As part of the position with the Antarctic Artists and Writers, the US Antarctic Program would be flying me from the US to Christchurch, New Zealand, base for their Antarctic operations. Not being a US resident myself, it was my responsibility to get to the departure airport. As I have lived most of my life on the west coast of North America and my sister still lives in LA, that seemed the obvious departure airport; if I was going to fly all the way there then I might as well pass through Vancouver, which I still consider ‘home’ for a given value of the word. With a week visiting time in each city, it’s become a very long trip, but the week in Vancouver was very well spent and a much-needed respite after the mad rush of last-minute preparations.
It’s funny how easy it is to slip back into old shoes … I haven’t lived in Vancouver for over a decade, now, but within a few days I was back in the groove, though the weather was most uncharacteristically sunny for the time of year.
View from Lion’s Gate Bridge on my journey from the airport. It was good to see the Pacific again.
I got a sizeable portion of my polar library from this shop. I didn’t have room to take any books with me, but I checked in just to see what they might have. Do search for the elusive photos from inside and visit if you’re in town; it’s a Mandelbrot of L-Space.
Of course, it’s only appropriate that they have a vast selection of used Antarctic books …
From underneath Lion’s Gate Bridge, this time, towards Mt Baker
For a city on the far side of Canada, Vancouver has a surprising number of Scott connections. Pennell came through in December 1905, transiting between Quebec and China on Navy business. Silas Wright passed through with two of the Terra Nova’s sledge dogs on his way back to Britain from New Zealand, via a visit to his brother in Prince Rupert. He taught for a while at UBC and retired not far away. Cecil Meares is buried in one of Vancouver’s cemeteries. Capt. Scott himself was stationed for a time at Esquimalt, across the strait near Victoria, as a young lieutenant. This one, above, is more tangential, but King Edward VII did have part of Antarctica named after him; he had only just acceded the throne when the Discovery set off, and kicked the bucket just before the Terra Nova did the same. I have, myself, only recently drawn his head on some coins.
Vancouver can’t boast the astonishing fall colours of eastern Canada, but this year – hot summer, wet autumn – was pretty remarkably colourful by Vancouver standards. Here, a catalpa.
A tulip tree.
Don’t know what this was but it was lovely.
Usually when I visit Vancouver, I spend a few days with extended family on Vancouver Island. I didn’t have time, this time, but I went to Horseshoe Bay anyway just to enjoy the ambience.
A Horseshoe Bay herring gull, mourning the desertion of his patio. He didn’t take his eyes off the family eating just inside the window.
Night night, Vancouver.