Thursday, August 31, 2017

WEEKEND FUN


Note:  this was the weekend of July 24th -- it was in 'draft' form for some reason and not posted.

A weekend of fun and story telling.  The islands are a tough place to get to.  Ferry ridership is up 50% and capacity is down 20%. Mechanical issues have sidelined one of the largest ferries and the backup isn't working either. Not a good combination.  Fortunately I have the electric bike.  With a case of wine sequestered in the saddle bags I went over to the island.  Heavy pack with pc's and camera gear and said case of wine really loaded things up, so the plan was for mom to meet me on the Friday Harbor side.

Which she didn't.  In her defense, I had planned on a later ferry.  In my defense, I had texted her on the progress.  Again in my defense, (it's my blog after all), she didn't check her texts.   On top of that, I was asked to pick up some stuffing at the grocery story so she didn't have to drive all the way in.  Sheesh!



It wasn't that bad -- the electric bike is a sturdy workhorse and aside from using a little more power than usual, I really didn't much notice the additional weight on the bike.  Mom met me about 2/3rds the way to the house, took my stuff, then I continued the remaining way to the house.  36 minutes from Friday Harbor to the cabin.  Not bad. 

Friday was spent doing some light carpentry rebuilding a couple of shelves and before too long it was time for dinner.  The Houby's kitchen hotwater tank had died so the party was at the house. 

Dinner was fun with 3 generations of Houby's and Jens told a couple of stories from his days as a Marine pilot.  He saw a book I was reading, Bien Dien Phu, and noted that he was in the Marine Corp the year that battle was taking place in Vietnam (1953/54) with the French on the losing side of their last big colonial battle.  He was with a few French Midshipmen who were in no hurry to leave their stateside duties.

He also related one long flight delivering a plane.  It was a beautiful day and they filed a VFR flight plan.  He doubts they got above 100 feet the entire flight.  He recalled a cowboy herding cattle waving his hat and also flying near Mt Rushmore.  Quite near.  They flew under the noses of the presidents.

Saturday was a lazy day.  For some reason, I just didn't have a lot of energy.  Island air?  Long week?  Whatever the reason, I took it easy.  Finished the Dien Bien Phu book.  Which is a chilling, but great read about a battle.  A battle that led to 'North' and 'South' Vietnam.  A battle that ended French colonialism in Southeast Asia. A battle that led to the US involvement in Vietnam.  And a battle where the lesson on how to respect the challenges of fighting an indigenous army fighting on and for their home turf was learned.  And subsequently forgotten.

Fixed a few of the lane lights and straightened the rather ghoulish cow skull the folks uncovered in the early 60's.


Mom's garden is doing quite well
San Juan Channel in the evening

Griffin is a temporary addition to the house








Wednesday, August 30, 2017

WALLACE ISLAND ;PART 1




Half way into a Friday evening happy hour, Leigh mentioned that the following weekend would be a rare 4 day weekend.  Already having Monday off, her office was closed the previous Friday.  4 days.  In August.  What to do.

Which was why, 6 days and 12 hours later, we were up before dawn, barreling up I-5 with two sea kayaks strapped on my Chevy Malibu (the most boring car in the world) with a trunk full of gear in dry bags.


If you look carefully Mom is waving a flag or towel from the deck as we passed by on the Anacortes to Sidney run



By 1:30 pm we had sampled both the Washington State and BC Ferry systems and were on Salt Spring Island, largest of the Gulf Islands in Canada.  We stopped for some additional information at a kayak store in Ganges, then out to Fernwood to launch the kayaks for a 3ish mile paddle to Wallace Island, our destination.

Wallace Island was named after the Captain of the HMS Trincomalee, Cap't Wallace Houston.  And no, I don't know why Trincomali Channel, named after the HMS Trincomalee, shares all letters save the final vowel with its namesake.

In any case we crossed over to Wallace Island, carried gently north on the evening flood.  We poked our noses in Conover Cove, well known to Leigh who was nearly through her book, 'Once Upon an Island' by David Conover.  Conover cove was its summer self.  Docks full, several boats anchored and stern tied and tents popping like mushrooms on the shore.  Nice, picturesque, but busy.

The women from the Comox Valley had their flotilla on the beach

We were aiming for the far northern cove near Chivers Point.  More indentation than actual cove.   There were supposedly 9 camp sites, all with raised tent platforms.  We found 8, 5 of which were in use by a group of women paddlers from the Comox valley and one with a couple from Victoria.  There was room in the Inn, but just barely.

We planned to stay 2 nights and we found out that the women planned to leave the following day so we arranged to move our camp forward when they departed.  Their departure was timed to the arrival of the ranger who had helped them evacuate one of their own the previous day.  She had fallen and fractured her wrist so her and another paddler had left the island leaving two kayaks behind.  The ranger was arriving to tow the two empty kayaks off the island.



Despite being nearly full, the Chivers point campsites offer plenty of privacy and we climbed up to the western ridge to view the sunset.  A deer was quite brave, munching foliage as we sipped our wine. 

We decided to split the following day up into two pieces.  A morning paddle followed by an afternoon walk to the other end of the island.  We ended up in a figure eight pattern, circumnavigating the 'Secretary Islands' and Mowgi island.    About a 4 miles paddle and a perfect distance.  Leigh felt she could have gone much farther!

Here's a Jelly fish, a Moon Jelly fish, I think shot from below with the go pro.

 
 Beautiful day for paddling

After the paddle we moved camp to the front of the cove, then made the 2ish mile walk south to Conover cove.   The walk itself is nice and a great way to stretch the legs.  We went by what could have been Conover's own jeep.  Now a relic rusting in the meadow.







Interior decorations have been added to one of Conover's old buildings


Conover Cove itself is a nice spot, but a bit of a let down on this particular day.  It was crowded - both with boats and tents.  It seemed to be 'the' place to be on the island, but the folks camping there shared little with the Comox valley women or ourselves.   They were younger, flashier, and if they wanted to congregate in Conover cove, more power to them.  Our quiet spot at the north end of the island awaited.  It felt as though experienced gravitated towards Chivers point.  So we returned.

By the time we got back, the cove was empty.  All to ourselves and we had the best campsite.  Near the beach.

A quiet happy hour commenced, but then a whaler rounded the cove and at slow speed checked it out.  Then crunched as it hit a rock.  Carrying 4 millennials from Bellingham, they carried their large beer filled coolers to an unauthorized camping spot right on the point and proceeded to launch their drone for sunset pictures.

At which point my emotions flipped between irritation and envy.  Irritation that our quiet little domain was being disrupted, but in truth they were nice kids.  And they had taken an open 17 foot boat from Bellingham up the into the Gulf Islands.   Upon reflection, they had more in common with the recently departed women from Comox than they did with the crowd at Conover cove.  They had every bit of right as we did to this great view.  In the for what it's worth department, I quickly made my peace with their presence.  And I have a hunch they got great shots with the drone.  

Our Kayaks and their whaler at sunset
In the morning the millennials had left, leaving us to our morning coffee on the point.  To their credit, there was no sign they had camped on the point.  They left no trace.  Good on them.





One of my favorite shots of Leigh, sipping coffee and taking in the view
After 2 nights on the island the plan was to paddle back to Saltspring, find a camping spot, then head into Ganges.


\
Repacking was easier than packing.  With backpacks, most of the 'fiddling' is at home.  You get the right stuff in the right pockets/compartments and when you hit the trailhead you hoist your pack and go.  Kayaking is a little different.  I'm quite sure that the 'system' we refined with backpacking will some day be as comfortable for kayaking.  It'll be a different system, but repetition will make it easier.  Right now we have to stop and think about each bag.  We're getting there, but just not 'there' yet.
 Leigh is becoming a natural.  The more miles that go under her keel, the more relaxed she looks.  Faster too!!
Kayaking offers up front and personal views of wild life.


Once back on Saltspring, we headed towards Ruckle Provincial park on the south side of the island.   Irish emigrant Henry Ruckle first homesteaded there in 1872 and one hundred years later, the family donated the land to the BC government.  The family still works a farm on part of the island, but we had our choice of campsites, most of which had a terrific view!


Our tent.  Our other tent -- the one for car camping. 

 Boat viewing from Ruckle Provincial park is great.
 BC ferries go right in front.

View from the tent. 

We intentionally set ours back a bit to get some privacy under some trees, but the view was still great.

Ganges was next and we hit some art galleries, then had some great appetizers at the oyster catcher bar.  

We had one more outing ahead of us, Butchart Gardens, but I'm getting ahead of myself.  There are so many pictures, they belong in a different post. 

We've hit upon a recipe that works for us.  Mix 2 parts remoteness with 1 part civilization.  Combine and I think we'd be happy.  Whether that's 2 nights hiking in a tent and one night at B&B, or perhaps 2 days kayaking and one day at a hotel or perhaps 2 nights anchored and one night at a dock, there's a mix that works.  Perhaps in many years we'll reverse the ratio -- but for now, mix exercise with occasional hot water flush toilets and it works.

More on Butchart later....


Tuesday, August 22, 2017