After an almost sleepless night upon our arrival at the very comfortable Holiday Inn, Courtenay BC, June 1st - possession day finally arrived.
It was over two years that we had been partially homeless and on the move. Now it was time to take possession and move in - put our suitcases down unpack, and finally relax.
To recap for those of you who joined us on our retirement adventure recently. During the last two years we have travelled south to Ecuador in South America then onto Costa Rica and Panama two small countries in Central America where we stayed for four months in total. Our objective was to examine the possibilities of living there permanently. We quickly decided NO to Ecuador as a final living destination despite all the ga ga you read in some of the on-line magazines. The people were marvellous but Ecuador was not us. for a few reasons.
Nevada Home Sells
After a four month stop off at our Nevada home and a subsequent winter back up in Alberta, we set out the following year for Costa Rica, spent two months there sampling the country and then continued on to Panama to spend two months in that country so we could compare the two countries and collect our thoughts.
In the end, we both enjoyed Costa Rica and Panama, but we were not quite there yet to make the decision to move to Panama permanently. At least we weren't convinced enough to drop a whole bunch of cash on the table to buy a home when we knew precious little about either country. It's just not possible to take in all the advantages and disadvantages and weigh things up intelligently in so short a period of time.
We would need time to come to that decision and that would only come when we had visited and lived there for some time. In any case, we would rent there and still have property up in Canada to fall back on.
While thinking about all this, it prompted the question of the wisdom of continuing ownership of the lovely home we had brought and paid for in the US. These were going to be the closing years of our lives, so it is important we get it right.
We asked ourselves did it make financial sense to tie up a large sum of cash on a home we could only occupy for 4 - 6 months of the year in the United States?
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| We designed a gorgeous back yard with lots of palms, astro-turf and patios |
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| It was so private |
A word to the wise for those who own property in the US. During the sale process, we found out that there is a 10% withholding tax levied against non US citizens or as the US Government refers to us as non resident Aliens (I always feel like a spaceman when that term is used).
If you own property anywhere in the US and decide to sell and the sale price exceeds $300,000 US dollars or if you sell your property to an investor who does not intend to occupy the home personally, the title company who conveys the deal holds back the 10% withholding tax.
We were told that one can apply to the US Govt, or IRS for an exemption not to withhold but you have to fill in special forms and jump through hoops when the IRS will not necessarily grant that permission. So for us, it wasn't worth the effort. What we had to do is stay under the radar so to speak by selling below 300K.
There is lots on the Internet about this for those who are interested. Below are a couple of links to read up on if you own US property.
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So it was back to Canada and on to Vancouver Island we headed. We had been out of the Canadian real estate market for to long - almost two years. It was time to get back in.
During the searching process we checked out both Nanaimo and Courtenay as options. It turned out that the Comox Valley stole our hearts and in all of the homes we viewed in both places, we found only one that really had what we were looking for.
Another pull was the fact that Comox Airport has direct flights to Calgary - just an hour and ten minutes flying time. This was a big factor for Donna and for lots of other Albertans who move here and either commute to the Alberta oilfields on a weekly basis or who simply retire here.
Prior to our arrival in Courtenay, we had seen a home pop up on the Internet and luckily, the Realtor® we used, got the message that we were not just going to buy any old house. We were going to be particular about this purchase, and luckily, she showed us that home first.
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| Our new home in Courtenay, BC. |
Our home has a garage large enough for both our vehicles with room to spare. It has a self contained Casita (detached smaller living accommodation seen front left as you look at the photo above with a very spacious living room with gas fireplace and TV, a spacious sleeping area and a full bathroom).
The whole house is a total of 2100 sq.ft. of living space on a lot 67 ft wide. The driveway is over 40 ft. long, large enough to park a Large RV the size of a greyhound bus with room to spare before encroaching onto the sidewalk. The back yard is very private with Cedars over 8 ft. high on all sides. The inside is wonderful.
We have a few things to do like change out the appliances to stainless steel and I will also reconfigure the shelving in the great room either side of the fireplace and add some concealed LED lighting and glass shelves for effect.
We will also install Granite or Quartz countertops but these are projects that will take some time to achieve. I will build an arbour in the back yard maybe this fall or next summer after the rains have gone. After that, we shall do some more planning and those plans will include a look at where to go to next. Australia could be on the cards.
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| Our Great Room while we await our side tables. |
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| This is a very bright open plan, east west facing so we get morning and evening sun in the house plus sun virtually all day in the back yard....... and better still. No stairs. |
We have stopped bleeding money to some extent now, as we have purchased most of what we will need over the years to come but we have some projects to complete too.
In June we went to city hall to pay our taxes for the year. It was a tiny City Hall, unlike the huge Calgary emporium that houses that City's Administration.
Oh free parking! That's a bonus I thought as we pulled into City Hall. We told the receptionist we were new here and had come to pay our taxes for the year. She asked for my drivers license as ID and a copy of the title which we handed over.
She looked at my age and smiling, she said we would receive a $1034 discount off our property tax bill because I was a senior. Wow! it actually pays to be 65 years of age or older. I'll take it thank you. We were in and out in a heartbeat.
We have had a few visitors already. Two couples from Calgary and two couples from Mesquite, Nevada have visited so far.
Jerry and Liane Glabe, our Nevada neighbours who spent five weeks with us in Panama this time last year spent two weeks here. Part of the time they parked in our driveway living out of their motor home then they spent seven days at an RV park just down the road from us, returning for the last four nights to our place before their trip back south to the US. It was great to see everyone again.
While Jerry and Liane were here, we visited the Famous "Goats On The Roof" store in Coombs near Parksville (where there are actually live goats on the roof as seen above). This store is world renown as It has absolutely every conceivable food type you could think of and it is huge and always very busy.
At 6:00 am on July 23, we all set out for some Salmon Fishing. We hired a guide and a fishing Charter boat to take us out and met the guide at 7:00am and without further ado, off we went.
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| Liane watching Donna reel in a Cod. |
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| Jerry's first Chinook or Spring Salmon |
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| Liane getting really excited with her Salmon |
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| Me with a 17 pound Chinook Salmon |
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| We threw some Cod back, plus a Dogfish and a Salmon that was not quite the 24.5 Inch minimum |
We also visited Cathedral Grove, a fascinating area with Douglas Fir trees over 800 years old, the tops of which are so high, they cannot be seen.
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| The Douglas Firs in this area are over 800 years old. |
- Q - Is gas more expensive here than in Alberta?
- A - It's a crap shoot. Three months ago the price of regular gas was 20 Cents a Litre more here than in Calgary (both at Costco outlets) however looking on Gas Buddy at the time of writing, gas is 2 Cents less here at Costco than it is in Calgary's Costco on Heritage Drive.
- fresh vegetables are here in abundance. The veggies look more colourful and are much fresher here than in Alberta and most of them are grown here in BC.
- had I filed income tax here instead of as a resident of Alberta, I would have been $1200 better off had I lived in and filed the same income in BC (My Tax accountant compared the two scenarios for me).
- utilities and taxes are way less expensive here than in Calgary.
- it's overall warmer here so we don't have to heat the home which saves money. It has not dropped below 15 degrees here at night but our neighbour who just returned from visiting his daughter in Calgary said it was already down to 5C at night there when they left Calgary last week.
- the roads are in much nicer shape here due to less (if any) frost heaves here than in Alberta.
- for the vehicles crossing busy highways here it is much safer as most are controlled by lights.
- Q - A flashing green traffic light here - What does that mean?
- A - it is a light controlled by pedestrians not on a timer. It's a question you are asked when you get your BC drivers license.
- good radio stations are harder to find here because the communities are smaller for the most part. Yes we can get CBC Vancouver and The QR affiliated site CKNW and of course Victoria Radio but not as many stations as in Calgary.
- water is a huge issue here on the Island. The possibility or probability is high that there will be rationing.. More about that below.
- on open roads, the BC speed limit is 120 Kilometres per hour.
- the RCMP dresses up in all sorts of disguises from road workers to animals suits to catch people talking on the telephone or speeding. Don't do either here or your vehicle will be impounded if you are so much over the posted rate.
- the fine for talking on the telephone or distracted driving starts at $167 automatically.
Since our arrival on the Island, we have learnt that water or the lack of it here is a BIG deal.
BC has four stages of rationing. Stage 1 the least or no restrictions up to stage 4 in some places. Stage 4 being the highest level of control. Currently Vancouver is so short of water they are on stage four rationing.
Here on the Island the Comox Valley is on Stage 3 which means NO watering of lawns at all. Our lawns have turned brown because of the watering restrictions but that's what happens when you live on an island where water becomes a much more valued resource.
I gather that the people who don't follow the rules here and sneak water onto their lawns have the nickname of "grassholes" - an appropriate description for those who don't follow the rules.
A friend of ours here (who also lived in Calgary until two years ago) told me that usually, it's Albertans with the green lawns.... I can believe that somehow, but don't get caught. It can get expensive because you will be written up.
Also, there is zero filling or topping up of swimming pools or hot tubs. Goodness knows how the city controls that because we don't have water meters installed here. The washing of vehicles is not allowed unless it is at an approved car-wash.
I gather that the people who don't follow the rules here and sneak water onto their lawns have the nickname of "grassholes" - an appropriate description for those who don't follow the rules.
A friend of ours here (who also lived in Calgary until two years ago) told me that usually, it's Albertans with the green lawns.... I can believe that somehow, but don't get caught. It can get expensive because you will be written up.
The rivers have been closed down for fishing as the water is so low and there are real concerns that the Salmon will not be able to get up high enough to their spawning grounds which could spell disaster for the fishing industry.
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| Salmon spawning in the rivers |
We visited a garden centre not far from our home. Behind the actual plants and flowers the centre has put aside a large area and the locals have been invited to have allotments. I have applied for one and will hopefully next year, be able to plant potatoes, beans, peas, peppers, and other veggies and fruit for the years enjoyment. The cost is just $25 per year for a community allotment garden for us to grow what we want, veggies or flowers it makes no difference.
We have tomatoes on the front patio. I believe one plant alone must have in excess of 250 small cherry tomatoes on it. We have three tomato plants and a Pepper Plant.
The other day, I was tempted to "test" the heat of the peppers. I bit into one and Wow, It was like riding on every ride at the Calgary Stampede all at the same time. Talk about head-rush. It was HOT. Don't think I will do that again for a while. I will stick to placing the peppers in Chili and the like.
The other day, I was tempted to "test" the heat of the peppers. I bit into one and Wow, It was like riding on every ride at the Calgary Stampede all at the same time. Talk about head-rush. It was HOT. Don't think I will do that again for a while. I will stick to placing the peppers in Chili and the like.
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| One of the many beaches just down the road from where we live. |
There is also the gorgeous and world famous Buchart Gardens just north of Victoria and miles upon miles of trails, lots of wineries, wildlife and much more.
This is truly an amazing place to live. The locals refer to it as "the California of Canada" and now we know why. Literally everywhere you turn there are English Ex Pats and thousands of Albertans. Many of the Albertans are now selling and moving out here. We now know why.
We also visited the very famous Painter's Lodge one of the most famous of all fishing lodges in Canada which affords fishermen some of the best salmon fishing in the world.
For $299, two of you can rent a boat called a Boston Whaler similar to the one above with guide for four hours fishing, with all equipment supplied, two seats in the boats and off you go. You fish with down riggers that take your bait to over 270 ft down where the "biggies" swim in the colder waters below.
The price also includes filleting your salmon, cleaning it and bagging it ready to place in your vehicle. When we were there, we saw a 33 lb salmon weighed in and many more over 20lb.
It's customary to tip the guide say ten to fifteen percent as well.
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| 61 1/2 Pound Tyee or Chinook Salmon |
Purely for interest sake. The Tyee Club of BC is located at Painter's Lodge. It is a very select gathering of people. To become a member, one must:
- hook and retrieve a salmon weighing a minimum of 30 lbs
- it must be accomplished on 20 lb test (breaking strain line for UK readers) or less
- catch the salmon with a barbless hook (all hooks here must be barbless)
- bring it in fishing out of a rowing boat with no motor
- land the fish yourself with a net without any assistance from the guide who must witness the catch.
In preparation for all this, I have even found a beach where you can cast for Salmon. Some have told me of 35 pounders being pulled out right by the shoreline and better still, it's only a six minute drive from home. I will be there lots hoping to catch my limit by the end of the year (which is 30 Salmon over twenty four and a half inches long) and a maximum of two salmon per day. I will report back.
The Chain Saw Massacre
I am sure many of you saw the movie, but chain saws are used very differently here. While on our discoveries in the Campbell River area, we came across a competition where artists were creating sculptures from pieces of wood or tree trunks. To say their creations are amazing is an understatement. Pictures below. All done using a chain saw and some other woodworking equipment. They have just four days to complete their work of art.
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| scarecrow with Pumpkin Head |
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| Wolf in the water with the salmon below |
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| Grizzly |
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| Salmon |
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| An Eagle, Bear and a Fish |
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| Inuit Seal Hunter with spear, waiting for seal with her baby to show from beneath the ice |
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| Bald Eagle |
There are so many fun things to do I could not put them all down here but life is going right along and we have not even begun to discover the rest of the island. We have lots to do if we are to discover the whole Island.
A little about Vancouver Island's Geography
Want to know more about this great place to live and the largest island in North America's Pacific region, go here
There is still so much to see and and do and now it seems, so little time to cram it all in while we have our good health. Yes, "time is of the essence".
This month, we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary here in Courtenay and also my 67th birthday (today Aug 20). This evening, we will celebrate it quietly, just Donna and myself. Just the way I like it.
Donna is flying back to Calgary, Sept. 16th until 22nd to visit with kids and grandkids and me.... Well, I'm.........
Keep safe and active and enjoy the rest of the summer everyone.
A little about Vancouver Island's Geography
Vancouver Island Climate Facts
There is still so much to see and and do and now it seems, so little time to cram it all in while we have our good health. Yes, "time is of the essence".
This month, we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary here in Courtenay and also my 67th birthday (today Aug 20). This evening, we will celebrate it quietly, just Donna and myself. Just the way I like it.
Looking Forward
Donna is flying back to Calgary, Sept. 16th until 22nd to visit with kids and grandkids and me.... Well, I'm.........
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Keep safe and active and enjoy the rest of the summer everyone.
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