The day began at an ungodly hour of 5:30 AM, signaling the start of a marathon day. The drive to Incheon Airport alone was a four-hour precursor to the stress awaiting us.

Cheetah, mirroring my anxiety, was now sedated (lucky her), necessitating a last-minute strategy revamp. She was to fly with me on Air Canada, relegated to ‘excess baggage’ so I could keep her close and in my protective gaze through both airports.

However, the cruel twist of only one dog on my Air Canada flight that day forced Ivory to embark on a solo journey via Korean Air, half an hour behind us. The ‘excess baggage’ route, a loophole in the high-cost world of pet transport, was bleeding my finances dry.

Processing Ivory was a saga in itself. After what felt like an eternity, we entrusted her to a pet service near the cargo area. Ivory, the ever-social butterfly, wasted no time charming her new caretakers, who were tasked with her timely delivery to the aircraft. As we parted, I sent a silent prayer for a smooth journey for my unshakable companion.

A confirmation from the steward that Cheetah was on board (check) . . . me on board (check). Three minutes airborne and I was comatose till the smell of dinner woke me. Then back to sleep.

Finally, later morning, on terra firma in Vancouver airport, there was, yet again, much dog business to complete. Will it never end? I prayed Ivory made her plane!

Then came demands for more money – pure extortion! The guy in customs told me, apologetically, they never tell folks beforehand about these charges. You’re a captive mark once you’ve crossed an ocean if you want your pet back! I forked it over, Frustrated and peeved but much too tired to argue. This was becoming the case of the million dollar dogs.

Cheetah was now with me. We booted it to the cargo office for Ivory. The centre of attention, as usual, everyone petting and chatting to her, more paperwork and $$. Please, someone find me a bed!
At long last, it’s complete; both girls busted from their puppy jails.

Failing to plan is planing to fail. Even though the plan was to get both girls a great home, the details of that plan were a bit fuzzy!

I stayed with a friend in Burnaby for awhile and, call me picky, but I wasn’t getting the home I envisioned for either of them. After all they’d been through in their previous lives, they needed extraordinary people to adopt them.

Eventually, we enlisted the local veterinarian’s help and Cheetah almost immediately found her guy. An adventurous fellow with his own plane. A very happy pair. . . and very well traveled!

Not according to plan, but a perfect ending, Ivory and I stayed together. We don’t own a plane . . . though we are also well-traveled!.

So, from Burnaby we were off to Vancouver Island. Luckily, we had a plane and a pilot to fly us over. Then, we needed to find a place to live.

In that regard, we became temporary nomads, searching for a more permanent home on the Island. Putting down roots did present some challenges. But in the in between time, we had many marvelous exploits. You’ll read about them in future articles on the blog.

And, the primary challenge here is the cost of purchasing or renting properties! Vancouver Island is a hot spot for summer vacationers with its magnificent natural environment. It’s a challenge finding winter accommodation, but summer is well-nigh impossible. Moving twice a year felt draining. But, always the optimist. I had no doubt that things would work out.

And, they did … even better than I dreamed!

In early May 2017, we scored a summer of house-sitting. We finished moving in earlier this morning. Since it’s our second summer here, we already know the drill, it’s a quick goodbye from our benefactors. Lizzie, their poodle, bolts to the side door. and the trio is off for 4 months of sailing.

Ivory makes herself comfortable and expropriates Lizzie’s bed even before the door shuts. She circles a few times, plops down and reclaims her space at the patio doors. She has a 180 degree view of the garden and ocean beyond and takes over guard duty once more till the fall.[large photo of sunset “View from the garden during a breath-taking June Sunset – Vancouver Island let, Denman & Hornby Islands centre across the water to the north.”

The view north from the garden stretches across the water to Denman and Hornby Islands. In low tide, especially low during the summer, it looks walkable. The distance is deceptive, maybe 30 km. We spend hours out on the striated sandy floor during low tide, looking at little sea creatures like sand dollars and lilliputian crabs searching for a hideaway. But, for me, the best time to be looking northward is a summer evening. Ivory and I sit in the garden and watch the sky theater..

June is the best month for sunsets here. During the June evenings, the sun disappears into the ocean smack between Denman and Hornby, and decorates the sky in rich lemon and tangerine hues.

Eventually, the fiery orange-gold sunset turns into blackness with only a revolving beam of light from the lighthouse on Chrome Island..
The sound of waves and barking sleepy sea lions echo over the water, So soothing. The best way . . . ever . . . to fall asleep!

Still looking north from home through my binoculars, pint-sized Chrome Island pops out with it’s clean white, red-roofed buildings and towering lighthouse. This chunk of yellow rock rises well above the water at low tide. With a pair of hip waders you might be able to walk the 330 feet from Denman. It may be small in size, but historically it’s big. It’s a protected archeological site with petroglyphs, human bones, and a midden.

To the east is the BC mainland and Lasqueti Island known for it’s hippy history, Vietnam War draft dodgers and before it was legalized . . . constant marijuana spats with the RCMP. Still off the grid, with maybe 400 residents, it hasn’t changed much over the years. Like a time capsule.

Swing 180 degrees east. The estuary and the mouth of the Little Qualicum River is a 10 minute jaunt down the beach from home if you keep up a good clip.

The largest section of the estuary is down a few houses and across the street. The forest borders one side of the estuary and Georgia Strait the other. This is one of the most important migratory bird areas in the world. It’s also home base to my precious little friends, the California Quails.

f you’re interested in seeing more of the estuary, go to this Canadian Government website page about the Qualicum National Wildlife Area.