Domingo: Vancouver in November

Domingo managed to squeak in a little air time between showers today. She gained a 100 metres in altitude today and, to the delight of her pilot, Domingo dutifully initiated a 'return to home' when the connection with the remote controler was briefly lost.  Good flying Domingo!

Check out her video here:

November in Vancouver

Domingo gains altitude

Domingo is slowing gaining her confidence flying, this time high above the West End. Well, not that high really with her maximum altitude ( not counting the height of our condo building's rooftop launch site) 58 metres.

Check out the video here:

Domingo's West End View

Domingo the Drone: homeowner's helper!

Not always fun and games, here is Domingo hard at work!  Check the video out here:

Homeowner's Helper

A Drone's Eye View

Venturing beyond the 30 metre limits of beginner mode, Domingo reaches an all time high of 52 metres! Check the video out here:

Drone's Eye View

Phantom 3 Drone - First Pix and Video!

"Domingo" is the name of my Phantom 3 standard drone (OK, the drone app insisted the quadcopter be named).  She's had a few hours of flying so far, mostly so that her pilot can get some experience.  Domingo herself is very well behaved and loves to hover at 30 metres just taking in the view.

Here are a few still shots and a video taken at Third Beach earlier today:

https://youtu.be/WnuEQVQuH_M

DON'T MISS THE VIDEO, eh!?  IT'S HERE. /\

I heart kelp!

Had fun dangling my GoPro in some of the ample kelp beds among the islands.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vKdkCHZZtJc&feature=em-upload_owner

More Broughton Archipelago Videos

And a few more videos of this amazing section of BC coast:

Sunset, Fogrise and an offering of Pickelweed to the Kingcome Inlet:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jl4vrXmYC0&feature=em-upload_owner

More adventures in the archipelago:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=D-ZVWOnkxHc


And the last word goes to these handsome and very vocal sea lions:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=xtWVRmBoVHo

Broughton Archipelago Videos

Here's a gaggle of short videos that I snagged thanks to the wee GoPro Hero 4 Session cube I had along in this trip.

Paddling near the old native village of Mamalillaculla:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=Ego71iLVCw0

Touring the islands with Captain Harald and First Mate Sheila:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=hjBGM-GOUBo

Mamalilaculla

Today was our Mamalilaculla village vist day. Like yesterday, the day began in fog offering some terrific photography prizes. 

Stone Totem

Spotted my first stone totem this morning near our anchorage in from Seabreeze Island. 

Dolphin Time Tea

On our way from Trivitt Island towards Kingcome Inlet, while I was in the process of steeping a mug of English Breakfast tea, we met with a pod of fifty to seventy-five dolphins. As some took a break from their fishing to swim in our boat's bow pressure wave, keep company by the side and stern, leap through the air and even swim on their back with tail propelling, my tea got stronger and darker. Best cup of tea I've sipped in ages!

photo by H. Riffel

Kingcome Copper

At the end of the Kingcome Inlet is an impressive modern day pictograph in the shape of a traditional native 'copper'

The artwork is high up on a cliff face above the water and is 28 feet high and 38 feet wide. 

It was a creation of Native artist Mariane Nicolson. 

 In the same area of the inlet we spotted some older (1927) pictographs depicting coppers and cows. These images were apparently commemorating a potlatch of that time period. 

Blackfish Sound and Knight Inlet

Fog hopping in Blackfish Sound, whalespotting and then tucking into the lovely Knight Inlet coves. 

Alert Bay

Amazing Alert Bay aboriginal art and memorial poles. 

Sea Songs

Not directly music related but here are series of posts highlighting some of the adventures we had on the high seas in the summer of 2016. 

Harald, Sheila and I started out from Port McNeill in the aptly named 'Plan B'.

And the Plan B's pod of kayaks:

Jen's Paddlelele

Jen's new paddlelele is probably the cutest micro uke you are ever going to see!

The instrument was a collaborative project between Jen, one of the key founders of Coquitlam's CUTIE Ukes, and Allan Page the maker of the Itsy Bitsy Uke in the UK. 

Jen had the vision for this unique ukulele and after sharing her detailed design plans with Allan, the skilled craftsman made Jen's ukulele dream into a reality. 

The mahogany of the uke's body glowed golden in the sunlight when Jen showed me the instrument at this month's White Rock ukulele meetup. When strummed the paddlelele had a decidedly gentle nature. If taken along as a travel uke, this ukulele would never disturb anyone if played late at night in a hotel room!

The Canadian made bottle cap pickup might be just the ticket for a wee uke like this should the player want greater volume at home or on stage. 

All in all, the paddlelele is a fantastic example of two creative minds meeting. A unique design built by a special luthier, the paddlelele is a one of a kind micro ukulele!