Vancouver Island Waters Got That Tropical Filter 🌴

The Ocean's Got a Filter On 🌊

For real, fam, the waters off Vancouver Island are straight-up vibin' with a tropical blue hue. Turns out, it's this thing called a coccolithophore bloom – basically, a bunch of algae doin' their thing. It's been happenin' more often since like, 2015, 'cause of all the heatwaves and El Nino stuff. But don't stress, it's non-toxic, so the fishies are still chillin'.

These coccolithophore thingies are like, tiny protists with shells that reflect the sunlight, makin' the water look all blue and white. They're also mixotrophs, which means they're eatin' up sunlight and carbon dioxide, plus munchin' on other plankton. It's like a whole ecosystem party out there.

Word is, the bloom can lower the oxygen in the water, and if it gets too thick, it could irritate some fish gills. But overall, it ain't no biggie. And when the algae dies, all that calcium carbonate sinks to the bottom, takin' carbon outta the water. It's like a natural carbon cleanse, fr fr.

Level Up: High-Speed Internet Incoming 🚀

But that's not all! Big news for Toquaht Nation and Salmon Beach – they're finally gettin' that sweet, sweet high-speed internet. The BC Government and the Government of Canada are droppin' some serious cash to make it happen, with CityWest addin' their own skrilla to the pot. It's gonna be fibre-to-the-home, so expect those downloads to be lightning fast.

This is a game-changer, y'all. We're talkin' easy access to education, more job opportunities, and a chance to connect with the world. Plus, it's gonna make it way easier to share knowledge and keep the community connected. No more laggin' on those Zoom calls, bestie!

Connectivity is still kinda sus for the Ditidaht community, and Hesquiaht First Nations in Hot Springs Cove be havin' mad service outages, so there's still work to be done. But this investment is a major W for Toquaht and Salmon Beach. Get ready to flex those upload speeds!