Are you looking for some quality gifts this holiday season? We are here to help. Holiday shopping for loved ones can be difficult. We often find ourselves overwhelmed with choice and lacking direction. The wonderful ladies at SALT shop decided to pitch some of our Salty favs to help you out on your holiday shopping endeavours. Take a browse or pop into one of our locations and let us help you with your holiday hunt!
Made by Salty Locals for our Salty Friends
If you’re looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, you’ve come to the right place. Salt Spring Island is the largest of the southern gulf islands and a veritable eden. It is also where SALT Shop started. The Island’s magical mountains, bountiful farms, quirky galleries, incredible coastline and delectable cuisine have inspired migrants for generations. A weekend on Salt Spring is just enough to give you a tantalising taste of life on the Salish Sea.
For those of you who have yet to experience the beauty of the island, we’ve created this jam-packed weekend guide for your benefit! And for those of you who simply want a repeat experience (don’t we all?), this is for you, too! This is part one of our two-part summer guide to Salt Spring because - let’s face it - we just couldn’t fit everything in one go.
There’s a little bit of magic here. Come find it.
BC Ferries operates three separate ferry routes to the island. Drive your car or walk right on from Victoria (Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour), Vancouver (Tsawassen to Long Harbour) or Duncan (Crofton to Vesuvius). For more information on BC Ferry Schedules, visit www.bcferries.com
Harbour Air offers regular flights to Salt Spring Island. If you’re willing to ditch your car and travel light, this is a much faster way to go.
I think we can all agree that there is nothing quite like sailing the gulf islands. There are several public docks and marinas for you to enjoy if this is how you choose to travel. If you want to be in the center of town, make your way towards Ganges Harbour. We recommend making a reservation in advance at Salt Spring Marina or Ganges Marina
image via: Beachside Cafe
image via: Wild Cider
image via: Salt Spring Island Cheese
Did you enjoy your weekend? Let us know what you think! We’ve got a few extra tips for your travels below.
Salt Spring Island is home to a plethora of flora and fauna, and remains an unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples of Salt Spring. Please enjoy this space with care and respect.
My husband is a ship captain by profession, and a sailor at heart. We met years ago while we were both working in Asia. When we first started dating, I flew to Canada to spend a week with him at his gulf island home. He told me he had a secret trip planned for me, which I naturally found to be charming and sweet. But I was also secretly frustrated. How could I possibly plan any of my outfits for a trip I had no details to? Did I need a cocktail dress and heels? A ski suit? Camping gear? I demanded some guidelines.
These were his clues: Rain jacket, Jeans, Something Warm, Slippers, A Swimsuit and Runners (preferably white soled).
For anyone with boating experience, that last piece of advice should have given it away. But I was a sailing virgin at the time, and until the moment of embarkation, I had no idea what I was getting into. He drove us to Sidney Marina where we embarked a 34ft sailboat with two of our friends. We sailed for four days through the southern gulf islands, eating fish tacos and drinking wine by the water. We enjoyed deserted sandy beaches and the sight of orcas a mere six feet from us.
On the one hand, it was magical and breathtaking. On the other hand, I can only assume that he was testing my limits. I don’t blame him. It’s important to know what you’re getting into when you’re entering a new relationship! Sharing an aft berth for a few days (without enough headroom to sit up straight or change your clothes upright) is a great indicator for future success.
Indeed, we are married now. And the outfit guidelines he gave me that weekend have evolved to become the outfit guidelines for my current life.
It did take a fair bit of trial and error. Some days, I looked like a potato. Other days, I looked incredibly cute whilst ridiculously cold. I spent a good amount of time during our first two years researching what to wear on a sailboat and in rainy west coast weather, in general. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much for me to go by. I wondered whether I was the first woman to ask these questions. I couldn't be! The more women I opened up to, the more kindred spirits I found. There was a whole group of us, outside of our comfort zone, eagerly seeking a way to fit in.
So this is a letter to my past self and to any other women intimidated by the idea of trying something daring and new. You are not alone. You deserve to feel comfortable in any exciting new environment - especially this one. Because once you’re out there, you’ll experience a perspective like no other.
It’s a magical world on the ocean, one certainly worth leaving land for.
It’ll be hot and dry and cold and wet and windy and warm and wild. Sometimes all at once. So be versatile.
As tempting as it might be to bring one cute tank top with one fancy sweater, that might not be the smartest idea. If you’re sailing for an extended period of time, I highly suggest that you bring five pieces of clothing that you can potentially wear all at once, or one at a time, depending on the conditions. Try a tank top underneath a t-shirt underneath a waffle shirt underneath a cardigan underneath a waterproof windbreaker. Mix and match, or peel them off as you see fit. The goal is to be prepared for all kinds of weather.
You will not regret bringing everything.
If you want the boat owner to be nice to you, consider wearing non-marking shoes with light-coloured soles. Stiff dark soled shoes can mark the boat, and make for a grumpy boater. No one wants that. And if you don’t want to trip and fall overboard, make sure they have flat soles.
Tip: If the sole on your shoe is stiff and dark, it will most likely mark the boat. If your shoes have soft rubber soles, chances are, they will work for this situation (even if they are dark soled). You can double check, by pressing your fingernail into the sole of your shoe. If it creates a dent that quickly recovers, it is non-marking. You can also grab a sheet of white paper and attempt to draw a line on it with the heel of your shoe. If it leaves a mark on the paper, do not wear it.
Ideally, it’ll be windy, so never forget your best windbreaker.
If you want to take cute pictures AND keep your phone, I recommend having something on you with zip-up pockets. I revel in the return of the fanny pack. What a Godsend! If you don’t have one, just leave your phone safely tucked away in your bag underneath. Whatever you do, do not slip your valuables into your denim jean pocket. There’s a good chance it won’t be there by the end of the day.
Wide-brimmed hats are great for keeping the sun off of your neck, but on calm days, the sun's rays can still reflect off of the water and back onto your skin. So if you love your skin, and yourself, wear sunscreen.
If you plan on entering the ocean, I highly encourage lathering on mineral sunscreen that’s safe for the environment. Many of the chemicals present in commercial sunscreens are harmful for our marine friends. We want to enjoy their home, not destroy it.
Have you ever watched your precious scarf fly off your neck and into the ocean? Great, you’re not me then. Don’t bring it. But do bring that scrunchie.
Unless you’re sailing aboard a luxury yacht, there won’t be much room for your hard case suitcase. On longer trips, the first order of business is to unpack all of your belongings into your vessel’s many cubby holes. Once your bag is empty, you’ll need to stash it underneath a bed or bench or couch. Therefore, your bag must be flexible. If you insist on bringing your hard case suitcase, you must be prepared to sleep on it.
As the world starts opening up again, and new possibilities arise, we’ve decided to create a list of small habits that we can easily adapt into our life: manageable habits, real habits, meaningful habits and long term habits.
We might fail on some of them. That’s okay. We’ll try again the next day. We’re just getting started. We’re spreading this list to all of our friends, so that they can join in, too. It’s a challenge that we hope to turn into a movement that we hope to, eventually, turn into a long-term reality.
Change doesn’t have to be overwhelming; it just has to be done.
Meatless Mondays: We’re not asking you to cut meat out completely! Instead, once a week, opt for meatless meals or meat alternatives. It’s a small adjustment that saves on CO2 emissions in the long run.
Carless Tuesdays: Once a week, ditch that car and walk, bike or take the bus, instead. You don't have to buy an electric car today to decrease your carbon footprint.
Hang-Dry SunDay: Schedule a weekly hang-dry. Ditch the dryer once a week and hang-dry all your clothing instead. It doesn’t work for all your laundry, we understand. But if you can do this once a week, that’s a tiny habit worth saving.
No Cup, No Coffee: If you need to consume a disposable cup, just skip that coffee. Applicable every day of the week
Turn the Heat Down: Leaving the house? Turn off your heating or your air-conditioning. Who is it left on for?
Zero-Waste Gift wrap: Skip the wrapping paper and re-use that newspaper. We think it looks pretty cool, too.
Quality vs Quantity: It’s a new season, and you might need some new clothing. Buy an ethical piece that lasts a long time instead of three fast fashion ones. It’s better for the environment and better for that closet clutter!
Organic Option: Switch out one of your regular vegetable purchases to an organic option. Organic produce isn't just better for you, it's better for the insects, plants and animals, too!
Make Your Own: Skip the chemicals and single-use plastic - Make your own home staples. Things like salad dressing, or glass cleaner (it’s super easy, we promise). We’ve even got some recipes for you at the end of this post.
Shop Local: Once a week, shop 100% local. It could be that local farm stand down the road, or that local bakery by work. It could be local clothes or furniture or food. Just shop local. If it didn’t have to travel 10,000 km to get here, it is probably better for everyone around you.
EASY Balsamic Dressing
Combine the following ingredients in a jar (or blender) and shake well. Store this well in the fridge and this can last for several weeks!
Glass Cleaner
Mix 1 part white Vinegar with 1 part water. Place in a spray bottle for a perfect window and mirror cleaner, free of harsh ingredients (like ammonium hydroxide)
Different Dads bring different adventures to the table. Whether it's teaching us to sail in the Pacific or showing us how to bike in the neighbourhood. Whether it's traveling the world together or discovering the universe in our backyard. Whether it's building our first treehouse or supporting our first business.
Dads gift us with our first adventures. We'd like to give them something back.
These are gifts for the person who understands that the best moments in life are the ones that have been earned - reaching the top of that mountain, embracing the wide expanse of sea, crossing the finish line.
It’s time we retell our story. It's time we turn our bleak image of modern day consumerism into a ray of hope. Because there is hope. And the hope lies in ordinary people like you and me. (I’m assuming you are ordinary like me, but you may very well be much more special).
If you’ve been feeling helpless and weary about the state of the world, you are not alone. If you’ve been overcome with a feeling of powerlessness, you are more in tune with the human condition than you may be giving yourself credit for.
Several years ago climate researcher Per Espen Stoknes coined the phrase “apocalypse fatigue”. It refers to a state of helplessness in the face of massive societal problems. It highlights the tendency of many people to disengage, and to shy away from problems of insurmountable heights.
When the world says “no” to our seemingly every move, it is natural to feel paralyzed. It is natural to want to stand still and wait for the world; to wait for the people with much more clout and much more power to take action. But we must remind ourselves; we do have clout, we do have power, and we can create change!
I’d like to start this story with a group of hopeful and hope-inspiring (formerly ordinary) people called Ghost Divers. Ghost Diving is a charity organization of volunteer technical divers from around the world. Their mission is to highlight and to tackle the literally suffocating global issue of ghost nets.
What are ghost nets?
Ghost Nets are abandoned fishing lines, nets, and ropes, that have been lost or discarded at sea. These nets are primarily made from plastic and when left at sea, they can survive for decades on end. They are a menace to marine life; ensnaring fish, turtles, and marine mammals in their web. They also damage coral reefs and entire ecosystems in the process - ecosystems that contribute to almost 80% of the world’s oxygen.
It is estimated that roughly half of the mass of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from fishing lines, nets and ropes. And when the mass of nets do manage to break down in the ocean, they continue to live on as microplastics, inadvertently being consumed by marine life, and consequently, and inadvertently, being consumed by us.
Ghost divers volunteer their time in the aid of recovering this menace. They conduct missions worldwide to search for, detach, and resurface, tonnes upon tonnes of fishing waste. But where do these recovered nets go?
Thankfully, there are more hope-filled people on the horizon. Organizations around the world are dedicating their time to recycling these nets into useful products. One such group is “Healthy Sea Socks”. Healthy Sea Socks turns fishing nets into an everyday household essential - you guessed it - socks. In less than ten years, the Healthy Seas initiative has recovered and recycled more than 510,000 kilos of fishing nets, turning “waste to wear”.
That’s half a million kilos of menacing ocean pollutants which have now been converted into stylish foot warmers….
So where do we fit in? We may not be technical divers, or engineers capable of recycling plastic en masse. We’re probably just ordinary people trying not to be too much of a strain on this beautiful planet we all call home. We're just sock wearers.
But now we're sock wearers with a choice.
When we choose to consume with consciousness we can, collectively, change the outcome of our planet's future. This choice contributes to a positive web (or net) of change. And this net, much like the ghost nets of our seas, can be big, ubiquitous and powerful. Let this power be positive. Let this web of change be the change we need.
Sources:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22939-w
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html
Call me hyperbolic, but anyone who has ever owned a cast iron pan seems to have a cast iron story.
Years ago, my father-in-law found an old cast iron pan at a dumpsite. It was orange, rusty, and neglected, and it certainly didn’t look like it belonged in anyone’s house, let alone anyone’s kitchen. But my father-in-law knew then what I have only learned now - that a good cast iron pan simply cannot be thrown out. He brought the discarded pan to a sandblaster; he cleaned it, he heated it, he re-seasoned it. And he continues to use it til this day.
Cast iron is forever.
I, myself, am new to the cast iron world. I started cooking with cast iron pans less than a year ago, so my cast iron skills are a bit on the rusty side (pun intended). Cleaning cast iron pans is a new experience for me. For those who aren’t familiar, here's a quick summary
A month or two into my cast iron experience, I put my newly washed pan onto the stove for seasoning. I hadn't quite adapted to the routine yet and I swiftly got distracted by another errand or two, and... I went out for a walk. Yes, you read that correctly. I left the house with the burner still on - the ultimate homemakers shame. Upon arriving home, it took me a while to even realize what I had done. It was only upon entering the kitchen and noticing a whiff of burnt oil that I became cognizant of my faux pas. I had, indeed, left the pan on an open burner. But that’s not even the craziest part of this story. What then - you ask? The craziest part was that the pan was totally fine. (And so was the house, thank goodness). A small superficial heat spot did form in the middle and some of my seasoning did burn off in the process, but otherwise, the pan was completely fine. I’ve never loved a kitchen item more.
Cast iron pans are indestructible. And needless to say, I am a convert.
There is so much to celebrate in the world of cast-iron, and as much as I’d like to discuss each and every aspect - like how they can be used both on the stove and in the oven (that means only one pan to wash on chicken skillet night!) or how my omelettes have never been tastier or fluffier - there is one particular aspect that I’d like to give a special nod to. While cast iron pans are seemingly indestructible, our bodies, most certainly, are not. In a world that is more polluted and more health-obsessed than ever, recent research points to the fact that cast iron pans could be one of the safest and healthiest kitchen choices out there.
How so?
Firstly, cooking with cast iron can provide a much needed iron boost. Scientific research has shown that a small amount of iron gets absorbed into our food when cooking with cast iron pans. Iron is an essential mineral, and as a woman who has spent much of her life on a vegetarian diet, it is also a mineral that my demographic tends to be deficient in. There are two types of iron: heme iron, which is found in many meat products, and non-heme iron, found in many vegetables. Non-heme iron doesn’t absorb as easily into the body as heme iron. To compensate for this, nutritionists often recommend adding above average amounts of iron to vegetarian diets. Enter: Cast iron.
Secondly, Cast iron is free of many of the harmful chemicals that are often found in cookware. PFAS chemicals (including PFOA) are toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing process of many kinds of non-stick cookware, as well as other household items. They are employed due to their ability to repel oil and water. Exposure to PFAS chemicals has been linked to cancer (Canadian Cancer Society and Health Canada), reproductive harm*, and hormone and immune system disruption, amongst others.
The good news is that cast iron pans are produced without the use of these PFAS chemicals. And for those of you who are like myself and still need their eggs in the morning, a well seasoned cast iron pan is a great alternative to the traditional non-stick. We can continue to enjoy our daily omelettes knowing that we're not simultaneously consuming PFOA in the process.
They say cast iron pans are forever. Who says we can't be either?
Okay- it is important for me to note that in the grand scheme of things, the amount of added iron and chemicals avoided from using cast iron may be small. However, while cast iron pans won’t cure all your health problems, it can certainly be a step in the right direction. Today's world is a world inundated with chemicals and stressors, and perhaps a million small changes in the way we live is exactly what we need.
SHOP Field Company’s Cast Iron Skillet and you won’t even have to build up a seasoning. All pans come pre-seasoned and are extremely light weight.
We used our Field Cast Iron Skillet to make buttermilk pancakes from scratch in our 1973 Boler. Cooking pancakes on the skillet is a dream. I highly recommend using a metal spatula along with it.
My Buttermilk Pancake Recipe (feeds 4)
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups milk
4 tbsp white vinegar
2 eggs
4 tbsp butter, melted
Make the buttermilk in advance: combine the 2 cups milk with the vinegar, and let sit for at least 30 minutes
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, beat together wet ingredients (buttermilk, eggs and butter). Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook
Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface to test if it's ready (if it sizzles, it's ready!)
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. DO NOT OVER STIR.
Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan. When the top of the pancake is filled with tiny bubbles/air pockets, that's a good indication to flip. Practice makes perfect!
Serve with Canadian Maple Syrup. Enjoy!
Sources:
SHOP THIS BLOG POST
Maple Syrup
Field Cast Iron Skillet
Fernwood Instant Coffee
Falcon Enamelware
Todays salty human is Meg. We connected with her at the local dive centre, Frank Whites Dive Shop. Meg teaches diving helping others to explore + appreciate the underwater world. Meg is also currently on her journey to becoming a Marine biologist!
Time to get to know Meg!
What is your earliest memory of the ocean?
My earliest memory of the ocean sounds pretty made up but you can call my mum to fact check. But I think I was probably about 5 and my parents were working on Little Cayman running a dive resort and my mum took me out snorkelling and I remember wearing my pink mask and snorkel and squealing at all the fish in the reef when out from under it swam this beautiful 7.5 foot nurse shark and I totally freaked out. I jumped on top of my mums back, apparently almost drowning her, and screaming with my snorkel in my mouth because I’d never seen a shark before. But my mum calmed me down and told me that nurse sharks were like the puppies of the sea and that I should try and put my face in the water again just to look and see that it wasn’t going to bother us. And when I looked down I remember being terrified but also just amazed at how it glided on the bottom. From then on was obsessed with sharks and wanted to tell everyone about them. I think that’s when I really fell in love with the ocean.
How is the ocean a part of your life?
The ocean is a place where I can escape everything that is going on in my life. It has always been somewhere I feel at home no matter where I am in the world. I grew up snorkelling, then scuba diving, sailing, boating, and just going to the beach. I love to do beach clean ups and always bring a bag to put rubbish in when I’m planning to go. I don’t really know why but when other people on the beach see me picking stuff up when I’m walking people usually start to do the same thing and I love that it reminds people we should be respecting and protecting it because it does that for us.
What does being a SALTY HUMAN mean to you?
Being a salty human to me means sharing that salty love with others. I do this in my job as a dive instructor, studying marine biology at university, and anyone who wants to know more about the ocean if I meet them on the beach, on instagram, or my friends who are wondering why I love what I do so much.
What is one thing you wish people knew about the ocean?
I wish that more people knew that the ocean works so hard to protect the planet and us. It does this partly by being one of the biggest carbon sinks on the planet, being the biggest producer of oxygen, more so than forests, and it absorbs most sun radiation so it keeps the planet cool and habitable. It also houses so many important ecosystems that provide for the majority of world’s livelihoods such as the mangroves, seagrass, and kelp that are nurseries for juvenile fish and protects shorelines from erosion and storms. So I want people to know that if we protect the ocean, it will protect us too.
What is something most people don't know about you?
Most people don’t know that I name every single one of my 36 houseplants like they are my children, much to my parents disappointment.
What is inspiring you currently?
The thing that inspired me the most recently was one of my students who was trying scuba diving for the first time and got super panicked when we were at the bottom of the pool. She came up to the surface and was telling me that she accidentally snorted some water up her nose while she was doing a skill but that she wanted to go back down and try it again. She reminded me that sometimes the best things in life happen on the other side of fear and if something scares you, you should probably try it.
How do you spend your free time?
If I have some free time I like to spend it outside either biking or hiking or going to the beach because the pandemic has kept me pretty homebound so getting some fresh air is always welcome
What are 3 of your favourite things right now?
My 3 favourite things right now are London fogs, my growing number of house plants, and the documentary Fish People by Patagonia.
What is something that you are currently coveting from SALT?
The Joanna Wool Cardigan. I am obsessed. Need it in my life ASAP!
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is pretty relaxed. I love long flowy pants and skirts with my birkenstock’s, even in the middle of a Victoria winter. I really like thrift shopping and pushing myself to put pieces together I wouldn’t normally to kind of venture off of the sweatpants I normally wear at home.
What are you most excited about in life at the moment?
I am most excited right now about how close we are to summer. Not just for a break from the books but also for some vitamin D! We are very lucky on the West Coast to have such a mild winter but I cannot wait for the sunshine!
Meg is wearing:
JOANNA Cardigan | STAY SALTY Current Tee | SWELL Hoodie
My resolution 2021 was to spend more time with my feet in the dirt, to interact with nature's elements on a daily basis. And as someone who's a homebody in every sense of the word, I've gotta say, I've been killing it! Every weekend we've struck out on another adventure, exploring the muddy trails around the Peninsula and Westshore, and as far as Shawnigan. Here are 5 of our favourites so far for this year! These are all considered easy hikes for anyone who's like me - let's say... not athletic, but energetic!
Gold Mine Trail - Malahat
This is a lesser-known trail in Goldstream park, you can take it right up to the trestle if you like. It passes by a large cave marked with the goldming history. I love this adventure because we chose to do it on a rainy day which made the trail especially great for puddle-jumping; perfect for powering through in your boots. There's many beautiful spots along the way to stop and admire including a few streams, a little waterfall and some beautifully banking green portions of the trail. And of course the train tracks at the end make for a great rewarding view at the top, especially on a misty day.
Horth Hill - Saanich
Yup, The trail made popular by Royalty last Christmas. I really enjoyed the easy nature of this hike, it allowed you to really wander and take in all the ferny goodness. it's actually more of a nature stroll. It's full of smaller trail off shoots as well so you can wander this one a few different ways.
Old Baldy Mountain - Shawnigan
Let me warn you, this one comes with a steep service road to begin. But once you reach the trail oh boy, is it worth it. A stunning rocky climb along the side of the mountain means the amazing view of Shawnigan lake never leaves your sight, it just gets wider and wider as you reach the top. And once you get there your welcomed with the tree swing that sways you right into the open air!
Holmes Peak - Highlands
So many parts of this trail give off that fairy-garden feel: ultra-mossy, lush and narrow. It feels like there's a little bit of magic around you. And like Mount Baldy you're rewarded with a tree swing at the top. This is a great hike for those who are just beginning to get into hiking as it's very well marked and somewhat busy. You won't fee like you're out in the woods completely alone. It finishes off with a beauty view of the valley, and then you're able to turn around and head downhill all the way back home.
Mount Wells Summit - Langford
This has become a more popular trail this past year, for good reason. We loved this one because it's kind of a two-parter. Start with a muddier trail hike that you can take at a more leisurely pace until you face a steep scramble up some rocks. After that it's chording, and chain rails the rest of the way to the top! It was icy the day we hiked up and watching the streams run under the ice and seeing the ice formations that spring from the loose rocks was absolutely fascinating! It's not a difficult climb but we did see a couple small dogs struggling. I've also heard people mention it's a tricky one for kids however we saw plenty of little ones over 8 or so. Once you reach the top, there's plenty of open space to enjoy a lunch, watch the view, and rest before you take the trail back down.
I hope one of these trails peaked your interest, See you on the mountain!
