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Eternal dream of the mariner (or drifter?)

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I love the photos from Florida, and the Gulf Coast, and Southern California, and even off to Austrailia’s Gold Coast…endless sweeps of sandy beach, for what seem like miles!

Mariner's Cross

Mariner's Cross

That’s not the kind of beach we get in the Southern Gulf Islands, though.

Sometimes, it’s crushed shell and sand tiny coves, sometimes it’s a shingle beach, smooth pebbles, a somewhat larger cove, sometimes it’s sandstone, shelving from exposed smooth rock into deep water….you’d have to travel to Vancouver Island’s west side, to enjoy the long ribbons of wonderful sand, or to parts of the east side of Vancouver Island.

The interesting thing about the Southern Gulf Islands is that they allow for great sailing waters, idling between the various islands, and even extending into the adjacent U.S. San Juans grouping.

With the coves and the mix of beach and deep water foreshore, it allows for docks. Ah…the eternal dream of the mariner…to keep one’s boat at home!

It seems that in the few Paciific Northwest Coast areas that mimic the Florida sweeps of beach, the trade off is beachcombing versus dock/moorage for a boater.

Surfer's Paradise

Surfer's Paradise

It’s two kinds of waterfront seekers, always, it seems….those who like to “walk for miles” on a sandy beach and those who want to create a dock/moorage for their yacht, and would prefer that deep water aspect.

And you are what kind of waterfront seeker???

Real Estate | The market today…

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At a recent international real estate conference that I attended, realtors from other secondary home/discretionary areas, including hard hit Spain, were noting that tiny baby steps of uptick in sales volume were being detected…just since end of August, so it’s very recent, indeed.

Some saavy and major developers, in Canadian cities, are also newly targeting early Spring as going to be very different, on an upward momentum, for sales volume if not prices, in spite of continuing media reports of impending double dip concerns for the U.S. economy, over supply of inventory in many sunbelt states, and jobless numbers increasing.

It’s almost a given that what used to work won’t anymore, and what is emerging as the new paradigm will work. This is true of the real estate industry, too. Franchise models are in disarray, the entire mls system in Canada is dramatically changing, for the benefit of consumers, (a.k.a., the “enduser“) and the sacrosanct referral system of old is vanishing as a key element in a real estate agent’s business model

A recent Time Magazine (U.S. Edition) article drew attention to parallel universes in economic conditions: digital worlds (iphone 4, ipad, etc) being one kind of Jobs report, and manufacturing aspects being an opposite jobs report. One more example of the schism between the known of the 20th and the unknown of the 21st centuries.

It’s almost a given that what used to work won’t anymore, and what is emerging as the new paradigm will work.

Click here to read and download the entire October 2010 market report.

North Trail Island | Mr. Webber’s Salish Sea

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North Trail Island is another rarte opportunity to secure one of Salt Spring Island real estate‘s private islands – truly one of the finest offerings to date.

A unique and beautiful private island opportunity in the amazing Pacific Northwest Coast. Nestled in the Salish Sea (now known as Georgia Strait). North Trial Island is part off the Thormanby Group of islands, off Sechelt, BC.

North Trail Island, a 33 acre private island, offers a rural farm, with all the amenities of Sechelt (including a hospital) at your doorstep.

Incredible viewscapes, ocean, islands, mountain vistas. A stellar opportunity to enjoy of this beautiful coast. Secure an irreplaceable gem for your future — a family holding, a hard asset investment to protect your capital, an immediate pleasure quotient of the best of the best.

Origin of the term “Salish” (as Wikipedia says)

Bert Webber a.k.a The Father of the Salish Sea

The first known use of the term Salish Sea was in 1988, when marine biologist Bert Webber from Bellingham, Washington created the name for the combined waters in the region with the intent to supplement the Georgia Strait, Puget Sound, and Strait of Juan de Fuca waterway names. The adoption of the term, he said, would raise consciousness about taking care of the region’s waters and ecosystems. Webber’s efforts are credited with the official recognition of the term in the US and Canada, although Webber’s original proposal also recommended the removal of the terms Georgia Strait, Puget Sound, and Strait of Juan de Fuca from official recognition.

Coast Salish people

according to the Wiki

The Coast Salish are a grouping of indigenous peoples who live in southwest British Columbia, and northwest Washington state and share a common linguistic and cultural origin. For most of their collective histories (which date back to 8,000 B.C.E.) there was no overarching term to describe these people as a whole. Today the Coast Salish are seen as one of the main cultural and linguistic branches of a larger group known as Salishan or Salish. There are five recognized divisions of the Salish language family, with Coast Salish and Interior Salish being the primary two. The Salish family consists of 23 separate languages.

Vargas Island | Majestry of the Pacific Northwest

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Vargas Island is Salt Spring real estate’s finest offering. The island lies off the west coast of Vancouver Island, about 20 minutes from Tofino, via small boat. A wilderness island retreat awaits your pleasure on totally unspoiled Vargas Island, located in the pristine Tofino area, near Brabant Channel. This Island paradise offers miles of beaches, old growth forest, your own hiking trails, and the majestry of the Pacific Northwest coast surrounding you. It is easy to speak in superlatives with this 65.48 acre beauty (as it is with any luxury real estate property).

Fly in from Salt Spring Island (one can land a small plane on the hard packed sands of these beaches, or arrive by helicopter (lots of potential helipad spaces), or come by boat (approx. 20 minutes out of Tofino). This area is a kayaker’s paradise or a real estate investor’s dream. With vistas all the way to Japan, and back towards Vancouver Island‘s rugged west coast, and sunny exposures (s/sw/w), this parcel is a very rare beauty, indeed. An incredible holding property for the future…pristine land, such as this, is a very rare commodity.

Salt Spring Island Real Estate | Vargas Island

Vargas Island | Majestry of the Pacific Northwest

Vargas Island | History

Named in 1791, Isla de Feran, by Lieutenant Commander Eliza. Name was changed in 1792 to Isla de Vargas by Commanders Galiano and Valdes, after the noted Spanish governor Vargas, who reconquered the province of New Mexico 1693-1694. Captain Vancouver had the name on his chart as Feran Island in 1798. Also named as Feran Island as late as 1844 on Duflot de Mofra’s map.

The name Vargas Island was made final by Captain Richards in 1861, of the H.M. surveying vessel Hecate.

Vargas Island is truly a one of a kind pristine oceanfront real estate investment opportunity. There are 65 acres on Vargas Island, BC. Sweeping bays, sandy beaches, spectacular view building sites, developed walking trails among old-growth forest. This is an extremely rare real estate investment offering. Develop now or hold for future.