Summary

Jill, a Canadian writer from Artistic Voyages, reflects on the beauty and enchantment of Canada's temperate rainforest on the west coast, emphasizing its year-round lush greenery, mild winters, and the unique lifestyle it offers.

Abstract

In a response to a writing prompt from A Taste For Life's weekend challenge, Jill shares her experiences living in the temperate rainforest of Canada's west coast. She describes the region's evergreen landscape, which remains vibrant even in winter, as a stark contrast to the rest of Canada's harsh cold. The article is accompanied by personal photographs showcasing the mossy trees, ferns, and the surrounding mountains and lakes. Jill reminisces about the magical feeling of walking through the dense, oxygen-rich forest and the recreational activities available, such as snowshoeing and backcountry skiing in the mountains, and rock climbing in the summer. She encourages readers to visit the Sunshine Coast north of Vancouver, assuring them of its breathtaking scenery and the opportunity to witness stunning sunsets. Jill expresses gratitude for having lived in such a beautiful place and for the inspiration provided by Jason Edmunds' prompt.

Opinions

Jill finds the west coast's grey winter days preferable to the extreme cold experienced in other parts of Canada.
The author believes that the temperate rainforest's lush greenery and the abundance of clean rivers, streams, and lakes make it a paradise.
Jill suggests that the combination of ocean, mountains, and forest makes the Sunshine Coast a spectacular destination year-round.
She values the recreational opportunities provided by the proximity to both the mountains and the ocean.
The article conveys a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for the natural beauty of the region where Jill and Chris lived.
Jill encourages visitors to Vancouver to explore beyond the city and experience the natural wonders of the surrounding areas.

CANADA | RAINFOREST | TRAVEL

Canada Has a Rainforest

Bet you didn’t know that!

Chris looked with awe at the moss-covered branches. Photo Credit: Author

A response to A Taste For Life weekend challenge #12, Prompt 7.

Weekend Challenge: #12

Your weekly writing prompts from a Taste for Life — 27th to 30th May 2022.

medium.com

Each week Jason Edmunds gives us a variety of prompts to write about for his weekend challenges. Usually, I choose the photo or word prompt for my writing, but this time I couldn’t take my attention away from the video prompt.

The reason that it caught my attention, is because it reminds me of home. More precisely, the last place that Chris and I lived in Canada, which was on the west coast.

The West Coast of Canada is a temperate rainforest. This means that it stays much warmer than the rest of the country in the winter. This scene that is playing on the video, could very well be the middle of winter, though it would likely be overcast and rainy.

Many in Canada think that the dreary grey days of winter on the west coast are too hard to deal with. But after living there for 15 years, I can attest that I would take the grey days over -30C, in the rest of the country, (-22F) anytime!

We could walk in the forest most days of the year in just a light rain jacket. Of course, we would get the very occasional dump of snow, but the temperatures rarely dipped below 0C (32F) and it wouldn’t last long.

Ferns were a really popular plant there. Photo Credit: Author

Walking in the forest was simply magical.

There was green in every direction and the air hung thick with oxygen. It was very easy to imagine that mythical creatures existed in the fern-covered forest floor and the moss-laden branches.

There were also so many clean rivers, streams, and lakes. In fact, Powell River, the town we lived in, had 32 lakes behind it in the mountains!

Oh yes, the mountains.

I didn’t mention that we had the Coastal Range of mountains behind us. While they would be dusted with snow for most of the winter, below we were still in the green.

Ocean in front, mountains behind, and a lush green forest wherever you looked. It truly was paradise!

Because we faced west we would witness stunning sunsets from the town. Photo Credit: Author

The easy accessibility to the mountains and the snow (made possible by logging roads, unfortunately) provided opportunities for snowshoeing and backcountry skiing as well. Plus there is world-class rock climbing in the summer months.

You could literally go snowshoeing in the morning, then come down and golf in the afternoon.

Yes, we really did live in a beautiful part of the world and we feel so fortunate to have had that opportunity. If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, take the time to explore outside of the city.

The coast to the north of the city is called the Sunshine Coast, and it is spectacular at any time of the year. Plus you can do a circle tour across to Vancouver Island and back down to Vancouver.

I promise you will be gob smacked by the stunning scenery!

Powell River is 2 ferry rides north of Vancouver. Screenshot from googlemaps.com.

Thanks for joining me on a small tour of where we lived. And thanks Jason Edmunds for another inspiring prompt.

Hope everyone has had a great week!

xo Jill

Trying to Find Out Who I Am?

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Hi there, we are 2 Canadians, Jill and Chris from Artistic Voyages. We have been nomadic since 2017 living in numerous different countries, and experiencing the life and diversity of our planet on the ground and firsthand. We have now been on the African continent for over 2 years!

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