damanbeatty

The World of Daman Beatty

[damanbeatty]

Start Here: The World of Daman Beatty (Archive + Highlights)

Welcome. This blog is an archive of writing, photography, travel, family history, and older posts migrated from my original site. If you’re new, start here.

About / Start Here

Who is Daman Beatty (2001) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/692301187673931776/2001-who-is-daman-beatty

A return to damanbeatty.com https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/688988727098376192/a-return-to-damanbeattycom

Family History: Dr. David Beatty

Dr. David Pierce Beatty (1933–2015) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690524396158402560/dr-david-pierce-beatty-1933-2015

My eulogy: growing up with Dr. David Beatty https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690525214619107328/my-eulogy-growing-up-with-dr-david-beatty-as-my

Remembrance Day address (Nov 9) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/700566846131388416/dr-david-beatty-remembrance-day-address-nov-9

Letters to Annie: a Remembrance Day address https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/688999602035245056/letters-to-annie-a-remembrance-day-address-by

The night before Christmas (read by Dr. David…) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689949851996356608/the-night-before-christmas-read-by-dr-david

About my father and Lewy Body… https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689720546265628672/dr-david-beatty-about-my-father-and-lewy-body

Travel & Outdoors: British Columbia

Nisga’a of the Nass (2006) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690532792003592192/original-post-date-july-30-2021-in-2006-i-lived

Mount Seymour to Dog Peak https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689403422516150272/mount-seymour-to-dog-peak-north-vancouver-bc

Dog Mountain Peak (winter trail) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689083842942976000/dog-mountain-peak-winter-wonderland-trail-on-mount

Matier Glacier hike (Joffre Lakes) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689719895556030464/matier-glacier-hiking-joffre-lakes

BC Vacation: Manning Park → Kelowna vineyards https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689673803126685696/bc-vacation-manning-park-to-kelowna-vineyards

Golden Ears (New Year’s Day) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690442903815864320/a-golden-new-years-day-in-golden-ears-provincial

Buntzen Lake (New Year’s Day 2011) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689039430442467328/new-years-day-2011-at-buntzen-lake

Buntzen Lake powerhouse hike (Anmore) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689540763619672064/buntzen-lake-bc-hydro-powerhouse-hike-in-anmore-bc

Sea-to-Sky / Squamish series

Exploring Squamish, Part 1 (Via Ferrata) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690530259483967488/exploring-squamish-part-1-via-ferrata-at-sea-to

Exploring Squamish, Part 2 (Sea-to-Sky Air) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690531171846815744/exploring-squamish-part-2-sea-to-sky-air

Exploring Squamish, Part 3 (Canoe) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690531470928904192/exploring-squamish-part-3-squamish-nation-canoe

Europe 2014 series

Europe 2014, Part 1: The journey to Liverpool https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690308738526150656/europe-2014-part-1-the-journey-to-liverpool-uk

Europe 2014, Part 2: Liverpool Riverfest https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690449146949337088/europe-2014-part-2-liverpool-riverfest

Europe 2014, Part 3: Liverpool city photowalk https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690528497373003776/europe-2014-part-3-liverpool-city-photowalk

St Luke’s, the bombed-out church (Liverpool) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690523751298777088/st-lukes-the-bombed-out-church-liverpool-uk

Belize 2004 series

Belize 2004, Part 1: Arrival in Central America https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690036948110376960/belize-2004-part-1-arrival-in-central-america

Belize 2004, Part 2: Underground Mayan waterways https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690037956726194176/belize-2004-part-2-underground-mayan-waterways

Belize 2004, Part 3: San Ignacio https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690039351394107392/belize-2004-part-3-san-ignacio-cayo-district

Belize 2004, Part 4: Maya pyramids (Tikal) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690120982834364416/belize-2004-part-4-maya-pyramids-tikal

Belize 2004, Part 5: Caye Caulker https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690121922789457920/belize-2004-part-5-the-coral-island-of-caye

Belize 2004, Part 6: Junis sail + snorkel https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690122805642215424/belize-2004-part-6-junis-sail-snorkel-trips

Belize 2004, Part 7: Lazy Lizard https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690124272763551744/belize-2004-part-7-lazy-lizard-bar-grill-at

Odds, art, and old web-era stuff (because it’s fun)

Canon EOS 70D DSLR camera review https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690523195104739328/canon-eos-70d-dslr-camera-review

Magic Lantern for videos https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690523416890130432/magic-lantern-give-your-videos-a-professional

Marketing inspiration from Gary Vaynerchuk https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689949083654389760/marketing-inspiration-from-gary-vaynerchuk

Quantum physics and cosmology https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/689036673247477760/quantum-physics-and-cosmology

Moleskine notebook art https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/688996916063830016/moleskin-notebook-art

Personal writing

Dad and the opossum (Father’s Day story) https://damanbeatty.tumblr.com/post/690529614977744896/dad-and-the-opossum-a-story-for-fathers-day

[damanbeatty]

I moved to Vancouver from my hometown of Sackville, New Brunswick, over 20 years ago, but I’ve been fortunate to visit often. A heartwarming welcome sign upon returning home was spotting the shortwave CBC Radio Canada International towers’ antenna array spanning across the Tantramar marsh as you approached Sackville.

Built in 1938 but sadly torn down in 2014, the CBC Radio Canada International towers have been beautifully commemorated by Blackhare in partnership with CBC onto a graphic tee. Owned and operated by my old buddy Nick Chase, who hails from Sackville as well, Blackhare is a family-run Canadian business specializing in eco-friendly graphic tees and housewares. They are committed to quality and hand-print everything using eco-friendly water-based inks.

This photo below shows me proudly wearing my CBC Transmitter Towers shirt during a walk along the Vancouver seawall in Stanley Park yesterday. Many thanks to Nick for this shirt—it’s a nostalgic reminder of home.

In the next picture taken in 2006, I captured the towers during one of many drives from Murray Corner back to Sackville in my Dad’s old blue Chevy pickup. I remember as a kid lying in the hatchback of my parents’ car, driving past, gazing up at the night sky. The towers would light up like a constellation of red stars across the marsh—no seatbelt laws back then, just a sense of wonder.

If you’re as nostalgic as I am, check out Blackhare’s collection at Blackhare.ca. Grab the shirt and keep the spirit of the towers alive.

Blackhare | Hand Printed Graphic Tees and Housewares

Blackhare is an artist-run family-owned business that creates originally-designed graphic tees and housewares. We hand print every piece usi

[damanbeatty]

Dr. David Beatty Remembrance Day Address Nov 9, 2001 - Alvah E Carter

Mount Allison University brings you the 2001 edition of Dr. David Pierce Beatty's annual Remembrance Day address. 

The title of this year's address is "A Life Given for Others: A Nova Scotia Boy, Sergeant Alvah E. Carter, killed in World War 1."

[damanbeatty]

My new obsession is healthy air, fuelled by the companion app for our Dyson air filter with its live readout of air quality inside vs. outside. Today, I've opened all the windows; the outside reading is excellent - something new!

According to firesmoke dot ca it is only a brief reprieve until the smoke rolls back in, so enjoy!

October 22, 2022

[damanbeatty]

1952 High School Grad Write-Up by David Beatty (My Father) Gives a Glimpse at Growing Up in Wartime Era

NOTE: This was written by a Williamston High School student, David Pierce Beatty and we think it reveals a most remarkable insight into a situation which is the only thing he has ever known. It is published without editing.

-The Editor, The Williamston Enterprise (Williamston, Michigan) 1952.

A Short Way Off.

For around fifty modest seniors here in Williamston the end of a grand and glorious era is near at hand. In just a few more fleeting weeks the class of "52" will be but a page of history. The page will be stamped with a seal of the grand old sanctuary of Williamston High and the names written there will be a living memorial to a great generation of young people.

This courageous class of young people about to step out into a new atomic age that is but eight years old has never seen a peaceful, settled year since its birth in the early Thirtys. As the members of "52" came into this world the fangs of depression had torn deeply into the flesh of human happiness and welfare. The teeth marks of this great disaster left huge scars which were healed while we were just learning to walk and talk. 

It was while we were yet pulling pig-tails and playing drop the handkerchief that the bloodiest and most terrifying of all wars was in the making. And while we were learning our multiplication tables we heard Gabreal Heater tell of Pearl Harbor and DHDay, the Battle of the Bulge, Dunkirk and the Capture of the Phillippines. How well we remember that New Years Day when McArthur took Manila. How many ,there were in this great class whose throats at Churchill's "Blood, Sweat and Tears". How many there are whose brothers and uncles and dads never came back. Each and every one remembers the inch by inch fight to V-J Day.

This is the kind of a world we were born into and raised up in. This is not the complete story of "52" though. With the promises of peace everywhere at hand we entered high school at the time of one of the greatest political upsets in our national history, the election of 1948. While the boys started growing whiskers and the girls started wearing lipstick, unemployment raged and FFA members sold 32 cent hogs. Russia exploded an atomic bomb and somebody started a war in Korea. Of course Truman would have it all cleaned up over there by Christmas of "51" then the Yanks started cleaning house which certainly meant a cut in Defense plants if victory should come, so naturally McArthur got canned. 

Well here we are with graduation a short way off and were ready to start making a living with income tax so high you can't afford to stay single and if you get married you can't make ends meet. That's what the big boys tell us and they should know. 

That has been our life in these United States. We're not complaining because we don't do that. But the fact still remains that we never have seen a year of what is known as ordinary times. And while many of life's joys and sorrows may be but a short way off, it can not be said we are but little children. But in the greater sense we are happy, courageous, and law abiding citizens ready and willing to do our share for our class, our community and our Country. It is our sincerest and fondest hope that the citizens of this community will understand this great class's hopes, desires and ambitions and that you will back us in our hopes for Peace and Happiness.

By Dave Pierce Beatty, Senior Class. Reporter.

[damanbeatty]

Nisga’a of the Nass

Original Post Date July 30, 2021

In 2006 I lived in northern Kitimat, BC. My dog, Murphy and I drove up to explore the unique lava beds in the raw wilderness of Nisga’a territory roughly an hour north of Terrace, BC. To First Nations people, the park is known as Anhluut’ukwsim Laxmihl Angwinga’asanskwhl Nisga’a. The park is also known as Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park.

It’s hard to imagine it happening, but around the year 1750 – decades before Europeans came sailing up this way – a volcano erupted here spewing lava and killing over 2,000 Nisga’a people, destroying everything in its path and sparking devastating forest fires.

Murphy explores the lava beds at Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park

The vast lava beds remain today as a memorial to the lives lost. Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park is a popular destination with a 16-site campground and a Visitors Centre displaying Nisga’a artifacts throughout July and August. There are guided tours of the lava beds, sport fishing, backcountry excursions, local accommodations, and majestic pts’aan (totem poles).

Daman Beatty and his little dog Murphy set off from Kitimat, BC in an old Mazda MX3 Precidia to visit the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park (July 2006)

It is the first park in BC jointly managed between BC Parks and the Nisga’a Tribal Council. It boasts waterfalls, pools, cinder cones, tree moulds, lava tubes, spatter cones, a lava-dammed lake, caves and other features created by lava flows.

BC Parks’ website says this park offers “a chance to explore many unique and interesting features of a volcanic landscape and to learn about the culture and legends of the Nisga’a people.” This was so very true for us that day after we picked up Kenny Robinson, a Nisga’a man hitchhiking home from Terrace.

The guide, Kenny Robinson

Totem pole and long house in n the village of Gingolx, British Columbia

In exchange for a ride, he offered a guided tour of the lava beds and some Nisga’a villages along the way, including the home of a 400-foot suspension bridge: Gitwinksihlkw (Place of the Lizards) where according to oral tradition, large lizards lived there before the eruption.

I also received a warm welcome in the breathtaking village of Gingolx with spectacular views of the ocean and soaring eagles. The locals invited me into their long house to draw door prizes for a gathering and showed me how to prepare smoked salmon.

Smoked salmon hanging in a Nisga’a village of Gingolx, British Columbia

Hanging salmon in the village of Gingolx, British Columbia

Using the clunky old cassette-loaded camcorder I had back then, I filmed the day’s events, including a terrifying encounter with an aggressive mother grizzly and cubs. Watch the video below!

[damanbeatty]

Unplug from the Matrix: My First Sensory Deprivation Float

Original Post Date March 10, 2018

I recently tried out a 90 minute sensory deprivation float at Salt Wellness Centre in South Surrey. It was a truly unique experience that transitioned me through various states of mind. First, I was a little apprehensive to get into a dark, sealed tank, but they did offer a nightlight if you chose. The tank door is huge and readily available. I am a pretty tall guy but still had plenty of space. It wasn’t scary at all.

I enjoyed the novelty and relaxation of floating in the Epsom salts‎ and settled in, trying to find the right place to put my arms. After a while I started exploring the space around me without any light. Here’s the weird thing. I put my hand in front of my face and I felt like I could see it, but it was pulsating with energy, like I could see the soul inside my hand and the aura and energy within it! I waved it around and it left tracers swooshing through the blackness. For real, this happened! I looked beyond and witnessed a hallucination of swirling lights that are reminiscent of an acid trip. I also felt like I was traveling through space or down a black hole like in Interstellar. Trippy.

I moved beyond that and for a bit I felt the need to touch something, stretch and contort just to receive that physical feedback. I sat up at this point but my face and body felt so heavy, I decided to lay back down. Make sure you don’t get the salt in your eyes, by the way. That stings!

Near the end of the float, it become more focused and wrapped my arms and legs together, laying motionless as if solidified in cement. I learned this was because the salts were crystallizing on my body. The music gave way to absolute silence and I descended into the deepest state of meditation. Apparently the music was still on but only binaural beats, a frequency only audible to your subconscious mind.

Salt Wellness Centre is located nearby in Surrey, BC. You should give it a try!

[damanbeatty]

Amanda Hebert Wins 2017 David Beatty History Prize at Mount Allison University

Original Post Date June 2, 2017

I am thrilled to announce that Mount Allison University graduate, Amanda Hebert was awarded the David Beatty History Prize at this year’s convocation in Sackville, New Brunswick. The David Beatty History Prize commemorates the career of my father, Dr. David Beatty, “a much admired teacher and scholar.” The prize is awarded each year to the student graduating with the highest GPA in honours history. Amanda’s father, John said to me, “it was a special moment for our family in many ways and Amanda was extremely honoured to win the prize given our respect for your father who continues to inspire.”

Not only was John a student of my father’s back in the 1980s, but he also taught briefly alongside my mother, Mary Jean, across the border in Nova Scotia at Amherst Regional High School in 1985. Hebert added, “my daughter was determined to win the award as it is presented for top GPA in Honours history. Your Dad and I exchanged many a Christmas card and when my daughter was young he always asked for a picture. It was a great ceremony, and the last one for Peter Mansbridge as Chancellor as well.”

[damanbeatty]

Exploring Squamish Part 4: What To Do in Squamish

Original Post Date October 17, 2016

Tourism Squamish recently invited myself and some other local online media folks to come get a taste of life in nearby Squamish. It is like a little secret paradise, less than an hour’s drive from Vancouver. Here are some of the amazing adventures we experienced:

The Airhouse Freestyle Trampoline Centre

The Airhouse is a progressive, freestyle training centre offering a wide range of trampoline and conditioning programs for everyone. Their goal is to provide the best jumping experience in a safe and fun learning environment. Whether you are a kid just starting to learn trampoline basics to a competitive athlete looking for professional training and coaching.

I am very proud of @nshoremama and @beeblancs for making this leap. Its higher and scarier… https://t.co/cFQcEu2Tpa pic.twitter.com/GPcVTFVSLr

Fergie's Brunch in a Riverside Guest Cabin at Sunwolf Resort

It’s a one of a kind place and possibly the best hidden secret in the region. This resort is located on the banks of the Cheakamus river in Brackendale. Historic and authentic this resort offers many experiences. The accommodation varies between charming River Side cabins, Fisherman’s Cottage and the Logger’s Shack. Fergies' Café on site is the one of the best breakfast and brunch places in town. Sunwolf also operates whitewater rafting excursions and eagle viewing floats in the winter season.

You can rent this riverside cabin for around $300/night. We ate our brunch there. Take a c… https://t.co/kV2y1YbhYo pic.twitter.com/gXDjo3JmRc

Squamish Explorer Flight Seeing Tour with Sea to Sky Air

With Sea to Sky Air, we flew above and beyond the massive granite cliffs of the Stawamus Chief, the cascading waters of Shannon Falls, and the spectacular peaks of the Tantalus range to what really makes Squamish one of the world's most beautiful places.

Brewery Tour, Beer Tasting and Lunch at Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Co.

Rated one of the best pubs for food and beer in the Lower Mainland, the brew pub has become known as the meeting place in Squamish for locals and tourists alike. With high ceilings and post and beam construction, the brew pub offers a unique venue to show off the Stawamus Chief rock climbing face, and breathtaking views of local natural scenery. In 1996, John Mitchell helped design the Howe Sound Brewery and worked as the first brewer developing the initial recipes. Known as the “grandfather of micro-brewing in Canada”, Howe Sound Brewing is proud of his ongoing relationship with their brewery. Today they continue to brew in the craft style using unfiltered 100% barley mash. They pride themselves in brewing a diverse selection of flavourful, well-balanced ales.

Media tour of @howesoundbrewing in #Squamish #exploresquamish https://t.co/jU0k1C0E3h pic.twitter.com/CmsiNrquwf

Storage tanks for @howesoundbrewing #beer #Squamish #exploresquamish https://t.co/lrbO8FHSzd pic.twitter.com/e1TwscN9we

I'm not joking when I say @howesoundbrewing makes the BEST #pizza I have ever tasted. This… https://t.co/NmNLw39uYn pic.twitter.com/q1sghqwLyO

Orgasmicly delicious #mussels and @howesoundbrewing flight in the rear #foodporn #Squamish… https://t.co/R2bVFoAank pic.twitter.com/vU7uiciGTH

Tour of Ravenswood Show Home and Development (Benchmark Homes Ltd.)

Ravenswood is a community of three and four bedroom single family homes surrounded by the beautiful mountain town of Squamish yet close enough to hustle and bustle of Vancouver. “Ravenswood is the first and only large, single builder, master planned community to come to Squamish. It is the first opportunity for those looking to purchase a quality, modern and affordable family home in the Sea to Sky. This project fills a large gap in the local housing market, and should resonate with the young families looking to raise their children in their own paradise,” says sales team member Andrew Laurie.

Only 50 mins from #Vancouver - #Ravenswood is a master planned community of affordable sin… https://t.co/OujZg3kAzl pic.twitter.com/gbY9iw2IjL

Tour of Executive Suites Hotel & Resort (Where We Stayed)

All suites hotel and resort property featuring fully equipped kitchens with full size refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave. Cooking and dining accessories, coffee maker as well as separate dining area and large balcony - many with stunning panoramic mountain views. Guests of the Executive Suites Hotel & Resort also enjoy individual controls for heating and air conditioning within the suites, spacious closets, flat screen televisions with DVD and premium movie channels. In-suite spa services are available through Living Well Spa. Heated outdoor pool, hot tub and well equipped fitness centre on site.

Alison from @squamishresort showing us where the resident black bear roams out back of the… https://t.co/KAhj74zZBx pic.twitter.com/PNFQJK8y6o

Best place to stay @squamishresort with outdoor pool, hot tub & 24hr gym #Squamish #explor… https://t.co/NiITx6n6A0 pic.twitter.com/Xsns4cKZt1

View of the #Squamish #sunrise from our balcony at @squamishresort #exploresquamish https://t.co/cgnds5wNaw pic.twitter.com/MzFhqGeUGI

The Salted Vine Kitchen & Bar

The Salted Vine Kitchen & Bar a contemporary and inspired taste of the Pacific Northwest and a new upscale dining experience in the heart of historic Squamish. Boasting a 70-seat dining and lounge area, as well as a 20-seat patio and a full bar—guests can expect to dine in comfortable fashion. Menu focusses on seasonal small share plates that use fresh and sustainable ingredients. House-made cocktails, carefully selected B.C. and international wines, and local craft beer on tap is available for those who enjoy drinks with their meals.

Fine dining at @saltedvine #Squamish - shared plates are more social! #exploresquamish https://t.co/dfwLpMDItL pic.twitter.com/7payI6EZCP

Care for more red? @saltedvine #Squamish #finedining #exploresquamish #food #wine https://t.co/pG1W1Wn8mq pic.twitter.com/1jtfyw4vpN

The firecracker ???????? @saltedvine #Squamish #exploresquamish #cocktail https://t.co/qdadQnRSgo pic.twitter.com/JO3qOHvRYj

Pat Allan, part owner of recently opened @SaltedVine pours wine for members of the media t… https://t.co/GKRqwrrmsO pic.twitter.com/coEyOzCmd6

Squamish Via Ferrata Tour at Sea to Sky Gondola

Via Ferrata, Italian for “Iron Way” is an engineered vertical adventure, assisted by metal rungs and a specialized cable system. This exciting trip is suitable for children and families alike, and is a fully guided experience.

Squamish Farmers Market and Xwu’nekw Canoe Shelter

Built in 2015 to house, restore and showcase historical First Nations canoes, the Xwu’nekw Canoe Shelter is housed on a traditional Squamish Nation village site where the Skwxwú7mesh people and visitors from other First Nations beached their canoes.

#Squamish farmer's market | #exploresquamish https://t.co/uiPSsvnTXs pic.twitter.com/qm9qto7WkW

The #Squamish Adventure Centre #exploresquamish @tourismsquamish https://t.co/IsLwrZU9o6 pic.twitter.com/ovKLMJXaxs

A happy place #Squamish #exploresquamish #explorebc https://t.co/GlcAtWdQhS pic.twitter.com/hScZcbB1WK

Beattys ready for take-off @seatoskyair #Squamish #exploresquamish #flightseeing https://t.co/WJpJkTamCP pic.twitter.com/U2Uv8yOlPe

SQUAMISH - Located on the ocean at the tip of the Howe Sound fjord, Squamish offers the world’s most epic outdoor adventures from Sea to Sky, all within 10 minutes. In Squamish you can play on the ocean and explore the mountains all in the same day. The Sea to Sky Gondola opens up easy access to expansive alpine hiking and sightseeing. Located on the doorstep of eight Provincial Parks, Squamish boasts more than 3,500 rock climbing routes and bouldering problems including the famous Stawamus Chief, more than 200 kilometers of world renowned mountain biking single track trails and access to some of the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions in North America.

[damanbeatty]

Exploring Squamish Part 3: Squamish Nation Canoe Builders

Original Post Date October 16, 2016

Tourism Squamish recently invited myself and some other local online media folks to come get a taste of life in nearby Squamish. It is like a little secret paradise, less than an hour’s drive from Vancouver. In this four part series, I will share with you some of the adventures we experienced.

Xwu’nekw Canoe Shelter

While visiting the Squamish Farmers Market, we happened upon the Xwu’nekw Canoe Shelter (pronounced Whoo-Nay-Oak) located in Xwu’nekw Park on the Mamquam Blind Channel and Loggers Lane between Victoria and Main Streets.

Built in 2015 to house, restore and showcase historical First Nations canoes, the Xwu’nekw Canoe Shelter is housed on a traditional Squamish Nation village site where the Skwxwú7mesh people and visitors from other First Nations beached their canoes.

District of Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman describes the shelter as “a place for collaboration and shared learning between the Squamish Nation and the Squamish community”. The community project, made possible thanks to a Canadian Heritage Legacy Fund grant designed to build communities through arts and heritage, was a ‘made-in-Squamish-by-Squamish’ project. The project was initiated by the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association to establish a historical attraction that would help bring visitors and locals alike to the downtown area, and build a stronger partnership with First Nations community members.

Fatima and I dropped in to speak with Josh Watts who was working on repairing a hand made ocean canoe. Watch the video to learn about how these traditional canoes are built from a single tree, and are bringing Josh and his people closer together in an incredible way!

Josh Watts shows off the sea canoe to visitors at the Canoe shelter near the Squamish Farmers Market

Squamish Xwu’nekw Canoe Shelter

Xwu’nekw Canoe shelter information board

SQUAMISH – Located on the ocean at the tip of the Howe Sound fjord, Squamish offers the world’s most epic outdoor adventures from Sea to Sky, all within 10 minutes. In Squamish you can play on the ocean and explore the mountains all in the same day. The Sea to Sky Gondola opens up easy access to expansive alpine hiking and sightseeing. Located on the doorstep of eight Provincial Parks, Squamish boasts more than 3,500 rock climbing routes and bouldering problems including the famous Stawamus Chief, more than 200 kilometers of world renowned mountain biking single track trails and access to some of the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions in North America.

[damanbeatty]

Exploring Squamish Part 2: Sea to Sky Air Flightseeing

Original Post Date October 16, 2016

Tourism Squamish recently invited myself and some other local online media folks to come get a taste of life in nearby Squamish. It is like a little secret paradise, less than an hour’s drive from Vancouver. In this four part series, I will share with you some of the adventures we experienced.

Squamish Explorer Flight Seeing Tour with Sea to Sky Air

Generally, I don’t like flying, and I thought flying in a tiny little 4-seater plane would be even more scary, but I was in for a surprise with Sea to Sky Air. I had never been in a small plane before. It’s the BIG planes that are scary! This flight was a breeze, and that’s because of the small car-like feel of the little aircraft, and now I want one because I swear to God, this sightseeing-by-air was one of the very best experiences of my life! I need to come back, we were in heaven!

Watch as we fly above and beyond the massive granite cliffs of the Stawamus Chief, the cascading waters of Shannon Falls, and the spectacular peaks of the Tantalus range to see what really makes Squamish one of the world’s most beautiful places. If you want to experience this yourself, don’t worry they’re open through the winter too!

SQUAMISH – Located on the ocean at the tip of the Howe Sound fjord, Squamish offers the world’s most epic outdoor adventures from Sea to Sky, all within 10 minutes. In Squamish you can play on the ocean and explore the mountains all in the same day. The Sea to Sky Gondola opens up easy access to expansive alpine hiking and sightseeing. Located on the doorstep of eight Provincial Parks, Squamish boasts more than 3,500 rock climbing routes and bouldering problems including the famous Stawamus Chief, more than 200 kilometers of world renowned mountain biking single track trails and access to some of the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions in North America.

[damanbeatty]

Exploring Squamish Part 1: Via Ferrata at Sea to Sky Gondola

Original Post Date October 16, 2016

Tourism Squamish recently invited myself and some other local online media folks to come get a taste of life in nearby Squamish. It is like a little secret paradise, less than an hour's drive from Vancouver. In this four part series, I will share with you some of the adventures we experienced.

Via Ferrata at Squamish Sea to Sky Gondola

I have hiked the Squamish Chief many times, and each time I've looked up from the base and seen little ants up on the cliff. Well, not really ants but rock climbers, way up high on the rock face. I haven't tried that yet, but I am one step closer after having tried the Via Ferrata by Mountian Skills Academy and Adventures at Squamish Sea to Sky Gondola.

'Via Ferrata' is Italian for “Iron Way”, an engineered vertical climbing adventure, assisted by metal rungs and a specialized cable system. It was an exciting and unique climbing experience, rich with awe-inspiring views of Howe Sound and the nearby peaks. Experience Squamish Via Ferrata through my eyes in the video above!

SQUAMISH - Located on the ocean at the tip of the Howe Sound fjord, Squamish offers the world’s most epic outdoor adventures from Sea to Sky, all within 10 minutes. In Squamish you can play on the ocean and explore the mountains all in the same day. The Sea to Sky Gondola opens up easy access to expansive alpine hiking and sightseeing. Located on the doorstep of eight Provincial Parks, Squamish boasts more than 3,500 rock climbing routes and bouldering problems including the famous Stawamus Chief, more than 200 kilometers of world renowned mountain biking single track trails and access to some of the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions in North America.

[damanbeatty]

Sunee D's Comedy is Intensely Refreshing

Original Post Date August 6, 2016

Sunee D is not an orange, sugary drink, but a tall, brown, homegrown story-telling comedian with unique style and swagger that I’d label “goofy hip-hop.” The “D” is for Dhaliwal and Sunee is blowing up right now with performances at Montreal’s Just For Laughs, Halifax and Winnipeg comedy festivals, appearances on the CBC, MTV, Comedy Network, recorded specials for CTV’s Comedy Now, Sirius XM and now his own comedy special.

On Thursday night at the legendary Rio Theatre in East Vancouver, I caught up with the funnyman backstage before his new comedy special, “BROKEN DREAMS” which was being produced that night by Hadron Films.

As you’ll see in my video, Sunee shared with me how he got into stand-up in the first place and who inspired him the most, his relationship with Drake, and eating lobster in the Maritimes. We also discussed skydiving, his ridiculous sneaker collection – we even did an impromptu unboxing of his “Legend Blue” Jordan 11 Columbias, and what sort of rituals he goes through before shows.

The opening acts for the show that night were comedians Devin Alexander, James Kennedy, and Graham Clark. My initial vibe was OK, let’s get these start up acts out of the way for the main event, we came to see Sunee! Let me tell you, I was so incorrect in thinking that! Sunee’s performance delivered top notch, touching on his ethnicity and travels in remote villages of northern Canada. You can imagine the hilarious scenarios. Sunee killed it with this and so much more, but each of these opening comedians were also so god-damn funny in their own right, I nearly pissed my pants. I mean, I was exploding with laughter, like a machine gun! I’m sure you will hear me whenever the special runs. If you missed the show, trust me you gotta find this special and watch it. You will not be disappointed.

The last big comedy show I saw in Vancouver was Louis CK (he’s my absolute favourite) and as always, I laughed so hard I nearly suffocated. Seriously, the laughs from Sunee’s show at the Rio were on par with Louis’. It was such a fun evening and the Rio is licensed so you can enjoy an adult beverage. It was truly refreshing to experience entertainment, up close and in person like this at a local venue. What a great night! I have not laughed that much in a long time!

[damanbeatty]

Dad and the Opossum - A Story for Father's Day

Original Post Date June 19, 2016

My father died last summer after a long battle with Parkinson’s related dementia, (Lewy Body Disease). In 2012 though, he ended up in the hospital after a health scare. I was worried about him so I flew home to New Brunswick.

Dad was an incredible storyteller. I’ve already written extensively about that. As a history prof, Dad wrote a few books about the human side of the World Wars, but I always urged him to write about his childhood. He never found the time.

When I visited him in 2012, I was afraid it might be the last time, so I tried to record him telling these stories. By then his disease had robbed him of that zest for storytelling but he still gave it a shot.

I’ve been saving these videos for special occasions. Today is my first Father’s Day as a father, but also the first since he passed so I decided to publish this one about his encounter with an opossum.

Not all of the details are clear in the video, so here’s what happened. As a teenager, he lived on a farm and was out checking the traps he’d set for muskrats and weasels. This time he caught an opossum. Now remember, opossums are very slow but are also known for playing dead.

Dad took the animal, bonked it on the head for good measure and threw it in the back of his truck or wagon, thinking it was dead. Then he rode home to show everyone his catch, but by the time he got there, unbeknownst to him, the opossum had stopped playing dead and crawled out of the truck to make it’s slow motion escape.

When he rallied everyone to see his great trophy, the thing was of course gone. In small town Michigan, everybody knows that opossums play dead and are very slow. Allowing one to escape is the work of fools, so Dad was ridiculed and shamed by his family and friends for many days to come. Haha!

At the end of the video he asks me if he’ll get in trouble, because he wanted to leave the hospital there in the dead of winter, so he could go home. Of course, he was not thinking straight because of his disease. He wanted out of his seat which he was secured to so he wouldn’t fall, but I told him the most trouble he’d get into would be from himself if he fell. It was hard to see this brilliant man, who used to run 10K a day, in such a state. Miss you Dad.

[damanbeatty]

Visit The Gulf Islands Off Vancouver Island

Original Post Date May 21, 2016

The Gulf Islands are located off of Vancouver Island, between the Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada.  They have been named one of the best coastal destinations and Top 52 Places to Visit in 2016 by the New York Times.

The Gulf Islands region has a surprisingly mild climate for being so far north.  The climate is almost Mediterranean.  It is home to beaches, swimming, fishing, scuba diving, sailing, wineries, and holistic farms.  Plus, it is home to many artists.

Gulf Islands (highlighted) and surrounding region. Courtesy Wikipedia

There are over 200 islands, accessible by float plane, private boat, or ferry.  The major islands all deserve a day or two each to explore.  Bicycles are a good way to tour the islands.  To get to an island you will have to pre-plan a ferry trip which only runs at certain times of the day and night.  If you plan on staying overnight, you will have to plan accommodations as well.  There are 14,000 people scattered throughout the various islands.  Different islands offer different possibilities, so you will need to think about and pre-plan what you want to do.

Here are a few descriptions of some of the islands.

SALT SPRING ISLAND

Mild climate, laid back lifestyle, most popular island, home to the most people, wineries, organic farming, food artisans, cheesemakers

Bounty of Salt Spring at the Salt Spring Island Fall Fair | Image: Salt Spring Market

Art community, parks, beaches

Tribune Bay Beach on Hornby Island | Image: HelloBC

GABRIOLA ISLAND

Art, parks, beaches, limestone formations

Eastern shore of Gabriola | Image: Source

DENMAN ISLAND

Parks, wilderness, wildlife viewing

Denman Island Nature Tour | Image Courtesy Pacific Rainforest Adventure Tours

MAYNE ISLAND

Mayne Island – 19th century buildings, kayaking opportunities, lighthouse, mountain climbing

Orca whale sightings | Image Courtesy Mayne Island Resort

This article contributed by Cheryl Jones, a free lance writer and blogger.

[damanbeatty]

Europe 2014 Part 3: Liverpool City Photowalk

Original Post Date January 17, 2016

Travel Journal: Monday, June 16, 2014

I slept straight through the night. Perhaps the melatonin helped! It usually does. I didn’t wake until 6am when the alarm sounded. Fatima was working the nursing conference today and we wanted to breakfast together. The continental included baked beans, of which I had two bowls. Baked beans make a great breakfast! They also had chocolate danish/croissants and a coffee machine. The coffee was good too. I took a mug for the road and escorted Fatima to the Convention Center.

I returned to the hotel room, changed my shoes and loaded up the camera for today’s adventure. I strolled past the Royal Liver Building, over Strand and up Water Street towards Liverpool Lime Street station with a few diversions.

Liverpool Town Hall’s rooftop Minerva statue from 1799.

From there I would catch the train to Chester, a small medieval town with an old Roman wall around it. I aimed to catch some Liverpool sites along the way. One of them which I discovered was St. Luke’s church. It was bombed out in 1941 during the wartime May Blitz of Liverpool.

St. Luke’s church (left). Looks like a normal church from the outside but inside is a different story. See below!

WATCH: ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE AT “THE BOMBED OUT CHURCH”

I continued on and explored the nearby Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, then entered the train station. I bought a ticket and headed to Chester, only a 45 minute ride away. I will dedicate another blog post to that adventure, so let’s skip ahead…

The Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Detail of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral entranceway.

Interior of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

My view from the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Liverpool Cathedral visible in the distance.

After a few hours spent in Chester, I surveyed the area around Lime Street station including St. George’s Hall and Gardens, the World Museum and Walker Art Gallery. I also discovered many street vendors and markets, the Queen Victoria Monument, and visited the Museum of Liverpool along the Mersey River while returning to the Convention Center to meet Fatima.

Around Lime Street Station.

Lion statue on the steps of St. George’s Hall.

Marble statue inside Walker Art Gallery.

Angel statue in St. George’s Gardens.

Street vendors in downtown Liverpool.

Flowers in an alleyway.

Queen Victoria Monument.

Museum of Liverpool along the Mersey.

A liverbird overlooking rooftop statues of liverbirds perched atop the Royal Liver Building from inside the Museum of Liverpool.

Football memorabilia on display in the Museum of Liverpool.

She she wasn’t quite finished, so I strolled back around the Albert Dock nearby and found a dockside patio. I ordered a Guinness and beet pizza at a funky little spot called Revolution. Fatima soon joined me.

Guinness on the patio of the Albert Dock.

Beet pizza from Revolution.

It was late evening now. We were both jetlagged and ready to rest. She must work again tomorrow, so more adventures for me!

PHOTO ALBUM: LIVERPOOL CITY PHOTOWALK

>> View full photo album from Liverpool City Photowalk

[damanbeatty]

Roadkill Hunters III: The Wild West

Original Post Date November 11, 2015

Episode 3: Introducing a new roadkill hunter, Cousin Liam from New Zealand! The boys are back and this time they’re hunting for roadkill on the western front!

WATCH Roadkill Hunters III: The Wild West

Joined by their cousin Liam, the Roadkill Hunter boys Daman and Oliver leave the Maritimes to expand operations into Western Canada. While exploring the western realm, they investigate a disturbing anomaly which is having a devastating affect on roadkill yields in the region.

Also available for your viewing pleasure…

WATCH: ROADKILL HUNTERS II

In this follow up to the smash hit series, “ROADKILL HUNTERS”, we find our hunters, Daman, Fatima and Oliver a year later. The gang reunites after some time apart to bring back the action for ROADKILL HUNTERS, PART TWO!!

For those who missed it…

WATCH: ROADKILL HUNTERS

“A man, his wife and nephew drive around searching the backroads and highways of rural New Brunswick, Canada to find various types of wild animals killed by automobile traffic.”