Last week I flew to Victoria.
By ferry the trip usually takes two or three ferries and two or three hours driving.
By air the trip is both instant and timeless.
Flying over the Gulf Islands on the way, the sky was overcast and the landscape like an etching, everything outlined by melting snow. Trees stood individually in the forests, homes were small white blocks and the roads, where cleared, were dark lines cutting through.
On my return, the snow had gone and the sun shafted through, turning the islands into mounds of deep green with sharp shorelines and beaches. The sea was very clear and I could see the rock formations beneath shallow water, the colour darkening with depth.
Galiano, Salt Spring, Mayne, and all the usual large islands fairly recognizable, each surrounded by smaller ones. In the anchorages, bays and passages were still more.
I was filled with awe and delight at the overwhelming sight below. Then came a sense of pride with the realization that I was partially responsible for so much beauty, my taxes part of its stewardship.
There are some 13 large and over 450 islands in the Islands Trust Area, over 5200 square kilometers of land and sea. A population of 26,000 people cohabit with an ecosystem of many species of birds, fishes, intertidal life, plants and other wildlife.
Because Bowen Island is part of the Islands Trust, we also need to protect and preserve this precious and amazing area. We are fortunate to have two strong councillors on the Trust committee, Sue Ellen Fast and Michael Kaile, to represent us as part of a larger commitment.
So, if you want a great perspective on life, take flight over the Salish Sea.
