Point Hope Shipyard

           Happy Fathers Day!!!

Last Sunday I got to do something that I've always wanted to do. It was the 2nd annual Vic West Street Fest (different from Vic West Fest in May, yes we have TWO neighbourhood events now!) and it's held on Harbour Road in conjunction with Dockside Green and Point Hope Shipyard. There's the usual food trucks, music etc. but for me the highlight was to get to explore the shipyard and the docks as the rest of the year it's off limits to the public. The above picture was taken on board a tugboat that we took a tour of. I've always admired these little boats when you see them powering along with some enormous barge or boat behind them; something so poetic about their small size and incredible power. - Fern

                       

                       

The Blue Bridge

It has been some time since I posted a photo of the Johnson Street Bridge, Victoria's unique heritage bridge and, since the spans opened yesterday when I was about to cross, it seems an opportune time. City Hall is determined to tear this bridge down despite its historical significance and considerable opposition from residents. The bridge was designed by Joseph Strauss, who also designed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. One aspect of its uniqueness is that it is actually two bridges, one for road traffic and a narrower span for rail traffic. Wikipedia has an entry that describes some of its history and significance as well as the current status of the controversy surrounding this bridge. Or, check out the City of Victoria spin HERE or some citizen views HERE. On the right, I was surprised to see how small was the tug that was pulling this barge under the bridge. It's almost like a toy tug. It looks like a telephone booth on top of a row boat.