SkyWatch Friday ~ More from the Tlell

I am working twelve hour days for the next week so here are some more pictures from my beautiful walk to the mouth of the Tlell River last Sunday. Click on any of the phots to enlarge and see the detail.

Have a wonderful weekend.
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Watery Wednesday ~ Where waters meet

(Click on any photo to enlarge and see more detail)

Went for a walk on Sunday to the mouth of the Tlell (tell-lel)River which in Haida means "place of great surf and abundant berries". The day was perfect and the colours phenomenal.

Ocean water mixing with fresh water at the mouth of the Tlell River.
When the tide comes in the Tlell River reverses direction for six hours twice a day for about five kilometers up river.

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Scenic Sunday ~ #71

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A chill November dawn on Haida Gwaii.
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SkyWatch Friday ~ All in a days travel

(Click on any of these photos to enlarge and view detail.)

Dawn over the Hecate Strait at Tlell yesterday morning.
New snow on Sleeping Beauty Mountain in Queen Charlotte at lunch time.

The Creator's Glory over Queen Charlotte Harbour late afternoon.
And then this weird squall blew in just after we got back to Tlell in the afternoon. The colouration of the light was nothing I have ever seen before, looked almost like a sandstorm.

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update ~ Crrrack

(Click on photo to enlarge and see the crack)

A follow up from yesterday's earthquakes here on Haida Gwaii. As I mentioned in yesterday's post I was lying in bed when there was a loud crack and then the earth moved like we were on a boat...40 seconds later and 2 immediate aftershocks we started to investigate the source of the crack. This is a 40' x 60' two story log home so it would not be unusual to hear wood cracking however we got more than we bargained for and a whole bunch of luck!

There are two spruce headers, which when we put them in 10 years ago to add two new rooms fit a little snugly. We figured the wood would shrink as it dried out. It did and as you can see a beautiful custom stain glass window measuring 12' x 5' was made to fit the space. Because the force of this earthquake was undulating the header above recieved pressure from both sides and cracked. Fortunately it is not a structural support and the stain glass did not break.
Since the first quake yesterday morning there have been more than 100 aftershocks and still counting.

Haida Gwaii is located along the Queen Charlotte Fault which is Canada's equivalent of the San Andreas Fault in California. The largest earthquake in Canada in recent history occured on these islands in 1949 which registered 8.1 on the Ritcher scale which is 1000 times stronger than what occured yesterday!
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My World Tuesday ~ Shake, Rattle and Roll

This map is from the Canadian Earthquake Centre and shows the earthquake epicentre of this morning at Rose Harbour, an old whaling station at the very south end of the islands.

At 7:30 a.m. PST this morning I am lying in bed listening to the news when the dog barks and a deep rumbling sound moves through the house. It is still dark out, a mobile hanging in my window starts to sway and hit the window and then there is a large crack and my bed starts to move back and forth. It continued for about 40 seconds and got stronger in intensity, to the point of me feeling nauses!

This map off the US Earthquake site shows a more general map but includes the fault lines we sit on!

This was the first of two earthquake this morning. The first one registered 6.6 on the Ritcher Scale and seven minutes later there was an after shock of 5.7. Rather than me trying to explain
the Ritcher Scale you can read about it here on Wikipedia.

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Weekend Reflections #8 ~ Perfect Reflection

Queen Charlotte Harbour, November 11, 2009

Some days are just perfect for reflection.

Queen Charlotte Float Plane dock

I love this photo, enlarge it to enjoy the simple beauty of it, the colours, the reflection and try to find the line between reality and the water on the catwalk!

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Weekend Reflections
why not visit our host James

SkyWatch Friday ~ Sea and Sky

(Click on any of these photos to enlarge and enjoy the detail)

I never tire of the turbulent skies and seas of late autumn on Haida Gwaii
and as I prepare to leave for the winter

I can't seem to get enough of them.Every time I walk the beach I am humbled by the beauty of the sky

and the sea.

Update: First snow this morning!

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Weekend Reflections #7 ~ Rainforest Autumn

I went into Queen Charlotte(I'm staying up the coast in Tlell at the moment) last Saturday and enjoyed an unusually beautiful morning of quiet waters, beautiful sunshine and reflections. This is what we call a Rainforest autumn!!

While checking out Wigger's World I was introduced to Weekend Reflections and decided to participate, so to see other great reflections or join in check out James' site.

SkyWatch Friday ~ Promise

The beach at Tlell, Haida Gwaii

I walked out on the beach yesterday morning after a wild weather night and this sky absolutely captivated me. I have it as my screensaver now and I get lost in it. Click on it to enlarge and be drawn in and do feel free to make it your screensaver.

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My World Tuesday ~ Olympic Torch Relay

(Please note all photos can be clicked on and enlarged for more detail)

Before sunrise this morning we drove down the coast from Tlell to the beach at Kaay'llnaagy.

The day was promising to be beautiful.
By sunrise a few people had gathered to witness a once in a lifetime experience.
As the sun dawned


the Olympic Flame arrived on Haida Gwaii in its miners lantern.

Haida Elder, Percy Williams, 79 waited for his torch to be lit.

His torch is lit by the Olympic flame and by the sunrise under the glare of cameras.

Proudly this remarkable Haida Elder takes possession of his torch

in Bill Reid's "Loota"(Wave Eater) canoe under the watchful eyes of the Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Parks Canada and BC Ferries.

But no boat is more at home in these waters than the Loota and her crew.

The Loota, with escorts rounds the point at Kaay'llnaagy.

Kim is a Torch bearer who came here at her own expense from Vancouver so that she could have her once in a lifetime experience carrying the torch. When I asked to take her photo she said "yes....

and do you want me to take a picture of you holding the torch"!!

The Torch arrives on the ancient shores of Haida Gwaii in the way it should.

The Torch Relay "rules" say that you must wear white unmarked running shoes...Percy is wearing gumboots!

As Percy walks up the beach with the Torch Haida dancers and singers surround him with their button blankets

and "voila" Percy has white running shoes!!!

Percy surrounded by his family while the Flame is blessed.

Tyler Brown lights his torch from Percy...symbolizing passing the torch from the old to the young.

Tyler takes his moment before heading into Queen Charlotte

in the traditional Haida way.On this stunning day seven runners carried the Torch on Haida Gwaii, you have met three!

Do you clean it or leave it with the essences of the Olympic flame?

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