Thursday 19 December 2013

BC Coastal Hidden Gems: Tahsis

"Where is Tahsis? I've heard the name, but really, where is it?!" A common question, most recently asked by a realtor who had stopped by the office.

Tahsis is a community on the west side of Vancouver Island, north of Gold River, in the heart of Nootka Sound. It is well known to fishermen, outdoor enthusiasts and eco-tourists as a place for amazing adventure.

The village is accessible by gravel road from Gold River, as well by boat or float plane. The Village has many services, including shopping, a school, recreation centre, post office and library. It is serviced with high speed internet, making it a perfect starting point for many adventures.

Tahsis is surrounded by diverse marine waters, making it a popular destination for fishermen, boaters, surfers, whale watchers and others.

A small village well worth visiting!

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!






Thursday 12 December 2013

BCO on the Wing: It's All About the Angle

Taking photos from a moving airplane, especially a small one, can be quite the challenge. When Ed and Shelley go up to take photos they know to take lots and lots of images. Sometimes lots of them are amazing, and sometimes lots of them are not so suitable.



A small plane means not a lot of space. Taking photos out the window while staying out of the way of the pilot, staying safe and being aware of when the plane is about to move can be tricky.

Propellers and window frames often get in the shot, as do the wing edges.
 

Light is the other factor that can make a big difference. These two photos are of the same area on the same day, just the angle of the plane in relation to where the sun is in the sky has changed. What a difference!
 

It's always fun to sit down and go through the photos when they come back to the office, you never know what you are going to see!


It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!

Thursday 5 December 2013

Winterizing your Remote or Recreational Property


The winter storms are coming, and the snow, and that means it's time to winterize! Just like you should clean your gutters, unhook your hoses and put away the patio furniture at your residence, you should prepare your recreational and remote properties for winter.
Winter Harbour, in winter
 
Water - if you are not going to be using your property over the winter your water supply should be properly shut down. There is nothing worse than burst pipes in the spring!

General tidy up - make sure all the loose items from summer, such as chairs, tables, planters, tools, etc are put away in a secure place. Winter weather can wreck these items, and winter storms can send them flying.

Lock up - make sure the property is closed up properly. Windows and doors should be latched so wind doesn't blow them open and so that critters can't get in.

snow on the highway
 
Docks - make sure the surface is "gripped" or cleaned so that if someone needs to use the docks they won't slip on the slick surface from all the winter moisture.

Trees, shrubs, etc - now is a good time to prune any dead branches or long branches that are getting too close to buildings. These can come down during winter storms doing a lot of damage with no one around to clean up. Better to deal with it now.
trees downed on trails over the winter

A small amount of time spent shutting down, cleaning up and locking up will save time and possibly money come spring. It's not too late to get it done before the big storms come!



driftwood blown in by a January storm
 
It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Pass It On!