Long Lake Waterfront B&B Blog
News, Events and Other Happenings in Nanaimo and at the B&B

Looking for Something to Do this Weekend?: Head downtown to the waterfront to take in the Dragon Boat Festival. Recognized as Nanaimo’s most spectacular summer festival, the 8th annual Save On Foods Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival will be a true celebration of our diverse and beautiful city, attracting over 50,000 people
and more than 80 dragon boat teams from across North America. Beginning on Friday afternoon with the colourful Awakening of the Dragon Ceremony and Chinese Lion Dance, the Festival will continue with two more days of non-stop entertainment on the Main Stage, fabulous food and shopping, and of course, Dragon Boat racing of the highest calibre. Admission is free to the general public so what’s stopping you? Come on down to the waters of Nanaimo Harbour and celebrate with us!
• 3 Days of Unique Culture & Sport with Something for Everyone! • Thrilling Dragon Boat Races • Live Main Stage Entertainment Friday, Saturday and Sunday • Mini Show ‘n Shine with members of the Smokin’ Oldies and Nanaimo T-Bird Club • Shriner’s Pancake Breakfast • Labatt’s Beer Garden • Activities for the little ones in the Little Dragon’s Fun Zone This is truly Nanaimo’s finest festival….paddlers united in the fight to beat cancer. For details, visit: www.nanaimodragonboat.com

Viex rated Top Evaluated Fair in BC for 20,000+ in attendance by Minister of Agriculture and the BC Association of Fairs and Agricultural Exhibitions

The annual Multicultural Festival comes to the Old City Quarter on June 26th bringing with it a variety of family-friendly activities, entertainment and, of course, fabulous food. The popular festival and street fair celebrates Nanaimo’s diverse cultural fabric with the help of local musicians, entertainers and restaurants. From 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday, June 26th grab a bite to eat from Asteras, Bistro Taiyo, Gateway to India, Amazing Thai and Tin Tin Market and enjoy entertainment from Celtic Chaos, Terra Zetto, Kassa, Lion Dance, Kung Fu, Summer Sage and many more. The Multicultural Festival is held on Selby Street and Wesley Street with cultural displays throughout the Heritage Mews and Fitzwilliam Gate. For a map to the festival location please visit the events page at www.dnbia.ca. The annual Multicultural Festival is presented by the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association in partnership with the Old City Quarter Association, the VIU International Education Department, the Nanaimo Daily News and Island Radio.

If You’ve Got A “Smart” Phone , BCsBestBnBs.com goes Mobile!!!   We are the FIRST Bed and Breakfast Association in Canada to have a fully mobile version of our website. It has just become easier than ever to book where you’ll “Rest Assured” at one of the 200 Guild member B&B Inns located across British Columbia. Last minute travelers are sure to be especially happy with this major technological advancement.

We are thrilled to announce that our Guild now has a fully Mobile version of our website. This amazing feature detects that a “Smart Phone” is searching for our Bed and Breakfast Guild and brings up a mobile version of the site. This is a pared down version of our full site but has all the necessary information that future guests need to make a booking at a BC Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Guild property:

•Find a B&B by City, Region or Specials
•View this Blog
•View the Full Version of the Website
•Contact email information for the Guild
Once our new guest has found the appropriate B&B:

•there is a google map of the city
•picture and description
•ability to get directions
•phone numbers, website link, and availability link
Tags: BC Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers Guild, BC’s Best B&Bs,
www.bcsbestbnbs.com

The Nanaimo Bathtub Race – Sunday, July 25, 2010. The “Great” RACE starts in Nanaimo harbor and ends at Departure Bay beach. This race is a culmination of a week long Marine Festival in Nanaimo.  http://www.bathtubbing.com/index.php

Sink or Swim Scuba Presents “The 4th Annual Great Nanaimo Poker Dive”: On Sunday June 20 close to 100 scuba divers will dive into Finn Beach in hopes of winning a cash jackpot of over $3000.00! It all happens at Neck Point Park. Scuba divers gear up and swim in 20 ft of water following an underwater course to five submerged boards to collect their ‘five poker cards’. A sixth board—the bonus board containing all face cards is also underwater. Divers work in teams of two or three to gather up their hands. After they exit the water and remove their gear, they will trade in their underwater cards at our board tent for real playing cards which creates their poker hand. It’s that simple. Divers can enjoy the BBQ while waiting for everyone to exit the water, then the jackpot is up for grabs as we go through a process of elimination to reveal the top three poker hands which will split over $3000.00 in cash! And there’s more, every diver who’s signed up for the poker dive has their name entered to win for any of the dozens of prizes donated by dive manufactures and local businesses. Almost every diver will walk away a winner! We have some great prizes! The first fifty divers who signed up are entered to win a dive regulator valued at $900.00. The second group of fifty divers to sign up are entered to win an a roller gear bag valued at $275.00. There’s also a raffle from now until the day of the poker dive to win a second dive regulator and dive computer valued at $1700.00. Proceeds from our raffle will go to the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation. That’s not all, we’ll be giving away a third dive regulator and BCD as well as
close to 100 prizes on the day of the dive. It’s easy and it’s fun. Sign up at Sink or Swim Scuba by June 19, 2010. The entry fee is $25.00 per person and an extra $10.00 for the option of a bonus card. The fee goes directly into the poker pot and includes a Poker Dive t-shirt and a BBQ lunch. For more information contact us at Sink or Swim Scuba 250-758-7946 or email us at
info@sosscuba.ca or see our website: www.sosscuba.ca

Friday, June 11th, 2010
5:00 PM through 6:45 PM

Phoenix Rising is an adult recreational dragon boat team which offers 3 hours of paddling and safety instruction without any cost. Beginning paddlers are always welcome. Following the three hours of instruction, paddlers will have the option of joining the team and paddling on a regular basis at minimal cost. Phoenix Rising belongs to the Ergondragons Boating and Fitness Club (EBFC), a registered B.C. Society.

We were very honoured to host Sensei ( teachers ) from Japan of the martial art Iaido.  Iaido, drawing and cutting using the Japanese sword, is not a sport but an ancient and unique traditional martial art for the development of mind, body and spirit. Iaido is one of the oldest Japanese martial arts, The purpose of Iaido is to develop awareness, centeredness, sincerity, a calm mind, and mental and physical harmony through the practice of traditional sword techniques or waza.

Each waza represent various situations that teach a calm definitive response using the Japanese sword to unjustified or surprise attacks. Iaido waza are performed individually against one or several imaginary opponents. It is the ultimate responsibility of each student to faithfully learn and with pride pass on these waza and the traditions of Iaido without any change to maintain the integrity of the art of swordsmanship and the respect of those who risked their lives for it.

Each of our practices starts and ends with a bow. Using the words of Esaka Sensei, “The bow reveals the heart of deep respect for others . Courtesy is an outward sign of this respect. I feel that if the spirit of the bow were properly understood the central theme of Budo, the spirit of harmony would help to bring peace to human society”. By dedicating oneself to iaido practice, life’ challenges can be championed through what we say… “Victory in the scabbard” means never having to draw your sword in battle to defeat the opponent.  For more info  www.todokai.ca

MOV02869Long Lake is a registered aerodrome and we are float plane accessable right to our dock – fly inn !! Elevation 390 ft / 119 m
Coordinates 49°13′00″N 124°01′00″W Fly ” Inn” and out from Long Lake Nanaimo BC [HQ]

Nanaimo 6th Annual Floating Boat & Marine Trade Show has something for every budget and for every level of boating. Friday, June 4th, 2010 – Sunday, June 6th, 2010
Friday: noon-7pm Saturday: 10am-6pm Sunday 10am-4pm . http://www.vancouverislandboatshow.com/