Victoria and Lasqueti


Go west old man

In June I flew to British Columbia to visit with Irit and Chris. They live on Lasqueti Island, which is in the Gulf of Georgia across from French Creek, about half way up the eastern coast of Vancouver Island. About 350 people live there year round.



It's paradise. Mountains, forest, ocean, Chris's cooking.

In a few years, maybe sooner, I want to move close by. I'm too much of a wimp to stay long on Lasqueti itself, which doesn't have much in the way of plumbing, electricity or high speed Internet access. Victoria would be a nice compromise. A fews hours by train and ferry, then a long walk up from the dock and I could be back at the cabin by the beaver pond (Chris calls it the swamp) as often as it's fair to all the others who consider it a home away from home.



Indeed, Andy and a friend dropped by for a weekend while I was there.



I did manage to spend nine glorious days and nights there this time out, interrupted only by one day trip across the water for more salmon, wine and a hot shower. Most days we went hiking. Irit and I spent an afternoon trimming the vegetation back from the road. We also unmade the newest beaver dam every few days, in the never ending struggle to maintain the status quo.



Across the road neighbour Jay is raising chickens and she kept us in fresh eggs for breakfast.



Every morning began with Sam the rooster's bugle, followed throughout the day with the cawing of a pair of ravens instructing their young that it's time to move out of the nest and find their own territory. In the background is the drone of at least two dozen humming birds that Chris has enthralled with a feeder of sugar and water. At night the bullfrogs croaked a mating song that was out of this world: imagine horny sub-woofers.



I brought Chris and Irit back with me to explore Victoria. I think it has everything I desire for my next place of residence. Well, Chris says I should come back and visit during the winter before I make any commitments and I suppose I'll do that.



After two days they hopped back on the train, a self propelled single car actually, and I spent the remainder of the day riding the buses and more walking around downtown and the harbour.



Too soon it was time to get back up in the clouds and head for home.




Posted: Fri - October 22, 2004 at 04:38 PM          

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