Seawall, the, Vancouver

Harry Winston Jerome was a native of North Vancouver and star track runner. He Competed for Canada in the 1960, 1964 and 1968 summer Olympics. at one point he was the only athlete to hold the world records for both the 100 yard and 100 meter dash.

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How could you not enjoy this. On a beautiful day grab your inline skates, bicycles or just your legs and complete the circuit. It takes between 1-2 hours if you are inlining to do the complete circuit. The seawall goes along the water with beautiful views of the mountain, the sea and back into the city. You can rent at Bayshore Take advantage of the clear days and enjoy this wonderful perk of the city.

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If you're spending any amount of time in Vancouver, you'll likely come across the seawall without even realizing it. This is probably Vancouver's most famous promenade - a favourite among locals as well as tourists!

The seawall was originally built as a promenade around Stanley Park's perimeter. As its name suggests, the seawall offers a waterfront view all the time, often with beach access and lookout points.

The seawall in Stanley Park has several rules. While you can walk and jog in either direction, if you're planning to rollerblade or cycle the sea wall, you'll have to head in a counter clockwise direcion. Fortunately, there are separate cycling and rollerblading lanes from the walking lanes.

While Stanley Park is home to the original seawall, the promenade has been extended along Coal Harbour to Gastown, and south-east past English Bay, all along to False Creek, all the way to Granville Island and Kitsilano!

If you're looking for some beautiful scenery, or an ideal place for bike riding or walking, the seawall would definitely be it.

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The seawall is dotted with various points of interest. The one I like is the mermaid lounging on the rock. My wife has a different point of view. About halfway between Brockton Point and Prospect Point is Lumberman's Arch. In the summer they have a water park going here and a concession stand. Prospect Point has a spectacular view of North and West Vancouver.

I love rollerblading the sea wall. You can pick up rollerblades for under $20 for 3 hours on Denman in between Robson and Alberni. Then cross Georgia and head for Coal Harbour and the sea wall. (Everyone goes counter-clockwise). The wall goes all the way around Stanley Park (and far beyond).

There are some hilly sections, but they do provide a "low road" in many sections for less experienced bladers. You can grab your helmets and pads in the shop when you get your blades.

Pedestrians stay on one path, bladers and bikers on the other. Be aware that you may be passed and people will try to yell "On your Left!" as they approach.
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/info/policy/inline.htm

Here's a park map:
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/overviewMap.htm

A suggestion: before you pick up your rollerblades, head up Robson Street about 3 blocks. Pick up a picnic lunch at Capers and have it on this section of sandy beach. The view is great.
http://www.wildoats.com/app/cda/cda.php?pt=CapersLocations

The Stanley Park Seawall is one of the most picturesque places, not just in Vancouver, but anywhere in the world! It's a flat 8.85km path that circumnavigates the peninsula that is Stanley Park.

If you walk it, and can do so a reasonable pace, then it'll take you about 3 hours. The other modes of transportation will certainly take less time than this.

If it's your first time I might suggest you start on the Coal Harbour (east side) and walk around counterclockwise. This will have you ending up in English Bay, about 2km from where you started from.

If you prefer one of the other modes (ie. with wheels) then you MUST go in this counterclockwise direction, albeit on a path that is separated from the pedestrians.

Both bicycles and rollerblades can be rented from a number of shops that are in & around Denman & Robson.

Is an excellent day adventure. Great for families or couples or a group of friends, there is stanley park the aquarium, a water park, a beach. It takes a few hours to walk around the entire wall but do not hesitate to bike or rollerblade.

A beautiful, 10-mile stretch with views of forest and ocean. Frequented by runners, rollerbladers, walkers and casual cyclists, it's a MUST-DO in Vancouver. Grab a grande vanilla latte from Starbucks before you go and you're set!

Give yourself a couple of hours to do the whole thing, a wonderful way to enjoy the park, the ocean and the afternoon. At the end, you're in English Bay with plenty of great restaurants to choose from on Davie street or Denman.

By foot, if you're staying anywhere downtown, the seawall is accessible from anywhere on Beach Ave, Denman at Davie or Denman at Georgia, or from the bus loop at the West end of Georgia (go under the underpass to get to it).

"Because you have defied all things that came in your path we promise this to you," he chanted; " you have defied what interferes with your child's chance for a clean life, you have lived as you wish your son to live, you have defied us when we would have stopped your swimming and hampered your child's future. You have placed that child's future before all things, and for this the Sagalie Tyee commands us to make you forever a pattern for your tribe. You shall never die, but you shall stand through all the thousands of years to come, where all eyes can see you. You shall live, live, as an indestructible monument to Clean Fatherhood."

The four men lifted their paddles, and as the handsome young chief swam inshore, as his feet touched the line where sea and land met, he was transformed into stone.

Then the four men said, "His wife and child must ever be near him; they shall not die, but live also," And they, too, were turned into stone. If you penetrate the hollows in the woods near Siwash Rock you will find a large rock and a smaller one beside it. They are the shy little bride-wife from the north, with her hour-old baby beside her. And from the uttermost parts of the world vessels come daily throbbing and sailing up the Narrows. From far trans-Pacific ports, from the frozen North, from the lands of the Southern Cross, they pass and repass the living rock that was there before their hulls were shaped, that will be there when their very names are forgotten, when their crews and their captains have taken their long last voyage, when their merchandise has rotted, and their owners are known no more. But the tall, grey column of stone, will still be there--a monument to one man's fidelity to a generation yet unborn--and will endure from everlasting to everlasting.

Source: Legends of Vancouver, Vancouver: Thompson Stationery Co., 1911.

"But you shall cease!" they commanded. "We are the men (agents) of the Sagalie Tyee (God), and we command you ashore out of our way!" (I find in all these Coast Indian legends that the Deity is represented by four men, usually paddling an immense canoe.)

He ceased swimming, and, lifting his head, defied them. "I shall not stop, nor yet go ashore," he declared, striking out once more to the middle of the channel.

"Do you dare disobey us," they cried--"we, the men of the Sagalie Tyee? We can turn you into a fish, or a tree, or a stone for this; do you dare disobey the Great Tyee?"

"I dare anything for the cleanliness and purity of my coming child. I dare even the Sagalie Tyee Himself, but my child must be born to a spotless life."

The four men were astounded. They consulted together, lighted their pipes and sat in council. Never had they, the men of the Saglie Tyee, been defied before. Now, for the sake of a little unborn child, they were ignored, disobeyed, almost despised. The lithe young copper-colored body still disported itself in the cool water; superstition held that should their canoe, or even their paddle blades, touch a human being their marvellous power would be lost. The handsome young chief swam directly in their course. They dared not run him down; if so, they would become as other men. While they yet counselled what to do, there floated from out the forest a faint, strange, compelling sound. They listened, and the young chief ceased his stroke as he listened also. The faint sound drifted out across the waters once more. It was the cry of a little, little child. Then one of the four men, he that steered the canoe, the strongest and tallest of them all, arose and, standing erect, stretched out his arms toward the rising sun and chanted, not a curse on the young chief's disobedience, but a promise of everlasting days and freedom from death.