Tag Archives: wildlife

Where to begin…typically as most of you know I blog every night while traveling during the summer. This trip began with a professional conference and so I simply did not fall into my regular routine. Half-way through this trip, I decided I would write one blog post summarizing the adventures of The Franimal:) Here goes…

On July 19th, my dear husband Obi and I ventured to Seattle, WA so that I could attend the ALDS Leadership Retreat. ALDS is the Association of LD  (learning disabilities) Schools. I attended with our head of school and director of admissions. The three of us had a great time – many days of meeting new people, listening to speakers, talking with colleagues of other LD schools across the nation and even presenting! Yes, my colleague and I presented at the conference (on the last day during the last session so we had to bring extra energy) in collaboration with another attendee about intentional school culture building. We discussed the importance of how intentional school culture building helps all constituents of a school (faculty, families) and the students thrive. We shared with attendees two models of success. My colleague and I talked about the School Culture Team we co-clerk (for the past three years:) while our other co-presenter spoke about a successful Student Ambassador program she runs. Even though it was the end of a long few days we had a robust audience and received a lot of positive feedback afterwards. One head of school from Atlanta jokingly asked if we would be willing to move to Atlanta and join his school! The retreat was a solid mix of workshops, discussion groups and fun. While attending we took part in a boat cruise one night and enjoyed good laughs and a stunning sunset and the night prior an outside BBQ with mini-golf, ending with a visit to the Seattle Space Needle.

Such great times indeed. All in all, I learned a lot (like how important marketing is for a school and marketing tips, reflected on AI and its future in schools and talked with other leaders about how they structure school programs and the day to day running of their divisions) – in addition to being really proud to have had the opportunity to present amongst such wonderful like minded educators and leaders. 

While I was a busy bee at the retreat, Obi was working at one of Google’s Seattle offices enjoying the perks of working remotely – he also met up with some friends of his who live in Seattle. By Wednesday night the retreat ended and Obi and I began our official vacation – vacation mode was activated:) We began by eating pizza at one of Seattle’s best restaurants according to the NYT called My Friend Derek’s – admittedly I am still dreaming of that square shaped pillowy dough, cheese and sauce trifecta – mmm, so delicious. Our trip was planned out – and included two days at Olympic National park while staying in Port Angeles, a ferry to Victoria BC on Vancouver Island, and spending six nights driving up along the North Eastern part of Vancouver Island – we ended up staying two nights in Campbell River, one in Telegraph Cove, two in Port Hardy and one in Victoria BC before taking the ferry back to Seattle. Our last night was in Seattle before boarding an early morning flight home to the good ol’ BK. 

Here are some highlights along the way…

Port Angeles, Washington 

Our bed and breakfast was called Five SeaSuns – run by Caroline who Obi affectionately nicknamed Sweet Caroline because upon arrival and on the second day she provided fresh baked home goods. We got brownie bites fresh from the oven and then oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. What a nice touch of hospitality. Interestingly one of the workshops I attended at the ALDS retreat was about the importance of hospitality in schools and I thought – what an impression we would make if we gave every prospective student and employee fresh baked home goods upon arrival. Surely our admissions would improve! Don’t worry I didn’t just eat baked goods…we also ventured out into Olympic National Park. Our visit to Hurricane Ridge was a spectacular hike to a stunning look-out in the cool sunny air. Though my favorite spot was visiting Rialto beach on the second day. While a beach hike isn’t as tough as the Franimal would prefer – this rugged beach covered in giant pieces of drift wood ignited in me a strong sense of wonder, and imagination. Bleached drift wood and fallen trees large enough to fashion a tiny house decorated the rocky beach. Our destination was a hole in the wall – that’s actually what it’s called. A rock with a hole, hahaha…about 2 miles down the beach. Tides change quickly and so by the time we reached it the water was too high we had to climb up and over a pass to view the hole. Pulling on a rope we ventured onward to the other side, skipped over some small tide pools with sea anemones, small fish and endless tiny snails and mussels to our destination, the hole in a wall. Thankfully we met a group of travelers whose picture I offered to take, and they repaid the favor and one of them is a professional photographer and snapped this picture.

Campbell River, Vancouver Island Canada

Some of you may remember when Obi and I took our honeymoon to Antarctica, one of the special activities we took part in was kayaking. I can still hear the sound of our paddles cracking the grease ice with every stroke and the sun taking revenge on the ice in our faces. Despite all of the glory I got too competitive with myself and because we were not paddling fast enough got slightly annoyed with Obi’s lack of skills. Gulp – we joke about this all the time – but I might not have been the most pleasant partner in that small yet sturdy blow-up kayak. So…I needed to redeem myself and well what better a location than in Campbell River! I booked us a kayaking trip from Quadra Island. We were lucky indeed – as the weather was perfect – sun, calm ocean water and mountains as far as the eye could see. I think it’s safe to say I did redeem myself:) I was kind, patient, supportive and honestly totally impressed with Obi’s kayaking skills. Being a non-swimmer this is a stretch for him – but he/we did great. I did need to adjust to learning how to use a sea kayak with foot pedals and a rudder but after some incorrect left and right turns we figured it out and even got in a strong stroke rhythm at times. On the sail we saw purple starfish, bald eagles and many, many crabs along the ocean floor at the low tide points.

Our original plan was to kayak off Quadra island, then return to Campbell river for a hike I’d scouted out. However upon purchasing the ticket to drive our car onto the ferry we were handed a map of the island and learned about many other hiking options. In the spirit of spontaneity we decided (though Obi says I decided…:) to hike on the island instead. After talking with our kayak guide for some recommendations we (I) settled on hiking to the highest point on the island:) The map indicated it would take 4 hrs round trip…can you guess how fat we finished the hike? Half the time! Instead of a two hour summit, we finished in 1 hour and 5 minutes. I might have picked up a good rhythm and Obi stuck right behind me. The hike was well marked and meandered pretty steadily uphill with some rock cairns at the top above the tree line to mark our route. We were the only folks at the summit which felt special. Once again I was so proud of Obi…from kayaking to hiking (two of his least favorite things) and crushing it along the way. I think I am slowly tuning him into a real hiker:) Shh, don’t tell. Before hitting the trail we stopped at the island’s grocery store for some basic provisions and enjoyed our baby carrots, hummus and crackers at the top before heading back down. Near the bottom we met a couple vacationing there from Canada and hiked the last 20 minutes chatting about life in Canada and Brooklyn and yes, politics. Here we are at the summit of Mt. Seymour.

Before leaving Campbell river we visited Elk Falls Provisional Park and saw a powerful waterfall that is near a hydro-electric plant.

Telegraph Cove, Vancouver Island Canada

Telegraph Cove is a special place – it’s located on the North Island (as the locals call it). The North Island is home to many lumber yards which make sense given the abundance of trees – so many dense forests of trees. Driving from Campbell River to Telegraph Cove is almost like stepping back in time. It feels wild, remote and rugged. The roads are long and windy through forested trees with looming snow capped mountains far in the distance. Depending on where you are in Vancouver Island you can see Canada’s mainland with its mountain ranges that dwarf your ego. Telegraph Cove is a tiny tiny town that was once a thriving saw mill. It had been so successful that during WWII it was taken over by soldiers for the war efforts and all the wood was used mostly for ships and weaponry. After the war ended, soldiers cleared out fast and civilians slowly returned. What exists today are many of the original historic houses built in the early 1900 with information plaques sharing information about the original owners. You can walk the span of the town in 5 minutes – it really is small and with little to no foreshore the homes were built on stilts therefore you walk through town on the original pillons of wood which make up the “boardwalk” style passage. We learned that last new year’s eve a mouse bit through an electrical wire which started a fire. The town lost their restaurant, a whale museum (among other small shops) so the two main attractions were gone. Aside from learning about this interesting little place in the big wide world we took part in a whale watching tour  – AND, the next day a Grizzly Bear tour. Oh – yes, Obi was thrilled about the bear trip – hehe. My absolute highlight was seeing a humpback whale breach four times. Seeing a whale breech is rare – this was my third time seeing such a magnificent act of nature. Obi had yet to experience this gift and so when he saw the whale lunge its massive blubbery body out of the water Obi’s face and expression were as bright as the sun. Everyone on the boat started to cheer – and much to our surprise the whale was in a playful mood and breached three more times. Whales conserve their energy, it’s not that common for them to breach. The locals call this whale Inukshuk – our guides described him as a silly whale who often hangs around the boats seemingly looking for attention. We also watched a herd of Orcas that were enjoying the sun, splashing around, showing us their true colors and with a hydrophone in the water we could hear their conversation. It was a dream come true.

Our Grizzly Bear tour departed at 6:30 AM – and lasted until 4 PM. We were out on the water the whole time – and I loved every single minute. I will say that when back on land in the early evening my eyes were still moving up and down as if I was still on the water. It took me about two hours for this feeling to pass. Out on the boat, the crisp wind left my cheeks a bit wind burned – especially with the sun reflecting off the icy waters. Even with sun-screen on, a wool hat, neck buff, silk shirt, wool t-shirt, wool socks, wool longsleeve, wool jacket and a rain coat (acting as a windbreaker) I was chilly at some points. I didn’t care though because grizzlies were calling my name. Our boat was tiny, a total of two crew (captain and naturalist/first mate) and nine guests. We had to wear life jackets when outside the small cabin – as the water was shoppy at certain points and there were sudden stops should we see wildlife. I stayed outside in the back nearly the whole day – popping inside to use the bathroom (smallest toilet ever) and drink a sip of water. Obi and I communicated with our eyes and hand signals through the glass! I didn’t want to miss a moment out on the open water, scanning the rocky coast line for brown lumps of fur. We felt lucky because we saw grizzlies which is not always the case. First, we saw a lone male – along on the beach turning over rocks and licking up the small crabs and snails. Next, in a different location a mom and her cub – also hunting for food. The male had many scars on his body – signs of past fights. He had a thick head with rich brown fur on his face. We were at a distance but could hear his heavy breath at times and the rumble of large rocks he flipped over like leaves blowing in the wind. As with whale watching when the engine of the boat stops and everyone is quiet you can hear the animals breathing, the strong breath of the marine mammals surfacing. Hearing both the whales and bears grunt, breathe and growl feels intimate and personal. Animas sounds I feel very lucky to have heard and hold close to my heart. Watching the mom and her cub was just as wonderful – the mother’s brown fur thick and molting in some places gave way to her breasts and giant claws. The cub playfully copied her behavior, also turning rocks and almost plunging its face into the sandy wet earth. The cub stayed close but ventured ahead a few times or hung back – then sprinted towards her. A youthful energy near his seasoned mom who is a resident bear and has given birth many times before. Unfortunately time passes and we couldn’t spend the rest of our life observing these beautiful beasts, oy. We eventually had to sail away. When I am taken out of my regular life, my professional day to day – I am immediately reminded of what it feels like to be a child. With endless wonder and curiosity I get to simply be and explore.

Now that we’ve seen black bears, grizzly bears…the next bear we need to see are polar bears:) Future trip! 

Port Hardy, Vancouver Island Canada

Port Hardy is a simple and rural town – mostly established as a logging pass-through (refueling & repair station for boats) and harbor. I wanted to ride to the end of the paved road – which we did, though in retrospect I am not sure if making it all the way here was the best decision. Either way we stayed two nights here – though by the time we arrived on the first day it was early evening and so we had one full day. I had scouted out a few hiking options and initially planned to do a few very easy flat hikes linked together – however after talking with our waiter at breakfast she recommended an advanced hike I had read about but had written-off given the descriptions (considering Obi’s preferences and tolerance:). Rough terrain, back country, black bears and cougars, ropes and rock scrambles were some of the attributes of this trial. When the waiter said she managed the first 2.5 km, Obi and I decided to try it. Yes! However, Obi would say “Fran decided to try it.” He agreed though:) and so, off we went. Finding the trail head was easy thanks to Google and AllTrails (love this hiking app). Admittedly once we started, the trail showed its true colors. It was rugged, not for the beginner hiker and there was a lot of over growth, so much so that seeing the ground you were stepping on was limited. This is perfect Franimal terrain, and my legs jumped into gear and off I went. The trail was not a steady incline the way you imagine more hikes, the elevation was like a heart rate monitor, spiking high, spiking low, up and down we went. Quick pace, steady breath. I was not alone though and after an hour of hiking, rope climbing, rock scrambles and getting deeper into the wilderness Obi and I checked in, we decided to turn around. He was not enjoying that excursion as much as I was. We completed half the hike and felt fulfilled – even though I knew Obi felt badly about his discomfort and wanted to push through for me. I, however, understand limits (sometimes) and given the lack of people on the trail and conditions I didn’t want to take any safety risks together. So, even though the Franimal never likes to quit a trial, it was by far the right decision for us as a unit. By the time we made it back to the start – we had hiked for just over two hours. Obi was dripping with sweat – literally his wool shirt was drenched and so we ventured to this incredible beach we didn’t realize existed which was just to the right of the trail head. The sun was shining and there was a soft breeze. We hunkered down for a minute, processed the adventure we just had and allowed the sun and cool breeze to dry us off.  It was low tide and so we could walk for a significant distance out to the water along the sandy floor. And, to make this scene even better, the sandy ocean floor was evaporating. There was a misty fog across the beach creating a spooky feeling. It was so thick that seeing people was challenging. The gulls seemed to love the vibe and clustered together at the water’s edge. Leaving their bird feet, foot prints all along the soft sand. Shells dotted the beach partnered with rocks covered in small barnacles. Obi and I learned that a barnacle has a green slimy inside, despite its rock-like exterior (yes we poked a few in discovery). We ended up walking along this beach for over an hour, strolling along, observing the locals, talking, and watching the tide roll back in. I was struck by the difference between the two experiences: a high intensive hike coupled with the sun and mist along a soothing beach. I settled into the experience and took in the day. Our day ended with a comical dinner search – as one vegetarian and one pescatarian finding food out here is not easy. The dinner from the hotel restaurant we had last night was okay but Obi didn’t really want a veggie patty for a fourth night in a row. After getting two recommendations from a woman we met on the beach we drove first to Coal Harbor to the single restaurant in town. I could smell the fried fish and chips before entering, the blanket of greasy goodness wafting in the air. Aside from deep fried mozzarella sticks, cheese pizza and fries every single item included meat (and being deep fried). We graciously declined food there and drove back to Port Hardy to The Sporty, a pub in town also recommended by the woman. With an hour to wait to eat…sigh, we almost gave up. I was ready to eat fig bars from our snack bag for dinner – but Obi found an Indian food restaurant about 10 minutes away by car, so back on the road we just came from – we thankfully found a restaurant that had seating and many vegetarian options. We chuckled at the adventure and enjoyed the warm meal after a busy day. 

The final days of our trip were all about the return trip home. We woke up early on Thursday morning and geared up for the six hour drive to Victoria. We stopped along the way, four hours in at another popular tourist destination called Nanaimo
. They are known for their Nanaimo bars – a triple threat pasty. A coconut cookie base with a coconut cream middle and a coconut chocolate fudge top. We bought two different flavors to try later (our verdict: yummy yet way too sweet!). In Nanaimo we did find a gem of a restaurant for lunch and enjoyed a healthy meal topped with homemade carrot cake (a Franimal favorite). We wanted to stretch our legs so took a mini walk to the harbor and observed many seaplanes flying in and out, along with locals crab fishing. They were throwing in basket type nets with various kinds of stinky bait – from chicken breasts, pig’s feet, goose throats and cat food. The smellier the bait the better – we were told. They need to monitor what they catch and can only keep males of a certain size. All females and males that are too small are returned to the brown murky water. We also learned how to tell the difference between a M and F by flipping git over to see a specific marking under their shell:) From Nanaimo we drove about two hours to reach the hotel in Victoria. We spent the afternoon walking around town and stumbled across a free “traveling” play at the Parliament building. It was too bad the students from school weren’t there to see it, it was designed for children and helped viewers understand the role and importance of free speech, believing in oneself and democracy. It was fun to watch – about 35 minutes and we left with some new historical facts about the candy strike in Canada where children stormed the parliament building refusing to pay the increased 3 cents for chocolate (prices were rising from 5 cents to 8 cents). Our ferry from Vitoria left the next morning (we went through customs in Canada) and returned us to Port Angeles – from there we drove just under four hours back to Seattle, dropped off the car and checked into our final hotel. We ventured out for one more walk and dinner at a vegan Thai restaurant we scouted out, and ended the night with some scoops of ice-cream. We had an early wake-up – at 3:00 AM for our 6:00 AM flight. An uneventful flight returned us safely to Newark – not quiet back in NYC, but close enough:) Obi and I love traveling together – and I have to give him major props for taking part in the many wild adventures we had – crazy hikes, whale and grizzly bear watching for hours and of course kayaking! Thank you for reading – with care and love.