Departmental Meeting

I'm starting the Master's program in the English Department at the University of Victoria this month. Looks like this might be a Very Good Thing. To start with, the first departmental meeting that I and the other graduate students were invited to took place on Saturday at Willows Beach.
Well!
I think you can guess that I made my way over to Willows Beach at the appointed time... by kayak.And had a marvelous time. One of the professors is the proud owner of a new double kayak, and wants to join the Kayak Yak people for a paddle outing one day soon. Another student and I have started a kayak chat group on the department's student website. As well, one of the courses I'm taking is taught by Dr Misao Dean. She was the proud recipient of a federal grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, a couple of years ago, for a project on "inheriting a canoe paddle" about the impact of the canoe on Canadian nationalism.
I think I'm going to like studying here!It was a good day to paddle solo along the Upland shore past the big rock garden. The seal that John photographed a day later was sunbathing on a rock. Biiiiig seal. Either a great big male harbour seal, or possibly a young elephant seal. Either way, a very calm fellow.