Blog

Sporadic dispatches from the hinterlands.

Vancouver Island

Our latest 4x4 camping trip took us a little farther from home than usual. We flew to Vancouver and rented a Jeep with a rooftop tent from Hastings Overland and took a week to explore the southern part of Vancouver Island. It was like being in our own rig, but without having to drive it all the way up there.

Lately I’ve been feeling that my Canon 5D camera setup is a heavy burden; for this trip, I rented a tiny Fuji X-T30 and a couple of lenses. It was half the weight of my usual gear, and I enjoyed shooting with it. Perhaps it’s time for a trade.

August 30 to September 8, 2019.

Spicer Meadow Reservoir

We just came back from a canoe trip on Spicer Meadow Reservoir. We paddled in about 5.5 miles from the launch site and camped in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. We found some good solitude out there: 4 days without sight or sound of another person (except a fighter jet that flew low over the lake one day!).


Woodies on the wharf

We walked over to the wharf to see the annual car show, Woodies on the Wharf. It’s always an interesting gathering; we’re not particularly car people, but these particular cars seem so have a strong affinity for Santa Cruz. It’s amazing to see the dedicated craftsmanship that has gone into restoring these cars.

The morning fog gave us something like studio lighting, with even illumination and no hard highlights, and the long walk gave us a reason to try the food at the little place out by Lighthouse Point. A regular weekend day turned into a vacation in Santa Cruz.

Four Mile

There was a big swell today, and I went up to Four Mile Beach to have a look and get some photos around sunset.