"Sunshine Coast" RAIN and WIND Warning!

Weatheroffice
Environment Canada's Official Weather Warnings

10:38 AM PST Sunday 15 November 2009
Rainfall warning for Sunshine Coast continued
Rainfall amounts of 80 to 200 mm by Monday.

Eighty millimetres is 3.1 inches and 200 is an astounding 7.9 inches. That's an incredible amount of rain even on the Sunshine Coast (Raincoast). OK, I know that's an oxymoron, but we do get lots of both. But this much all at once is even too much for us to absorb, literally. Some areas will be in danger of flooding for sure.


Wind warning for Sunshine Coast continued
Southeast wind 50 to 70 km/h.

If rain isn't bad enough, it came with some pretty brutal winds from the southeast, our typical storm track. I hope our cabin is surviving. It's too dangerous on the lake to go home right now. It's dangerous out on the chuck (ocean) as well, but that doesn't stop of the crew of the Island Princess ferry between Powell River and Texada Island.



Take a look. -- Margy

Light My Fire

This time of year we couldn't enjoy living in our float cabin without our Kozi woodstove. We get a blazing fire going inside and it gets us toasty warm really quick. For more information about woodstoves see:

• The Heart of our Little Cabin
• Woodstove Safety
• Woodstove Chimney Sweep
• Woodstove Maintenance
• Woodstove Sock Puppet
• Wood for Winter Heating
• Woodstove Blow Back Solution

So, come snuggle up while I "Light My Fire." -- Margy

Rock Me Gently

It's November, the windy time of year. The fjord nature of Powell Lake makes a natural funnel to increase its speed and change its direction. We are fairly protected in Hole in the Wall, but we do get our share. The cliff to the north usually protects us from clearing northwest winds, but not the incoming storms from the southeast. Those winds squeeze through First Narrows, hit the high rock wall, then split off eastward to hit our cabin.

Float cabins are anchored to shore with either heavy ropes or steel cables. In our case, it's steel cables. When the wind hits the cabin, it acts like a sail and we are blown backwards to the full extent of the cables to a jerky stop. Then comes the rebound, back into the face of the wind and it starts all over. This puts lots of stress on the cables and their connections.

During my first solo trip to the cabin in November 2001 (Up the Lake Chapter 4), I lost two connections. After that, our friend John installed double cables. Those lasted for five years, until another nasty winter storm. After that, John devised a whole new new system.

What he came up with is a shock dampening system using old car tires. Instead of connecting the 7/8 inch steel cables from the rock wall directly to the float, he placed a car tire in the middle. The new system has made a huge difference. Instead of roughly jerking the cabin as before, the tires rise out of the water and gently pull the cabin back in place, rocking us gently in the "breeze." Here is a video clip of the shock dampening system in action.

The new system is a huge success thanks to John and his ingenuity. -- Margy

Cold Water Rescue

Quite often, Wayne and I hear the Canadian Forces helicopters working in the lower part of Powell Lake. They usually stay south of our cabin in Hole in the Wall, so we can only hear them. But on a recent trip to John's cabin we saw them in action.

CFB (Canadian Forces Base) Comox is just across the Strait of Georgia from Powell River.
Comox is the location of the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue, where all para-rescue specialists in the Canadian Forces, known as Search And Rescue Technicians or "SAR Techs" undergo training. This time of year they must be practicing cold water rescue techniques.

The large CH-149 Cormorant Helicopters can carry a crew of 5 and up to 45 standing, 30 seated or 16 stretchers with medics. They have a range of 863 miles or 1389 kilometres. That makes them a good rescue platform here along the cold, western coastline.

During practice, the helicopter hovers over the cold waters of Powell Lake. Then a rescue trainee rides a long cable down to the water then after a while, he is reeled back in.

It's important to understand the techniques of cold water rescue and the dangers of hypothermia when you live in our climate. Recently I saw a program called Cold Water Boot Camp on TV in Bellingham. It was also highlighted in the the November 2009 issue of Pacific Yachting magazine. The two most important things I learned about cold water survival were: 1) WEAR A LIFEJACKET and 2) the 1-10-1 Principle. The lifejacket part is a no brainer, but sometimes ignored. The 1-10-1 Principle is:

1 minute of Cold Shock to control breathing and avoid panic
10 minutes until Cold Incapacitation to make a self rescue
1 hour until Hypothermia with unconsciousness and possible death

Here is a link to a clip of the video on YouTube. I highly recommend that you view it for your own safety. -- Margy

John On a Cold Wet Roof

Last April I shared pictures of our neighbour Jess putting a roof on his new cabin. I called it "Jess On a Hot Tin Roof." This fall, John has been working hard to get the roof on his new cabin. While a few days were sunny and "warm," none of them were hot. In fact, some were downright rainy, windy and cold. Still, John kept at it to get his hard work covered and protected before the onslaught of winter.

So far you've seen John raise his ridge pole and add the rafters. Now it's time for the metal roof to go up. Because the panels were heavy, Wayne and I towed our raft down to the marina to pick up the load. Fortunately, Rona's truck delivered everything right to the raft.

First came a sheet of tar paper followed by the metal panel. Strip by strip up it went, drilled and screwed into place by John. Now the rest of the work will be somewhat protected from the harsh elements. -- Margy

Rafters, Battens and Collar Ties

OK, I'm getting into dangerous territory here. I'm definitely not a construction expert. I'm not even a construction wannabe. But I did watch John as he put his new cabin roof up stage by stage. His last cabin had a barn style roof. This time, he chose a gable design. First, all the lumber had to be moved up the lake. Our bowrider Campion came in handy for that task.

After the center beam was in place, John started adding the rafters. To make their placement easier, prior to raising the side walls, he installed the metal brackets that would hold each rafter in place. Raising the rafters was definitely not a one man job. John's brother Rick and his dad Ed were there to lend helping hands all along the way.

John took care of the high work. He went up the extension ladder to accept the upper end of the rafter already cut to the correct angle thanks to Ed's design work. His assistant made sure the bottom of the rafter was snug in the bracket.










Before the lower ends of the rafters could be nailed into place, John had to make sure all of the measurements lined up and the walls were straight. To make some final adjustments, it took several ropes and lots of muscle to get it right.

Next came the battens, the cross supports on the outside of the rafters. Nailing the battens onto the rafters was like building a ladder. As each batten was added, John climbed the roof to nail the next one in place.

The weight of the roof presses down, trying to spread the rafters and walls, constantly trying to push them outwards. To take some of the stress out, collar ties are added. These sturdy cross members help stop this destructive process.

This post is not meant to be a DIY how-to about roof construction. It's a tribute to an amazing man with a very supportive family. I'm always in awe of their accomplishments. -- Margy

Beam Me Up, Johnny

Our good friend John has been working steadily on his new cabin this month. So far, you've seen a little bit about the float assembly and raising the cabin walls. Much of the construction has been done by John himself, but when it came to the high work he got helping hands from his dad Ed, his brother Rick and my husband Wayne. The extent of my assistance has been moral support, ladder holding and photo journaling.

I missed the day that the front and back wall extensions went into place, but looking at the pictures Ed took I can imagine the exciting event. A tall pole was used to hold a block and tackle assembly. Then the framed peak was lifted and nailed in place. Once the back was done, the front came next.










Each peak was notched to accept the heavy ridge pole. John went up the ladder while Wayne and Ed helped raise the end of the pole up to him. John used the front wall and window cross beams to inch the pole up a bit at a time up and finally into the slot in the front peak. It was a manhandling feat! I was on ladder holding duty for this part, so there are no pictures. But here is a short video clip of the other end going into the center support.

The back half of the beam was glued and nailed in place, but that was a lot easier because the guys could stand on the loft. Ed sure seems happy to have this part of the project done doesn't he? He's a great dad and a good friend to us as well. -- Margy