MS Bremen

This is the MS Bremen, of the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises line, yesterday. She is 365 feet long, with a crew of 100 to see to 150
passengers. She is on a 16 day / 17 night one-way cruise from Nome, Alaska to Vancouver.
She certainly does get around, on the internet there are photos of her in the Antarctic, the Amazon, Greece,
Norway, the Arctic and a myriad of other places, with Powell River now added to that list.
There have been a few of these smaller cruise ships sail by in the last few months,
but they aren't yet that common that I don't take photos.

Market Shopping

A very busy day at the Farmer's Market yesterday.

Yachting Season ...

... gives me lots of opportunity to heed that stricture about not coveting my neighbour's goods. Try and heed that stricture.

This is the Azura on Malaspina Strait, Thursday morning, with Texada Island behind her. At 45 metres she is just my size. No?

Making Waves

I'm a Coast Guard fan, both for what they do and for what they look like on the water.

This is our 47' SAR Lifeboat, CCGS Cape Caution, making waves off Willingdon Beach.

At Tanglewood Farm

Tanglewood Farm is located south of town, just off Duck Lake Rd. and it's the place to be for local trail riding.

Very friendly people, and even friendlier horses! They do trail rides and lessons, and cater to small groups.

They have eight horses on site, most born and raised on the farm. Pretty animals, the one on the left kept nudging
my camera while I was trying to shoot its companion.

Chainsaws

We saw a lot of chainsaws at the Logger Sports events just over a week ago, all new and modern;

for a look at slew of older models, here's a photo taken Monday at the Forestry Museum at Willingdon Beach.

Lace Hydrangeas

I've always liked these better than the more common full-headed type.

Harbour Seal Parenting

From the archives, as I haven't been out and about much lately. Four years ago this month I spent a

bit of time watching this seal mum and her pup on the boom logs at the log dump by the mill.

The little one's nap time, and a short time later  ...

... it was feeding time.

We shouldn't assign human emotions to animals, but mum did look contented.

Chainsaw Carving

There are still a half-dozen or so wood carvings available for viewing at the upper Willingdon

lot, and now that they've been oiled and coloured where appropriate,

we can see them finished.

The one I personally like best is these sparring eagles - all this beautiful detail carved

with a chainsaw during the Logger Sports weekend. Magnificent work.

Logger Sports - III

More event photos at Logger Sports held at Willingdon Beach this past weekend. The young

lady in the photo above was entered in the Novice Tree Climb.

 Bucking off the end of the pole in the Obstacle Pole Buck.

Age apparently is no barrier to entry. This old-timer was preparing his saw for the Hot Hot Saw Championship.

With that very big, very expensive Hot Saw our old-timer took 3 slabs off this 18 inch log in about 5 seconds.

Yes, mere seconds. Like a very hot knife through warm butter.

Preparing his small saw for the 100cc PNE Cut Championship. Still more saw than I want to handle

.A lady competitor in the 100cc PNE Cut Championship taking off her 3rd slab.
1st cut is down, 2nd is up and 3rd is down again, all 3 slabs together can be no wider than 4"

The Underhand Block Chop event.

 Buckling up for the Championship Tree Climb.

Half of another team in the Springboard Championship.

An event like this requires countless volunteer hours by many, many people, right down to the fellows

who were hauling away the chips and sawdust - kudos to them all.

Event organizer Bob Marquis.

And finally, the crowds were terrific for this great week-end event. There's not much point without an audience.

Logger Sports - II

Logger Sports main events started Friday afternoon and continued Saturday and Sunday. An

event like this is a photographer's dream. Lots of action, lots of variety and the chance to

test your skill with the camera.

Above is one man of the 2-man team  in the Springboard Championship. He's cutting a slot to
take the springboard in front of him.

On the springboard, ready to cut a notch.

With his partner on the second springboard, using the double buck saw to finish decapitating the log.

The Husky Challenge

Ladies Single Buck

Powell River's own Julian Welp at the 80 foot mark in the Tree Climb.

Canadian Championship Standing Block Chop

More to come tomorrow.

Logger Sports - I

It's Logger Sports week-end and the event started Thursday with the professional chainsaw carvers vying for the prize

on the upper Willingdon lot. Lots of sawdust and even more noise as 8 or 9 carvers had at it.