A Canadian Eden

Location Coordinates:
48°33'55"N, 123°28'10"W
Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay,
British Columbia, Canada

My goal with the creation of The Right Latitude blog is less about sharing sights and thoughts on traditional tourist attractions and more about the everyday aspects of any spot that make it interesting. As such, including an entry about the world-renowned Butchart Gardens in British Columbia would seem inconsistent with my objective. But the sheer beauty of this place compels me to at least include a few shots of this amazing property, which is located about 14 miles (21 km) north of Victoria, BC.

Warmer-than-normal weather and traveling at the peak of summer vacation season, with the associated hordes of tourists, were the only downsides about spending a few hours wandering through these exquisitely maintained gardens. The moderate climate of southern Vancouver Island allows for a huge variety of floral and plant life to thrive, and the design of the various sections of The Gardens provides for an almost overwhelming array of color and beauty.

Sunken Garden

The most recognizable scenes are those in the Sunken Garden. It is nearly inconceivable that this spot was once a quarry providing limestone for the Butchart family's cement business. It was the ingenuity and determination of Jennie Butchart that transformed an ugly, barren quarry into this beautiful retreat.

Rose Garden

The countless varieties and colors of the Rose Garden make it impossible to determine which is your favorite.

And even with throngs of tourists milling along the pathways of the Japanese Garden you can still find a shady, peaceful spot to be calmed by the sounds of water falling in fountains surrounded by lush green.

Japanese Garden

These are just a few of the dozens of photos I shot, the best of which I'm reserving for publication on my web site (which should be operational by this fall). If you ever have the chance to visit Butchart Gardens, go ahead and brave the crowds. It is worth it.

Water takeoffs and landings

Location coordinates:
48°25'22"N, 123°23'15"W
Inner Harbour
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada


I'm sure you've seen movies set in exotic locales like a south pacific island, Alaska, or the wilds of the Yukon. At some point in these movies you will likely have a scene with someone arriving in a small plane with two pontoons (or skis) in place of landing gears. These are floatplanes (also known as seaplanes), and with my passion for flying and aircraft I've been curious about what it would be like to take off and land on the water. I was able to satisfy that curiosity as part of my recent visit to Victoria, British Columbia.

When we arrived in Victoria I was pleased to find an airline operating scenic flights using a large fleet of floatplanes - specifically, de Havilland Otters. Excitement outweighed frugality regarding the flight's cost, so my wife and I bought tickets on Harbour Air for a forty-five minute aerial tour of the region around Victoria and the nearby Gulf Islands.

It was unseasonably warm on our tour day as we arrived at the Victoria Harbour Water Aerodrome. We obtained our bright pink boarding cards and had a seat in the sparse waiting area to await our departure. Fifteen minutes later an energetic girl called for those on the 11 AM flight. I was a bit concerned as I observed about thirteen people moving toward a plane I assumed was fitted for no more than six or eight passengers. As I crawled into the plane I could see that, technically, the cabin could seat about fifteen - providing those fifteen were the stature of a five-year-old child. We claimed our two diminutive seats, and with my knees rammed into the row in front and legs spilling into the "aisle", I buckled up and let anticipation rush over me. It was quite cramped and stuffy inside the tiny cabin, but worries about comfort quickly faded away as we got underway.

We enjoyed a mini-cruise of the harbour while taxiing to the main channel for takeoff. I expected to be vigorously bounced by the waves on our acceleration run, but even though water was flying wildly to the sides the ride was relatively smooth. Soon we were airborne and banking left to follow the gorgeous Vancouver Island shoreline. The views were amazing! At one point our pilot took us down to a mere 500 feet where we seemed to skim the tops of the trees on one of the Gulf Islands. What a thrill! Beyond the excitement of the flight itself, we were able to see so much more of the diverse beauty of the area than we ever could have from the ground. The adventure ended much too soon, and after about thirty-five minutes in the air we splashed down for a smooth landing back in Victoria Harbour. 

The flight exceeded all my expectations (except for cabin space), and it was the highlight of my visit to Victoria. And, I get to check "ride in a seaplane" off the life goals list.

Storm on the Plains

Location coordinates:

41° 09' 57"N, 101° 00' 04"W

Hershey, Nebraska

 OK, so it has been a long time between blog posts. I've been busy traveling, and I'm in a bit of a lull right now before another trip at the end of the month, so I thought I'd get in a post or two before I'm off again.

A few weeks ago I was in western Nebraska for a family event. Nebraska has had their fair share of rain and storms this spring and summer. This particular storm passed just to the north of Hershey, NE, which is west of North Platte along Interstate 80. It had been another hot day, with temperatures near or at 100 degrees. The storm blew up close to sundown, so the cloud formations were really stunning with the setting sun. When we noticed the darkening sky out of the living room window we all went out to watch the unfolding drama. It was fascinating to watch the clouds churn and boil, and the lightning put on a very nice show. It never did rain where we were, but shortly after sundown the wind came up (which I am assuming was associated with this storm as it passed), and the temperature dropped significantly. The strong wind was welcomed by me for more than just its cooling impact; it blew away the mosquitoes, which had viciously attacked me as I was trying to focus on taking the photos. (I am your typical mosquito's very favorite dish, apparently. I attract the little villains more than anyone I know. I step outside near sunset and they nearly knock me to the ground!)

I love to watch weather, if I'm out of harm's way. I've lived in the central U.S. most of my adult life, in Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, and now Minnesota. I believe the beauty of a summer thunderstorm is best observed in Nebraska because the terrain is flat with few trees to obscure the view. As long as the storms don't become destructive, they are one of the best things about the Midwest summer.