Southward

Probably the main cycle trail on Southern Vancouver Island is the Galloping Goose (named after the rail line it follows through much of its length). It crosses the Gorge (an inland arm of the Harbour) over an old re-purposed train trestle, from the centre of which the above view of the city invites contemplation. That's the Bay Street (or Point Ellice) Bridge in the foreground and (if you've got sharp eyes or click the photo to enlarge it) you can see the Johnson Street Bridge further back. The latter is open to allow some marine traffic to pass.

Autumn 2

Yesterday's photo was taken looking northwest up the Gorge. In the above photo we are looking south down the Gorge towards downtown, visible beyond the Bay Street (Point Ellice) Bridge.

Bay Street Bridge and Point Ellice

Yesterday's photo was taken looking up the Gorge towards the northeast. Today's photo was taken in the opposite direction looking down the Gorge towards the Bay Street Bridge. Most of the buildings on the right beyond the bridge are the Dockside Green development. The treed area on the left is Point Ellice, where the O'Reilly house is located. It's a great spot to visit and we'll have a look at it sometime in the next few days.

Looking South

We had some nice bright days early this week and though the weatherman suggested that snow was a possibility it didn't come to pass. Above is a view of the city taken from the Selkirk Trestle, an old railway trestle that crosses the Gorge and is now a part of the Galloping Goose regional trail for pedestrians and cyclists. The Galloping Goose is much used by cycle commuters who get to enjoy this view every day. Here we are looking south towards the Bay Street Bridge (Point Ellice Bridge) with the city beyond. That green treed area on the left is where Point Ellice House is located and the outlook/viewpoint on the opposite side of the Gorge is at the bottom of the Railyards condominium development.

The Point Ellice Bridge

The Johnson Street Bridge is our more famous bridge (though soon-to-be no more sadly) but further up the Gorge, the Bay Street Bridge, as locals call it, has some nice lines as well. - Fern

More Night Lights

We're getting more night shots lately partly because there's more night lately but mainly because I am getting addicted to the Sony Alpha 55's wonderful handheld twilight setting. It's really liberating to be able to walk around in the darkness and shoot photos just like it was daytime. Above is a shot taken from the Bay Street (Point Ellice) Bridge looking down the Gorge towards the city. That's the Galloping Goose Regional Trail for cyclists and pedestrians with the nice yellow line down the middle. It's nearly deserted at night but in the morning it carries many walkers and commuters on two wheels.

Bay Street Bridge III

From beneath the Bay Street Bridge the view above is looking north and slightly west up the Gorge towards the Selkirk Waters. The house on the opposite shore that is visible through the trees is Point Ellice House. The photo on the right is the view looking in the opposite direction, down the Gorge towards the city. On the left is LaFarge Cement and Butler's Concrete. The large blue building is a thrift store called Valu Village.

Bay Street Bridge II

You can walk across the Bay Street Bridge, but only one side has a sidewalk, pictured above. Probably most of the traffic on the bridge is traveling to or from the western communities - Colwood, Langford and Sooke. Residents of Esquimalt or Vic West are just as likely to use the Johnson Street Bridge to cross the Gorge. In this photo, below the bridge on the right can be seen the Galloping Goose Trail for cyclists and pedestrians that leads directly to the Johnson Street Bridge and the city centre.

Bay Street Bridge

Victoria's main environmental characteristic is its coastal location and an extension of the ocean called "The Gorge" is the most significant urban feature. The Gorge is a long inlet that snakes westward through Victoria and Esquimalt from its lower reaches where it is called the Inner Harbour. It is bridged in 5 places along its length. In past posts I have tended to focus on the famed Johnson Street Bridge because of the controversy surrounding its replacement as well as its historical importance. The "Blue Bridge" is also the first bridge to cross the Gorge as it moves inland. The next bridge, which marks the end of the "Upper Harbour", is that pictured above, the Bay Street Bridge. It is also called the Point Ellice Bridge because its eastern side is planted on (or very near) Point Ellice. Point Ellice House can be seen through the trees in the roughly the center of the above photo just to the left of the large, blue-gray Gravel Mart building. Aside from Point Ellice House (a splendid heritage showcase) the area is mostly industrial with ship yards, a large cement works, recycling facilities, print shops and other small industries.

As I noted in an earlier post, "The first bridge over the Gorge at this point collapsed on Victoria Day in 1896 when a streetcar bearing 120 holidaymakers attempted to cross. Fifty-five lives were lost." You can read the original 1896 newspaper article describing this tragedy by clicking HERE. The current bridge was built during the 1950's.