Kayaking in Coastal BC

Coastal BC is a great place for kayaking. There are lots of protected inlets and bays to explore for the novice and expert alike. We started by renting kayaks at Powell River Sea Kayaks. They have excellent equipment and guides. When we were sure we liked the sport (and we did), we purchased one of their used models at a really good price.

We call our kayak the big yellow banana for obvious reasons. She turns lots of heads when we drive around town or onto the ferry with her on top of our little Ford Tempo.

This is a back seat view from our Current Designs two-person Libra XT. It is very stable even in rough water and has plenty of storage space for overnight camping. It is also great for fishing as you can see.

We have lots of days when the weather is excellent for heading out over open water. In summer, our biggest fear is running into one of those huge pleasure yachts heading up to Desolation Sound. You know what they call kayaks don't you -- speed bumps!

But with a kayak, you can find destinations such as this one that you can have all to yourself. You can read more about our kayaking and boating adventures in Up the Strait at www.PowellRiverBooks.com. -- Margy

Watering System for Hillside Garden

When we decided to start a garden up on our cliff we needed to develop a watering system. To get to the garden you have to cross the bridge to shore and then go up four sections of stairs. That's a long way with buckets of water. So, we went to our good friend John and he designed a custom system just for us.

First he cleared some salal plants farther up the hill. A 55 gallon blue barrel was selected for water storage. He drilled a hole near the bottom and inserted a faucet. This attaches to a hose that runs downhill, providing the water pressure needed for the spray nozzle.

To collect water he placed a large funnel in the one open hole in the top of the barrel. Water could be hauled up the hill and poured into the barrel through the funnel, but that's a lot of work. To make it easier, rainwater is collected by a large tarp suspended between the trees. One corner of the tarp is connected to the funnel and a long 2X4 keeps everything in place. We have some very strong wind storms at our cabin, but the tarp has remained in place for over two years.

If you live in an area that gets substantial rain, this might be a good system for you. If you have a roof handy, you don't even need the tarp as a collector. Rainwater is excellent for gardening. It is pure, soft and without added chemicals. And did I forget to mention, it's FREE!

Do you have any gardening tips to share? We'd love to hear them. - Margy

This is Spring?

Wayne and I planted our floating garden last week. It's an Easter tradition. Early spring planting results in baby lettuce by June. It also gives us time for one summer replanting for fall veggies.

We started by augmenting our soil. In Chippewa Bay we found beds of mulch leaves washed up on shore. We gathered four large tubs full along with several buckets of sand. We also got some steer manure and commercial plant food to add to the mix.

I made some changes this year. I usually plant potatoes in one garden float bed. This year I only planted potatoes in my hillside garden. It has increased in size, so now it can hold quite a few potatoes. Besides, it is the only thing I can grow that the critters will leave alone.

I found an excellent old pamphlet called Companion Planting and Intensive Cultivation by Nancy Lee Maffia (Rodale Press, 1989). It includes plant allies for mutual support and pest control, and enemies that shouldn't be planted together. It also covers plant space needs, succession planting and crop rotation. I learned to separate my onions and asparagus. Hopefully they will both do better. With an extra bed at my disposal, I planted more lettuce and spinach. I also tried beets for the first time. I love pickled beets in salads.

My herbs and strawberries made it through the winter. I cleaned out the old leaves and put sand under the berry plants. This acts like a mulch and helps keep the berries from rotting on soggy soil. A few plants were killed by grubs in the roots so I filled in the bare spots with volunteer plants. Immediately after planting was done we covered the beds with bird netting to prevent Junco Wars from happening again.

A few days after planting we had snow showers, but it didn't last long. The snow melted and sunshine re-warmed the soil. Some days it's hard to believe spring is really here.

Have you done your spring planting yet? How's it going for you? -- Margy

High Mountain Peaks

When we are at our float cabin on Powell Lake in Coastal BC we are surrounded by high peaks.

Using snowshoes we are able to get to a viewpoint overlooking the lake with spectatular snowcapped mountains in the distance (Beartooth, Knuckleheads, Freda and Tin Hat).

Sometimes we use our quads to get to other high viewpoints. Here is one overlooking Haslam Lake with Texada Island in the background.

Our good friend John likes to build trails just to get to high places like this. Trail building is hard work, but the benefits are well worth it.

Have you been thinking about coming to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics? Take a few extra days and come visit Powell River. It will be the "high" point of your vacation. -- Margy

Coastal BC Animals: Mountain Goats

Mountain Goats

During winter, snow in the high country drives mountain goats to lower slopes for food and comfort. On a recent boat trip to the head of Powell Lake, we saw fourteen grazing and frolicking on rocky patches closer to lake level. Usually it takes binoculars to find goats, but this time they were visible to the naked eye.

Mountain goats show up as yellowish-white dots against the dark granite outcrops. They are most evident when they leap from rock to rock, seeming to defy gravity. Two toes on each of their cloven hooves spread wide to give them greater stability and gripping power on rocky surfaces.

Down below in our Bayliner, we are spellbound. Each time we pass a likely cliff we slow to see if we could find some more goats. And each time we are rewarded with several excellent specimens. I wonder if they watch us from their lofty perches, thinking we are just as interesting.

My "Junk" Collection

It's amazing how much "junk" you can find out in the bush around Powell River in Coastal BC. As they say, one person's junk is another's treasure.

Our friend John was hiking when he spied a dilapidated fence which led him to an old shake blocker's cabin. The walls were gone, but the trusty wood stove looked like it was ready to get back to work.

Many logging operations left equipment behind when all the trees were harvested. Here's a winch that was used to move heavy logs down the mountain slopes.

Early logging took lots of manpower and many Chinese and Japanese immigrants were part of workforce. Here are some fragments found in a logging camp dump.

Thanks for looking through my junk (treasure) collection. -- Margy

Coastal BC Birds: Canada Geese

The Canada Geese have returned to Powell Lake. For the last two weeks we've heard their early morning calls as they take flight out of Hole in the Wall. This morning, Wayne saw a flight of about 25 birds in formation passing over our cabin and then banking in unison down First Narrows towards the lower part of Powell Lake.

The Canada Goose makes its nest near the water's edge. The Hole in the Wall is perfect since it is calm with a shallow shoreline. Mating-pairs are known to stay together for life. Mating occurs in the spring on the water. A clutch of 2-8 eggs hatch in about a month and the chicks grow to sufficient size in 6-7 weeks to begin flying. By late summer, it is hard to distinguish the kids from their parents, except for the order of the procession on land or in the water. Often, we will see the whole brood paddle out of the Hole past our cabin.

During summer, the Canada Goose goes through molting. The flight feathers that are worn out from long migratory trips are shed leaving the birds unable to fly for up to 8-10 weeks. During this flightless period they prefer areas near lakes or ponds for security from predators. When geese gather in large numbers during the molting season it can be very damaging to local vegetation, not to mention messy. Fortunately, in the Hole we usually only get one nesting pair. We enjoy their presence and look forward to Mom and Dad showing off the kids as they grow.

Do you have any bird stories yet? What's happening in your area? -- Margy