Leaving Shoal Bay on July 8th, we were beyond the dense smoke Sunshine Coast Fires. During June and early July,
25-30 new fires started every day in BC. At one time, almost 200 fires were burning in the province, with more than one town under evacuation notice.
All the boaters who had encountered the smoke and ash from the fires talked about how dirty our boats were. We can wash our boats. The people who were, and are, more directly effected will be impacted for some time to come.
We weren’t actually complaing; just commenting on an unexpected experience.
The Johnstone Straits were kind that morning, but promised to get nasty in the afternoon. As we entered Port Harvey (to avoid the nasty part) we watched a crew member on Inlet Wrangler jumped onto this log raft to do whatever it takes to connect the raft to the tug. It looked like a suicide mission to me. Everyday work for him.
The dream of a dreamer(and his wife) from the interior, the Port Harvey Marine Resort offers a small store, a cafe, and a one very bouncy dog.
We had made plans to meet our Winslow Wharf Marina slip neighbors, George and Patricia, and their son, Joseph for…pizza! Pizza and a cold beer on a hot day. I can do this.
Cold beer has a different meaning in this part of Canada, eh? We entertained ourselves with the “far exceeds” head on Joseph’s beer slushy.
Cruising people are easily entertained.
Serenity (middle boat) took her crew to the Broughton Archipelago the next day.
Greywolf ventured back into the once-agin-calm
Johnstone Straits, headed for Port McNeill.
Port McNeill is a great place to provision, get water that is not tea-colored, and do laundry: our three support activities. We have always appreciated the helpful personnel at the Port Authority. This year, we added a gold star next to the Harbor Master’s name.
At some point in the trip (after we discovered that we didn’t have the dog’s meds), Doug discovered that he didn’t have all of his meds. We couldn’t get Joan and Richard to deliver them as we had with the dog. Canadian pharmacists cannot fill US prescriptions. Doug would need to see a BC doctor.
Doug called the Harbor Master to ask if we could possibly stay one more day (the marian was very busy) and explained the situation. Jon, the Harbor Master, took over,
assuring Doug that they’d find a place for Greywolf and offering to call the clinic to find out about an appointment.
Within a half an hour, Jon was on the dock with a ferry schedule in hand: situation under control. None (neither?) of the doctors in Port McNeill could see Doug today,
but Dr Jensen at Alert Bay on Cormorant Island had “walk-in” hours. We were on the 11:30 ferry. (Port McNeill is the size of…a very small town. The ferry is right next to the boat basin. Everything is right next to the boat basin.)
Welcome to Alert Bay
Last August, Joan and Richard met us in Pt. McNeill and we took the ferry to Alert Bay to visit the U’Mista Cultural Center with its outstanding videos and displays of the potlatch regalia that was returned to the First Nations people in the latter part of the last century.
In the coast tradition, totem poles are not created with the intention that they be maintained. The wood comes from natures and the poles go back to nature.
The old St. Michael’s Residential School (1929-1975). The U’Mista Cultural Center is on the left. We could see from the ferry this year, that the school has been torn down.
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| Mural hung on the building. |
The beautiful U’Mista Center suffered an arson fire almost two years ago set by juveniles who live in Alert Bay. It was closed for seven months and the restoration was continuing when we visited. Concerned that some of the youth were so alienated from their culture that they would vandalize these links to their past, the townspeople involved young people in creating two new carvings to stand at the entrance to the Center.
On the day we visited the Center, the power had gone out just before we arrived. The docents offered us flashlights, apologizing that we could not see the videos and led us and two other visitors down the ramp to the long house, lined with artwork and artifacts. Walking quietly in the dark room, our lights revealed one carefully crafted article at a time.
We could imagine the flickering light of a fire illuminating these well-loved possessions that had been given away in potlatch celebrations and then stolen by various individuals to be displayed in museums or homes.
U’Mista means to have returned from enslavement.
But, we were on a Medical Mission this year. Dr. Jensen’s house is the red building with the blue roof; his clinic is under the small blue roof behind it.
Dr. Jensen is a former offshore sailer from South Africa. He
took Doug’s blood pressure and wrote the needed prescription. But would not take any money.
Our trip had another benefit: a haircut for Jean. I always look forward to getting my hair cut on our trips (except for that one time...) because I learn about the town and meet great people. Alert Bay was no exception. Natasha is in her early 30’s and beautiful. ‘Long story about how she got to Alert Bay, but she has lived here since the spring and loves the town and the people. What a change from her corporate customers in Ottawa! And it is a great haircut.
Missions accomplished, we took the ferry back to Port McNeill.
took Doug’s blood pressure and wrote the needed prescription. But would not take any money.
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Were these ever used in Alert Bay? The old hospital was right next door to the cemetery. Planned for convenience? sr  |
Missions accomplished, we took the ferry back to Port McNeill.
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