The Worse the Driving; the Better the Skiing

Posted on March 10, 2012 by murray

The roads are bad. It’s Monday afternoon, the sky has closed in and it is snowing hard. Debbie and I have set out for another foray into the mountains. I sometimes get asked why I am headed south when the weather doesn’t look conducive to travel. My answer always is ‘the worse the driving; the better the skiing.’ I’m hoping the adage remains true and with the weather as bad as predicted the skiing will be outstanding tomorrow. The avalanche reports have been a bit worrisome the last few days but they look acceptable for Tuesday.

Car Gunk after Half of Monday's Drive

Car gunk after half of Monday's drive

Last night 42 cm of snow fell (hint number 1) in the Banff area. I’m up early preparing for a day in the backcountry and the blanket of white looks more than enticing. The last I heard B was on tap to go skiing and had some ideas as to where to go. There are a couple more folks that might join us. I check Avalanche.ca,  https://www.avalanche.ca/cac/bulletins/latest , and things have changed, even below treeline the risk is ‘considerable.’ (hint number 2) I jump in the car and head to Banff. All the way in I am wondering if, with all the new snow and the avalanche danger being high for the past week, it would be wise to venture forth and pursue the untracked powder. I arrive at B’s place on time and ready to ski. B is shoveling his driveway and doesn’t have his usual ear to ear grin. I jump out of the car and B asks me where my ski boots are. Debbie had just called and left a message ‘you left your boots in the garage.’ (hint number 3) It was then that B said that in his opinion we should not take our chances skiing today. It’s funny but somehow I had come up with the same conclusion (hints 1+2+3=no go). I was not prepared for a day of resort skiing so I’m spending the day in Canmore killing time until tomorrow. After a day of the snow settling it should be OK to have a go. This decision is deflating but it is the right one. You can’t ski tomorrow if you get killed in an avalanche today.

Roads Tues Morn

Roads Tues Morn

It’s 6 am and I drag myself out of the sack one more time. No anxiety today. No new snow and there is not a chance that the snow that fell Monday night will be skied out. At least not where we ski. If things still look bad we will head out on a ‘tour’ (x-c skiing on alpine touring gear), not my first choice but at least I will get some exercise and fresh air. The avalanche report has not swung in our favour. I arrive in Banff and B says he knows a place where the slope is about 20 degrees and it should be OK to ski without a worry of sliding. D and D are going to join us.

Wed morn is a go

Wed morn is a go

The temperature is warm, about 0 C. We are headed south from Hwy. 1 on Hwy. 93 towards what is in the summer the trail to Stanley Glacier. On the way from Banff we take note there have been a good number of natural slides in the alpine, not just sluffs, but major avalanches. As we get out of the car we are almost toppled over by the ever present wind. Every time I have been skiing in that area the wind has been blowing hard. At 0 C it is not that bad but when the temp. nears -20 C that wind can suck the life right out of you while you are buckling boots and putting climbing skins on your skis. The presence of wind is also a concern when it comes to snow slides. Wind loaded lee slopes are prone to sliding with a minimum of disruption, like the weight of a skier. We all make note of that as we head up the track that the folks before us have kindly broken for us.

B on the Uptrack

B on the Uptrack

As we travel up the track, which follows the creek, we see several large lumps of snow that have sluffed into the water. The signs are starting to add up but the track has been set in safe terrain and we are still OK with a chance at skiing. We decide to depart from the set track when it traverses a slope much steeper than we feel comfortable with. We continue on the flattish ground and curl south to a knoll that will be our highest point on the mountain today. Beyond this point the terrain above the access routes is very steep and we do not want to be below it.

An Auspicious Day

An Auspicious Day

We look down on a slope of about 20 degrees with widely spaced trees and untouched snow. There is plenty of room for all of us to ski without having to cross tracks and to come up again for another run. D broke trail so he gets to go first.  A rather dubious honour, as it is not always the case but if a slope is going to slide it will likely be with the first skier. Where we are the chances of an avalanche are about a slim as they get and he makes some fine turns. The snow is a bit dense because it is being hammer by the wind but it is about boot top deep and the skiing is smooth as a cold Coke on a hot day.

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch is on the lee side of a 2 M snow drift in the warming rays of the sun which is hovering just above the ridge of Mount Stanley. Out of nowhere J appears on the bank of the creek looking down on us and yodeling to get our attention. He had been behind us on the uptrack and we had bypassed him on the run down. His tracking skills had lead him to our lunch spot and he will join us for our second run. J is a retired U of Manitoba professor that did not alpine ski at all until he was 68 years old. I did not ask how old he is but he has discovered the backcountry and has managed to hone his skiing skills enough to pursue his new passion. Lunch is over, our packs repacked and we are off up the track for a second run. It’s to the road this time. We all choose untracked snow and head down. B steers us left of our last descent and we find a slope that is not wind loaded that looks like it holds some good turns. Sort of like what a sculptor must see as he stares at a raw chunk of marble. The slope is steeper than we wish to ski so we ski it one at a time. At the bottom we move away to the side and observe the others coming down one at a time. If there is trouble we are out of the possible slide path and will be available to help should someone get caught. The snow is knee deep with no wind crust at all and is 20 turns of absolute heaven. These 20 turns are the reason I will spend 2 or 3 hours walking up a mountain just to turn around and ski down in about 1/6th the time it took to go up. We are able to ski right to the road. Usually we have to ‘bushwhack’ the last couple of hundred meters but not today, we can see the car by the time we have to stop making turns and use our survival skills to avoid the trees.

Sunny Day

Sunny Day

I’m a good skier, the lift service piste still holds a certain amount of intrigue but backcountry skiing now holds my undivided attention. I remember in my early 20’s, my ski buddies and I would look up at all the untracked real estate in the snow fields high above the roadways that lead to the resort to which we were headed and dream of how it would be to access those untouched slopes. In my early 30’s I hiked many a day into the backcountry at Whistler Mountain and skied untouched snow in terrain that is now easily accessible by lift. In those days it was reserved for those adventurous enough to walk through the gates into the unknown. It took till I was 50 before I was connected to the dreams of my youth and was able to access the snow that so enticed me as we drove to Marmot Basin or Sunshine Village. There is no turning back. I now ski about 80% of my mountain skiing days in the backcountry and even though there are times when, because of the conditions that present themselves on the upward trek little skiing is done, I do not think that skiing at a resort holds the same lure as it once did. And no matter how bad the roads I will do my best to drive carefully and make it to the mountains one more time, all the time remembering if my knuckles are white it will be one hell of a day on the slopes.

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Cross Country Skiing in Edmonton

Posted on March 6, 2012 by debbie

The snowfall last weekend has created excellent ski conditions in the City of Edmonton area. There are a number of cross country ski options in and around Edmonton. Our usual haunts are Goldbar Park, The Strathcona Wilderness Centre and Waskehegan Staging Area. There are a number of other ski trails in other parts of the city.  West of Edmonton is Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area

Getting ready to ski!

Getting ready to ski!

Goldbar Park, one of a number of city trails, is great for both beginners and intermediate/expert skiers. Grooming is done for both classic and skate skiing. Flat outer and inner loops circle the lake and for beginners, it provides nice terrain to practice technique. There are also a number of trails up in the hills to the south of the lake which are hilly and provide an excellent workout.  There is a warming building with washrooms and a place to change and leave some gear. As with all public places, do not leave any valuables. We leave our jackets, boots and clothes to change into, but we would not cry if this gear was stolen.

The Strathcona Wilderness Centre is located east of Edmonton in the County of Strathcona.  It is about a 30 minute drive from the outskirts of the city. The trails are groomed for classic and skate. The trail system is more extensive than Goldbar and the terrain is varied.  Knowing how to handle hills is a must as there are two rather steep hills. When we want a longer ski, we go the the Wilderness Centre. The conditions of the trails are excellent (as long as there is snow!) as they are groomed daily and the crew there is diligent and particular.

The Waskehegan Staging Area, part of the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area,  is a little further down the road from the Wilderness Centre. Grooming is primarily for classic, but there are skate lanes on some trails. Check the website for more info. We generally ski here once or twice a year and make a day of it with a picnic. The annual Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival is held here and this year it was a grand success.  Skiers from all over the world attend this festival.

With the recent snow, the ski season is once again alive. We will be skiing our favorite haunts on Sunday mornings!  Come join us!

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Learning More About Scuba

Posted on March 3, 2012 by debbie

Even though Murray and I have over 150 dives each, we are still accumulating knowledge about scuba diving.

I spotted a ray hiding under a shelf, took pictures, pointed him out to others and then moved on.  After I left, the ray moved out from under the shelf. I missed that. K showed me a conch, I looked at him, took a picture and then moved on. I looked back and K was still hovering over the spot. The conch was on the move. I missed that too.  Lesson 1: Don’t be so quick to move on.  Hover for a minute to see what may happen.

Murray looking through a wreck

Murray looking through a wreck

Murray got new fins which have made him change the way he kicks underwater. Instead of staying in a belly to the bottom orientation, he rotates from the hips so his fins are at a right angle to the bottom on the left side, then at right angle to the bottom on the right side. Murray figured out that by doing this technique he can actually get closer to the bottom without disturbing the flora and fauna. While watching one of our dive masters, he realized that she used this exact technique. Lesson 2: Use a rotation from the hips to kick in order to get closer to the bottom.

Debbie being planar in the water

Debbie being planar in the water

Over the years we have been working on getting more planar in the water. Being “flat”, and not at an angle with head higher than feet, uses less energy to move through the water, uses less air and thus allows for longer dives. One way to encourage this planar orientation, is to use a leveler weight attached up near the top of the tank.  In Bonaire, the dive shop had circular weights that fit loosely over the nozzle end of the tank. In Utila, we used a weight belt with a weight on it and wrapped it around the tank just above the BCD strap. Having the weight closer to the head causes the body to naturally go more planar.  Now that we have used a leveler weight a few times, we will try to dive without it and still maintain the horizontal. Lesson 3: Use a leveler weight to encourage a planar orientation.

Murray's leveler weight in on the blue strap around his tank

Murray's leveler weight is on the blue strap around his tank

When we left for our first dive in Utila, there were 11 divers and 2 dive masters.  Usually the group would be split into 2 groups, each with a dive master, but the New York crew wanted to dive as one large group. The dive masters had this look on their faces of “Are you crazy?” but allowed us to try it to see how it would go. Once in the water, the group spread out nicely and so it did work. It took me a couple of days to figure something out though. I started to get frustrated because the front of the group would find a critter, but by the time we, at the back of the group, got there, the critter was gone. I then realized that Murray and I, who always were at the back of the group, had to dive our own dive, see our own critters, and not worry about what the front of the group was seeing.  Once I realized this, I relaxed and didn’t worry if I missed something. Lesson 4: Find your own flora and fauna and don’t worry about what others are finding, especially if you are well behind the front of the group.

Fish Art

Fish Art

When we write up our last dive in our dive logs, we always jot down notes to be read before we dive the next time. This time I made some notes about weights. I was still diving with a bit too much weight, so I wrote down at what weight to start with and what weight to work down to. Murray also wrote notes about weight. Lesson 5: Jot reminder notes down for the next dive trip.

We are already looking toward the next dive trip so we can continue to expand our dive knowledge.  Cayman here we come!??!!!!

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The Ethics of Travel

Posted on March 1, 2012 by murray

Several years ago Dive Training Magazine (July 1999) published Ten Guidelines for Travelers. The author is unknown. After I read them I passed them on to my traveling friends for perusal. I think they are great and read them from time to time to make sure that I am on track with the reasons for visiting other places.

1. Do not expect to find things to be like at home. You left home to find things different.

2. Do not take anything too seriously. A carefree mind is vital to a good vacation.

3. Do not let other travelers get on your nerves. You paid good money to enjoy yourself.

4. Do not forget: you are a representative of your country at all times.

5. Try not to worry, because he or she who worries will have no fun. Remember that few things in life are fatal.

6. Know where your passport is at all times because a traveler without a passport is traveler without a country.

7. As a stranger in a strange land, be prepared to do as its people do.

8. Do not judge all people of a country by the one person who has given you trouble.

9. Learn how to say thank you in the language of the country you’re visiting. A sincere thank you, along with a smile, doubles the value of any tip you may give.

10. Remember that you are a guest and those travelers who treat their host with respect will be treated likewise.

In 2001 the United Nations adopted a resolution drafted by the World Tourist Organization entitled ‘The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism’.  It outlines 10 points that, if implemented, will aid tourism while minimizing negative impacts.

Article 1; Tourism’s contribution to mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies, explains that both tourist and host should respect each other and their cultural biases.

Article 2; Tourism as a vehicle for individual and collective fulfillment, encourages people to use tourism to enrich their lives and not exploit others while fulfilling that pursuit.

Article 3; Tourism, a factor of sustainable development, implores those involved to take steps to ensure that any tourism has as small an impact as possible. Not only on the environment but also on the culture of the area.

Article 4; Tourism, a user of the cultural heritage of mankind and a contributor to its enhancement, speaks to the idea that history and cultural ikons should be available to all, that the host area take responsibility to maintain the ikons and that part of the proceeds obtained from the tourism industry be available to help with maintaining said ikons.

Article 5; Tourism, a beneficial activity for host countries and communities, indicates that the local population should be involved in and benefit from the tourism activities that take place in their locale.

Article 6; Obligations of stakeholders in tourism development, outlines the obligations of those that participate in tourism activities.

Article 7; Right to tourism, promotes the idea of universally accessible tourism.

Article 8; Liberty of tourist movements, encourages the powers that be to make it as easy as possible for tourists to move within any given country as well as from country to country.

Article 9; Rights of the workers and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, implores that all those that are employed within the tourist industry be respected and treated with respect.

Article 10; Implementation of the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, puts forth the proposition that both host and tourist buy into the Code and do their best to comply with its intentions.

If you are interested, the following link is a brochure that has the exact wording of the resolution and the articles that comprise “The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.”

There are as many reasons for travel as there are travelers. It is up to each of us to get out of our excursions what we are searching for, but we cannot do so at a cost to others. We share the world and we should do so respecting all aspects of the environment and our neighbors.

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Packing List Review

Posted on February 27, 2012 by debbie

I have added items to the “Before Leaving” list that we had added for this trip.  They are:

  • Flights – confirm flights and print boarding passes
  • Ride to Airport – arrange for a ride or taxi to/from airport or use airport parking

Depending where you are flying, boarding passes may or may not be printable. As we were flying through the US, we were not able to print our boarding passes.  We went through the check-in screens anyway to confirm our seat locations.

We often ask family or friends to deliver us to the airport and pick us up.  Our flights on this trip were leaving early in the morning and arriving late at night, so we opted to use a taxi. We sort of forgot about the “park and fly” option, but I am glad we did not do that as it would have made an early morning even earlier and we would have been clearing 15 cm of snow off a vehicle in sandals and socks.

I have added Tank Banger to the “Scuba Diving” packing list. This is a stretchy ring with a hard plastic nob that is pulled and banged on a scuba tank to get your buddy’s attention.

Those are the only changes we made to the lists.  The lists are ready for our next trip. mmmm …… Where to next?

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From the Sea to the Snow

Posted on February 26, 2012 by debbie

We experience Honduran punctuality. We leave Deep Blue at 7:30 for the boat ride into town.  Our bags had gone at 6:30. The truck and van taxis were supposed to meet us at the Deep Blue Dive Shop to take us to the airport in time for our 8:40 flight to San Pedro Sula. We arrive at the dive shop and Shirley phones the taxi fellow. He is making another trip so he will be there as soon as he can. At least 30 minutes pass while we wait. He finally shows up and 7 of us pile into the van, leaving four behind. The truck is no where to be found and the van driver cannot locate the pick-up driver. We arrive at the airport, drive right onto the tarmac, unload and walk over to the airplane. As our group of 11 is over half the passengers, the plane will wait for the rest of our group. We hide in the shade of the wing until our final four arrive, load up the plane and take off about 30 minutes late. Mañana mañana.

CM Airlines

CM Airlines

Murray and I have become more conscientious about airplane safety. We read the seat pocket card, sit close to the exits and pay attention to the safety briefing. The baggage compartment on the turbo prop is full so suitcases are packed right inside the door of the plane in a webbed compartment. When the co-pilot goes to close the door the handle won’t move past a suitcase and also gets caught in the webbing. He pulls the suitcase out, manages to get the door closed and stacks the suitcase, along with the airplane steps and a miscellaneous metal stand, in front of the door.  Mur and I chose the seats right across from the door so we are watching all this transpire and we shake our heads. If we had to get out of the plane quickly, the suitcase, stair and stand would have to be pushed out of the way. How safe is this??  Standards of safety are not quite the same around the world.

As we take off, I look out the window at the water and say goodbye to the fish and the whale sharks (hiding from us), the balmy weather and azure water.

We fly north into the snow. Into a 15 cm (6 inch) accumulation for the day. Winter is finally here and Murray has to dig out his cross country gear that he put away before we left.

New fallen snow

New fallen snow

We unpack, rinse scuba gear, do laundry and phone family.  Murray will spend the next few weeks processing our pictures.  Our trip will extend a bit longer while we do some post trip ruminations, but we are home.

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Last Dives in Utila

Posted on February 24, 2012 by debbie

The last day of diving is always poignant. It is all coming to an end. No more frolicking with the fish in the water. No more relaxing and rocking with the surge. No more sharing fish tales with fellow divers.

Juvenile Blue Tang

Juvenile Blue Tang

We dive Paradisio for our first dive.  The water feels cold as I back roll off the boat.  I have the camera on the dive.  As soon as we descend we spot a Honeycomb Cowfish. We slowly zig-zag along the wall taking pictures, pausing to look at unusual formations, just enjoying the scenery. Two eagle rays are spotted but they are too far away to get pictures. Later a turtle is spotted and I kick hard to the front of the group. Our dive master from Grand Turk taught us to swim at the same level or below turtles. They will not view us as a threat as long as we are not above them. I swim low and parallel to the turtle to take pictures.

Sea Pearl

Sea Pearl

Our second dive is at Diamond Caye. There is a French Angelfish who likes divers at the location. The fish swims in amongst the group hovering over the sand floor of the ocean.  I discover more Sea Pearls on this dive. They look like metallic balls, or ball bearings, hiding in the coral. Every dive brings new sights. I see Bulb Tunicates and get Murray to take a picture. We check the “Reef Creature” book to identify it. Murray and I drift around under the boat not wanting to end the dive. We are the last ones in the boat.

Bulb Tunicates

Bulb Tunicates

As we motor back to the dock, everyone is reminiscing about all the sea life they have spotted this week. We are sad to go home and leave this magical world of under the water.

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Crabs, Hummingbirds, Bats and Sand Flies

Posted on February 24, 2012 by debbie

We are communing with the water faunae on Utila and also the land and air creatures. As Murray mentioned previously, we tread delicately going to supper each evening so as not to step on hermit crabs wandering on the sand pathway. Twice we have to sidestep a moving bottle cap, which on closer inspection proves to be a temporary home for a hermit crab.

 

Hermit Crab

Hermit Crab

Susan hangs feeders with sugared water on the balcony outside the dining room. During the day the hummingbirds enjoy a treat. We cannot tell how many there are but by the number of visits there has to be 20 different birds at any one time. They flit and hover and sip and flit away.

Hummingbird

Hummingbird

After dark, the fruit bats replace the hummingbirds at the feeders. They swoop in, hover, sip and swoop away. They only hover for a second or two. Sometimes there are at least 30 bats taking turns at the feeders.

Fruit Bat

Fruit Bat

And then there are the sand flies.  These critters do not bite the locals, just the tourists.  Fresh blood.  All 11 of us have numerous bites on our legs and arms. Those of us who like to scratch, have spots that are much redder than the others. Although it is disruptive to our diving we pray for wind in the mornings and evenings to keep the sand flies away.

There are hundreds of geckos running around eating as many sandflies as they can possible. They are mostly outside but yesterday C discovered one in L’s bed. That didn’t go over so good because L isn’t too crazy about lizards.

We are told there are salt water crocs around and the word is there are a few snakes. We cannot confirm either but I think we will believe the rumours and leave it at that. Some animals are best not to commune with.

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Liveboard on Land

Posted on February 22, 2012 by debbie

Deep Blue (www.deepblueutila.com) is like a liveaboard on land. Its sole purpose is to cater to divers. If you don’t dive I have no idea how you would survive here. No pool, good with me, but if you are not diving a pool is a place to hang out. There is a beach??? if you want to call it that. There is sand to the water but there are so many coral heads in the water I do not think you could successfully navigate them to get deep enough in the water to swim. There is no TV, hooray. The internet is slow. So, it is maybe read a book, or DIVE.

Several years ago Debbie and I went on a dive trip aboard The Wind Dancer. We circumdove Tobago. We dove and ate. We lived by a bell. The bell rang it was time for breakfast. 2nd bell was ‘get on the dive boat.’ We then went back to the mother ship for a snack, usually a hot, just out of the oven brownie. 3rd bell get back on the dive boat. 4th lunch. The 5th bell was to get back on the dive boat. Return to the Wind Dancer and bell 6 was, you guessed it, back on the skiff. The dinner bell was next, then to bed. There was no bell for bedtime; we got to choose the time we retired, which was usually soon after dinner.  Repeat every day for a week.

Scrawled Cowfish

Scrawled Cowfish

Life at Deep Blue is similar. We get up eat, meet at the boat, do 2 morning dives, back to the lodge for lunch, reconvene at the boat for an afternoon dive. We thankfully get a bit of chill time in the afternoon before supper is served and bedtime is quick to follow.

The food here is the responsibility of Susan. She makes sure it is on time and made to perfection. We eat a full breakfast, a hot lunch and choose from a daily changed four item menu for dinner. The food is made to order and I personally have not been disappointed, not even once.

The dive portion of the operation is top notch. The boat is in good repair and is very easy to dive from. You can use either stride entry or back roll off the side. The gear is easily accessible between dives or when it is time to get in the water. The ladder has proper hand holds and is deep enough in the water that you can get your feet on it. The captain is super-efficient and treats the boat as if it is his own and the dive masters are there to take care of all of your whims. Bel’s (one of the dive masters) favorite line is “ it is your vacation let us do that for you.”

Conch

Conch

The routine and rigour is the same as diving on a liveaboard but we don’t have the bell. Saints be praised for that. For months after our trip to Tobago I drooled every time I heard a bell. I’m hoping that with the lack of such stimuli I will not have the same conditioned response I had that many years ago.

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Utila

Posted on February 21, 2012 by debbie

In one hour we are heading out for a night dive. We take the afternoon off from diving and head into the town, which involves a 15 minute boat ride through the lagoon and across the bay. The main road parallels the water and is bordered by small shops, eateries, houses and accommodations painted either white or bright Caribbean colours. Most of the buildings are built up off the ground on pylons. The main road is concrete rather than asphalt. ATVs, scooters, dirt bikes, bicycles and small trucks and vans ply the road, some traveling at speeds disregarding the safety of pedestrians.

We mosey along popping into shops looking for a fish for our “fish wall”. See some possibilities but want to survey it all before making a decision. One of the shops was called the “Fancy Fish“ which sold artwork and handcrafts created by people on the island.  We enjoy these shops and try to purchase locally crafted fish to support the local economy.

One of the dive masters tells us to visit the Jade Seahorse Hotel which is down a cross street to the main street. The owner and artist has decorated the lot with walkways, patios, walls and steps with glass pieces, shells, tile in an array of fabulous colours. It is like walking through a magical wonderland. There are little cabins at the back of the lot available to stay in and a little shop on site.

We walk further down and see a sign for a gallery just off the street.  We hunt it down and enter a yard full of wood and paint and debris.  Climb steps up, pass by boots and paint and buckets and more debris and enter the gallery that looks like someone’s kitchen.  There are wood sculptures and paintings on display and while Mur chats with the once Austrian turned US ski instructor turned artist now in resident in Utila, I find a fish painted on a rough board and decide it is perfect for our wall.  It says Utila – rough around the edges but a promise of fish. We buy it.

It is now after our night dive. This is the first night dive that I feel like I have seen alot of wildlife. We see a Cryptic Teardrop Crab, a Toad Fish, Shrimp, Lobsters, an eel and many sleeping fish.  Did you know that fish sleep on their sides?

It is time for bed as there is more diving to come and our 7:00 am breakfast is approaching.

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