Things of interest at Bamfield

Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre - Whale Lab

My favourite place at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre was in the whale lab looking at the mammal skeletons but especially the live animals in the fish tanks. What was really neat was that I could get a smaller container and fill it with the ocean water from the big tank and after washing my hands and cooling them down in the tank water I could then carefully pick up the animals and put them in and carry them to my table for closer observation to draw. How cool is that! The big sea anemone that you see below was a permanent resident and could not be moved as it was attached to the side of the tank.

I will be posting lots more about my trip.

Arriving at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre

This is the view of the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre as we were approaching the dock. 

The BMSC website states "that for over 35 years, the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre has provided world-class facilities to a community of world-class research biologists, ecologists and oceanographers. It supports diverse coastal and marine research of the highest calibre and is recognized as among the very best research and training facilities in the world.

BMSC was established in 1972 by the Western Canadian Universities Marine Sciences Society in order to provide a permanent base for marine-oriented field operations on the west coast of Canada. The property consists of 75 hectares with approximately 3.0 kilometers of waterfront at the confluence of Grappler and Bamfield Inlets."

The Society has a mandate to:

• Provide world-class research infrastructure for marine and coastal scientists from the member universities and from other Canadian and International institutes

• Offer senior undergraduate and graduate courses and programs in marine and coastal sciences

• Provide training for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and technicians in practical aspects of marine and coastal research

• Offer in-residence programs in marine biology and general science to schools, colleges, First Nations and other public groups

 The National Award-Winning Public Education Program provides multi-day immersion field trips for school, college and adult learners. While our focus is on marine and coastal sciences, we encourage custom programs that make use of the incredible environments and people of Vancouver Island's West Coast. As part of our commitment to community we are involved in stewardship and conservation projects as well as facilitating innovative and extremely successful volunteer work experiences for young scientists.

Anne Stewart

Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre

100 Pachena Road

Bamfield, BC V0R-1B0

Phone: 250 728 3301 x226

Fax: 250 728 3452

OCEAN'S OF ART RETREAT

A group of 36 artists from the Federation of Canadian Artists participated in the 2nd Oceans of Art retreat from January 24-27, 2009. The event is designed to be a fundraiser the Public Education Program at BMSC. Artists will donate a piece of work created from the retreat and proceeds will continue to build a bursary fund to help support school fieldtrips to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. Artwork will be available for viewing and sale at the Nanaimo Art Gallery from June 11-29, 2009.

The proceeds of artwork sold from the "Oceans of Art" Gallery exhibition will go towards the BMSC Public Education Program’s bursary fund. Teachers of students requiring financial assistance are invited to contact the Public Education Program for further information.

Or, to assist entire classes with their BMSC Field Trip fundraising efforts, a piece of Oceans of Art work can be donated to them to use for a fundraising activity. Participating classes are asked to please acknowledge the contributing artist in a local press release. Interested teachers are invited to contact the Public Education Program for further information.

"Oceans of fun at the artist retreat"

M.V. Frances Barkley, built in 1958

I thought we were going on the Lady Rose but in fact we sailed on the M.V. Frances Barkley. We left at 8:30 am Saturday January 24th from Port Alberni and arrived at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre dock around 11:30. We had a great boat trip -about halfway we left the bad weather behind and could see clear skies and sunshine ahead. We had good weather the whole time away; the last night we were there it snowed while we were sleeping and we awoke to a few inches of snow on the ground. It didn't rain once while we were there.

This is one of the first glimpses of West Bamfield -straight across from the Marine Sciences Centre. I will be posting more about the trip.

I am off to the "Oceans of art" - artist retreat

This afternoon I am heading off to Port Alberni where I will stay overnight. Tomorrow morning our art group will be on the 8:00 am ferry the Lady Rose. The follwing images are from their website.

24th - 27th Jan 2009 Oceans of Art - Artist's Retreat

The following is from the events calendar for the Bamfield Marine Sciences centre:

"A group of 36 artists from the Federation of Canadian Artists will participate in the 2nd Oceans of Art retreat from January 24-27, 2009. Building on the success of the inaugural Oceans of Art in 2005 organized by Kat Peace, the event is designed to be a fundraiser for the Public Education Program at BMSC. Artists will donate a piece of work created from the retreat and proceeds will continue to build a bursary fund to help support school fieldtrips to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. Artwork will be available for viewing and sale at the Nanaimo Art Gallery from June 11-29, 2009.

Throughout the retreat, artists will be exposed to the variety of stunning landscapes and seascapes around Bamfield. A trip to Brady¹s and Pachena Beach, a boat trip to the Deer Group Islands and some time to reflect in the classroom (turned art studio) are but a few of the events during the retreat. The retreat will be kicked off by a marine life painting demonstration by Tofino artist Mark Hobson. Members of the local art community are encouraged to attend and become acquainted with Mark¹s work as well as the other artists in attendance."