Deep Cove, a tiny slice of Vancouver tucked away amongst Mount Seymour, Quarry Rock and Indian Arm. For many, it’s a sanctuary used to escape the commotion of the busy city and spend time in nature, alongside family and friends; but for me, its home. I definitely don’t thank my parents enough, but they really provided me with an incredible opportunity to grow up in the outdoors exploring such beautiful nature. From a young age I can remember my parents teaching us about the environment and how to be mindful of its conservation and sustainable practices. We’d spend countless weekends out in Indian Arm waterskiing, wakeboarding, paddle sports, fishing, you name it but there was always an underlying awareness of how lucky we were and how important it was to do our part to protect it.

When thinking of my watermark story, so many amazing memories came to mind but there was one that stood out above all others. Every summer growing up, no matter what, my Dad would make sure that we put a weekend aside for a father-son camping trip out to Twin Islands. He’d start laying all our gear out days before and when the day finally came we’d head down to Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak and squeeze everything into the hatches of our double kayak before heading off. One summer we left a little later than usual, reaching Jug Island just as the sun dipped below the horizon but then the most incredible thing happened. As the sky became dark, each paddle stroke gave way to a slight blue-green shimmer. Again and again, a shimmering glow created by every stroke as the blade entered the water and I just remember being astonished by its beauty but having no idea what was causing it. My Dad explained how it was caused by tiny bioluminescent plankton that create light when disturbed. Instead of rushing off to set up camp, we just sat in the kayak, running our fingers through the water. I’ve experienced the beauty of bioluminescence many times since that night, but that evening, sitting out in the kayak with my Dad in Indian Arm, is by far the most memorable.