Remembering a Fierce Fall Storm

Our float cabin in 2001.

Storms in fall and winter are the worst. Low pressure systems build in the Gulf of Alaska, swoop down Vancouver Island, cross the Strait of Georgia, and head up Powell Lake. With the lows come rain and high winds. It's the wind that causes the worst damage.

Our first boat.

We bought our cabin in Summer 2001 and had several weeks of wonderful weather. The next Thanksgiving (the U.S. kind in November), I got a week off from work and went to Powell River on my own. The weather was partly sunny for my boat trip up the lake. Good thing, I'd never driven a boat alone before. Thankfully, John rode in formation to make sure I made it okay.

Stiff leg at low water.

After a few nice days a storm moved in. The rain was heavy and strong winds made the cabin jerk forcefully back and forth on her ¾” steel cables anchored to the cliff. On the backwards swing, the stiff leg (a log that prevents the cabin from hitting the cliff) bounced off the rock, sending reverberations through the float and into the cabin. With daylight, everything calmed. Whew!

Cliff anchor bolt with cable needing replacement.

The next evening a new low slammed into Coastal BC. The steel cables and their anchor bolts had been weakened the previous night. Just after dark, the wind blown motion of the cabin ripped a steel cable free. With the greater range of motion and stress, another cable snapped. With each gust of wind, the cabin swung far out into the lake, only to snap back, causing the stiff leg to ram into the rock wall.

Adding a second anchor cable for future storms.

The motion was constant and nerve wracking. The lake wasn’t safe to navigate, so there was no way to leave. To say the least, it was a very long night. Fortunately, the remaining cables held and I could talk to Wayne (still in California) via our satellite phone for moral support. You might think a night like this would have scared me away, but I love the cabin, and knew John built it skookum (strong) to be safe in all kinds of weather.

You can read the whole story in Up the Lake and learn how I got the nickname Frontier Jane. If you have a kindle or e-reader, Up the Lake is free from Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, and many other online e-book sellers. -- Margy

A Snowy Day at Hole in the Wall

Even though we live in British Columbia, we don't get that much snow. Our location near the coast moderates our climate.

But when we do, it's an exciting event for me. I grew up in Southern California and the closest I came to snow was looking at it high on top of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Over the weekend we had a brief period of snow. But you had to be fast, it melted almost as quick as it arrived. Here's a short video Wayne took to share with you.

How has your winter weather been? Or are you one of the lucky ones south of the equator enjoying warm summer days? -- Margy

Winter Power Solutions

We use the sun as our primary source to generate electricity.

Winter Solstice sunrise and sunset.

During winter, it can be problematic. On the shortest day we only get two hours of direct sunlight.

A foggy sunset at Hole in the Wall.

On top of that we get stretches of cloudy weather. Even when the weatherman promises sun, it often turns foggy. So we use several winter power generation alternatives. One is wind. When we get storms it helps charge our battery bank.

Thermoelectric power generation is common in industry. On a small scale, it's more experimental. We tried a unit made in West Virginia, but there was limited success. I still think it's a great idea for woodstove heated homes.

A thermoelectric generator using woodstove heat to create electricity.

Our fallback is a 1000 watt Yamaha generator. It's fuel efficient and relatively quiet. On cloudy days we run it in the evening for five hours to directly power electric devices such as computers and a small television to display movies. 

A fuel efficient and quiet Yamaha 1000 watt gas powered generator.

At the same time it tops off our two battery banks to keep them in good shape and provide us with power for the following day.

The cabin battery bank in its protective storage box.

Our most important winter power solution is to minimize our use of electricity. We monitor our batteries carefully, and switch everything off when levels become low. Being off the grid means we are responsible for meeting our own needs. It also means there are no unexpected power outages during winter storms. I like it that way.

You can read more about float cabin living by selecting Float Cabin Living and Float Cabin Construction in the topic list on the right side of this page.

You can also read about our off-the-grid lifestyle in Wayne's Coastal BC Stories series books including Up the Lake, Farther Up the Lake, Off the Grid and Off the Grid: Getting Started. All books are available in print and e-book formats from most online book sellers. -- Margy

Snow Load on the Deck

Last week we had more snow than ever before. We usually get light dustings, but last week we got deep wet snow.

For a land cabin, it's an inconvenience. For a floating cabin it's dangerous. The excess weight can sink the float foundation, and uneven loads can even flip a cabin over.

Snow weighs between 4 and 20 plus pounds per cubic foot depending on the wetness and compaction. Ours was about 12 inches thick and slightly refrozen. We have a 40 x 40 foot float with 1600 square feet of surface area including the roof.

12 inches deep X 1600 square feet = 1600 cubic feet of snow

1600 cubic feet X 20 pounds = 32,000 pounds = 16,000 tons

WOW. Our cabin sank almost a foot! That was enough to cover our cedar log foundation. That's VERY scary!

The only solution was to get shoveling. Wayne and I worked all day. We got most of the snow off of our ancillary docks and the cabin float. We were feeling pretty good until we got more snow that night.

The next day we were at it again, removing snow that slid off the roof and the new accumulation. We continued into the following day, but were finally assisted by some sunny weather followed by rain.

Kind of reminds me of an old Tennessee Ernie Ford song:

You shovel sixteen tons and what do you get?

Another foot higher and lighter you bet.

The crisis is over and float cabin life is back to normal. Whew! Even Mr. Ducky has lost his white parka.

Are you contending with snow? How our you doing? -- Margy

First Snow on Goat Island

Thanks to MB from Small City Scenes of Stanwood I'm trying a new meme today called Outdoor Wednesday on A Southern Daydreamer. Living in the middle of nature I have tons of outdoor pictures.  Here of my favourite view, Goat Island in front of our cabin.

First snow on Goat Island in Powell Lake, BC.

The snow on Powell Lake doesn't last long, just enough to enjoy.  It's especially good to see more snow in the high country. Last year it was minimal. Hopefully this means we'll have more water in the lake at summer's end, and no water rationing in town. -- Margy

Seeking Winter Sun

January and February bring cloudy and foggy skies to Powell Lake. On those days, it's fun to take the quads out and try to get above the layer.

But some days all you can do is come close to the boundary between blue sky and the gray underneath. -- Margy

Miniature Ice Rinks

In the West, this was the winter that almost wasn't was. But recently, we've been making up for it with more than the average number of snowy days.

Along with them, came some zero degree nights and days.  That makes lots of puddles into miniature ice rinks, just the right size for field mice on tiny little skates.


Here are a few interesting ones from our recent trip up to Olsen's Landing on Powell Lake. -- Margy

Snow Laden Skies

Last time we had snow in Powell River we couldn't stay long enough to enjoy it. This time we got to stay at the cabin through the whole storm.


Storm probably isn't the right word. It was a very gentle dusting, but it lasted for almost two days.



Growing up in Southern California, I didn't get to experience snow unless we went up into the mountains. Being able to sit in my own living room and watch it snow is such a relaxing experience.  Wayne, on the other hand, grew up in Upstate New York. He remembers huge drifts and lots of shoveling. He'll take this kind of snow any day. -- Margy

Snowy Reflections

Here's another picture from last week's snow up the lake.


As we leaving the cabin after the storm, we had a chance to enjoy the snow covered scene reflected in the calm lake surface. -- Margy

A Dusting of Winter Snow

Yesterday morning we woke to a gentle snow storm.


 It began at 2:00 in the morning and was still falling lightly when we opened the sliding glass door.


We don't get snow down at our elevation often, but when it happens we enjoy the experience. I just hope they got more in the high country. We'll need it come summer to keep our lake level up. -- Margy

Snow Day

We've had a meager snowfall so far this year, so we had to do some climbing into the mountains to find some. Even then, it was pretty frozen over. But that made driving and walking on the surface pretty easy. No need for snowshoes.

John, his dog Bro, Wayne and I went as far as we could drive. Bro got a quad assist. He's getting up in years and walking through the snow is hard work.


At the end of the road, we stopped to enjoy the sun and view. Our trip had two purposes. We wanted to find snow, AND we wanted to get above the fog and low clouds that had shrouded Powell River for days.  Mission accomplished on all fronts. -- Margy

Bundled Bro

It may be fall, but winter weather has arrived, especially in the high country. Down at the cabin it's wind and rain, but snow is starting to accumulate in the mountains.

Our good friend John and his Black Lab named Bro don't let a little cold stuff slow down their back country exploring.

They just bundle up and head out to enjoy the smoother trails and quiet forests.  Hopefully I get out there on my next trip home. -- Margy

Yaktrax Keep You on Your Feet

Walking on slippery wet, snowy, and icy decks (not to mention docks, sidewalks and roads) can be a huge challenge this time of year. The most recent snowstorm up at the cabin had Wayne and I reaching for our Yaktrax.

Yaktrax Walkers are unique, easy to slip on traction devices for your shoes. They are made in the form of a flexible plastic mesh covered on the bottom with rust resistant metal coils on the bottom.

They work like chains do on a car, making it easier to walk on slippery surfaces.

Wayne leaves his Yaktrax on a spare pair of shoes so they are even easier to put on to go outdoors. While they are meant to be used outdoors, they can be worn inside if you don't have a delicate floor or carpet. That makes them perfect for cabin use.

Yaktrax come in a variety of formats. We have the original Walker version ($20). They also have a Pro version ($30) with over-the-foot straps to hold them in place, an Extreme version ($60) that has mini-chains and spikes on the soles for even better traction, and the new SkiTrax ($20) for use with ski boots.

We've had ours so long I can't remember where we bought them. Check with sporting good stores in your area, or REI or Amazon.ca. -- Margy

Surprising Snow

This winter has been surprisingly mild. We had a cold blast with lingering snow in November, but it has been pretty docile since.

This morning I woke at the cabin to an unexpected snow storm. Not the bitter kind, but a warm, wet one.

It lasted until noon, then turned to rain, washing the lovely white mantle away. -- Margy

Winter Warmth

When it's cold and wet outside ...

Bro likes to soak up a bit of winter warmth in front of the blazing wood stove up at the cabin.

Did you know that Bro is famous? He plays a staring role in all of Wayne's Coastal BC Stories books. On more than one occasion, John (Bro's pet parent--but don't let him hear I called him that!) has been approached by someone saying, "Isn't that Bro? Then you must be John." Even though John is a very private person, I think he likes having a famous dog in the family. -- Margy

Snow Dog

Where our good friend John goes, so goes Bro. Or maybe it is the other way around. Sometimes it's hard to tell.

When John takes his quad for a ride into the bush, he's never alone. Right behind in his own handmade plush box is John's Black Lab named Bro.

Bro likes riding in all types of weather, but his favourite seems to be winter. He's a true "Snow Dog."


The only thing that Bro doesn't like about snow is when it rains down on his head from alders weighed down with a fresh accumulation of the white stuff. First it lands on his head, and then it piles up in his box. Between stops, it makes for a cold nose and butt.

John is always looking for ways to keep Bro warm and comfortable on the trail. A sweater and raincoat keep his body warm. Then there's a hoodie for his head and ears. It may not look dignified, but seems to be a welcome addition to his winter attire.

When he reaches the destination for the day, Bro knows there will be a tasty lunch of crunchy dry food topped with tongue licking good sardines. For dessert there will be pieces of John's sandwich, cookies and muffin. When the meal is done, he enjoys sharing the spectacular views with his human buddy. Man truly is dog's best friend.

Do you know someone who has a pet partner like Bro? Tell us their story. -- Margy

Frozen Peas

Well, that's what they looked like to me. On our quad ride to Tony Lake last Saturday I found some very interesting snow, ice or frost formations while I was walking in the forest.

There were lots of little piles of round, peas-shaped ice. I thought maybe it was snow that melted and refroze, or maybe some type of hoar frost.

I tried a Google search and didn't come up with any answers. Do you know what this is called and how it is formed? I'd be very interested in getting some additional information. - Margy

Spontaneous Combustion

... or so it appears.

This time of year it often rains heavily overnight, but clears when morning arrives. If the clearing includes a sunny dawn it often produces evaporation or steam fog as the moisture on surfaces warms, begins to evaporate, but meets the cooler air above. This log on the boom around our cabin really gave off a dramatic display earlier this week. -- Margy

Santa's Beard?

On Christmas Day, Wayne and I went for a quad ride. Our destination was the nearby Blue Trail. Along the way, I saw something very unusual. Periodically, along the side of the trail, I saw what looked like the most amazingly white, fine moss. From the seat of my bike, it looked like pieces of Santa's beard strewn across the forest floor. It was growing on small sticks by the side of the trail and on larger fallen trunks further into the bush. I stopped to take some pictures.

Wayne came up to see what I was doing. He touched the "moss" and said, "Silly, that's just snow." I touched it, and sure enough it was cold and crumbled instantly. It didn't look or feel like snow, what could it be?

When we went to our friends Dave and Marg's house for Christmas dinner, I asked them. They said it was frost and it was found typically on alder sticks and trunks, especially ones that had fallen earlier in the year. Of course, I Googled it when I got home and here is what I found.

I wasn't too far off thinking it looked like Santa's beard. It's called a frost beard. That's a form of a frost flower. Dave told us how water gets under the bark of fallen alder trees and branches. It is then squeezed through the pores in the stick and bark into long thin strings of ice that make it look uncannily like a white beard. Dave says he's only seen in on alder in our area. Here's an interesting video by Country Scientist on YouTube of how frost flowers and beards are formed. I'm just glad it wasn't the result of reindeer gone wild! -- Margy