Sydney & The BC Aviation Museum.

Monday morning bright and sunny, a drive up the Saanich Peninsula to Sydney to visit the Aviation Museum.

 Auster air observation plane, from WW2.

 

RAC SE5 WWI fighter plane.

 Avro Ansen twin engine trainer from WW2.    Just 3 of the many planes on show. Getting far enough away to take photos was a tad difficult.    

 

Rolls-Royce Nene Turbo Jet engine first flown in 1944.

This monster is a Wright Cyclone 18 cylinder radial engine.

 

Bristol Sliding Sleeve 14 cylinder radial engine

 

de Havilland Gypsy engine from the late 20's

Hall- Scott from before the first world war. lots more engines on show, one of the best collections of engines I have seen, they have turbo-prop engines, jet engines and a really good selection of radials. 

 After lunch at a restaurant across the road from the museum we drove the few kilometres into sydney, this photo is taken from the seafront looking across to the gulf Islands.

 

A couple of stately Cormorants.

 this Heron taking 40 winks in the afternoon sun.

 

At first I felt a bit sad seeing this one eyed seal, but life can't be all that bad, he lives under the fish market pier and as you can see from his size he is probably the best fed seal in Canada.

 Not so for the young one legged gull. Ruth who's the birdy one thinks it will be ok.

 

Last look at the Sydney Pier.

 Walking back along the seafront to the car park I looked back - - thats herons still snoozing away.

Maritime Museum of British Columbia.

Another rainy day out, though this is one for boys (of all ages)  Lots of model ships and parts of diesel and steam engines and exciting things like that, well after looking at furniture and decor etc. the inside of a steam engine is very exciting.                      
                                                                         
 











Now this interesting piece of equipment was used to hang pirates and other undesirables , they were placed in the metal frame and hung from the yardarm and left there for all to see, as a lesson to all.

 

Canon, I think this is a six pounder.

                                           This is a modified "Nootkan"dugout canoe from around 1850, bought by a Captain John Voss and fitted with a cabin and masts he set sail from Victoria in 1901 to sail round the world. By 1904 he had

made it as far as England via Australia and South Africa .  In 1929 it was brought back to Victoria, restored and now sits in the Maritime Museum.

 

Lots and lots of model boats From galleons like this to this WW2 freighter and convoy corvette,

               











To this model of Esquimalt Dry Dock complete with boat and shipyard workers.

 

Lots of models and the history of all the Canadian Pacific boats that sailed to Japan and China before airlines took over.

 This caged lift (elevator) was built in 1899,  it still works!

Rainy day out.

As promised by the weather man we had rain today, museum time again, the visit then will be Craigdarroch Castle, its not rally a castle just a huge Victorian house a bit like all the "maison bourgeoise" in the Dordogne, France calling themselves "Chateau this and that" but everyone to his own, the inside is very impressive.

 

This Chap was a bit of a robber baron, he never lived to see his house finished and then his family had big falling outs and only lived in here for 18 years.

The main reception room, very impressive decor, this family lived very well. pity they had a falling out.

 

The dining room.

 

Mrs. Dunsmuir private sitting room, very comfortable.

 

This bedroom they think belonged to daughter Jessie.

Lots of other rooms, to many to show here. I will finish with this one, its a wonderful example of victorian plumbing.

 

Love a loo like that though Ruths not so sure.