Expedition Day #2 - Nature's Bounty: Sustainable Farming

Photos & Words by Nicole M.

The Nature's Bounty cohort started off their second expedition day in an exciting and eye opening way. We had the opportunity to meet Farmer Jim at Long Now Farm, where he explained to us the philosophy behind his naming. His goal for his farm is to encourage people to focus on the concept of time, and allow themselves to spend time in the moment, hence the name "Long Now".

As well as enjoying his fascinating philosophy, we watched him making bread and got to help him with his manure shoveling. Afterwards, we were craving a meal, so we headed to Wicklow Farm and harvested various vegetables. Using these homegrown vegetables, we cooked some omelettes, and a delicious apple pie.

Finally, we headed over to Feltham Park to assist with their restoration, and tackled some tough blackberry bushes. We ended our exciting day with apple pie that was shared with our fellow restorers.

Sports Analytics - Expedition #2

Words & Photos from Jonathan Nguyen

As our second expedition day began, our cohort started by meeting an old teacher at SMUS last year- Mr. Takel. He is currently working for Rugby Canada as a performance analyst and he was here today to share his special experiences as a sports analyst in a professional working environment. We were all excited to hear his story to see how it would relate to each of us and our sports.

We first did a little activity called THINK PAIR SHARE which we were split into groups of two people to discuss what skills would a performance analyst needs and how important sports analytic is to the success of an organization. After the discussion, we came up with a lot of ideas and also questions for Mr. Takel. After that, he told us a brief story about his passion for sports, his journey to becoming involved in rugby and the opportunities he was given along the way. One of the valuable information he shared with us was that good sport analytics programs normally belong to universities in the UK. As this is still developing as a young industry, there would be a lot of opportunities to find great occupations in sports organizations if you completed a degree at those schools. Then, Mr. Takel presented to us some statistics sheets that he had done after each rugby game. He would spend about 6 to 8 hours to complete one stats sheet and the analysis on it to present it to the coach in the next meeting. It is a difficult and time-consuming job as he said, but also extremely interesting at the same time. He has an advanced system of tracking statistics of the team in general and each player individually. As a result of that, he can effectively analyze and reflect the team's performance based on the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that he sets for the team before each practice. Before the lunch break, we were split up into groups of two to determine our KPIs for a specific skill in our chosen sports.

After the lunch break, we went to the gymnasium to demonstrate our chosen skills. We each filmed our partner as they demonstrated their skills and vice versa. Based on our KPIs, we then judged our skills and came up with ideas of how we could improve our mechanics to meet the KPIs. The purpose of this activity is not to improve the efficiency of our techniques but to see how being a coach and a sports analyst is like. We had to look for different points of that person's mechanics to give them the most realistic feedback.

This was a very special day for all of us and we all eagerly look forward to the next Expedition Day!

Expedition Day #2 - Sailing the Salish Seas

Photos & Words by Josie H.

On Tuesday, the sailing cohort visited the Vancouver island coastguard. We started our day with a tour of the small coastguard search and rescue boats, and proceeded to have a tour of how these boats were managed and fixed. We learned about the difference between the coastguard and RCMP boats, and how the coastguard manages all their repairs locally with their own staff, instead of bringing in an outside hire. We then got to look at some of the larger search and rescue boats that had been brought out of the water for repair. At this time, we got to learn about some boating anatomy. We learned about collaboration when our tour guide talked about the communication that needed to be shared between the coast guard and the science department. Part of the coast guard's duties is to supply the science department with the technology and transportation they need in order to collect data on the water. They talked about the importance of good problem solving skills when they were figuring out how they would get certain scientific equipment available on board their ships.

Before we broke for lunch, we took a detour to check out the water traffic management department. We were all taken aback by the technology being used and the elaborate setup. We learned just how important that department was, as their responsibility includes practically all waters immediately surrounding the island.

After lunch we made our way towards the massive, ferry-like coast guard boats, and had a full tour of both the inside and outside. Inside, we were introduced to the importance of the equipment up on the bridge, and the convenience it is able to serve to the captain. We also learned a little about leadership and responsibility, because if that technology fails in harsh conditions, there needs to be crew on board who are able to manage the boat without depending on technology.

While we were taking this tour we made sure to ask some questions about sustainability. We learned the statistics in terms of how much fuel per hour each of the vessels use. We also learned that there are some other alternatives that are being used or thought of within the coastguard. One was switching over to bio-diesel. The captain talked about some of the efficiency issues that came with this, and talked about another alternative that has been talked about - a hybrid solution. Something incredibly interesting that we learned was how significant the science aspect of the coast guard is. There was a surprising amount of equipment aboard the vessel that was dedicated to ocean research and ocean floor mapping. 

To end our day, we went to the Shaw Center of the Salish sea. We learned about some endangered species and were lucky enough to see both an octopus and an eel come out of their hiding places within their aquariums. We learned about ocean safety in terms of whales and other large water animals, and had the chance to peer down microscopes at anemones, sea stars, cucumbers, and urchins. 

Despite the cold temperatures, our cohort had a very enjoyable, and valuable time. We got to learn about leadership and sustainability in some very unique and interesting ways. We are all excited for what the rest of our experiential program has in store.

Ridgelines & Coastlines Hiking and Paddling - Expedition #2

Hiking - Words & Photos from Fabian Strasser

We met with the paddling cohort together in the Derby outdoor education building at about 8:30am, where we took a bus to go to Goldstream Park. There we went on a campground and split us in 3 groups. The first one learned all about First Aid, the second one about making fire and hunting and the third group all about building a shelter from tarps. After 1.5 hours we met again an sat around a fire and ate marshmallows and our lunch. Then we had to built new groups. In each group one or two from each "learning" group. Then the challenge started. The teachers prepared a situation. One of each group has a broken arm. Then we had to built a tarp, hunt animals and make a fire. It was a very fun competition and an engaging way to learn the skills we will use through the year in the Ridgelines & Coastlines cohort. Then we went down to the Goldstream and watched the salmon, which were spawning upriver. After about 1 hour the bus picked us up again. Let's say it was an amazing time and we enjoyed it a lot!

Paddling - Words & Photos from Owen Vincent

Day two of the Ridgelines to Coastlines paddling cohort was full of successes. We began the day being ready to leave at 8:30 from Derby. Having found adequately warm (and waterproof) gear we set off with the hiking cohort to GoldStream Park, wherein we would complete a cold yet eventful day of learning various survival skills.

Only roughly 5 minutes out from the campsite wherein we would be setting up for the day we began to see a wet mixture of slush and snow covering a few of the fields surrounding the road. Upon arriving at the campsite we carried our supplies for the day and were split into three groups of five, which would later become our “survival scenario” group. Between the five of us we were split yet again into three main skill learning groups: “hunting” and fire building, First Aid and navigation, and finally Shelter building. The morning was spent soaking up information from our excursion leaders, Mr. Pope, Mr. Mcleod, and of course Mr. Doland’s nearly successful throwing technique.

We then took a break for lunch at roughly 11:30, around the roaring fire created earlier in the day by the fire building group. Hot chocolate, Marshmallows, and other roasted items warmed us up before our afternoon “survival challenge”.

Each group of five was given the essentials for making a fire, a shelter, a sling, and for following directions to an “emergency phone location”. After quickly making a sling for the “injured” person in each group we quickly began to make our shelter. Which was promptly put to a “rain test”, wherein a bucket of water was tossed on our shelters, while we stood under them. Upon completing this test, we rushed over to our fire pit to begin splitting wood into kindling, and tearing apart cedar bark to act as a fire starter. Upon making our fire we rushed over to “hunt”, having successfully hit a stuffed animal we were on to our last challenge. We were given the compass bearing to follow in order to find our emergency phone. Upon finding it, we made an accidental call to the Oak bay optometrist, resulting in only slight confusion when we told them our emergency scenario. Nevertheless, we were able to successfully complete our call, making our group the fastest to complete all the challenges.

On the whole the day was incredibly eventful, and educational. We learnt a whole variety of hard skills which could and will likely prove useful on our end year excursions.

Expedition Day #2 - Yoga & Mindfulness

Photos by Cari E.
Words by Jillian B.

To start the day we did a group check in on how we were feeling that morning. Then we went right into a vinyasa yoga practice which was a great way to get our day started. After vinyasa the group worked together to make a group contract. We talked about what we wanted to get out of this experience and discussed our values and the environment we want to create for our cohort.

Then we took some time to write letters to ourselves that we will reflect on at the end of the year. After the lunch break we headed to the Fernwood Yoga Den where we participated in a yin yoga practice. Yin yoga is a slower paced form of yoga where the poses are held for longer periods of time. The aim of yin yoga is to increase circulation in the joints and tissues. Yin yoga was a very relaxing experience. We finished our day back at school where we took some time to quietly work on our personal journals. This day was very relaxing and we got to take time out of our usually busy schedules to do some self reflecting.

Fly Fishing - Expedition #2

Words & Photos from Hemmesh P.

For the second day of fly fishing we went to Beaver Lake and practiced our casting. We practice our regular casting on land and then we practiced some roll casting on the water. This was a great opportunity to build off the skills we acquired over the previous Expedition Day. We took a break halfway through for lunch and we walked down a trail for a couple minutes to learn about the lake environment and the fish which inhabit it. When we came back we practiced some more casting and then had a casting competition. We all cast exceptionally and the winner was one Jack Dawson Jones.

It was an incredible day learning from local fly fishing instructor Ian Muirhead, and we look forward to refining our skills as we move through the year.

Expedition #1 - The World is your Oyster: Sustainable Oceans

Words and Photos by Diego D’Lorm

Our first voyage in the World is Your Oyster: Sustainable Oceans cohort was astounding. The charming sunny day after a few days of restless rain was perfect for our itinerary. We started the day bright and early and headed to the Crothall Arches for our ride to Pacifica Paddle Sports in Brentwood Bay. The next half hour was spent enjoying the gorgeous scenery of rural British Columbia from the inside of a cozy car. We then arrived and boarded our kayaks to begin our 3-hour ocean tour of the bay. The water was lined with pine trees and an immediate whiff of algae wafted up to us. The following few hours were peaceful. We learned to appreciate the ocean and how to preserve its beauty. I can also confidently say that after this experience, everyone was much more comfortable and had learned basic paddling skills. After kayaking, we were en route towards the Maritime Museum where we were informed about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The museums guides told us potential solutions and decisions we ought to make to reduce the amount of waste that finds its way to the ocean. The museum was filled with antique relics of oceanic discoveries and garbage that had been located on the coast of BC. After this short visit, we walked to a local beach to help clean and pick up the trash that had been stranded onto shore. This was a thought-provoking day and left us eager for our next day trip.

Expedition # 1 - Clay and Glass

Words and Photos- Callum Webber-Smith

We arrived at Hands On pottery studio early in the morning, fueled a little bit by the caffeine we had at Caffe Fantastico before hand. When we got there, we learned about what types of clay to use, and how to make it more malleable or durable. The most important thing we learned, though, was the seven-step process for making pots. The artist in the studio said that the first two steps could take up to two months to master, so I feel like we did quite well! These first two steps though, coning and centering the clay, are definitely the most difficult ever. Moisture was really important! The clay would hurt your hands with the vibration and friction if it was too dry, and it would fly off the wheel if it was too moist. But once you reached that happy medium, you could sculpt the clay and move it around. But don’t worry, there were still more hard steps to come. Then you would create a dip in the clay, pull that out to make a surface, create a right angle corner at the bottom, fold the edges in, and then pull up the walls to the pot. At least it was straightforward. Besides that, it was incredibly hard. I’m guessing around 85% of the bowls and tumblers were warped or twisted that we made. However, that 15%, those were beautiful. Carys especially, spent 30 minutes working on a bowl. She wanted a bowl. She made a bowl. We all got to keep two bowls for firing. The rest we had to cut up. It might have been different for others, but being the indecisive person I am, it was heartbreaking to slice our pots in half. We’re not done yet though, we still have to glaze! And then Carys will have her gorgeous bowl.

We got lunch at the Hudson Bay Market. For those who were in boarding, as well as a lot of the day students, they hadn’t been here yet. It’s a very interesting layout, restaurants on the outside, and tiny little booths down the centre. We bought, or brought lunches, and ate at the tables. Mainly, we discussed the teachers at the school, what we wanted to make for mugs and bowls, and also (specifically John Duffey) criticizing me for being obsessed with the booth that sold agate and jade bracelets and astrological necklaces. This led to me giving a crash course in astrology, and then Mr. Wong telling us about his obsession with making or buying Chinese tea cups. We met in the middle by discussing Chinese astrology as a compromise. Finishing lunch, we headed back to the studio with sore fingers and sore backs, ready to finish our pottery. An exciting start to the year in this cohort!

Expedition # 1- Singers, Songwriters & Bands

Words & Photos by Alana Norie

On The Singers, Songwriters, and Music Producters’s first exhibition day, we discovered talents and skills with-in eachother while building on our own!! We travelled to the “House of Music” lugging a long all sorts of instruments, amplifiers, and a variety of other tools. We started our day going over some basic information, such as the outline of a song, and what makes it something we want to listen to. We spilt up into multiple groups that each included people with unique musical talents (pianists, singers, guitarists, rappers etc.) Over an hour we prepared covers of songs we liked, and shared what we collaborated on with the rest of our group. We had a good mixture of genres. After a quick lunch break and some more musical chats we did a new session and got more comfortable sharing with each other, one group even put together an original song. Overall it was a great start to our little cohort and we are all quite excited for what is next to come.

Expedition #1 - Sailing the Salish Sea

Words & Photos by Josie Hallatt

The group started our day with learning how to set up the jib and the mainsail on a 420 sailboat. Soon after we were pushed straight into exposure, as we needed to learn how to steer and control the speed of the boat while we were on the water. We started with only the jib sail raised, which allowed our groups to practice tacking around two buoys at a comfortable speed. Our cohort was separated into 2 groups, one on each boat, with one person assigned to the steering of the boat, while the others were in charge of the jib and the balance of the boat. After much practice being in each position, we returned to the dock, ate our lunch, and reflected on what we had learned so far. 

Before we pushed our sailboats back on to the water, we raised the main sail. On the water, this made our boats travel much faster, and tacking around the two buoys was no longer as easy as it had once been. Communication, staying calm, and being proactive during a time of panic became key aspects that were necessary to keep our boat upright. There were times when our 420’s were travelling at such a speed that the boat became unbalanced, leaving its passengers in fear. We needed to remember to stay calm and communicate to the rest of the group to slow our boat down by releasing the mainsail and the jib. 

We returned back to the dock and finished our day with planned capsizing. Our group was not very motivated to risk getting our dry clothes wet, except for one member, Rocky. He took the initiative and did a fantastic job at handling both the challenging, and risky task.

This outing was a great introduction to the basics of sailing, and some very important life skills. Our cohort lucked out with incredible weather, and perfect wind conditions, and we are all very excited for what the rest of the year has in store.

Expedition #1- Fly Fishing

Words and Photos - Hemmesh Pillay

On the first day of fly fishing we took a one hour bus ride to a farm up in Sooke where there was a small lake. We met with Mr. Ian Muirhead who owns a fly fishing school. We were first taught all the rules and safety regulations and then we were taught how to cast. this proved difficult for some people but as we kept practicing we started getting the hang of casting. We took a break for lunch about two hours later. we practice a little bit of fox casting after lunch and then we were taught how to make our own flies and flies are basically the hooks used to catch the fish. we made many flies and we are great time making the flies and learning how to cast.

Expedition #1 - Nature's Bounty: Sustainable Farming

Words and Photos by Nicole Meyers

The first day of our cohort was both engaging and informative! We headed out to Sooke, where we met with the Nature’s Chef, Tom Krahl. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by Tom and introduced to his idea of holistic cooking. He taught us the importance of land stewardship and how if you nurture the land, it will provide you with what you need to survive. He showed us how his way of life will help prevent climate change, and allow us to be in touch with nature more. 

After gaining this knowledge, he took us on a walk through the forest, where he identified the plants that were edible and their medicinal uses. We even got to taste various kinds of herbs, and try some mushroom tea! Finally, we ended our day by harvesting vegetables from the garden and using them to prepare a delicious meal. The best part of the day was witnessing the fruits of our labour and being able to try the food we had made! Overall, the experience was amazing, and we were able to test out our foraging skills for the first time!

Expedition Day #1 - Photojournalism

Photos & Words by Hanson C.

Today is the first day of the Grade 10 Experiential Program, my name is Hanson Chan, and I will be covering the "Photojournalism" cohort. In this program, we will be learning how to take high-quality pictures, how to edit them, and how to tell a story with them. We will learn how to take photos of different objects or events, depending on the group's decisions. Today, we met with Mr. Gardener to learn how to use a camera, and the different terminology and tricks we will need to learn, as well as going downtown to take pictures based on various themes. Afterwards, we all went back to school to analyze the pictures we have taken in 8 themes of photography: Form, Texture, Line, Depth, Simplified Background, Rule of Thirds, Symmetry and Natural Framing. Today, as a group, we have developed the basic photography skills, and we are all excited for the next Experiential day.