Category Archives: First Nations

Reprint – The Great Pacific Garbage Reality

Asia, Beachcombing, Earthquake, Environment, First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans, Fishing, Foreign, Glass Balls, History, Incidents, Information, Japan, Lighthouses, News, On The Job, Recreation, Reprint, Shipwrecks, Tsunami, , , , , , , , ,

May 27, 2012 – copied from the LA Times

The great Pacific garbage reality. It’s not tsunami debris we should fear; it’s the trash clogging our oceans – Usha Lee McFarling

I received permission today to reprint this article written by Usha Lee McFarling supporting the theory expressed in my story  Japanese Debris On The BC Coast – Is it from the Tsunami?

In thirty-two (32) years living on and beachcombing the British Columbia (BC) coast in many different areas, I still believe that the press is making a big, and false, hoopla over this.

Sure, every year debris comes on the western North American (NA) coasts in the wintertime – a lot of it from Asia (not only Japan!). This year seems to be an exceptionally good year for garbage with tides and currents working well together to bring it to the NA shores, and the debris is also supplemented by the Japanese tsunami of March 2011. Don’t panic! It has been happening every year, with or without the tsunami!

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The Story from Ms. McFarling:

Harley-Davidson ( Peter Mark / Kyodo News, Associated Press / May 2, 2012 ) A rusting Harley-Davidson from Miyagi prefecture, Japan, was discovered on a remote beach in British Columbia in late April and photographed May 2.

For months, West Coast residents have been bracing for an onslaught of items drifting toward us since last spring’s tsunami in northeastern Japan, which swept apartment buildings, cars, even entire villages, into the sea.

Now we are seeing the first trickle of that debris. A ghost ship arrived in the Gulf of Alaska this spring. A rusting Harley Davidson from Miyagi prefecture was discovered on a remote beach in British Columbia. A soccer ball found on an Alaskan island and marked with a personal message was returned to its delighted teenage owner in the tsunami-devastated town of Rikuzentakata.

Like dreams — or nightmares — these wayward bits of other people’s lives bring us closer to the distant disaster. They make the world smaller. A number of groups have started projects to reunite recovered possessions with their former owners. And one beachside town in Oregon is hoping tsunami “treasure hunting” will result in increased tourism.

But now that the first unlikely items have reached us, we’re also beginning to worry: Will the debris be radioactive? Will human remains turn up? Will mountains of scrap cover our beaches? One blogger callously suggested the Japanese government should pay for the cleanup.

Such reactions reveal a torrent of misconception. Continue reading Reprint – The Great Pacific Garbage Reality →

What is Harper Afraid of? – by Franke James

Beachcombing, British Columbia, Canada, Environment, First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans, Fishing, Game, Government, History, Incidents, Information, Lighthouses, News, Oil Spills, Recreation, Reprint, Ships & Shipping, Shipwrecks, Travel, Weather, Wildlife, , , , , ,

The full content of this pictograph is available here on Franke James website. Please read it, send a letter, even if you live outside Canada, to let the Canadian Prime Minister know that what he is doing is WRONG!

More –>

The Lightkeepers by Graham Chandler

Adult Memories, Anti-Automation, Automation, Beachcombing, British Columbia, Coast Guard, Communication, Equipment, First Nations, Fishing, Government, Groceries & Mail, Hobbies, Keepers, Lighthouses, Medical, Medical Emergency, Military, Old Website, On The Job, Radio, Recipes, Recreation, Search & Rescue, Ships & Shipping, Storms, Visitors, , , , , , ,

Originally published in the January/February 2007 issue of Legion Magazine

We hadn’t expected gourmet Hungarian goulash served up on Royal Doulton china. But at the Cape Scott light station on the remote northwestern tip of Vancouver Island–a place that is normally engulfed in wet grey and storms–today is an exception. The sky is azure, there’s not a puff of wind, and Principal Keeper Harvey Humchitt and his partner Assistant Keeper Todd Maliszewski have house guests.

After sweating through 24 kilometres of squishy rain forest trails we’re no match for the fine linens and silver flatware spread impeccably before us on the dining table. The trek through the forest is the only way to get here without a boat or helicopter. After a couple of greeting barks from their dog Lady, Humchitt welcomes us to Cape Scott. Continue reading The Lightkeepers by Graham Chandler →

Illness at Boat Bluff Lighthouse 1970s

Adult Memories, Boats, British Columbia, Canada, Children, Coast Guard, Communication, First Nations, Helicopters, Keepers, Lighthouses, Medical, Medical Emergency, Old Website, On The Job, Seaplanes, Storms, Transportation, Travel, Women, , , , , , ,

The following memory was passed on to me by Margit Losel. It happened during their time at Boat Bluff in the years 1977 – 1980. They were lucky! They were able to get off and on the lighthouse. Some stations were too isolated for this method to work. – retlkpr

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Boat Bluff c.1970s - photo Ray McKenzie

We were living on Boat Bluff Light and my oldest son Simon was an infant. He developed a very bad case of Croup. One stormy night he all but stopped breathing and we tried frantically to get some help.

We finally managed to get a radio patch through Bull Harbour Coast Guard Radio with a doctor in Bella Bella. The radio reception was so poor that the connection with the doctor broke up all the time, but we did understand that Simon needed medical attention as soon as possible.

Let’s Play Russian Roulette with the Spirit Bear

Beachcombing, Boats, British Columbia, Cruise Ship, Equipment, First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans, Fishing, Game, Government, History, Incidents, Kayak, Lighthouses, Oil Spills, Ships & Shipping, Shipwrecks, Storms, Travel, Visitors, Weather, Wildlife, , , , , , , , , , , ,

You all know my feelings about the Enbridge Pipeline project (aka Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines) currently being proposed for British Columbia. I am definitely against it. During my years on the BC lighthouses I saw many examples of poorly managed mines and fisheries. Let us stop this one before it gets started and one oil spill creates havoc on our beautiful BC coast. Please read this student’s opinion. – retlkpr

Posted by  from the Bishop’s University Student Newspaper

March 1, 2012 9:24 pm

Sure, they’re irreplaceable, but who cares?

We all like oil, because we like the benefits that come from oil: like our heat and our gasoline.  But we’re all hypocrites, because we don’t like to see the oil, pay for it, or sacrifice our lifestyles for it. —more

Click for larger image

Roy Henry Vickers – Native Art Extraordinaire

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Trial island - Roy Henry Vickers

I met Roy in Smithers, British Columbia at the Heartstrings store where he was signing some of his works. I mentioned that I was writing about the BC lighthouses and their keepers and said that I would look him up one day to promote his work. On his website it says:

 

Canadian artist Roy Henry Vickers is best known around the world for his limited edition prints. He is also an accomplished carver, design advisor of prestigious public spaces, a sought-after keynote speaker, and publisher and author of several successful books.

In addition, he is a recognized leader in the First Nations community, and a tireless spokesperson for recovery from addictions and abuse.

Roy has received many awards and honours for his art and community involvement. Among them are a hereditary chieftainship and several hereditary names he has received from Northwest Coast First Nations. – with permission Roy Henry Vickers website

I purchased the above card as it showed Trial Island lighthouse in the distance, but according to Roy, he has many more lighthouse art prints. If they arrive before this gets online, I will add them here; if not, later. Continue reading Roy Henry Vickers – Native Art Extraordinaire →

The Wise Raven

Adult Memories, First Nations, Lighthouses, Weather, Wildlife, , , , , , , ,

The following video came in an email today and it brought back memories of the ravens that lived near my old lighthouse at McInnes Island. Ravens are very intelligent!

 

Orion constellation (south)

I was on the early morning shift for most of my time there. I loved it! Every morning very early (about 03:00) I walked from the house up through the trees in the dark with coffee cup in hand for the first weather report of the morning. It was such a delight if the sky was clear to see the constellations I recognized. One could almost tell the time by their position in the sky, especially with Orion, the hunter. Continue reading The Wise Raven →

Howard Frazer Chamberlin Family Adventures c.1930s

Adult Memories, Childhood Memories, Children, Communication, Equipment, First Nations, Foreign, Government, History, Incidents, Information, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, Medical Emergency, Military, News, Old Website, On The Job, Operators, Pensions, Radio, Stories, Submarines, Women, , , , , , , , , , , ,

– Narrated by Sharlene Macintosh with help from her cousin Zellie Chamberlin Sale (granddaughters of Howard Frazer Chamberlin, lighthouse keeper c. 1930 – 1941)

Nootka Light -photo - Bill Maximick of Maximick Originals

My grandfather was Howard Frazer Chamberlin who was lightkeeper at a few lighthouses around Vancouver Island  – Nootka , Pine Island , Quatsino , Trial Island  come to mind – my Mom knows them all. His brother, Charles Benjamin Chamberlin was also assistant at Nootka.

My Mom, Mina Peet (née Chamberlin) was born in Oct 1933 while her Dad was a lightkeeper. He originally did various jobs such as farming, prospecting, trapping, and logging with horses. He had a sawmill at Coombs, BC and he was injured while logging with horses on Vancouver Island. He was put into hospital where he met my grandmother Dora Anna Wordsell who was a nurse. 

They married December 12, 1928 in Nanaimo, BC. They had three daughters: Connie (who died in 1985), Pearl, and Mina. The first child, a son, died up near Prince Rupert, BC right after birth, so my grandmother was sent the next time to New Westminster, BC  to give birth (at a real hospital) where her parents lived, and the second two times to Victoria, BC.  Continue reading Howard Frazer Chamberlin Family Adventures c.1930s →

Strathcona Regional District Backs Down

Automation, British Columbia, Canada, First Nations, Government, Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, Lighthouses, , , ,

From the Canada.com website 

(NOTE: This is an image from the website. If the text is too small, hold down the CTRL key (lower left) on your keyboard and rotate the middle wheel on your mouse. The text will become larger or smaller depending on which direction you move the mouse wheel.) This applies to all websites and sites on the Internet.)

In Memorium – Albert Bartle (1915 – 1996)

Adult Memories, First Nations, Fishing, In Memorium, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Recreation, Wildlife, , , , ,

 

Albert Bartle

Albert Bartle (October 11, 1915 in Winnipeg, Manitoba – July 5, 1996 in Victoria, BC) – Relief Keeper.
 
More on his life here
 
-from Rodger Konkle (son-in-Law of Albert Bartle)

To include your memories in Albert’s memorial please click this link.

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As Albert has not too many words written about him, perhaps these short memories will add some colour to his life. – retlkpr

Alaska King Crab 

Cooked Alaska King Crab – photo David B. Fankhauser website

While on Pine Island, Al [Bartle] and Ralph [Emerich] put down a crab trap off the highline and put chicken scraps in the trap. The next morning they pulled up the trap and had an Alaska King Crab. Great eating! They did not know that the King crabs came this far south. 

– Jean (Bartle) Konkle (Daughter of Albert Bartle, Relief Keeper) 

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Eagles Bathing 

Eagles bathing – photo Jim Robertson – Wildlife Photography website

While on Scarlett Point, Vivian Hunt, a First Nations person that lived on the island about ½ mile down from the lighthouse took us for a hike up the mountain on a trail that he had hand cut with a machete, to a small lake. While there we witnessed over 50 Eagles having a bath in the fresh water after feeding in salt water. That island [Scarlett] is a gorgeous site. Al [Bartle] caught a 20 lb. red snapper right off the rocks in front of the lighthouse. 

– Jean (Bartle) Konkle (Daughter of Albert Bartle, Relief Keeper on Scarlett Point c. 1973) 

Fish for Dinner 

Sandheads lighthouse – now automated

Dad (Albert Bartle), when he was on Sandheads lighthouse (no women allowed), which has no room to do anything except walk around the boardwalk around the lighthouse, would put down a bucket on a rope and passing fish boats would fill the bucket with salmon, cod, crabs, shrimp, etc. He always said that it was much easier than going fishing.  – Jean (Bartle) Konkle (Daughter of Albert Bartle, Relief Keeper at Sandheads c. 1970s)