An upcoming full moon has contributed to one of the lowest tides of the year this week, down to 0.11 metres at its lowest, creating perfect conditions for six marine education programs, including Marine Day on Tuesday, hosted by the CRD Parks department.
“We have scheduled our programs to capitalize on tide conditions,” said Nancie Dohan, naturalist and co-ordinator of environmental interpretation with the CRD Parks department. “This is one of the lowest tides of the year and the perfect time to host Marine Day. The sunny weather also helps.”
She said that special events include divers bringing up marine life, such as sea cucumbers and sea urchins, for temporary display in a kiddy pool , or dragging a seine net among the seaweed to capture gunnel and pike fish. Participants will also be taken for hikes to explore tidal pools and the marine life in them, such as shore crabs.
In past years up to 800 people have attended Marine Day and around 200 at other events. Here are a list of the various marine events:
• The Beach Rocks — a guided walk for all ages. Participants get a glimpse of creatures that live beneath rocks. Wear sandals or beach shoes. The event runs 10 a.m. to noon today at Island View Beach Regional Park, Central Saanich. Meet at the grassy area adjacent to the picnic shelter off Homathko Road.
• Feeling Crabby — a drop-in event for all ages. Meet four varieties of crabs — red crabs, green crabs smooth crabs and hairy crabs at this event. People can arrive anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday at Island View Beach Regional Park. Look for a blue tent on the beach off Homathko Road.
• What’s that? Ask a Nat! — a drop-in event for all ages. Explore the shoreline and ask a CRD Parks Naturalist to identify what you find. Participants can arrive anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday at Island View Beach Regional Park. Look for a blue tent on the beach off Homathko Road.
• Life on the Rocks — a guided walk for children five and older. A CRD Parks Naturalist will explain to visitors which creatures make Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park in Metchosin their special home. The walk runs 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday at the Tower Point parking lot off Olympic View Drive. Parking is available but the park is also served by B.C. Transit routes #54 or #55.
• Sandy Shore Explore — a guided walk for children five and older. Come for an intertidal exploration to discover the creatures that appear between the tides. The walk is 10 a.m. to noon Monday at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park. Meet on the main beach. Park in the main parking lot off Metchosin Road and follow the 20-minute forest trail to the beach. Witty Beach Road access is closed.
• Marine Day — all ages drop-in event. Live displays, marine bingo, divers will bring up marine creatures from the deep, join in a beach seine. The event runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park. Meet on the main beach. Park in the main parking lot off Metchosin Road and follow the 20-minute forest trail to the beach.
All programs are free. Be prepared to get your feet wet and wear appropriate sandals or beach shoes. Try to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the program. Please leave pets at home. For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/parks.
For the love of Corgi dogs
Do you have, or want to have, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi? Then consider attending the 45th annual Corgi Picnic on Sunday, hosted by the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Association.
This is a fun event with lots of games, prizes, raffles and a bring and buy sale. Bring a picnic lunch, cup, lawn chair and sunshade. Free dessert, coffee, tea and cold drinks.
People without corgis are welcome to attend, but no other dog breeds nor flexi leads are permitted.
Admission is $5 adults, $3 children. The picnic runs noon to 3 p.m. on the Saanich Fair Grounds, 1528 Stelly's Cross Rd.
For more information call Helen Moulden at 250-656-7695.
Eat, drink and play at Victoria’s Mexican culture party
Enjoy three days of Mexican/Latin American culture, food and entertainment as the 8th annual Festival Mexicano returns.
The festival begins Friday with an all-ages dinner and mariachi show followed by two days of family entertainment.
The public is invited to participate in the free family activities Saturday and Sunday, with live entertainment featuring professional Latin musicians, the highlight being Los Dorados mariachi band.
There will also be folk dancers, salsa dance lessons, games, piñatas, authentic Mexican food, workshops, arts and crafts vendors and more.
The festival is hosted by the Mexican Canadian Community Association of Victoria and the Victoria Multicultural Society.
The dinner and mariachi show is $15. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Friday at the Victoria Multicultural Centre, 1415 Broad St. Tickets call 250-213-9366.
Saturday and Sunday’s events are free. The festival runs noon to 5 p.m. at Centennial Square. Details at victoriamexicancanadian.org
All we are saying is give paddling a chance
Ever wanted to give kayaking a try? Want to know what it feels like on a Stand Up Paddle? Learn about marine navigation? All these questions and more will be answered at Paddlefest, an event hosted by Mountain Equipment Co-op on Saturday.
The annual event is an opportunity for novices to get a sampling of what is available at a number of introductory clinics.
It is also a chance for those already in the sport to check out the latest and newest in water craft, gear and gadgets.
Clinics include: kayaking for women, introduction to surfski, stand up paddle yoga and canoeing and kayaking with kids.
Children will be kept busy at the build and race cardboard boats activity.
Participants can meet paddling groups and other marine-friendly organizations or bring their used gear to swap and trade at the PaddleSwap.
Admission is free. Clinics and courses are $10 (pre-registration required). The event runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Willows Beach, 2740 Dalhousie St.
For more information, go to mec.ca
The ins and outs of kimonos
Kimonos are works of art, each with a story to tell. Join a curator-guided tour of Kimono, an exhibit showcasing the centuries of cultural development and history of Japan embodied in an article of clothing, tonight at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Hitomi Harama, guest curator, and Barry Till, Asian arts curator for the art gallery, will provide insight on the codes and culture behind the kimono.
“The details and features that characterize kimono culture are not well known in the Western world,” said Harama, whose family has owned a traditional kimono store in Nagoya, Japan for more than 85 years. “To understand the true beauty of the kimono, knowledge of it’s unwritten code is essential.”
Along with viewing dozens of kimonos, attendees will also learn about the etiquette of kimono attire. The sleeve length, material, colours and design, all speak to the marital status of the person who wore it, their age, gender, class, as well as what season the kimono was for.
Also at the gallery is companion exhibition Geisha to Diva.
That exhibit features rare kimonos, donated to the AGGV, that once belonged to Ichimaru (1906-1997) one of the most famous geishas of the 20th century. She found fame as a vocalist and musician. The collection is back home after touring North America for more than a decade.
The tour is included in general admission. The event runs 7 to 8 p.m. tonight. The Kimono and From Geisha to Diva exhibits continue until Oct. 19 at the art gallery, 1040 Moss St. Details at aggv.ca.
Enjoy local water gardens, help kids in Africa
Get inspiration for a future creation or simply relax to the sounds of calming water at Saturday’s 8th annual Water Garden Tour.
The self-guided tour of 11 unique water gardens is a fundraiser for For the Love of Africa, a charity that helps build infrastructure for education and provide health care for vulnerable children.
The tour features gardens and outdoor spaces with water features such as fountains, waterfalls, ponds, streams and lakes in a defining role. The well-balanced water gardens also provide a pesticide-free environment for birds and other wildlife, while providing a soothing and relaxing atmosphere for humans to enjoy.
The gardens range from the relatively simple to complex, from self-
created to professionally designed. Some gardens are close to town and others found in rural and open landscapes.
Garden designers will be on hand at many of the gardens, with master gardeners available for questions at two. Visitors can also enjoy some of the gardens to the sound of music, as six harpists play soothing melodies to accompany the sound of moving water.
Light refreshments will be available at one of the gardens.
Tickets are $25. The tour runs 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at various Greater Victoria locations. Tickets are available at Marigold Nurseries, Dig This, Gardenworks, Elk Lake Garden Centre and Cannor Nursery. For more information, go to watergardentour.ca or call 250-891-0762.
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