"Wild Fierce Life" by Joanna Streetly

I find great books by local British Columbia authors in the retail shop on BC Ferries. It takes two ferries to travel between our home in Powell River to Bellingham.

Recently I purchased Wild Fierce Life: Dangerous Moments in the Outer Coast (Caitlin Press, 2018) by Joanna Streetly. If you've read my previous reviews, you know I enjoy books by and about women who live in remote locations, especially Coastal BC where I live.

Joanna Streetly grew up in Trinidad. At 18 she came to Vancouver to attend Capilano University to study Outdoor Recreation and Leadership. As a part of that program, she obtained a practicum position at the Wickaninnish (Kwisitis) Interpretive Centre in Pacific Rim National Park on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island.

Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park.

Following her practicum she moved 40 klicks north to Tofino, a fishing, logging, tourist and surfing hub. She put her outdoor skills to work as a kayak guide and on whale watching tours. She's lived in town, land cabins and what I like best, float cabins. Almost thirty years later she still lives in a Tofino floathome with her partner and daughter.

Tofino's float home community at Strawberry Island.

Wild Fierce Life is a memoir of memorable, exciting and sometimes life threatening experiences. Each chapter gives the reader a peak into what it's like growing and maturing in a rugged land and ocean environment. You can read more about Joanna at her website.

Vancouver Island's rugged west coast.

 I thoroughly enjoyed reading Wild Fierce Life while floating in the natural "swimming pool" at my float cabin on Powell Lake.  It's not as remote or rugged as her float cabin location in Maltby Sough, but the concept is similar. Joanna is an artist. Each chapter is illustrated with a map (which I wish more authors would do) and wildlife images. 

The Tofino coast, a surfers haven.

Read Wild Fierce Life for a glimpse of what love, life and wilderness exploration is like in a unique coastal environment. It's available in print and ebook formats online at the following booksellers. -- Margy

Caitlin Press - Her Publisher
Amazon.ca (print and Kindle apps and readers)
Amazon.com (print and Kindle apps and readers)
Barnes and Noble (print and Nook readers)
Apple Books (through the Books app)
Kobo (for Kobo apps and readers)

Other books by Joanna Streetly include:

Silent Inlet is a fictional story about a small town on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Paddling Through Time is the account of a kayak adventure through Clayoquot Sound.

Cabin Baking: Refreshing Sourdough Starter

Sourdough bread baked in a Dutch oven at the cabin.

After being away from my float cabin home for nearly six months due to the pandemic, I was worried my sourdough starter might be dead.

When we left in January for our Snowbird RV Adventure, I took my starter to town because we turned off the propane fridge.

Active yeast bubbles formed while warming in the kitchen. It's ALIVE!

After the two week mandatory quarantine at the cabin after re-entering Canada, we went to the condo and I immediately checked my starter. 

I have two separate containers. One is my cabin batch that's been working since 2005. The other is my cloned city backup batch. Over time they've diverged in flavour, so I treat them separately. I've heard that's because natural environmental yeasts differ.

Float cabin batch on the left and city batch on the right.

I put each batch into a separate bowl and let them warm on the stovetop. I was socked to see how active they became.

To feed them, I stirred in 1/2 cup lukewarm skim milk, 1/2 cup white flour and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

I feed each batch separately to preserve their unique flavorss.

I left the bowls uncovered to capture natural yeast from the air. I covered them overnight. In the morning, both batches were active and bubbling. There was no need to add commercial yeast to revive them. I gave them a second feeding and another rest overnight before returning them to their plastic containers for refrigeration.

I was careful to use non-reactive bowls and utensils (plastic, ceramic, glass or wood). Why do I have a town backup you ask? One year my cabin propane fridge went on the fritz and I lost my starter. Having a backup in town saved the day.

Do you have sourdough starter? How do you take care of yours? -- Margy

Update: Float Cabins for Sale on Powell Lake BC

Our float cabin on Powell Lake.

Wayne and I love living in our float cabin home on Powell Lake in all seasons. Summer is back and we are really enjoying cabin life. We returned to Canada and completed our mandatory 14-day quarantine up the lake. I couldn't think of a better place to self isolate.

Right now there are still a few float cabins on the market, but don't wait too long. They could be gone in a flash. Purchasing our float cabin home was the best thing we ever did. Come up and see what Powell Lake has to offer.


Powell Lake Cabins and Properties

Are you interested in getting a cabin of your own? Here's an updated list of cabins and properties up the lake that are for sale. Some are through real estate agents, so you can get more information via their websites. Other cabins are for sale by the owners with information on Craigslist or Facebook pages.


Powell Lake Cabins and Properties For Sale

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE LISTING: Twelve year old float cabin on Powell Lake. It has 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. These are the only details included in the posting, but the picture shows there's much more included. The asking price is $160,000.  Contact the seller on Facebook for more details.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE LISTING: Powell Lake lease for sale in Rainbow area. Beautiful deep spot with great views and sun exposure with the best place to swim. Decent breakwater and all onshore remediation taken care of. There is a cabin, but it’s in poor shape. A tear down in my opinion. Please message me for questions. The asking price is $60,000.  Contact the seller on Facebook for more details.

MLS LISTING: 9742 Powell Lake is a newly built float cabin on the first point past Henderson Bay that just needs a bit of finishing. Large covered walk around deck, great access to shore and bluffs. Two level with 1 bedroom on main and 2 bedrooms up plus a large loft. Wood stove, metal roof and loads of skylights. New "eco john" sewage waste combustion system plus an extra float to build a small shed. Reduced to $159,000. Click here for more information, or contact Dan Marusin of EstateBlock Realty at 250-984-8355.

MLS LISTING: 9428 Powell Lake is a two year old float cabin only 15 minutes by boat up the lake in popular Henderson Bay. All new from the cedar log float upwards: new cedar decking, anchors and ropes, 2 x 6 construction, insulation, wiring with full solar power, on demand hot water heater, tub with shower, composting toilet, wood stove for heat and a kitchen with a solar powered fridge and gas range. Cedar and metal siding, metal roof and thermal windows. The asking price is $164,000. Click here for more information.

MLS LISTING: 9242 Powell Lake is a land cabin on a half acre waterfront lot with a beautiful sandy beach. It has two bedrooms, a bath with a shower, a large living room with a cozy woodstove. The little kitchen is a perfect .place to prepare meals to enjoy in the glassed-in breakfast room.  A covered front deck is the perfect place to relax on a warm summer evening. There's a lovely garden, a waterside deck and fire pit on the beach, plus a handy sheds for storage and firewood. It’s all ready and waiting for you to enjoy for $235,000. For more information contact Warren Behan of Royal LePage at 604-483-8173 or click here.

MLS LISTING: BC Land Professionals is offering a lakefront lodge. The property is 8.35 acres of Crown lease land (renewal due in 2021) with 1300 feet of lake frontage. There are 5 self contained cedar cottages: 3 two-bedroom and 2 one-bedroom. Each has a full bathroom with showers, sinks, toilets, and full kitchens with brand new appliances. Living and eating areas are fully furnished with wood stoves for heat. The fridge, stove, hot water and lighting are propane. Other buildings includes a wood fired Sauna and tool shed. The foreshore and docks are protected by log breakwater. The complete package is at a reduced price of $299,000. Click here for more information and pictures. For more information call toll free at 1-866-558-5263, the office at 604-694-7626 or mobile at 604-483-1605.

MLS LISTING: BC Land Professionals is offering a stunning 1.7 acre island with two cabins that's only a 20-30 minute boat ride from the Shingle Mill Marina. It includes a main cabin, guest cabin, outbuildings, foreshore license and dock. The asking price is $275,000. Click here for more information and pictures. For more information Jamie Zroback at (604) 483-1605 or Jason Zroback at (604) 414-5577.


Powell Lake Cabin Services

Powell Lake Cabin Services: Already have a cabin up the lake? We are always looking for help with projects around ours. Our good friend (and float cabin neighbour) Justin Behan offers services such as cargo delivery, lumber packages, cubes, propane tanks, wood stoves, and anchor and rope supply. In addition, Justin is now a distributor for Sun-Mar composting toilets just like the one we installed in our new bathroom addition. For more information, call Justin at (604) 483-6527.

Powell Lake Real Estate: Want a real estate agent that really knows float cabins? That's Harry Zroback (our man Harry who helped us get our cabin) from RE/MAX. Harry owns a cabin himself, so he's an excellent person to contact for all your "up the lake" real estate needs at 604-483-8333 or harry@powellriverrealestate.com.


Powell Lake Stories

Want to know more about life up the lake. Check out these books from Wayne's Coastal BC Stories series:

Up the Lake (Free for Kindle and e-books)
Farther Up the Lake
Cabin Number 5
Off the Grid
Off the Grid: Getting Started
Powell Lake by Barge and Quad

If you have any questions about Powell River, Powell Lake or cabin living, I'd be glad to help out. Just leave a comment or use the e-mail link in my profile to send me a message. -- Margy

What a Difference a Year Makes in a Garden

My float garden in 2007.

My floating garden was built by our good friend John in 2003 and has served us well.

Last summer John replaced the cedar siding around the four raised beds and the walkway so I missed out on a whole growing season.

At the end of summer I left the beds cleared except for a perennial herbs. What a difference a year makes.

New cedar boards outside and in.

We visited the cabin in December and January between our Snowbird RV Adventures to California and Arizona. Then, like people around the world, we sheltered in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. At first, we chose our condo in Bellingham. In July it was time to come home to BC even with a strict 14-day quarantine.

My float garden on Powell Lake, BC, during a typical summer..

We found lots of things to do to get our float cabin home back in shape. One of them was my float garden. While we were away it was taken over by flowers, herbs and weeds gone wild.

Here's what I found when we finally got home in July, everything gone wild.

On the north side of the float garden the mint that used to be in a pot took over the front bed. The other north bed sported weeds including fireweed that must have been beautiful while blooming.

All four raised beds were totally covered with plants already going to seed.

The beds on the south side included more weeds in the front section, and a full bed of chamomile going to seed in the rear. I must have dumped soil that container with seeds for this prolific flowers. At least I love the smell and enjoy a cup of chamomile tea on winter evenings.

Over the years my garden has been highlighted in the media.

• Sunset Magazine in 2007
• Sunshine Coast BC blog in 2011
• Sunset Magazine Contest in 2011
• Our Canada Magazine in 2011 
• CBC Radio in 2013 and 2015
• Powell River Garden Club in 2014
• Guest Blogger in 2018
• Powell River Library Calendar in 2018

In time it will be back in shape food eough for sharing.

One bed cleared and ready for future planting.

Click here to read more about float gardening.

Do you garden in raised beds? What are some of your favourite crops? -- Margy

Coastal BC Birds: Barn Swallows Return

The nest above and plastic below.

When we arrived home at the float cabin, we were pleased to see a pair of Barn Swallows had returned this year to build a nest.

We weren't totally happy with the location outside our front door and under the porch roof, but we didn't want to disturb the the breeding pair and their recent hatchlings.

To make cleanup easier, I put plastic on the deck under the nest. Since it's right next to our picnic table, I wash it off a few times each day.

Three chicks are growing quickly.

The parents are used to our presence, so we can still eat outdoors and sit in the shade of our porch.

Last year's attempt had a disastrous end. After a week of building, the nest fell and the pair disappeared. I don't know if this is the same pair, but I hope so.

Barn Swallows build mud nests in some locations, but here it's a mixture of mud and grass.

A precarious spot for next building.

It seems they pick the most precarious spots to build their nests. This one has only a one and three-quarter inch lower support. At least the area is wide and has a substantial support on one side.

Mom and Dad both feed the chicks from dawn to dusk.

Somehow Barn Swallows are able to concoct a substance sticky enough to hold everything together, most of the time. Unfortunately, we've had a few fall over the years.

Sitting on the nest to protect the growing chicks.

Squirrels are known to attack swallow nests. A gray squirrel tried to do this week. One parent sat on the nest to protect the babies. The other chased the squirrel away until I got out the door to give him a hand.

A high flying swallow.

Based on the size of the chicks, we guess they hatched just before we arrived on July 15. One featherless baby fell out of the nest the next day. Now there are three hungry kids driving both of their parents ragged all day long bringing a steady stream of bugs.

We enjoy watching them grow and someday soon they will take to the skies like their acrobatic parents. -- Margy

Goin' home, I'm goin' home

Our Powell Lake float cabin home.

As the Mick Jagger and Rolling Stones lyrics go:

I'm goin' home, I'm goin' home
I'm goin' home, I'm goin' home
I'm goin' home, bome, bome ...
Home, bome, bome ...
Back home,
Yes, I am.
Alright!

Wednesday Wayne and I drove to the Pacific Highway border crossing in Blaine. Because we became Canadian citizens in 2018 and Powell River, BC, is our home, we were allowed to cross the closed US/Canada border. It's closed to all non-essential travel for citizens from the US and other countries until July 31 and a Canadian quarantine requirement is extended until August 31.

BC Ferries recommended that everyone remain in their vehicles.

Rules are in flux right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so check before you go with the Canadian Border Service Agency and US Customs and Border Protection.

Back in our Hewscraft finally heading up the lake.

We'd hoped to wait until the quarantine requirement was lifted, but decided it was best to go now while there was still some summer left to enjoy our float cabin home up the lake. And there couldn't be a better place to isolate ourselves for the required 14-day period and beyond.

First Narrows on Powell Lake means we are almost home.

The border crossing was smooth and our BC Ferries connections worked perfectly even without reservations. We left the Bellingham condo at 8:12 am after loading the last of the groceries and arrived at our cabin deck at 6:15 pm. That's a little longer than normal to make the 260 kilometre (162 mile) trip because we built in extra time for border paperwork and early ferry terminal arrivals.

There's no place like home!

Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone worldwide. Wayne and I hope you and your family are doing as well as possible during these difficult times. -- Margy

#ThrowbackThursday: A Perfect Day Up the Lake

Recently, someone asked me to describe my perfect day. Here it is. I wake to twinkling reflections of sunlight on the ceiling of the loft bedroom in our float cabin on Powell Lake in British Columbia. The sun rises over Goat Island and the rays bounce off the water.

I brew coffee laced with cream to enjoy on the front deck, watching work boats head up the lake. When summer crowds are gone, we get to have our little piece of paradise all to ourselves. Even in fall when there’s a chill in the air, golden maple leaves shine with a radiant glow.

After breakfast, I work in my floating garden. I grow tomatoes, onions, beets, lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, chard and herbs. I also grow a wide variety of things in pots on the deck. Just a little weeding and feeding keeps everything in top shape. I pick some fresh veggies to clean and chill for dinner.

While I'm gardening, Wayne often uses his chainsaw to cut wood for our winter woodpile. Wood floats right up to our deck begging to be added to our supply. When he's done I use my log splitter to make stove-size pieces, and the fruits of our labor stack up fast.

Lunch is a quick snack so I can get ready for work. At least that's what I call it. In the summer I like to read on the deck while soaking up the rays. Living in the north makes taking advantage of the sun important. From October to May there aren't many days to see, let alone soak up its rays.

Just before sunset we get our poles and climb in the tin boat. We troll out into First Narrows and over to the waterfall. If we're lucky we catch a trout. And lucky for him, we catch and release. If we aren't lucky, we still catch a beautiful sunset over the Bunster Hills.

Dinnertime is my favourite. Wayne is the cook and BBQ is his specialty. We start with our garden fresh salad then have our meat right from the grill, maybe accompanied by an ear of corn wrapped in foil. After a meal like that I don't mind washing the dishes.

While summer is my favorite time of year, I've been known to wish for cool evenings. That's because I love a fire in my wood-burning stove. It's so efficient at heating our cabin that it really needs to be a cool evening, or we have to open the sliding glass doors. If the loft gets hot, it’s hard to sleep.

Some people might not think that my perfect day is all that exciting, but sharing it with Wayne in this wonderful place makes it so. If we need a little more excitement, we take our quads out to ride logging roads into some of the most beautiful country in the world, or take our sailboat out for a spin around the lake. Or we can take our Bayliner out on the chuck (ocean), kayak in protected bays and inlets, or hike the Sunshine Coast Trail.

We both worked long and hard at busy city-folk careers as educators. We still work long and hard, but at enjoying our off-the-grid lifestyle. Want to read more?

Go to PowellRiverBooks.com and look at Wayne’s books in the Coastal BC Stories series. Our perfect days just keep on coming. -- Margy