2024 Swimming Hole Challenge

Hullo... er... why are we starting with this photo? Sigh... Because humans think it's uproariously funny when we see a sign that says "Caution Bear Sighted in Area". Sigh...

Ah, here we go! Sandy Bear here!! Reporting on this year's Swimming Hole Challenge. This is an annual challenge that Rose has been doing with Mama for... oh... let's see... 5 years? It started with going to 10 swimming holes in one day and then upping it from there. Let's see this year's first spot!

#1 Lower Englishman River

This is a beary nice spot but, typical of Englishman is a tad cold... but not as cold as Upper Englishman. That's Rose in the middle with her arms up. The water is crystal clear which is beary nice.

But because of the cool... er... cold... water, it doesn't score high on the swimming hole list. Definitely not the Top 3. This was a new spot this year.

#2 Cameron Lake - Beach

This is a perennial favourite!! You can't beat the views, the water temperature is beary nice, and crystal clear. There aren't tonnes of people and it has sandy spots.

We like to come here as a regular spot for swimming adventures. Can't go wrong with Cameron Lake!

#3 Cameron Lake - Beaufort Point

This is still on Cameron Lake but farther along and is a beary odd little spot. The gravel slopes BEARY steeply into the water, so within 10 feet of shore, you are in over your head. A great spot to cool off fast... not so good for little kids!

Luckily Rose is no longer a little kid!

Right then... next spot? Oh, of course... we now need an ice cream break!!

From Goats on the Roof, of course! Yummmmm!!!!!

#4 Brannen Lake

Well... this one was new last year and it has a convenient location. The water is warmish but not really clear. There are weeds as you swim farther out, although it does have a jumping platform...

This is probably a good neighbourhood spot but not really a "destination".

#5 Westwood Lake

This lake, on the other hand IS a destination lake. Sandy beach, warmish water (not super clear though) and also beary popular.

A good solid swimming hole contender but you need to know some off-the-beaten-track spots if you don't want to get run over by screaming children all day!

#6 Colliery Dam - Upper

This is a bit of an odd choice since it's technically the doggie lake... the water is warmish but uber murky.

But you can jump off this rock... and if you're lucky, dogs will jump off after you for the shear fun of it. Soooo... bonus points for dogs... but not much else. Unless you are desperate!

Double bonus... there are Saskatoon berries that are ripe!!

#7 Colliery Dam - Lower

This is more of a human swimming spot than a canine one. Nice sandy cover with warm water, not the clearest water, but not bad. 

Because it is a sandy cove, the water is quite shallow making it a favourite of toddlers... Can you see Rose there, in the middle?? By this point in the challenge, the humans are getting tired and it's more of a "jump in the water for 2 minutes" and then onwards!

Ooooh... and now is time for lunch too... A&W burger with onion rings... mmmmmm!!!

Gotta keep up our strength you know.

#8 Nanaimo River - Shelf

Don't ask me about the names for these next few... Rose and Mama know what they are talking about. The rest of us go... "where"?? The Nanaimo River has tonnes of uber-nice swimming holes. The water is warmish and generally nice and clear. What's not to love??

They call this the "shelf" because there's this shelf of bedrock that extends out from shore... and then drops off.

I think those are Mama's feet...

#9 Nanaimo River - Shallow Spot

Did I mention the names are a bit weird? This is a gravelly spot where the water is quite shallow on this side and deeper on the far side.

I wouldn't say it's a favourite spot but at this point, we are trying to hit as many spots in one day so... any swimming hole counts!

#10 Nanaimo River - Blue Hole

Also known as Deep Hole. This is a gem of a spot and hardly any hike at all!!

Deep enough to jump off of. Water is warmish and super clear. Tends to attract a 20-something party crowd later in the day. Probably cause it's not far off the road!

#11 Nanaimo River - Muddy Spot

Yes... well... generally a nice clear spot unless people are swimming. The shore is clay and mud so that tends to... haha... muddy the waters!

A good spot to cool enough if you are nearby. And there are often dogs here too...

#12 Nanaimo River - Cliff River

This is a super popular spot with everyone. A gravel bar and then beautiful crystal clear water. And if you're athletic, you can swim to the cliffs under the bridge and jump off into the water...

This is a perennial favourite and marks the end of our Nanaimo River spots on this year's challenge. There are other ones but they are a longer drive and/or hike and the humans ran out of oomph!

Where to now? Well, some ocean spots of course!

#13 The Lagoon

Meh. The water is warm and shallow but this year there was algae everywhere... Rose kept squealing "my hair" as she pulled strands of green stuff out of it.

#14 Departure Bay

Well, it's the ocean. It is not warm. Not even in the summer, but it is brisk! And clear. And salty. That's Mama I think... just to prove she went into the water!

Alright... one more spot! This is a 15 Swimming Holes in one day challenge and we need some freshwater to wash off the salt!

#15 Long Lake

This is probably a nice spot - sandy beach, warmish water. Not all that clear and very popular. This is usually where we finish our challenges... mostly because of the apres-challenge thing...

What is the apres-challenge thing you might ask?

A visit to Dairy Queen of course and a peanut buster parfait for ME and an Oreo Blizzard for Rose.

Whew... that was a good swim challenge!! 

A Memorial to 911

 Hullo! I missed the 911 memorial day a couple of days ago, but wanted to show you something.

I'm in front of our brand new firehall.

The city sent out an email a few days ago about a new memorial that was placed in front of the firehall a few months ago.

Do you see? It's part of a steel beam from the World Trade Centre.

According to the city email:

As we mark another year that has passed since September 11, 2001, you can pay tribute outside Fire Station #1.

In 2009, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey began accepting requests from organizations for a piece of World Trade Center steel. The steel was recovered from the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001, and secured at JFK Airport by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The steel withstood the most horrific attack on American soil that took the lives of 2,819 people. Nanaimo Fire Rescue is proud to have received one of 1,500 of these pieces. It is not known which tower the beam came from.

 

It's kind of amazing to think we have a piece of the WTC here.

There is a memorial plaque but it was all dewy and we couldn't read it.

It's a beary sad story.

And beary strange to be able to get close to a piece of history like this.

We remember.

A Back Alley Deal in Vancouver

 Alright... after that last mystery adventure, I asked more questions before I stowed away in Mama's backpack... which isn't really stowing away anymore but... bears beware of mystery trips! Anyhow... Mama said I could come on this one and... spiff up!

We went to Vancouver and saw Rose!!

And their dog Lexie... who tends to view me with rather predatory eyes... I won't even mention the number of stuffies that have succumbed to her teeth!

Anyhow... let's go!!!

We are going on an adventure and... it involves a back alley deal!!!

Seeeee... city street but... what lurks in the back alleys??

Other than Rose of course...

Let's go!

Well, there's some cool art work...

Now we are waiting for our contact to show up...

Rose says it'll likely be that door over there...

No one here yet...

Make sure the coast is clear...

Nope, no one sees us!

Oh wait... it's the OTHER door!!!

Oooohhhh... wonder what we are getting... back alley salmon? Bread? hot chocolate?....

Ah-hah!!!! Theatre tickets!!!!!! Rose has connections you know!

We are up in the balcony!!

This is a pretty cool theatre. It was built in the 1930s and has an art deco exterior and a neoclassical interior. It showed movies throughout most of its life until it was closed in 1991. Isn't it cool? This was taken in 1940...

There was talk of demolition (gasp) and it was then converted into a live-theatre venue and reopened in 1998 with some fancy renos and restoration of the goldleaf in the dome.

The dome is pretty cool!!! You can't see it, but on this near side, there are openings for the spot lights that track actors. There are actually two people up in the ceiling above us who move the spots!

Seeee!!! Isn't that neat???

Mama says she watched movies back here in the Middle Ages (yep... before 1991). She remembers Stark Trek 3 when the theatre had Dolby surround sound... it was seriously cool! Those scalloped lights are pretty neat...

Up there, that's the booth where the stage manager sits and a few other people... it has a trap door in the ceiling for the spot light people... AND... there is a live band in a room behind there!!! They announced it at the start of the show that a live band was providing the music... it was pretty cool.

Thanks for the tickets Rose!!!

Alright... I'm ready!!!!

Ready... let's go!!!

***2.5 hours later***

A beary good show!!! But it is almost 10:30 pm and this little bear is tuckered out... zzzzzz