August 30, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Richmond, Historic & Heritage Sites
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It’s 30+ degrees on a sunny Saturday afternoon- what to do? In my case, I headed down to the Steveston Wharf to check out the bustling activity and meet a few of the fishermen that frequent the docks. I’ve done a fair amount of video on Steveston before, and I’ve even mentioned the wharf a couple of times—however, today I wanted to show you in much greater detail what is in my opinion the heart and essence of this quaint little fishing village.
Every weekend the docks absolutely come alive with activity. Why is this? It’s because this is when all of the fishing boats return with their delicious wares on full display for everyone to see and buy. It’s a lot of fun heading down there, regardless of whether you’re buying seafood or not, to see the beehive of activity. There are always shoulder-to-shoulder people strolling the boardwalk, checking out wares on the wharf, relaxing in small waterfront cafes, and eating delicious ice cream everywhere you look. This is the main appeal of the wharf area of Steveston and why so many people come to visit it every weekend.
While I was there I met up with Fisherman Joe and his son Chad. Fisherman Joe is a local fisherman, a regular on the docks, and without question owns one of the busiest stalls on the entire wharf! The pair has been selling fish for about 25 years now and is very well known on the docks! This particular day he was selling halibut and lingcod. I had a chance to talk to him and his son about their lives working out of Steveston. They typically do most of their fishing in the Queen Charlotte Sound and bring back lots of fish every trip, often times sold out before they even reach the harbour. Yes, that’s how popular Fisherman Joes fish is! My parents have bought off of him for years now and we are always notified by telephone before he comes in. I’ve had more than one plate of delicious halibut from Fisherman Joe!
If you’d like to check out Fisherman Joe yourself, their season typically runs from April to September. Their last trip this year will be September 1st!
If you’re a seafood fan, the Steveston wharf has an incredible selection of goods. There are ton of vendors there offering everything from fresh prawns, salmon, halibut, lingcod, to even sea urchins! (and much more… this is just what I saw in my brief time there today!)
The Steveston wharf is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon in Richmond! You’ll meet all sorts of interesting people down there as well as experience a multitude of sights, smells and sounds! Fresh seafood! Yum! Get out there this summer and enjoy it!
August 23, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Richmond, Bird Watching
Find more information about Richmond - Bird Watching
Richmond is host to a number of very cool events each year. When I heard that the 4th annual Raptor Festival was to be held in Terra Nova Park, I immediately made plans to go check it out.
A raptor festival? What the heck is that? Raptors are the broad term for ‘birds of prey’. This is a one day event where the public can get up close and personal with eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures, owls, and many other predatory birds. They have educational displays, talks, and even live shows where you can see the birds in action. Very cool!
When I arrived I met up with one of the handlers, Robyn, and she introduced me to her harris hawk ‘Tuari’. Tuari was a beautiful bird and was very happy posing for my camera. I learned that harris hawks are considered ‘social birds’ as they hunt and travel in packs. They are referred to as the ‘wolves of the sky’ because of their pack mentality and teamwork in taking down prey. Known for being exceptionally intelligent, they have been traditionally used to help in places like landfills, airports and vineyards to deter problem birds.
Harris hawks are not native to BC; they are found around the South Western United States, especially Texas and Arizona. Our particular bird, Tuari, was three years old and expected to live to around thirty. Birds in captivity generally live a lot longer than birds in the wild as their food and shelter is provided for them. As Robyn joked, it’s like they are at the ‘Raptor Resort’. When asked why they don’t just take off and fly away when released, she stated that the birds realize the lifestyle they’ve been given and enjoy the perks. Would you leave an all-inclusive resort with free food? Neither would the hawks!
I was eager to see Tuari ‘in action’ and I soon got my chance! She put on a great show swooping over the crowd, soaring around the sky, and gliding in between Robyn and another handler. We saw several other birds during the show too, all of which entertained the excited crowd garnering loud applauses for their spectacular displays.
If you’ve never seen a birds of prey show before, I can’t recommend them enough. They’re entertaining, unique, and a fabulous way to spend an afternoon! Definitely keep an eye out for them when they return to Richmond!
August 02, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Richmond, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
Hey everyone! Today was an awesome day as I headed down to the Richmond Go Karts track (the outdoor one) for some high-octane, turbo charged, fuel injected fun. Ok, maybe the karts weren’t THAT big, but they were an absolute blast to zip around in and kept my friend Jake and I busy for several hours. Read on to hear our epic battle versus the 7-year-old terrorist! What a day!
I’ve definitely filmed a lot of fun stuff in my life, but shooting shotgun while screeching around corners, burning though straightaways, and weaving around other karts was easily one of the best! The Richmond Go Kart track offers a huge outdoor paved course complete with straightaways, hairpin turns, and windy sections to fulfill your need for speed. They have single and double nine horse power karts and offer races with up to 25 people. (rough estimate from what I saw!)
The facility was well maintained, had a concession, plenty of sitting and spectating areas, and the karts were all in good working condition. The general demographic was young families, though you get a few older guys out there, too. What a great way to spend a sunny afternoon in Richmond!
One of the funny occurrences was our epic battle/race to the death with an aggressive 7 year old that found we had a camera and made it his new mission to drive us off the road. It was hilarious and awesome! He would slow down and wait for us and then cut us off and do all manner of things that would get you thrown in jail on an actual street. Luckily, thanks to Jake’s superior kart driving skills and my relentless taunts of victory we managed to survive the round and get some great footage to boot. Hey little dude, just wait till round 2! =p
Jake and I really had a great time out there. The karts handled well and the course was interesting and well laid out. If you’re looking for a great way to spend a sunny day head down to the Richmond Go Kart Track and burn some rubber!