PEI Pics

Where's Roxy?

                              The Haunted Woods

                                                                      The Potato Fields

TIM'S HOUSE

 

GOLF SECTION

These 2 photos above are actually looking back on each other from where we took them. The one on the left we were up in that building in the distance on the balcony which was the view in the photo on the right. Does that make sense?

THE BEACH

AMUSEMENTS AND ATTRACTIONS

Shooting Gallery and Zorba Pool

Paintball

Fant-asma-gorical Museum

Shinning Waters Water Park

Sandspit Amusement Park

TOP GLIDE

Ok, gliding speeds may not be nearly as fast as flying an F-16 jet like in the real Top Gun, but anything that involved getting into an aircraft and flying thousands of feet in the air above Ontario got me in the mood for the need for speed.

I have a friend that I have made it the Canadian Paraplegic Association who is the resource coordinator. Had also organised the ski day I went to in winter as well as the sailing opportunity a few weeks ago. But when he asked recently "do I like flying" my eyes lit up with excitement at the adventure he may be suggesting next. "Ever been gliding?" he asked.

I remember my Pa taking me to the International air show at Avalon when I was a little kid, as he had an interest in aeroplanes and flying, which he consequently passed on to my uncles and down to me. I have made many trips out to that airshow over the years since and had always wondered what it would be like to fly in the many different aircraft we saw on display. As well as the excitement and adrenaline rush from seeing the powerful jets, I've often thought how awesome it must be for gliders to be in the air for so long without any engine noise, just relying on the wind patterns and and the technical ability to manoeuvre the aircraft in such splendid patterns through the sky. It looks like it would be the most graceful aerial roller coaster ride. Mel and I were about to find out.

Obviously I didn't sleep very well the night before as I was so excited, but we got up very early to meet the taxi that was to drive us an hour and a half north west of Toronto to a small country airfield outside of a town called Arthur. We had been warned that it was going to be a busy day so it was best to get there early to get our flight cards in and be ready to go up when called.

We arrived at the airfield just after 9 am and was greeted by one of the organisers from the volunteer group called Freedom Wings. This was a program that was set up to allow people with disabilities and special needs to experience the adventure that is gliding. They also run a program for people who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and there was a soldier who was going up for his first flight after returning from duty in Afghanistan to help with his therapy.

We had only been there for 10 minutes when I got the call up to be one of the first to take off. I was presented with my freedom wings badge and taken to the aircraft. I'm going to let the video show the rest from here as there are no words that I could write to do this experience justice. Mel flew up a couple of hours after me and had an amazing experience in the sky as well. She did all of this filming as well as the stunning stills shots that we are going to have as a lasting memory for the rest of our lives.

Enjoy.....

(go to this link at Youtube if you need to see it fullscreen)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7HsbeTAwhA

Sailing, take me away, to lake Ontario ....

This blog is dedicated to Ricardo Jensen. He is a good friend who I met in rehabilitation in Shenton Park in Perth just after my accident. He is a level C1 quadriplegic and has a ventilator to help him breathe. Ever since I met him I have always been amazed with his positive outlook on life and the way he sets himself goals and goes out and achieves them. Even when he was in rehabilitation he said to me that he wants to travel around the world and do all of these amazing adventures. Well over the years he has achieved everything he has set out to do, and one of these feats was to sail by himself. A couple of years ago Riccardo showed me a specially modified sailboat that he could pilot by himself using just a mouth control. I saw footage of him on a 45° angle tacking his sailboat in every direction around the Swan River in Perth. It was incredible to watch and very inspiring.

Like so many other things he has been able to achieve, I said to myself "Right, if he can do it so can I".

Kevin, my Swiss Army knife resource man at the Canadian Paraplegic Association, gave me the contact details of a disabled sailing program down on the waterfront here on Lake Ontario. So I put my sea legs (wheels) into gear and headed down to give it a go.

Like so many of these programs they are all organised by volunteers who provide their time and expertise to help people with special needs experience whatever adventure they wish.With a couple of modifications and adaptations to the equipment anyone can be out sailing along with the other maritime obsessives.

Don Cooper was my guide for the day and he was a lovely gentleman also interested in music, especially the Beatles, so there was a little bit of ' yellow submarine' singing going on.

We spent about two hours out on the water of Lake Ontario between the Toronto downtown and Toronto Island. It was absolutely beautiful tracking backwards and forwards from one side of the harbour to the other. We were constantly dodging paddle steamers, private yachts and even aircraft that would fly over and land on the island.

I learnt a lot about how to pilot this tiny Martin 16. Tacking, jibbing, running with the wind, All of the basics to be able to navigate my way on the water. Once again, I can't wait for the next opportunity to do this again. I was told that this is a Paralympic sport and the Australians are very good at it. So that's curling, skiing and now sailing I have to train hard for to get that gold. Unfortunately I couldn't get any footage of me out on the lake as I didn't want to get the camera wet, but below are some photos of the experience.

Being hoisted out of the chair and into the Martin.

 

Last-minute checks and safety brief.

Taking the ropes and ready to launch.

Wide shot of the pontoon and boat all set up ready for me to go.

Believe it or not that is me just left of centre in the middle of the shipping lane.

AUS v CAN - Aussie Rules on Canada Day ... go figure

This time last year we were in Montréal and missed a lot of the celebrations because we were busy sightseeing but this year we had a pretty interesting offer. I received a phone call from the CEO of the local Ontario Australian Rules Football Organisation who was planning the annual Canada Day - Australia versus Canada football match. Apparently Julie Anthony was unavailable to come over and sing the anthems, so I got a call up off the bench to do the patriotic honour.

I had been told that in the past they had quite a crowd turnout for these games but unfortunately this year landed on a long weekend and it was perfect weather, so everyone went away to their cottages for the weekend. Suffice to say the crowd was small, but vocal.

It had a great country roots feel about it with sausage sizzle and bar in between the two interchange benches as well as car horns beeping every time there was a goal.

Unfortunately for the locals (Canadian team) there weren't too many car horns beeping for them throughout the course of the game as the Aussies ran away with a massive victory. I tried my hardest to do the Canadian anthem justice for its team, but the Aussie anthem won out on the day.

The Maple Leafs warming up

 Half the Aussies warming up with a beer and some suntan lotion, the other half playing kick to kick.

Arm in arm preparing for the anthems

Such a dinky system they had a microphone stand but no mic!

(just kidding, was better than the Kardinia Park pre-recorded mime!)

SIREN!!!

Not the same as a hot pie with sauce, but very Canadian. Roxy not impressed she didn't get any.

My beautiful wife!

My photogenic dog.

 The final score. Say no more.