It has been an eventful few days. It's a good thing I brought I calendar, because it's easy to loose track of the days.
Thursday, June 10, I boarded the U Chuck III about 6:30 am. It was a beautiful day to spend on a freighter/passenger ferry. It's an ex-mine sweeper so as I reflect there is a conversion of A War Use to Peaceful Ones….so appropriate for my Peace pilgrimage.
It stopped at quite a number of lumber camps and fish farms along the way delivering goods. Having just read about the environmental challenge of the Salmon Farms it was with mixed feelings I viewed them. The clear cut logging broke my heart. How do we supply work in the bush, so people can make a living without doing "lung appendectomy" on our Planet's oxygen producers??
We even saw Heli~logging with front row seats.
The other passengers were guessing how much it costs a day. Then there was the debate of how much fuel is needed for the heli~ logging vs. the less damage the helicopter method does to the forests. Who knows???~~~ and then one sees the waste of logs that have broken loose and washed ashore. Beachcombing lumber isn't acceptable unless one pays for a permit. According to the law that has forbidden its gleaning because of logging rustlers.One of the little settlements we stopped at was an evangelical community called Esperanza. It is operated by a group called the Shantymen. What touched me was the blurb under the name on the dock: "A place of Hope, Healing & Refuge. Apparently there used to be a Hospital there according to a passenger on the boat. Fred, the captain indicated they were serving mainly First Nations. The isolation of the place was overwhelming to me. I was touched with how dedicated and how clear a call must be for people to take on that kind of ministry. Quite moving, Indeed.
We dropped off 6 kayakers near Rosa Harbour. Quite interesting, as the Kayakers were in their kayaks full loaded when they were placed into the Ocean~~~ near open waters.
Then we were traveling in the "real Ocean". Although it was sunny the wind was high and cold. I stood against the cabin in front until I got too wet to do more. So I stayed up front standing, letting myself moth with the rhythm of the waves. It was glorious. A good intro to the ocean.
The next stop was Kyoqot. I had hoped to see the Sea Otters, and this was the closest accessible community from which to see them. What I didn't realize was that the Uchuck warf is on "Walter Island"~~~with not much "space" to camp above tide lines.. When I went into the General Store to ask for two names Captain Fred had given me to ask about camping, I was literally laughed at. I was already feeling vulnerable. Then a run a round phoning, asking, checking with someone re: water taxi (who wouldn't even talk to me directly!!!) to take me somewhere to camp…..different options between an Island with no water, Brooks Pennisula to the north and Rugged Point to the South. As Providence provided, the sister of the woman who runs the General Store told me I could have an accommodations place for free since she had a no show for bed and breakfast. I took it with much gratitude.
I spent the evening inside….accomodation with shared bathroom, livingroom/Kitchen and with a big Window overlooking the warf and the Uchuck.
I had a talk with a woman who commented on the Kyuquot sense of humour. I found it ridiculing….one needs to be a tough cookie to withstand the barbs. She also talked, when I asked, about not having close friends in Kyuquot. She spends a lot of time talking to her closest friend long distance. The rumour mill is too devastating in an Island community and the trust level poor as a result. She had talked about having lived in a couple of cities, but she missed the ocean too much to stay away. I don't think I could survive in a place like Kyuquot. There is absolutely no privacy. A joke such as myself becomes instantaneous news and an object for mocking. Anyway out of our talk I decided to camp at Rugged Point Marine Park.After a glorious sleep and the UChuck passengers had boarded the Uchuck III, I phone Archie Vincent to water taxi me to Rugged Point. It will cost $120.00 round trip, but I pray I will be provided for. I am planning on Fasting and Praying for a week (when the Uchuck returns once a week) and that is at least easy on the food bill!!! Archie will pick me up around noon on Thursday next week so I can catch the Uchuck~~~weather permitting
I had checked out the "inside" & "outside" beach at Rugged Point and set up my tent by 12:00. Archie was gracious. I got off at the park with my packsack and made it to the Beach without falling into the Ocean balancing on the rock. My only injury was a huge sliver in my left hand. I got most of it out~~~looks worse than it actually is.
Then I explored tidal pools near my campsite. Wondrous things they are. I still find sea animals awesome. Then I went to the outside beach. This one where the path ends is fairly small. The undergrowth all along the shore and either side of the path is super dense. I would need a very sharp machete to clear any of it. No wonder there are maintained Marine Parks, …. tent sites are needed if one has not brought bush wacking tools with them!!!
Exploring the Southern Rock tidal pools I came across a path over to the next beach. WHAT A BEACH!!! Miles and miles of beautiful Sand. A few sand dollars here and there but quite clean. I thought I'd see how my bear banger works. I'm glad I did. Not only does it make a horrific noise, but it does give off a discharge. Soo,….if I am attacked while in the tent I need to open the door zipper enough to get my hand and the bear banger out to discharge…..otherwise I will have a hole or fire in my tent. Good to know. ~_+I was also looking for a drinking water source. I didn't go far enough for the river but seagulls did lead me to a spring.
Not knowing when the tide will rise or fall keeps me on alert. In my exploration I discovered Buoys mark campsites for ocean travellers. Some are very rugged. One was next to a huge cliff like rock which would be between the tent and the Ocean. Looked to cold and damp for me even though it would provide a lot of shelter from the Westerlies.
So here I am on a Saturday, having spent all day in the sleeping bag. The monsoon rains have begun. I still find it amazing that there can be a steady downpour for 24 hours with no break. It should help me move into silence & listening more. I am praying the selfish prayer of keeping the inside of this tent & my sleeping bag DRY. I've gone thru my prayers of the people.One lovely moment that happened Friday while I was waiting for Archie to pick me up0. A gentleman came off of a 34 foot sailing boat asking me if I was the only other "tourist" to be found in Kyuquot. When I answered in the affirmative we got talking. He & his wife are traveling around Vancouver Island. When I mentioned I was a former minister, he said his wife would like to speak with me.
Apparently, Joanne, is finishing up her PHD at St. Stephens in Alberta. She has been focusing on art as an expression of Spirituality~~~Nature is her medium. Needless to say, Hildegard de Bingen has been a major resource for her as well. Interesting though, when I mentioned that leaving the church brought shields or fences down, she told me that was what her dissertation is all about.
Joanne shared a bit of her story. She was a post Vaticant II Roman Catholic who always prided herself at being open minded. Then she went to an Ecumenical conference and found it changed her. Fences came down that she didn't even realize she had!!!
I would have loved to talk more but Archie and his Water Taxi arrived. What a syncronistic moment in the Kyuquot Harbour!!
