Discover Sooke

I ran across this video today on Twitter. Someone had posted it and it immediately caught my attention. I watched the entire piece a couple of times because it’s so beautiful. So many neat things to see and it’s only minutes from downtown Sooke.

I hope you enjoy. The video was posted by Mark Hiebert . I’m assuming this is his video and if that is the case, the credit goes to him as well. I hope you do more of this wonderful area. Thanks for sharing!

Filed under: Latest News on April 17th, 2011 | No Comments »

Yesterday we had the pleasure of receiving a walking tour through the new Prestige Hotel and Conference Centre here in Sooke. It’s not quite finished, but they have a large conference there this weekend so they’ve completed enough to go ahead with that. The restaurant, The Mix by Ric’s Grill is open and serving lunch, breakfast and dinner. We managed to score a reservation last night and enjoyed a fine meal with terrific service.

Without further hesitation, here is the short video. What you’ll see is the lobby, restaurant, penthouse and conference centre along with 4th and 5th floor rooms. This is a huge step for Sooke and I am very proud to have this in our community.

Filed under: Latest News on April 15th, 2011 | No Comments »

Please, please everyone, Sooke needs your help and support. We’ve been nominated for the Ultimate Fishing Town in Canada. If we win, we get $25,000. This money would be perfect for the Sooke Salmon Enhancement Society and the new Salmon Interpretive Centre.

But in order for us to win, you need to vote for Sooke. Once registered you can vote 4 times a day, so we need you to keep coming back for the next 21 days.

Here is the direct link for Sooke and to vote. Thank you SO much, we appreciate all votes.

Please Click here to vote!

Filed under: Latest News on April 12th, 2011 | No Comments »

Please join Christine from “from the Garden at French Beach” and her new tea company “Honestly Tea” at the Little Vienna Bakery in Sooke from 2-4pm. Also a great chance to say hi and welcome the new owners of the bakery.

Hope to see you out there.

View Map

For more information on the Sooke Region, please visit the official Discover Sooke website.

Filed under: Upcoming Events on April 3rd, 2011 | No Comments »

Thursday, March 17
Garden  Room, Sooke Harbour House, 1528 Whiffen Spit Road, Sooke
7:00-8:30 pm

Join the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce and the Ancient Forest Alliance for a special event
Event to raise funds and awareness to ensure the protection of old-growth forests, in particular the Avatar Grove, an endangered stand of easily accessible, monumental ancient trees only a 15 minute drive from Port Renfrew.

Port Renfrew is “Canada’s Big Trees Capital”, with the largest Douglas fir on Earth (the Red Creek Fir), the largest spruce tree in Canada (the San Juan Spruce), and the Avatar Grove (akin to the “Cathedral Grove of Port Renfrew”), all in close proximity to town. See some spectacular photos at: http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/galleries.php.

This summer the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce is aiming to hire a new staff person for their new Information Centre where thousands of visitors will be directed to visit the Avatar Grove and ancient forests nearby.  This will greatly help to raise the needed awareness about our endangered old-growth forests, and will generate greater tourism to the region in Port Renfrew, Sooke, Lake Cowichan, Duncan, and Victoria, as friends tell friends to come and see the area’s incredible ancient trees.

The Ancient Forest Alliance is working in cooperation with the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, a relatively small chamber, to help raise the needed funds for this initiative. This is a ground-breaking model cooperation between local businesses and a conservation group for environmental protection to benefit the local economy and future generations.

Whether you are a local business owner or an individual, please JOIN US if you are interested in supporting this project:

- Have a FREE DRINK, APPETIZERS, and MINGLE with the local conservationists and local business owners in the Sooke Harbour House, one of the most esteemed gourmet restaurants and inns in Canada (see http://www.sookeharbourhouse.com).

- See a SPECTACULAR SLIDESHOW by Ken Wu and TJ Watt of the Ancient Forest Alliance, featuring Watt’s award-winning images of the Avatar Grove, Red Creek Fir, San Juan Spruce, and largest trees in Canada – all close to Port Renfrew!

- Hear ROSIE BETSWORTH, president of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce, and JON CASH, a director of the Sooke Region Tourism Association, speak about why local businesses and tourism interests should promote and support protection for the Avatar Grove and ancient trees in the area.

- Join ADRIANE CARR, former Wilderness Committee director and current Deputy Leader of Canada’s Green Party, for a PLEDGE AUCTION FUNDRAISER where participants can donate towards the project at whatever level they are comfortable with.

- The top 10 donors will each receive a large print of the spectacular photos by TJ Watt of the largest trees in Canada.

If you want to attend this fundraiser to support this project, please RSVP to come to this important event and to bring supportive friends and family.  RSVP by emailing info@ancientforestalliance.org and let us know how many people you are bringing.

See you soon!

Filed under: Upcoming Events on March 14th, 2011 | No Comments »

There has been a Tsunami advisory for the west coast of Vancouver Island from Cape Scott to Port Renfrew.

What is a Tsunami Advisory? The “West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre” sums it up like this.

“Tsunami Advisory – a tsunami advisory is issued due to the threat of a potential tsunami which may produce strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or near the water.  Coastal regions historically prone to damage due to strong currents induced by tsunamis are at the greatest risk. The threat may continue for several hours after the arrival of the initial wave, but significant widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory.  Appropriate actions to be taken by local officials may include closing beaches, evacuating harbors and marinas, and the repositioning of ships to deep waters when there is time to safely do so. Advisories are normally updated to continue the advisory, expand/contract affected areas, upgrade to a warning, or cancel the advisory.”

For more information, please visit their website here

For more information on the Sooke Region, please visit here.

Filed under: Latest News on March 11th, 2011 | No Comments »

Yesterday, March 2nd, we experienced another powerful windstorm sweep across the island. While the strongest winds were recorded in the north part of the island, we sure received our fair share of wind and rain.

We decided to drive up to Port Renfrew to capture the waves breaking on the rocks. We took the Botany Bay loop and walked around Botanical Beach and back up to the parking lot, stopping for many shots along the way.

Here is a 3 minute video of the area and wind storm that swept through.

For more information on the Sooke Region please visit the official Discover Sooke website.

Filed under: Latest News on March 3rd, 2011 | No Comments »

A huge congrats to Markus and Tatum for their Silver Award from Eat magazine for “Restaurants cooking local” category and an honourable mention in the “Restaurant of the Year” category. Amazing accomplishment, Markus’

click here for the Eat Magazine Awards link.

For more information on the Sooke Region, please visit the Official Discover Sooke website.

Filed under: Latest News on March 1st, 2011 | No Comments »

Upon further reading of the Eat Magazine awards we have another two honourable mentions for local Sooke businesses.

The “Cafe” awards, an honourable mention to “The Stick in the Mud”, an amazing accomplishment given so many coffee places in the Victoria area. Well done and well deserved, David!

And also a huge congrats to Edward Tuson from the EdGe restaurant for an honourable mention in the “Lunch” category.

That is 3 businesses in Sooke winning and or having honourable mentions. Way to go little town. Well deserved.

Here is the link to the awards at Eat Magazine.

Don’t forget to check out the official Discover Sooke website for all your Sooke Region information.

Filed under: Latest News on March 1st, 2011 | No Comments »

A few days ago, Russ Nicks, owner of Sooke Coastal Explorations , invited us to head out and film the removal of the old tug, the a tug that had broken free a few years back while being towed out, grounded in shallow waters and abandoned.

2 years ago it was nearly burnt to the waterline by vandals. It sat there, a burnt old hull and now, as part agreement with the building of the new marina in front of the Prestige Hotel, it is being removed.

Before it was burnt, I quite liked seeing it in the harbour. It was there when we moved to Sooke and it was one of those things you get accustomed to see.

Now that it is being removed, a little piece of my history with the town is being taken away.

Here is a little bit of history on the Florence Filberg.

The Florence Filburg was one of 61 Mikimiki class tugboats built in World War II. Mikimiki refers to the fact the tugs have two engines.

She was built in Seattle in 1943/4 for the U.S. Army, later sold to a number of Vancouver Island-based commercial towing companies, including the Canadian Tug Boat Company, Walmus Newman and Broughton Towing.

5 years ago the vessel sank in Lake Union, it was re-floated and sold to an unidentified owner who moved it to Sooke where it was temporarily docked. It broke free in a windstorm in 2006 and became grounded in the harbour.

She was one of 6 remaining vessels in her class.

Filed under: Latest News on February 25th, 2011 | No Comments »