Komais Point Park Walk-Around

I am getting close to obtaining my next activator’s certificate level and this is encouraging me to get out more often. Earlier in the week It had looked like the day would be a good one for a park but come morning the weather was a bit unsettled and my plans to do a park activation looked less likely. I also had a lunch meeting that might go long and so I would need to go after that if there was time. The park I was eyeing is in north Surrey and I hoped to go there directly from lunch. Well, the lunch meeting did indeed run long and when I finally got outside the clouds looked quite ominous so I chickened out. I decided to finish up another chore and go to Ocean Park to get my car insurance renewed. The renewal went very quickly and since I was right next door to Kwomais Point I drove the few blocks to the park and parked the car in the lot.

I got my camera out and started to walk some areas of the park I hadn’t been in before. As I wandered along the fence, enjoying the view through the trees, the wind came up and was actually quite cold. I continued along gathering a few photos as I made my way to the main viewpoint. From there I dropped down next to the house my father had built years ago. It was still undergoing renovations with all sorts of building material piled up outside the lower area. Such a mess, and it has been going on for years. Back to the park I wandered through some trails in the treed area and came out in the grassy area next to the parking lot. By now the sun was out and quite warm and this area was well sheltered from the wind so I decided to set up my radio.

I returned to the car and loaded my cart for the short walk back to the grass. I selected my location and started to raise my antenna. Soon I was on the air listening to the upper bands; I could hear some hunters but the actual park activators were very weak. Rather than spend time trying to get through to them I just picked a frequency on the 15m band and announced my presence on the list and then started calling. It took a few minutes to get my first contact but then they came in at a steady pace for a half hour. At the end of which I had 33 contacts in the log. They ranged from New Mexico and Texas to Hawaii, California, Alaska and even North Carolina and Georgia on the east coast. So, a wide range of stations all across the continent and beyond. It does make radio so interesting when you can stretch up a small wire and talk to people so far away.

The contacts slowed down finally and though I Likely could have posted myself again and restarted the stream, I decided to pack up it being now almost 3:30. It had been a very pleasant walk around the park and time operating. The sun had been out the whole time I was on the radio and it was actually pleasantly warm. I guess I could have done the north Surrey park but being here in Ocean Park has its own quaintness and satisfaction with me having grown up in the area. I had a quick drive home and soon I was unloading my gear into the house. So, the north Surrey park awaits for my next chance to get out and visit with nature and the world.