Stand Up Paddle Boarding, More Eagles + Honor Systems in Ladner, BC

Hello all!  Another rainy week in Vancouver but we took advantage of the blue skies last Saturday to the max!

 

 

 

 

 

And a good thing we did because ever since then, the forecast has called for rain, rain, rain + more rainy times with no end in sight!  Rainy rainy times!!!

Jeff + I drove around 25 minutes south to the town of Ladner.  Ladner?  Why Ladner?  Because we collect shipping containers + Jeff has found us one in Ladner of all places!  Totally random!

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that shipping containers are my nemesis.  Click here to read about our 40 foot one in Alberta!!!  In short, Jeff is a hoarding squirrel + likes to stash things away + shut the door behind him, thinking that all his crap will just magically disappear.  Well, why did we get a 2nd one?!  Because this one is $100 a month, opposed to the $150 cubby hole he had in Vancouver!  It was teensy tinsy + stuffed to the gills!  And the contents of the tiny container only take up 1/8 of this much more economical shipping container!

But don’t you worry, y’all.  I won’t let this one get filled up!  I’m the Hoarding Police!  OMG I need this T-shirt RIGHT NOW:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, Ladner is situated along the Fraser River + Jeff wanted to get out on the water!  I was hesitant because it is hella cold out + I can’t find my wetsuit from my short lived surfing days in Los Angeles.  But I didn’t want to wuss out, so I sucked it up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff put a Grateful Dead T-shirt on TOP of his half suit.  Don’t ask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hadn’t been on my paddle board since being in Alberta last summer.  I get a little Nervous Nelly on my board because it’s not a cruising boat like a lot of big ol’ Stand Up Paddle Boards are.  It’s thinner + more narrow with lower rails – so that means it’s meant for more speed – not really ideal for a beginner because it’s really tippy!  When we were about to get into the water, a really nice lady who lived in one of the awesome houseboats warned me about the fast current of the river + the whirlpools!  That freaked me out!  I understand the ocean!  Not rivers!  Well, we stayed close to the shoreline + it wasn’t that bad at all!

We paddled alongside old rusty tugboats + ships…

I didn’t take too many pictures because I was too busy concentrating on not falling off my board.  AND THEN, Jeff suggested, “Let’s give ‘er (Canucks say ‘give ‘er’ a lot!  Translation: give it your all – snicker, snicker) + paddle across the river towards that island”.  Ok ladies, do you ever get in situations where your husband doesn’t understand that you are way smaller than they are, with much less muscle mass???  Because, once we got in the middle of the river, we were paddling AGAINST that fast running current that my friendly lady was warning me about!  I was paddling my ass off, all the while cursing + yelling at Jeff like a sailor!!!

Well, I made it, dog gone it!  And it was BEAUTIFUL + calm!!!!!  We paddled around the island + back.

Even though it was my first time back on my board, I actually felt more comfortable than I did last summer!  And then….I fell in.  Man, that Canadian water is cold, y’all!  But after you fall in, it’s extremely freeing because you’re not constantly obsessing over the fact that you don’t want to fall into that frigid Canadian river, because you already did.  I felt like a warrior!

Such a hot look.  Since I can’t find my wet suit, I was wearing my running leggings with Jeff’s wind breaker pants, a fleece top + a wind breaker jacket.  And I don’t know if you knew this already, but life jackets are REALLY flattering.

As we were packing up, I was marveling at all the different types of birds chirping + singing away.

Ok, I’m really obsessed with bald eagles – so here’s another one!

And he is guarding a nest!  And it’s gigante!  I’ve never seen a bald eagle nest before!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s momma, sittin’ on her eggs.  I didn’t realize that female bald eagles look exactly like the male ones.  Usually in the world o’ birds, isn’t it the male ones who are showy + the females are more drab?

As we were driving away, we noticed a sign for free range, organic chickens.  When we parked, who did we run into but our friendly lady from earlier who gave us river advice!  She gave us the low down – after hours shopping is based on the honor system!  Oh Canada!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local, home-made honey + jelly!!!  Yum!

There was a ton of fresh produce for sale!

 

 

One chicken left!  And let me tell you – it was gooood.  We roasted it the next day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it truly was the honor system!  You weigh your own produce, write it down + stuff your money into a box.  There was even some small bills + coins if you needed change!  How sweet is that?!  I can’t wait till more farms open up to sell their fruits + berries!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Jeff hadn’t found the shipping container in Ladner, I don’t know if we’d ever find a reason to go + discover how rad it is!  I had so much fun, + it really made me appreciate living in Canada.  The fact that we could paddle board in an uncrowded, beautiful space, the birds, the nature, the friendliness of strangers + the charming country farms!!!  And only 25 minutes away from home!  Thank you Canada – you rock!