat!  It was a great place to stay and hope to use it again.

And because that is what we do here is a timelapse taken from the fence in the first picture. It captures the tides in a wonderful way and you can see bunches of different ducks and even a seal in it.  Very lovely misty mornings.

G: Since the video above is actually a collection of timelapses, the clip she's talking about is the 2nd one. We also have some nice shots from Telegraph Cove and Tofino in there to round out the set. As always, if it won't play on its own, right click to open the original file in Vimeo :)