Lovely sunny day for a boat trip but very, very sad to leave Vancouver Island and already looking forward to visiting again in two years. Really smooth trip and arrived in our new flat about 2pm.

After unpacking walked along the marina to Canada Place where we had lunch in the Tap and Barrel. Paul was looking forward to having the peanut butter and bacon jam burger with chipotle mayo. Luckily for him it was still on the menu but unfortunately for me the mac cheese wasn’t. Never mind – it meant I had the same as Paul and really enjoyed it. They also had a wheat beer which was very like shocktop – a real bonus.

On the way back to the flat managed to see four otters swimming in the harbour and spent ages watching a gull trying to swallow a starfish. Looked like the starfish had been dead a while as it was very stiff and so the gull was having great difficulty. He kept picking it up, turning it around, trying to get it in his mouth and then softening it with his saliva. Thought he’d managed it once but out it came again. Eventually he made it and he even picked up all the crumbs he’d dropped! His throat was quite fat for a while!

View from the bedroom window through the buildingsRoof gardenReminded me of the Flicker babies – wondered if a huge dog would appear to feed themBeautiful heronWondered if we should buy this boat – only one and a quarter million.Beautiful View while we were drinkingCormorantsOne of the two cruise ships just leavingOtters – there were fourGull v starfishGull’s almost made itNo – out it comes againGoingGoingGoneStill having trouble getting it downGoneAnd off he goes