Monthly Archives: September 2020

Business, Society, Streamkeeping

Going Back to School with Some Trepidation

Schools are reopening in British Columbia, and I know many parents, teachers, and staff are nervous, even with various new protocols in place.

My PT job teaching a watershed-based environmental education program shut down in March. We’re starting back up again toward the end of September with stringent sanitization protocols and revised methods of program delivery.

I have to admit that I’ve had concerns, but the Stream of Dreams Murals Society team has thought things through carefully, so I’ve agreed to work a few days and see how it goes.

It’s going to be a new ball game. . .

Society, Streamkeeping

Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Storage Vandalized in SE Burnaby

Unfortunately our Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society storage container in the spawning habitat in Burnaby, BC, was broken into recently.

Aside from a gas-powered pump there was little of resalable value in the container. Just gear that volunteers use for public events, and to count aquatic bugs, trap and ID juvenile fish, and educational materials. We’re making a list of what was taken.

The gate to the habitat was also bashed in, lock still in place but gate broken.

Sigh. I reported to the RCMP and City of #Burnaby. A very nice officer was there within half an hour of my call and we went over the site together. And a City crew installed heavy chains across the entrance gate that had been rammed open.

Now we have to figure out what needs to be replaced so that volunteers can continue their streamkeeping and educational activities.

It’s dispiriting that vandals would do this when maybe they’ll get ten cents on a dollar, or a few hundred bucks, for their break and enter.

Yet our group is likely looking at well over a thousand dollars to replace what was taken. A thousand dollars is our total annual budget, eh?

Yes, we rely 90% on sweat equity in our volunteer work.

I don’t know what’s wrong with some people.

vandalized storage container byrne creek burnaby

 

Camping, Canoeing, Nature, Photography, Travel

Camping, Canoeing at Lightning Lake, Manning Park, BC

We had the canoe out to Lightning Lake in Manning Park in southern BC. First time we’d taken the canoe out there in a few years and it was gorgeous. We had an afternoon/evening paddle, and a morning paddle. Lots of fish jumping and wildlife.

camping dinner at lightning lake bc


Koji-marinated chicken skewers, yaki udon, and coals-baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Yum!

canoeing lightning lake manning park bc

loons lightning lake manning park bc
Common Loons

grouse lightning lake manning park bc
Yumi spotted three grouse on the shore and we drifted right up to them in the canoe

great blue heron lightning lake manning park bc
Great Blue Heron

spotted sandpiper lightning lake manning park bc
Spotted Sandpiper

dragonfly lightning lake manning park bc
This dragonfly kept following us in our canoe. It seemed to have a crush on Yumi 🙂