An older man travels over sea and land in quest of new adventures
Raven Cove
Ahhh! The drought ends. Damn! It feels good.
Classical Spanish guitar music plays softy beneath the patter of rain. The oil lantern lends a gentle warmth to the after-dinner ambiance. I sit alone, pleasantly overfull. Now there are some sea-salt chocolate cashews with mint tea for desert as I write. Yes, rain I said! What a blessed thing. I don’t know if this means the mid-coast drought has broken but it truly feels wonderful to be back in the dripping rainforest I’ve know for so many years. Tonight I’m in Raven Cove and tomorrow I’ll fish my way home. Hopefully my virgin fishing rod will bring me luck.
Your love is like a lantern in the night. HUH? Clearly, a life alone has its price. This is the beloved oil lamp in the main cabin of ‘Seafire.’Raven Cove, rainy eveningDawnFlooding tide, Raven Cove. Time to weigh anchor
My favourite camera lense has died and so I’m going to let this blog to simply be a photo-filled post with captions. God knows there are plenty on file. So far my time here has been a wonderful and endless photo opportunity. It is very frustrating to feel that one can never quite convey the sense of this incredible area to my readers, but it is certainly a worthy pursuit to continue. Wish you were here.
“Goin’ to the vet? Hope you’re not gonna get get tutored.” Along the walk from the dock to the hospital/clinic in Bella Bella.The Bella Bella “Cop Shop,” across the street from the little hospital. After a medical appointment I had hours to kill before the pharmacy opened. It was time well spent. I went off to visit the Heiltsuk Cultural Education Center located inside a lovely high schoolAlong the way, Bella Bella’s many ravens marked and announced my progress
The following short amateur video illustrates one of many raven calls. I was being severely admonished for coming too close to the berry feast where this character had been gorging himself .
The High School gymnasium doorThe RulesOn the way to the principal’s officeThat’s easy for you to say!How’s this for mixed messages?Beautiful heat. A gorgeous stove in the Koeye CaféWhale hinges!Nobody home. An abandoned beach house in Bella Bella.“Oie!” said the vicar’s wife.” Look at the pecker on that one!”“Who! Me?”Dryad Point Light Station and Bella Bella to the south in Lamma Pass.Impressive in clear light, these Alaska line barges can come out of the fog rapidly and deserve a wide respect. This is how Alaska receives most of its goods. Note the trucks on top of the load.Some westbound commercial traffic in Seaforth ChannelCanadian Coast Guard Vessel ‘Bartlett’ delivering supplies to the Ivory Island light station. Note the whaler, or tender, alongside.Ivory Island Light Station marking the corner of Seaforth Channel and Milbanke Sound. Its light is a reassuring sight on a stormy day heading in from the sound.Bonsai burial Islet, Blair Inlet, behind Ivory IslandHow about a burial islet with a sarcophagus?The Shaman RockThe Roaring Islets. Ivory Island. Open ocean beyond, just Haida Gwaii in the distance.I’m watching you! A poor grabshot of an active eagle’s nest in Blair InletOld School. Now a rare sight, this traditional trawler/gillnetter is eastbound out of Milbanke Sound.‘Northern Expedition’ The new BC Ferry northbound fro Prince RupertAlaska State Ferry ‘Columbia’ northbound for AlaskaIvory Island astern, fishing my way home under sail. Bliss!Damned fish! My new rod and real are no longer virgins. I had to defrost my little freezer to make room for all that salmon.Damned good fish! Fish ‘n rice, what poor people eat. Bugga!The pounder. Some folks are built for speed, I’m more for comfort.See what I mean?It never ends, there’s always another picture.
“ If a man is to be obsessed by something, I suppose a boat is as good as anything, perhaps a bit better than most.” … E.B.White
Fred is a slightly-past middle age sailor / writer / photographer with plenty of eclectic hands-on skills and experiences. Some would describe him as the old hippy who doesn't know the war is over. He is certainly reluctant to grow up and readily admits to being the eternal dreamer.
He has written several books including two novels, 'The Keeper' and 'Storm Ecstasy,' as well as 'The Water Rushing By', 'Sins Of The Fathers', 'The Magic Stick', as well as an extensive inventory of poetry, essays, short stories, anecdotes and photographs.
His first passion is the ocean, sailboats, voyaging and all those people who are similarly drawn to the sea. He lives aboard 'Seafire' the boat he is refitting to go voyaging, exploring new horizons both inner and outer. This blog is about that voyage and the preparations for it. In spite of the odds against it, the plan is to sail away this fall and lay a course southward. If you follow this blog your interest may provide some of the energy that helps fuel the journey.
Namaste
Contact him at svpaxboat@gmail.com
View all posts by Fred Bailey
Very cool Fred!
Cheers,
Ivana
THANK YOU!
Fred