Aug. 7 - Rare octopus nests in Island waters

Good morning !

Today is one of the biggest days of the year, travel-wise at least. The Monday that closes a long weekend is always packed with people trying to get back home. Back on Canada Day weekend, the temporary loss of one ferry made things even harder, but BC Day looks like it may be (literally) smoother sailing.

— Cam

Today’s approx read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ 21 / 15

Tuesday: 🌧️ 19 / 13

Wednesday: 🌧️ 21 / 13

7-day forecast

🌫️ Air quality: Low risk today (2/10). Possible slight smoke.

🚘️ Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Rare octopus nursery in west-Island waters

Off the Island’s west coast, in Nuu-chah-nulth waters 65km west of Hesquiat Harbour, there is a nursery of deep-sea octopuses brooding their eggs—one of just four such nurseries in the world.

In May, a delegation of Island First Nations and ocean researchers headed out on a deep-sea expedition to a new pending Marine Protected Area. As they explored sites of ocean-floor methane seeps, they found a deep-water octopus nursery where nearly five-year brooding periods—the longest of any known animal—unfold.

It’s a site where the octopus population is believed to be in the hundreds, and a site where a weakened mother octopus fended off large crabs in a video posted earlier this year.

Read the full story for more on the discovery and the researchers.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

High-risk missing person: Matthew Day, 41, was last seen Friday. [Photo]

Pacific FC vs. Wanderers in Halifax today as PFC tries to regain the #1 spot in the CPL.

High traffic on BC Ferries: Cars without reservations should expect sailing waits.

Expect Malahat traffic congestion today; construction will resume tomorrow at 7am.

Free parking in downtown Victoria today, but most city buildings will be closed.

NEWS

Victoria HarbourCats win season’s second half and begin playoffs tomorrow

The local baseball club is looking to secure a championship this year to cap off a decade of play in the regional West Coast League. The ‘Cats are coming off of a sweep in Edmonton that boosted their overall record to 38-15, good for second in the division and home-field advantage in the first playoff round.

Where Victoria really shines has been, well, Victoria—the ball club is a league-best 25-2 here at Royal Athletic this year. We’ll see if that advantage holds in the post-season: The HarbourCats begin the playoffs tomorrow on the road in Wenatchee, but return home for Game 2 on Wednesday and possibly Game 3 on Thursday.

This year, Capital Daily went behind the scenes to get a dugout-level view of the players and talk about that decade-long team legacy.

NEWS

$10M raised by Victoria company that monitors dams & bridges with drones, 3D models, & AI

Niricson is a UVic spinoff that digitizes infrastructure assets such as hydro dams, tunnels, bridges, nuclear power plants, and airport runways. The company maps out the infrastructure, often using drone photography, building out a 3D visual model, then uses AI and other tools to identify weak points such as cracks.

It’s intended to make it easier for managers and engineers to keep up on the current conditions of these major amenities and identify problems early.

With this new Series A funding, the company plans to expand its “predictive maintenance” technology by combining robotics, computer vision, and acoustic technology with AI. It also plans to develop an AI-driven predictive analytics platform to manage performance and safety for civic infrastructure assets.

Read more at Victoria Tech Journal, plus more on the latest in the local tech industry.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🧵 Help owners find lost local pets by checking the ROAM website.

🩰 Early bird special for Capital Daily readers. Save 20% off adult tickets for Ukrainian Shumka Dancers’ Nutcracker. Limited time only. Promo code: Nut-Capital-Daily at Royal and McPherson Theatres or 250-386-6121.*

🌊 Oceanbites Out Loud on CFUV: Learn about the latest ocean science news, research, and discoveries with this locally broadcast podcast.

😊 Now Hiring: Inclusion Support Worker: School-Age Program at Fernwood NRG.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Gwen Stefani will headline Laketown Shakedown 2024
The festival announced Stefani for next year just as her husband Blake Shelton headlined on Sunday at Sunfest, which shares a location with Laketown Shakedown. This weekend, Sunfest also announced its 2024 headliner: Keith Urban, the country star of 25 years who headlined in 2015 and was set to lead the 2020 edition before its cancellation due to the pandemic.

Sooke woman is together with first love, 40 years after war separated them
When her family fled the Nicaraguan civil war, young teen Gabriela Melendez was sure her boyfriend would die there. But three decades later she saw him in a photo, and a decade after that they are married and finally living together in the same country. [CTV]

Stuck truck: Oak Bay fire engine sinks into street
After a Sunday water main break at Estevan and Beach, crews say the road gave way under the engine’s weight. [CHEK]

🤝 Now Hiring

Thinking of making your next career move? Let us help!

• Communications & Engagement Officer at COAST

• Community Engagement Manager at Dance Victoria

• Buyer, Seed & Gift Store at Butchart Gardens

• Delivery Driver at Otto Logistics

• Accounting Technician at Westin Bear Mountain Resort and Spa

• Associate Dentist at Oaklands Dental

Looking for more openings? See 40+ jobs open now on YYJobs.

Hiring? Post your job to have it featured here, and fill your opening fast!

🗓️ Things to do

📚 Book & Puzzle Sale continues at Cook Street Village Activity & Wellness Centre. [Details]

🎥 The Miracle Club at The Vic Theatre: Maggie Smith, Laura Linney, and Kathy Bates star as women of Ballyfermot, Ireland, who try to win a pilgrimage to the sacred French town of Lourdes. [Tickets]

🎤 Wonderment: Live ambient and electronic music runs 2-6pm at Banfield Park. Synth “petting zoo” for the public to try instruments at the Vic West Community Centre at 2pm, with Lisa Bella Donna running a workshop at 2:30. [Schedule]

Concert in Beacon Hill featuring Black Angus playing Americana, blues, bluegrass, and more. 1:30-3:20pm.

🧡 3rd annual March for the Children hosted by Penelakut Tribe begins 8:30am at marine terminal in Chemainus. All welcome.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Firefighter burnout: A record-setting fire season is only halfway over, but BC firefighters are already burned out—and have been for years. [Full story]

New parkland in Langford, adding mountain biking and hiking trails in Westhills. [The Westshore]

Summer’s best local drinks: 2023’s memorable options include bright blue beers, cider slushies, summer sours, and a whole range of new non-alcoholic alternatives from local breweries and distilleries. [Tasting Victoria] 

Saturday headlines: New old-growth blockade. Victoria council plans code of conduct and complaint process. [Aug. 5 newsletter]

Port strikes now over, after unionized dock workers vote 75% in favour of new deal.

Friday headlines: Homeless count hits 1,665+ in Greater Victoria. Breaking down the big weekend events. [Aug. 4]

Saanich’s Quadra-McKenzie study will have pop-ups at Rutledge Park tomorrow (5:30-7:30pm) and The Root Cellar on Sunday (11am-3pm) to engage the public on the plan.

That’s it!

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