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The Healing Powers of Passion

Well, at least temporarily distracting powers of passion. . .

I’m getting increasingly creaky. I’ve had scoliosis and a fused back with supportive surgical steel rods installed along my spine from major surgery since I was about 14. Yep, the rods are still there at 65. . . .

And over the last few years the hips and knees have begun complaining more often.

Friends five to ten years ahead of me in life say I should start getting on joint replacement lists now, because it will likely take five  or more years to actually get a surgery slot. . .

And then, when I get excited, the aches temporarily dissipate.

Patrol for spawning salmon? Start out sore, gradually feel better, start seeing salmon spawning, and. . . what pain?

Well, heading back home up the ravine, yeah, that pain.

Same for nature and wildlife photography. The excitement and the endorphins kick in and I’m good to carry cameras with big lenses and tripods for hours. . . and it’s not until I’m home much later that I’m reaching for the Ibuprofen. . .

It’s a progression. I’m dealing with it. It’s life, so no point in getting upset about it.

Life just is. How you choose to react to it is up to you.

Fishing, Nature, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby Seeing Best Salmon Numbers in Years

Volunteers with the Byrne Creek Streamkeepers in SE Burnaby, BC, are happy to be seeing one of the best returns of spawning salmon in the creek in many years.

Volunteers have counted over 60 spawners so far, with about 90% of those being chum.

Yumi and I have also been checking out other creeks in the lower mainland of BC, and there are tons of chum everywhere. We also visited the Tenderfoot Hatchery north of Squamish, BC, a few days ago, and were blown away by the number of chum in the area.

Video here: https://youtu.be/7YKntHUkAdQ

Some are saying there may be a relation between the shutting down of fish farms resulting in vastly reduced sea lice numbers on juvenile pink and chum salmon for this year’s abundance of chum spawners. . .

Effect of government removal of salmon farms on sea lice infection of juvenile wild salmon in the Discovery Islands

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/cjfas-2023-0039

Abstract

In response to a federal government order, the number of salmon farms operating in the Discovery Islands region declined from eight in 2020, to one in 2022. Over this period, 1627 juvenile pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and chum (Oncorhynchus keta) salmon captured at sites throughout the study area were examined for sea lice. The average number of sea lice per juvenile salmon declined by 96% over the study period. Such a substantial decline was not witnessed in similar samples from the nearby Broughton Archipelago. The decline could not be attributed to chance sampling, and only a small proportion of it was associated with environmental fluctuations.
Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Chum Salmon Spawning in Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC

Chum Salmon spawning in Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC.

Chum salmon spawning in Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC

In the middle photo you can see a female flipping sideways to dig a nest (redd) in the gravel into which she’ll deposit her eggs. Other photo shows male shadowing, ready to contribute his milt.

Yumi retreiving a dead chum for processing. Streamkeepers have training and permission from DFO to process dead salmon for species, size, sex, spawning status, and anything else notable or distinct about each fish.

NOTE: It is illegal to interfere with spawning salmon. It is illegal to handle them, or remove them. Unfortunately not all people understand this, so please share this message. Thank you!
Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Volunteers Finding Lots of Chum Salmon in Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC

Got out to take some photos and videos of the Chum salmon that volunteers have been spotting in the lower ravine area of Byrne Creek.

In this video there are at least two females digging redds (nests in the gravel/cobble) and several males hoping to add their milt to the process after the females release their eggs. . .

The females flip sideways and use their tails to scoop a depression to deposit their eggs into.

https://youtu.be/potkyD6oIvc

Chum salmon spawning in Byrne Creek in Burnaby BC

Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

First Chum Salmon Spotted in Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC

A couple of volunteers from the Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society in #Burnaby, BC, spotted the first Chum salmon spawners of the year today.

This is so exciting, because our Chum returns have been very low the last few years. It’s great that they are back!

When I heard the news, I ran down to get some photos and videos, since it was my day off.

Here’s a video:

https://youtu.be/yLcQ5rCKN64

And a photo of a female Chum turning sideways to dig a nest (redd) in the gravel and cobble with her tail. She’ll eventually deposit her eggs in the depression that she is making.  There were a couple of males keeping close tabs on her, to scoot in and fertilize the eggs.

chum salmon spawning in Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC

Pets, Photography

Remembering Choco the Cat

A FB memory post popped up in my feed tonight from October 20, 2018:

Choco the Cat, who was a fiercely independant gal, increasingly sought our comfort in her ending days. She was always a cuddler, but on her terms.

Here we are watching a football game, and I had the sound turned down to zero so as not to bother her. I cuddled her like this for the entire game. . . .


Choco the Cat cuddles with Paul

Choco crossed the bridge a few months after this photo. Seeing it again brought tears to my eyes. She was always such a feisty, take-no-guff girl, until illness and age slowed her down.

It took us many months before we were ready to adopt another kitty from the BCSPCA.

And for many years now, Sora has filled our hearts with love and joy.

But Choco, as all pets-companions, will always have her special place in our hearts.

Streamkeeping, sustainability, community, business, photography, books, and animals, with occasional forays into social commentary. Text and Photos © Paul Cipywnyk