Salty sea dog I am not...

One of the things people said we should do was to visit the island. Vancouver is a city built around what we would call an estuary. But at the mouth of this estuary there's a 20km strait and then a whopping island which is probably the size of Wales which is where we have been today.

We got there by float plane, which was dead cool. Its a 30 minute flight and the plane takes off from Vancouver harbour and lands in Victoria harbour. The harbour of both is right in the mix, so there's no messing with transfers or taxi's or owt, you're straight in on the ground floor (or first floor as they say in this continent). I was waving my camera about when we got on, and the pilot asked if I would like to sit in the co pilots seat! I nearly wet myself with excitement! The co pilot was pleased too, although it did get a bit cold in the cockpit with the no trousers rule.

We had half an hour when we arrived before we were due on to a zodiac caterpulting through the waves in search of cetaceans. The man on the counter seemed very genuine (they all do here, this is a nation of the most helpful friendly people you could wish to meet. From a cynical UK perspective you feel suspicious, but they really do seem to want to be nice) and he reckoned there had been no sightings, and it would be warmer in the afternoon. We agreed, changed our times and went off in search of food.

Wandered around the shops and visited the BC museum before heading back to the harbour for action. I think I'd been feeling a bit flaky anyway, and was a bit dreading this seaborne adventure, but she was really psyched. We arrived, checked in and got fitted out with flotation suits. She wanted to sit at the front of the boat, and inspite of the mans advice that 'it was a real yahoo ride up front' I thought it would be quite fun too. And it was - for about 10 minutes - of a 3 hour trip.

Within the breakwater it was fine, absolutely fine. on the open water the waves felt massive (don't think they actually were), and we were charging through them, it was dead exciting, bouncing right out of the water at times. I was loving it, but when the boat slams down with a crack into the next wave and you're not braced for it, it whallops your lower back. I half stood and braced with my legs, but the poor monster took the full ride a couple of jarring times. We waited until we slowed down and moved back up the boat which lessens the amount of pitch, and it was immediately better. Except that by then I was already feeling crook. All I could do was stare at the horizon and concentrate on my breathing. Totally convinced was I that sickness was on the way. Monster seemed fine. The tour continued and we saw dalls porpoises, seals, otters and eagles, but no whales. Moving back a seat and some respite in calmer waters saw me right and I was feeling chipper by the time it came to crossing the rough bit again. Blimey. It was worse. Even from the new back seats I had to pointedly stare straight ahead and answer questions with single syllables.

Made it back to terra firma, but the bloody flight then had the indecency to be bumpy too. In a little plane you feel everything and I was on my last legs by now, but thankfully I managed to hold it together and made it back to VC with contents of stomach intact. Couldn't face a cab, so had a walk to the nearest starbucks for a cup of tea.

Both managed to wolf some feed down but had full sea legs (the effect of still thinking you are afloat even when totally stationary) on getting home. Rubbish. Her back is ruined, so I've been out to get ibruprofen and she is in bed as I type this. Hope the morning does not bring with it much pain for the little frog. I feel a bit achey myself to be honest.

Last night in Vancouver tonight. Had enough of the city now, although very cool, that's it now - I feel like I have done it. There's nothing else I would like to see or do here. Probably! It is an amazing place, I have never heard of anywhere else where there's mountains in the back ground, skyscrapers in the centre, and then a beach in the foreground! Amazing. And the people are lovely.