Saturday in Theo

We love to ride our quads to explore the bush around Powell River. Forest service and logging roads are normally open to the public after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends or holidays. But some areas can be closed due to active logging and some operations work seven days a week. Fortunately, most companies notify the public via notices in the local paper or postings on the roads. In Powell River, Western Forest Products has a 24-hour info line at (604) 485-3132. You can also check with the following maps before heading out.

Western Forest Products
Powell River Community Forest

On a Saturday, we took our quads north to Theodosia. (Please note: The entrance to Theodosia is rated for more advanced riders.) Theo was once difficult to reach for the hardy pioneers who called it home. Our friend John lead us up Southview Road to the trail he built with the assistance of other ATV enthusiasts. Once in the Theodosia Valley, logging roads took us to the Olsen Valley. In the 20's, there were several families with cabins in this area and enough children for a school. But in the 60's, when hippies wanted to get back to the land, the cabins were burned. That is, all but one which was today's destination. The cabin reportedly belonged to an early Powell River "millionaire" who traveled up the lake by boat and then overland by Model-T Ford. It isn't much now, but it gives you a feeling for what it was like way back when families grew produce to supply the nearby logging camps.

From the cabin we continued along the logging road to Olson's Landing on Powell Lake. This is the same route many before have taken to carry logs and shake blocks to the paper mill and market. That purpose and path continues today. After a lunch at the camp area next to Olsen Creek we headed back to Olsen Lake on the way home.

It's a long ride, but the longer days of summer gave us enough sunlight to do it all at a leisurely pace. The weather was mostly sunny, but as we approached Theodosia Inlet we passed through a rain shower. I glanced in my mirror and here is what I saw. A fitting end to a wonderful day. -- Margy

Elvis Returns

On Powell Lake there's a point off Goat Island jutting out into the water that the locals call Elvis Point. A nearby float cabin owner loves Elvis Presley. As a present, a relative gave her a life size cutout of The King which she proudly displayed on the rocky promontory behind her cabin. Each season Elvis was lovingly restored.

Every time we go farther up the lake in our boat, we look to see what Elvis is doing. He faithfully stands day and night playing his guitar and singing his favourite tunes. Then one day, following a particularly savage wind storm, we noticed that Elvis had "left the building." It was a very sad occasion for us. We still check the point on every passage, but Elvis hasn't returned. But today, we caught a glimpse of him over at Olsen's Landing so maybe there's hope that he's just on a tour and will be returning home sometime soon. We sure hope so! -- Margy

"Up the Airway" Book Launch a Huge Success

Tonight was the book launch for Up the Airway, the newest book in the Coastal BC Stories series by Wayne J. Lutz. Yes, that's my Wayne. We had lots of room in the center of the Town Centre Mall in front of Coles book store. Corinne, the manager, is one of our strongest supporters. Thanks to her efforts our books sell extremely well.

Wayne gave a forty-five minute slide presentation highlighting stories and pictures from the book. The chapter "Unexpected Destinations" included tracking Musk Ox on the tundra near Cambridge Bay and unique Anglemont Airport with its extremely steep runway. Local destinations such as Courtney, Hope, the Gulf Islands and Alert Bay were a hit with the local crowd.

Up the Airway was written for both pilots and adventurers at heart. Come fly with us and see Coastal BC and remote Canada at its best. Want a sneak preview? Free audio chapters are available by clicking here. Additional and ordering information is available at our website www.PowellRiverBooks.com. -- Margy

Hole in the Wall Mountain Cat

Maybe you think I'm talking about a big, yellow, ferocious cougar. They do inhabit our area, but no, a Hole in the Wall Mountain Cat is a lot smaller, black, furry (especially in winter), and short tailed. It's not ferocious, unless you don't get his can of salmon open quick enough at dinner time.

Of course I'm talking about Stick Tail, our cat. Stick started life as a city cat near Los Angeles then moved north as we did. Now he comes up to our float cabin. On his first and second visits he was quite the fraidy cat, but he did venture out on the float and even underneath to see if there were any mousies down there.

Right now the lake level is very low allowing several floating logs to touch shore. Stick was uncharacteristically brave and leaped over the water to reach one of those logs. He then scampered to little beach that's now exposed. We felt fairly confident he wouldn't leave that gravel shelf, but to our shock and horror he started climbing narrow ledges up the rock wall. Now mind you, this wall is about 100 feet high and leads to an inaccessible forested area. If Stick went up, there would be no way to reach him. What should we do?

While we were thinking, Stick scrambled up a vertical section of rock about five feet high. You could hear his nails grappling for a hold, but he made it. To reward himself, he stopped to eat some grass. Wayne got some rocks to throw against the cliff above his perch. On about the fifth throw, one hit the mark. Stick turned tail, ran down the cliff, over the beach, across the log, leaped over the water and zipped up to the cabin door. Once he was inside I don't know who was more relieved, Stick or us.

We fashioned several fences to block Stick's access to the beach, but after his close encounter with the cliff's rock monster he was content to stay close to home, and that was just fine with us. -- Margy

Halcyon Days

Halcyon is defined as tranquil, happy, idyllic, and, as in the phrase halcyon days, usually with nostalgic reference to earlier times.

When we go cruising on the chuck (ocean) we use our 24' Bayliner named Halcyon Days. She takes us to tranquil anchorages in idyllic settings on the Strait of Georgia along the British Columbia Coast.

Here she is on a blustery day at the Squirrel Cove dock on Cortez Island. After a rough crossing we were happy to tie up. Later we anchored in the nearby protected cove for a peaceful night.

This pocket cove in Theodosia Inlet is my favourite anchorage. Few tourists come here even though it is right next door to the very popular Desolation Sound.

Watching the sun set in a quiet inlet on Quadra Island is very calming. I don't have to be nostalgic for times gone by when I have new ones like this. You can see more about our boating adventures by clicking here. -- Margy

Floating Garden of Powell Lake

This time of year I start working in my vegetable garden. It's unique as gardens go. It's a floating garden. Our friend John designed and built it for me to float alongside our cabin on Powell Lake in Coastal BC.

Cedar logs were lashed together to create the float. Because dirt is heavy, several 55 gallon blue barrels were strategically placed underneath and filled with air to provide extra buoyancy. Then four raised beds were constructed and placed on top. Each bed is four feet wide and ten feet long. Because we live in Coastal BC, our winters are fairly mild. My strawberries, asparagus and herbs have always survived through the snow and frost. Here is my garden just after spring planting.

Summer is the prime season for my garden. Even though the space is limited, I have potatoes, onions, carrots, radishes, spinach, zucchini and several types of lettuce. This is in addition to my annual asparagus, strawberries and herbs. Each year I rotate my crops and replenish my soil, but I have to be very careful to protect the water on which it floats. It also serves as our drinking water.

Last year I was honored to have my garden highlighted on Sunset Magazine's website. Click here to see it for yourself.

Thank you for taking a walk through my garden. While you're here, I invite you to click on my gardening link to see more. -- Margy

Kitchen Kapers

I love to cook, especially at my float cabin. Our kitchen is compact but functional. It's plenty of room for one, but two makes a crowd. On one wall you will find my sink and shelves to store my pots and pans. The window has a great view of the entrance into the Hole in the Wall. With a view like that, you almost don't mind doing dishes.

When John built our cabin he installed a hand pump. It draws water from about six feet below the lake surface. To be safe, we boil it before drinking. Continue around the L-shaped counter and there is my small stove. Open wall shelves hold our dishes and food. Under the counter is are two plastic drawer units. To deter mice, we keep foodstuffs in containers, especially when we aren't there. We've been very lucky so far.

Tucked under the stairs to loft is a small refrigerator. It even has a freezer which really comes in handy during the summer for ice to make ice cream. Both the stove and refrigerator run on propane. Along with propane lights, a 60 lb. tank lasts about six weeks for $54. We have to haul the tanks to town in our boat, but once every six weeks isn't too bad.

I have to be honest. At the cabin, Wayne is first cook. But I do have my specialties including cakes, breads and soups. Check out my section called Cooking for some of my recipes. This goes to show you don't need a big fancy kitchen with lots of electrical appliances to make good food. Do you have any small kitchen stories? -- Margy