It Always Rains in Vancouver

I was first introduced to Vancouver last September when the TAG held a face-to-face meeting there. David Orchard assured us that we were in for very bleak conditions: it always rains in Vancouver.

Most of us arrived early, bagging the Saturday night stay to obtain less expensive air fare. On Sunday, Dave arranged for a sailing excursion hosted generously by his friends Kat and Guy. Their gorgeous craft, the Ganache, gleams from stem to stern, from teak interior to onboard DSL (in port; it's not just a hobby, it's a home). Dave understands the importance of setting expectations appropriately. If the weather was inclement, he warned, it might be less than ideal. And, he predicted, it always rains in Vancouver.

The Ganache

Sailboat

Sunset in Vancouver Bay

It was like that all week. It always rains in Vancouver.

As I write this, I'm sitting in SEA-TAC waiting for the red-eye home. The TAG has just finished its second face-to-face meeting hosted with flair and class by Antarctica and BEA (and most especially by Tim and Lauren and Dave and Deanna) in Vancouver. An XSL/XML Query joint face-to-face meeting in Redmond last week meant that I had to spend the weekend on the road, so Paul and I drove up to Vancouver on Friday night (thanks again for all the driving, Paul). I came forewarned, of course, that it always rains in Vancouver.

On Saturday, Paul, Stuart, and I left the city for a hike on the world famous Whistler Mountain (location of the 2010 Winter Olympic downhill events). We were treated to beautiful coves, stunning waterfalls, and a fabulous hike up a couple of hundred meters over a couple of kilometers. As the exhibits below attest, it always rains in Vancouver.

Driftwood

Waterfall

Melting Snow

Mountain Lake

The panoramic view from Little Whistler Peak was stunning, even if it always rains in Vancouver.

Whistler Panorama

On Sunday, Dave escorted a larger group of us kayaking in Deep Cove. Naturally, we carried wet weather gear because it always rains in Vancouver.

Kayaking

Returning from an island picnic, we encountered the most astonishing weather. An odd salt-water rain flies up into the air just to the stern of Dave and Deanna's kayak. This proves, as you might have guessed, that it always rains in Vancouver.

Splash!

Sea squall behind Dave and Deanna's kayak

Norm: Wet

It always rains in Vancouver

On Tuesday evening we dined on the top of Grouse Mountain. You can barely see the lights of Vancouver below the cloudy sky. It would be a glorious place if the weather was nice, but it always rains in Vancouver.

Sunset

Sunset over Vancouver

Too bad it always rains in Vancouver, eh, Dave?