Asia Adventure Begins

Day 1  November 23, 2011

Met Debora at YVR to get our first flight to Seoul. As the Goddess would have it, we got the bulk head seats.       

                                     

After watching 3 movies and stretching out a lot, we were terrified we would get base seats as we couldn’t  check in with Korean Air till arrival there.  Once again Buddha had our best interest at heart and we were assigned middle seats- all 4 of them together so we were happy and slept between movies till arriving in PhnomPenh.   There was a ceremony at the Incheon airport so we were entertained while we waited.

Arrived at our booked hotel Lebiz, very modern even a picture window into the shower???? The hotel did say ‘gay friendly’  and the maids kept trying to push our mattresses together and made us interlocking towel hearts.

 

Islands Folk Music Festival

July 24 

Upon arrival home I realized this was the weekend for the annual music festival at Providence Farm so I decided to take it in since it was a hot sunny day and I needed an excuse to stay outside rather than unpacking and sorting for my next trip. Some of the highlights were Roy Bonneville, Oh My Darling and Alpha Ya Ya Diallo.

Homeward bound

July 23

Awoke early to finish packing, down a coffee and some oatmeal before going out to the parking lot to meet our guide by 0800hrs. By 0845, Chris was a no show but the local van/bus showed up to pick up someone. David turned out to be the friendliest, most cheerful and informative driver you could ever want to meet. He was raised in Hagensborg, a Norwegian community outside of Bella Coola and still had oodles of relatives in the area. We explained our dilemma and he offered to take us to Chris’s house after dropping off his customer. We knocked at Chris’s door but there was no answer so David took us to his dad’s house as that was the truck he would need to borrow for the tour. This was another strike out but the truck was there so we knew Chris wasn’t enroute. David had a list of pickups so asked if we wanted to go for a ride.  We went right thru Hagensborg where David pointed out the house he grew up in, his uncles house, the church his grandfather preached in, etc. The first stop was on a beautiful property near a creek surrounded by huge cedar trees. The occupant said she was flooded out last fall. A few days ago there was a landslide blocking off the town and it was just reopening today.  I took this photo near her driveway.  I was so impressed by this door to door bus service for $2.50 regardless of the distance.  When David pulled into someone’s driveway and they weren’t outside waiting he would go know on the door to fetch them.  We greeted everyone who got onto the bus and soon if was full. One elder woman said she moved her house over from Vancouver Island 60 years ago via a barge and has lived in it ever since. I got out at the airport as it was only an hour before my departure. David exited the bus for photos with us while I said my farewells to my fellow crew mates.  What a fabulous service for town trips, doctors visits and sightseeing.

Destination Bella Coola

July 21, Awoke late after all the hot tubbing in time to assist Seabear to the dock. They were just stopping in to introduce their onboard guests to the pools. Tatiana from Argentina and Hans from Mexico City were up in Canada on their first trip to the North Coast. They had a great attitude despite the rain. Much appreciated cinnamon buns all around for SeaBear crew and our hosts Sharon and Al.
We hiked 4km up to Nascall falls where at the end of a rugged road. Found quartz along the road is various colours and shapes. Stepped over numerous bear scat but no live ones spied. The falls were steep and pounding with mist spraying up to us about the falls.
Anne made a snack of salmon pate and I put on a hearty chorizo and bean soup for later. We left Nascall mid day for the 20km journey to Bella Coola. Sailed a lot of the way so it was nice and peaceful. Beautiful smooth rock cliffs lined the channel so we sailed very close while Dave got into the skiff to film the Irish Rose under sail. The steep mountainous shores were dotted with waterfalls and we chose a nice one to get up close and photograph. Otter were hiding in the rock crevasses as we sailed by. Once in Bella Coola bay Dave exited via skiff to check out moorage while the girls brought the ship in. Dave radioed what slip to dock at and it was a tight squeeze but Karolina did a stand up parallel parking job. Once on shore we walked into town (2-3km) in search of  cultural information and entertainment.
 Soon realized the reservation was one half of the town and the business centre the other. We had heard  we would need a first nations guide to see the pictographs just outside of town so we went on a mission to find one. The first people we saw on the street recommended Chris & Lance, twins who are traditional drummers/ dancers who are culturally aware.  Someone told us where Chris lived but it was 9pm so we didn’t want to disturb him this evening. Soon we landed in the only pub for a beverage and the bartender offered to get ahold of Chris. Soon he came back with arrangements for Chris to meet us at the dock at 0800 so we could have a tour before I departed via plane.  On the way home we stuck out our thumbs and the first vehicle gave us a lift back to the marina. They also confirmed that Chris was a good choice for a guide. Then they informed us that the local bus required 24hr notice for pickups and that there was no taxi in town which left me in a dilemma for airport  transportation.

Eucott hotspring

July 20, 2011      Ahhh, just what I needed. Dave and I were first up and headed over to the spring before the girls awoke. Dave soon bored of the hot tub and went back on board leaving me to luxuriate in the steaming bath. The girls returned with a thermos of coffee and we soaked until our skin and hair were exquisite. From the skiff, Dave pointed out bears on either side of the beach from the hotpool but we too relaxed to be concerned.  After brunch we decided to keep on moving as there was another hotspring in the next inlet.
When we got into Nascall Bay the rain was beating down hard, the anchor didn't take on the first attempt so I went over to the dock to ask for permission to dock. No one was around so I went to a shelter that housed to hot pools just up the hill. Still no sign of life. So I went into the unlocked building on the dock-nada, nunca, noone. I radioed to the Irish Rose that the place was deserted but there were 2 hot pools.
Soon the caretakers surfaced after over hearing my radio call and graciously offered us docking space and the use of the pools for a donation of our choice.  Dave and I took the skiff up river as far as we dared until the ferocious white water prevented any further entry. As this was to be my second last night onboard I made cinnamon rolls for the crew as Annes choice.

Seeking heat rain or shine

 July 19

Filled up with the best drinking water in BC and headed off out Cousins inlet. Destination hot spring. Got some sailing in Dean Channel till we turned into Eucott hostsprings. Passed the Nordic Tug, Seabear whom we met 2 yrs ago in Haida Gwaii. Skipper Jeff and first mate Georgia were also choosing the same destination. After anchoring, our fellow sailors discovered the outdoor hotspring pool was very murky and they asked for assistance to clean it. A&K went along on tub duty while I stayed back to finish baking bread. The pool formed of large boulders with concrete fill had a few pipes for filling and emptying. After the pool scrubbed the lower pipe plugged and the water ran freely to fill. The spring flows in at 150 degrees F.  At 11pm Dave and I went on a starry night adventure to see if it was possible to bathe but it was scalding so we plugged the fill pipe with a large driftwood stick to allow only a trickle to flow in and allow the water to cool enough for human submersion.

Man eating winged demons



Cousins Inlet

Martins Valley River-good fresh water fishing

Fairy Rocks where local children
come to find coins

July 18    I took a sun filled walk down the road in warm sun to Martins Valley where most of the residents live. The roadside was noticeably free of rubbish and recently weed whacked. It presented as a quaint, hillside town with an old cemetery, a small waterfront saloon open for happy hour only, a grocery store, a river and most of the homes up for sale. Walked back to Ocean Falls and only passed one person on the road. Anne and Karolina returned from a bush walk about covered with bites on all their exposed areas. They said they didn't feel them but those man eating winged demons left their savage marks.

Saloon- open 4pm-7pm only

 They soothed their wounds in the the pub till closing time talking to local historian nearly normal Norman. Salmon for supper again, no complaints from this crew. Evening walk about town for some photo ops. 

blackbirds sitting on a tree

 Over half of the liveable homes are up for sale or rent.  A bit of history:1908-first store; 1909- 1 bed hospital opens; 1911-first hotel; 1917-first roll of newsprint; 1918-first theatre; 1919- library and marine store; 1918-first school; 1924-Catholic church; 1929-swimming pool.



en the kitchen sink



cemetary