Snow in the Otter Point area of Sooke

All this snowy weather got me to thinking – just because we live in one of the mildest climates in Canada, doesn’t make us immune from freezing temperatures every now and again. Where I live in the Otter Point area of Sooke, we have a well. We’re also several hundred metres above sea level and the temperature tends to be a few degrees cooler than in the village of Sooke. When I bought the house, the former owner told me that the well head had frozen and that she had installed a very simple system to prevent it in the future.

Drilled water wells typically have a casing that sticks up about 24″ or more from the ground. The water line comes out of the top of the casing, and runs down the side, underground to the home or cistern. It’s this stick-up section that can freeze, especially overnight when the well is not likely to be pumping and moving the water.

A well casing stick-up with water line

In our climate, often simply insulating the water line is enough, but if you’re like me and live where the temperature often drops below freezing, you might need to take some additional precautions. My well also happens to be in the shade of some tall trees, so the sun rarely reaches it in the winter, compounding the chance of freeze-up.

The solution is pretty simple. Take a garbage can, and insulate it with flexible foam – mine looks like it’s done with a blue foam mat like you’d use for camping. Then, take a trouble light and hook it on to the well head – this provides a small heat source. Turn the garbage can upside down over the well head and voila – just make sure the light bulb doesn’t burn out!

Enjoy the snow day!

The Whiffin Spit Christmas Tree

When I first came to Sooke to look at the house I eventually bought, I took a walk out Whiffin Spit. I knew nothing about the community that would become my home and my chosen place to start a family. I didn’t even know what Whiffin Spit was, I was just driving around exploring and found this cool seaside park with a light at the end of the path. It was just after Christmas, and as I meandered along the path, in addition to the many friendly people I saw and lots of dogs, there it was, this tree.

A lone Sitka Spruce, perched somewhat precariously on this exposed, windswept, salty spit of land. It had been decorated with all sorts of different ornaments. It was clear to me immediately that it was something special, and the eclectic array of ornamentations amused me. The salmon flashers and other bits of maritime and fishing-related items hung from its boughs and other home-made items made me think “How West Coast is this?!” I’ve enjoyed visiting the tree every year since and today went down to the spit to snap a few pictures for you.

With everything from plain old Christmas balls to driftwood, this is a real display of Island culture and I was amazed once again at the variety. There were many cute kids’ crafts on the tree, and also a number of touching tributes to lost family members, both human and canine, which is fitting as the Spit is a favourite for both to stroll.

I think my favourites are the ornaments fashioned from fishing gear, floats, and crab trap bait containers:

So, who decorates the tree every year? Well of course, it’s a public park, so anyone is welcome. But there is a group of local elves who has been taking care of the decorating and un-decorating of the tree since 1995. Read the interesting story, and learn about how you can help, here.

A bit of a bonus to my stroll down on the Spit today were the waves. They were big. I used to live very near the Spit so I know that’s not terribly uncommon in the winter, but it was a lot of fun to watch, and to photograph. The sun even poked its way through the clouds for a while and it looked spectacular. Here’s my favourite of the wave pictures. See more on Facebook.

The weather forecast isn’t great for Christmas, but I hope you’ve had a chance to stroll by the Tree in the days leading up – we’ve sure had spectacular weather for December. But if you haven’t, make sure you head down when we get a break in the weather like we had this afternoon! Below are all the pictures I took of the tree today. Merry Christmas, Sooke (and beyond)!

Photo Credit: congvo on Flickr (click photo for link)

Chances are, if you live on an acreage in Sooke, or anywhere else in greater Victoria for that matter, you have a well. If you’re considering buying an acreage property, this may be your first experience with your own water supply. Water in our region is plentiful, thankfully, and we enjoy abundant, cheap, good-tasting municipal water supply from the CRD. How is it different to own a well and what considerations do you need to take to ensure a reliable, safe, and tasty water for decades? Read on to find out!

Well types:

In general there are two different types of wells – dug (or shallow) and drilled. Which type a property has depends on many factors, and each type has advantages and disadvantages.

Dug wells are common where there is a relatively high water table (50 feet deep or less). Properties close to lakes, rivers, and creeks are common spots to find dug wells. The dug well is pretty simple and is constructed just about as it sounds – a hole is dug in the earth until water is found. The hole is typically lined with pre-cast concrete forms. Water is drawn from an inlet pipe to the pumping equipment in the home or well house. The advantages of this type of well include that it is usually cheaper to construct and often yields a good quantity of water. Disadvantages include that surface water (from which a dug well draws) is prone to changes in the water table (during the dry season, for example) and are more prone to contamination from runoff. A home will almost always need a treatment system for a dug well (UV sterilization, for example).

A dug well profile. Source: CMHC

Drilled wells are, I would estimate, more common in the Sooke area. Drilled wells can be as little as 50 feet deep, but can be as deep as 3000ft! I have found in my business that it is common to have drilled wells between 300 and 700 feet deep in our area, and they can produce as few as 0.5 gallons per minute (GPM) to 15 GPM. A drilled well has a steel casing which is driven into the soft earth until bedrock is penetrated by the drilling equipment. The casing is there to prevent the borehole from collapsing, and to prevent (with the help of a grout seal) contaminants and runoff running into the well. Because a drilled well is obtaining water from ground water, it is generally safer to drink untreated and many wells in our area have no treatment other than a simple particle filter to keep out any sand or gravel. A submersible pump is usually in the well borehole which pumps the water to the surface. The low yield of some drilled wells can present a problem – but this is usually solved by pumping the water to a large cistern (tank) from which the home draws its water. The cistern is replenished from the well when the water level drops.

A drilled well profile. Source: CMHC

In both types of wells, water is drawn into the home and is pressurized to normal levels by a pressure tank. As water is used in the home, a pump kicks in and keeps the pressure usable.

When purchasing a home with a private well (and indeed, if you already own one), it is a good idea to have the water tested regularly, and have a qualified well contractor inspect your well and equipment on a regular basis (perhaps once a year). As with many other mechanical implements (like your car, for example), a small, easy and cheap to solve problem can escalate to a large, expensive one if it is not fixed early on.

When I work with purchasers buying a home with a well, one service I always carry out is a water test. At the bare minimum, a microbiological analysis should be done on the water by a qualified lab. You want to make sure that there are not bacteria such as E. Coli in your drinking water! In addition, a detailed mineral analysis should also be performed. This will give you an idea of what, exactly, is in your water. We are lucky in Sooke that our wells are mostly decent, but I did hear of a property where high levels of arsenic were found in the drilled well. It is also important to people who may have mineral sensitivities or dietary concerns (for example, a low-sodium diet).

A question that comes up often is “What happens if I run out of water?” Obviously this is not a desirable situation, but for some well owners, it’s a regular occurrence in the summer months. Thankfully, there are companies that will truck in water should you run dry. A load of water is typically about $80-$100 and is about 3400 US Gallons, or 13,000 litres.

Another question I get is “Is the water hard?” Only if you freeze it. In all seriousness, most water produced by local wells is considered soft. Hardness is typically determined by the amount of magnesium and calcium compounds in the water. While your water may have lots of minerals in it (you may notice spots/stains on your dishes) it is not considered hard, and is actually very soft. In addition, the CRD water supply is one of the softest municipal water supplies in North America.

There are areas in Sooke and Otter Point where the wells are not very good – low production being the greatest problem. It is helpful to work with a local REALTOR® when shopping for rural acreages who knows areas prone to this and can therefore advise you on what to look for and what to expect.

Further reading and resources:

• CMHC: Buying a house with a well and septic system (I’ll cover septic systems later)
• Wellowner.org (a US site, but lots of good information).
• BC Groundwater Association
• Groundwater in BC (Ministry of Environment site)

Do you have a well? Have any experiences or stories to share? Comments are always open!

A Massive Broadleaf Maple on an Acreage in Sooke

When I talk to people about real estate in Sooke, one thing that always comes up is price – and specifically, how much more you get for your money here in Sooke, compared to other greater Victoria locations. Many of my clients seek a move to Sooke to get off their postage-stamp property in the city or ‘shoebox in the sky’ and on to their own piece of paradise: a rural acreage.

An acreage property is a place where you can really stretch your legs. Peace and quiet, privacy, and a place for the kids and pets to roam. Sooke has many opportunities for families seeking the country life, from quaint cottages to amazing rural estates, and acreages of all sizes. While acreages in the centre of Sooke are rare (and getting very expensive due to their redevelopment potential), the outskirts of town and the surrounding unincorporated communities (Otter Point, Shirley, and East Sooke) are mostly large properties. There are also several ‘acreage subdivisions’ of newer homes on smaller-sized acreages such as The Woods or De Mamiel Creek Estates.

Currently on the market are some 80+ properties with one acre or more, ranging from a small cottage near Sheringham Point on 1.25 acres for $289,000 to a stunning 32 acre waterfront estate in Whiffen Spit for $5.8 million. There are also plenty of vacant lots, where you could build your dream home, starting around $170,000 for a 2 acre parcel in Otter Point. Acreages in the hills above Sooke are plentiful, many with stunning ocean views like this one.

The View From http://TimAyres.ca/71

Having recently moved on to a 2-acre property myself, I can attest to the fact that it’s a little different living on an acreage. We have a well – something I’ve never had before, and a lot of property to maintain. Cutting the grass is no longer a 30 minute job. I can get it done in about an hour, but I could easily spend 4 or 5 hours doing other stuff around the property – it’s a work in progress and it will be years before I have my property looking the way I want.

I do love my new home, though, and it amazes me that for less than the price of an old home on a city lot in Victoria, I can stretch my legs and enjoy the rural lifestyle that only Sooke can provide, yet be so close to amenities and the city when I need it.

Many acreages in Sooke are perfect for small farms or horse properties. While Metchosin is probably better known for it, the property values there are much higher, and a horse enthusiast can get way more for their money just a few minutes’ drive past Metchosin in Sooke.

This is the first in a series about rural living in Sooke – I hope to cover many aspects of acreage living and encourage you to ask questions or provide topics for me to write about!

Do you live/love the rural lifestyle? Want to? Sound off below in the comments!

Case in point:

Photo Credit: DiscoverSooke on Flickr

This amazing image was captured last night at Otter Point, just west of Sooke, by my good friend Jason from DiscoverSooke.com and Inktvis Creative. In addition to being an awesome guy, Jason is also a new dad (like me next month!) and constant advocate of all that is awesome about our seaside town.

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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This month has been one of the wettest, stormiest Novembers I can remember. It seems there has been non-stop stormy weather, with one system after another pounding the coast with strong winds and heavy rain. Today it looked like we were having a break in the weather, so Marg and I decided to take the dog and head up West Coast Road (Hwy 14) for a little adventuring. We’d hoped to do some beachcombing and I had hoped to capture some nice images on my camera.

We had planned to stop in at Point-no-Point Resort for lunch – something we’d been meaning to do for a long time – Jason from DiscoverSooke.com and Inktvis Creative has been raving about it. Along the way it became apparent that this morning’s calm was only the eye of the storm, as we could feel the wind buffeting the car as we cruised along the road. By the time we got to Point-no-Point, the rain had resumed and was flying sideways.

We had an amazing lunch in the restaurant – overlooking the beach below, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and – if we could see them – the Olympic Mountains. The food was great, service friendly, and prices very reasonable. Because the weather had turned even worse, we just decided to hike for a half hour or so along the trails that run about the resort property (available to cottage and restaurant guests). Below is a video I shot of the waves and wind pounding the shores as we watched in amazement. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a stormy winter day, Point-no-Point is a great destination for lunch and a hike. If you’re looking for an overnight romantic getaway, the resort or one of the many other oceanside B&B’s and inns would love to have you!

-Tim Ayres – Sooke Real Estate Professional

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