FIRST DINGHY PICNIC OF 2008

The sun shone, the wind didn't blow, we didn't either of us have a kazillion other things to do (both at the same time!) so I stopped at the Deli on the way home from my Knitting Guild meeting this morning and got picnic fare. When I got home Michael had the dinghy all packed and ready to go, and off we went. (Hope you all got over my April Fool's joke yesterday ... I'm pretty sure Michael and I are still happily married!)

Of course, we were no sooner on the water but the wind came up -- so we couldn't head into the Inner Harbour or we'd get cold too soon. Turned around at the Johnson Street bridge, and headed back past our marina to the Upper Harbour ... just at the start of the Gorge Waterway (the southernmost part of which is referred to as the 'Selkirk' Waterway) I wrote about a day or two ago.

Anyway, we'd forgotten the anchor so we ended up tying up at the dock at Point Ellice House (not yet open for the season) to get out of the wind and have our picnic supper.

Here's the view we had from our 'diner' this evening:

... and our company:


On our way back to the marina after our picnic, we passed the pilot boat 'on the hard' at Point Hope Shipyard across from us...

But I'm glad to be home for the evening, because I'm really excited to be working on Sivia's Moonshadow shawl - I've now made it through the edging and the first full pattern repeat, and it's going swimmingly ....

I put an extra bead row in the edging, and it looks lovely!

THE GORGE

The City of Victoria is wrapped around an 'Inner Harbour,' which leads to an 'Upper Harbour' (where we live), and then beyond us is called the Gorge Waterway. It is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, but feels and looks more like a river as it cuts northwest through primarily a residential district.

It's beautiful, and historically has been a social gathering place for rowers and paddlers; these days the waterway is used a lot by competitive teams for practice -- dragon boats, outriggers, kayakers and voyageur canoes go up and down the waterway at all hours of the day and night, and there's always something to see.






The Gorge Waterway Action Society is a registered charity dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Gorge Waterway. Check out some of their ongoing projects

Here's some more info about the
attractions along the Gorge ....

I couldn't have picked a prettier place to live! From now until September we will, a couple of times a week, pack a picnic lunch or supper, and 'head up the Gorge' for a few hours, or the whole day -- anchoring in front of Point Ellice House to eat, sliding over the sides of the dinghy for a swim, looking for swans to feed, etc., and doing our part to keep it clean and pristine.