ConSynPro

First awake again at the hostel. I crept out, took a shower, and headed into the streets of Victoria on BC Day, stopping for a coffee at an outside table across from the Church. When the clock showed eight, I walked down to the wharf to meet LN for a day on the water in search of orcas. Our group marched down to the waterfront to board the menacing steel boat. After taxiing out of the Inner Harbour, we picked up speed, jetting past Discovery Island toward East Point. LN and I looked through the Southern Resident ID chart, stopping to answer questions from curious passengers. We then slowed to a stop near a group of motionless boats on calm, flat water; LN & I emerged from the cabin to perfect visibility on this clear and brisk day. Within moments, several members of J-Pod were headed straight at us – one leaped into a massive breach so close I felt the concussion in the hull. He continued directly under the boat, then surfaced just fifteen feet off the stern where I was seated. Next a juvenile began porpoising off to starboard, heaving its glistening black body out of the water to keep up with the others. Soon we were headed back to Victoria, stunned but glowing while discussing our perceptions of this close encounter. LN and I had a great conversation by the totems at The Royal which lasted through our spaghetti lunch – we carried on with our naturalist talk until I was literally running for the Swartz Bay bus. I made it on and rode it to the terminus to board the ferry for Tsawwassen. This Royal BC ferry was huge, loaded with passengers from all over the world speaking a vast array of languages. I sat out on deck watching the world go by over the starboard rail, peering across the water to the shores of wooded islands. Upon arrival I boarded the bus to Vancouver, lugging my items aimlessly in a search for shelter. The first hostel I encountered was fully booked; while resting outside a street hooker hit me up – I sprang back to my feet and hurried to find a spot at the next hostel. There I landed a room all to myself, with Internet. I didn’t get much work done, but instead took this excellent opportunity for some fine sleep. In the morning I woke minutes before the alarm, and took a shower – now two days in a row! In Vancouver, I made a trip to the grocery store to gather provisions, then compressing the groceries in with the rest to form a well-packed, super-heavy kit. Straining my way to the SkyTrain, I traveled just one stop to Pacific Central Station and the public park there. With time to kill but movement difficult, I waited patiently on the bench for the charter bus to the Shambhala event. I sat behind the driver for best visibility, and was glad I did – the mountainscapes were simply incredible, rocky cliffs jutting straight up above the line of sight, giving the feeling I’d stumbled into some glorious canyon carved by ancient glaciers as they tore their way to the sea.