Home sweet home, May, 2011

Visit with my brother on the west coat of Vancouver Island, Dinner with friends, winery tour and scenes around Beacon Hill Park

When I completed my contract in Mozambique in April (see previous post) I came home to relax and enjoy my time with family and friends. My brother, who lived further north on Vancouver Island, had rented a small cabin on the west coast of Vancouver Island during his week of holidays so I joined him for a couple of days. We had a great visit, during which time we enjoyed the views of the ocean from the cabin (and the hot tub facing the water!) and hiked along the ocean. 

After catching up with my brother I had dinner and met up with friends at one of my favourite restaurants in Victoria, Ferris' Oyster Bar and Grill, went on a wonderful winery tour in the Cowichan Valley with Wilson Tours and wandered around Beacon Hill Park, which is literally right next to where I live, and had coffee at the Dockside Green Caffe Fantastico to meet my friend Natalie's new puppy. It was a lovely way to spend my break at home :)

Lunch with my brother at Mom's Cafe in Sooke 

Can't stop looking for whales...even from the hot tub with a glass of wine, off the west coast of Vancouver Island

Local wildlife, a bald eagle, also enjoying the views

Love the west coast beaches!

Dinner with friends at Ferris' Oyster Bar and Grill. Yum!

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this little guy waiting for his owner outside of a pub on Government Street 

Cohen, the coolest Devon Rex cat ever!!

One of my favourite bike rides...along Dallas Road to Beach Road in Oak Bay. Views of Chatham and Discovery Islands with San Juan Island, WA in the background

My good friend Jacklyn and I at Rocky Creek Winery during our wine tour in the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island

Funky place at one of the stops during the wine tour

Blue Grouse Winery

Views around lovely Beacon Hill Park near my place

Having coffee with my good friend Natalie and her new sweetheart of a pup, Darcy!

So cute!

MMO and PAM rotation offshore, Mozambique, April 2011

April and May - Mozambique

Following are photos from my rotation offshore Cabo Delgado, Mozambique during April/May 2011. It was a wonderful survey with good weather and calm seas, beautiful sunsets and sunrises and good sightings (over 100!) of a variety of species. It was a delight working this contract especially working onboard the Geo Caribbean, a beautiful newer seismic vessel of 100 m with beautiful crew lounges, a swimming pool on deck, a huge gym and even a large cinema for crew meetings and viewing movies! 

Cabo Delgado lighthouse

There were so many of these guys flying around the ship...beautiful to see while on visual watch!

Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) swimming near the boat

Drill ship

Okay, I'm still a new birder...not sure what species this bird is!

Offshore skies :)

False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens)

Cabo Delgado Lighthouse

Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris)

On PAM watch

Offshore sunrises...always beautiful!

View from the Geo Caribbean's bridge wing

Geo Caribbean's bridge lounge area

View of Geo Caribbean's bridge from helideck

Enjoying the helideck :)

Views around the vessel..art on the walls

One of my favourite features of the ship...the swimming pool!

My cabin...not too shabby!

View from my porthole

Stormy sunrise...my last morning on board

The fire team ready for helicopter operations :)

Views from the chopper en route back to shore

Our ride...at Mocimba de Praia

Airport at Mocimba de Praia, Mozambique

Where we waited for our flight to Dar and then home!