Here's a virtual tour of the Kwisitis Interpretive Centre (formerly the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre) in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. I worked with Donald Gunn Design on the redesign, doing research and writing for the project. In the video, you'll see Donald leading the tour.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Family Legacy of Tofino Surf
Here's a great video with Raph and Catherine Bruhwiler and Catherine's son, Kalum, talking about growing up surfing in Tofino. From Got Surf.
Float House Living in Clayoquot Sound
Here's an article by Phillip Vannini from The Tyee profiling some of those living off the grid and on the water in Clayoquot Sound.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Great Tsunami of Hype
I've been holding my tongue on this one, but since the chatter has settled down, I'll have at it. I am not saying that the debris from the devastating tsunami in Japan last March is not coming our way, but it's not here yet. (At least the bulk of it. There are a few exceptions — large fishing floats washing up in Oregon were confirmed to be from the tsunami. More on that below.) A few bottles with Japanese/Korean/Chinese writing on them is nothing new and I'm a bit distressed that people don't realize that. This stuff is always on our beaches (and yes, toothbrushes and kiddie socks, too!) so the cause-and-effect — there was a tsunami here so, ergo, all of that Asian garbage on our beaches is from that tsunami — is not lining up.
Ocean currents do not make a beeline across the Pacific. There are large currents - most quite slow moving - that circulate ocean around the Pacific and the world. This link shows the moving of the debris and modelling that predicts when we might expect the bulk of the debris. Of course it is going to depend on the "floatability" of the debris, but there's not much here yet. What there is though, is a lot of ships out in the Pacific, tossing their crap over the side.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not saying this is not an important issue, but it's too soon to equate the tsunami with the debris. Snarkiness aside, I am glad the media ran with the story (well, sort of, because so few of them did any good research) because we do need to start planning. I just hope it's not to early because when the bulk of the debris does begin to arrive, we need to have a plan. And it needs to be coordinated across jurisdictions. I just hope we haven't lost interest by then.
This article, by Tofino's Keven Drews, presented a balanced point of view. Thanks, Keven, for doing a bit of legwork to get a well-researched story that didn't ramp up the hype. And you can listen to a podcast from CBC's The Current, taped on the beach in Tofino, which does a pretty good job as well. Here it is.
I'm glad that the province will be setting us a tsunami debris working group - let's hope it gets done soon. In the meantime, do keep an eye on what's on the beaches and, as always, pick up the crap.
There is a good link here, written by Curtis Ebbesmeyer, who has been studying the activity of debris in the North Pacific for decades. Note that he says that debris could arrive by October, 2011, but qualifies that by saying it is large debris (really large) that would mostly be above water, thus being sailed by winds quite a bit faster than just travelling in an ocean current.
A local surf shop, Live to Surf, has been asking people to submit things they find on the beach. Here is their link.
Ocean currents do not make a beeline across the Pacific. There are large currents - most quite slow moving - that circulate ocean around the Pacific and the world. This link shows the moving of the debris and modelling that predicts when we might expect the bulk of the debris. Of course it is going to depend on the "floatability" of the debris, but there's not much here yet. What there is though, is a lot of ships out in the Pacific, tossing their crap over the side.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not saying this is not an important issue, but it's too soon to equate the tsunami with the debris. Snarkiness aside, I am glad the media ran with the story (well, sort of, because so few of them did any good research) because we do need to start planning. I just hope it's not to early because when the bulk of the debris does begin to arrive, we need to have a plan. And it needs to be coordinated across jurisdictions. I just hope we haven't lost interest by then.
This article, by Tofino's Keven Drews, presented a balanced point of view. Thanks, Keven, for doing a bit of legwork to get a well-researched story that didn't ramp up the hype. And you can listen to a podcast from CBC's The Current, taped on the beach in Tofino, which does a pretty good job as well. Here it is.
I'm glad that the province will be setting us a tsunami debris working group - let's hope it gets done soon. In the meantime, do keep an eye on what's on the beaches and, as always, pick up the crap.
There is a good link here, written by Curtis Ebbesmeyer, who has been studying the activity of debris in the North Pacific for decades. Note that he says that debris could arrive by October, 2011, but qualifies that by saying it is large debris (really large) that would mostly be above water, thus being sailed by winds quite a bit faster than just travelling in an ocean current.
A local surf shop, Live to Surf, has been asking people to submit things they find on the beach. Here is their link.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
On The Horizon
I've been working on this baby for years now, so I'm delighted (and relieved) to be able to tell you that Long Beach Wild [insert long subtitle here] will be released in April. We'll actually have a pre-release event here on the west coast as I'll be doing a presentation at the Pacific Rim Whale Festival. More launches, parties and general brouhaha to follow.
Since have lots more to share than I could squeeze in the pages of this book, I've started yet another blog where I'll post specific to Long Beach. (I'm hoping others will share photos, stories, memories, too.)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The Multi-Talented Mr. Booth
I'm not sure why I haven't posted this before. It always makes me laugh.
Squatterman is, of course, the multi-talented Duncan Booth. And thanks to Tofino Guide and Twitter (which I really need to get on more often) I learned that Duncan is starting a new podcast, The Booth.
The Booth - Episode 1
I started my Saturday by listening and you should too. (You get super bonus points for playing Tom Waits, Duncan!) Duncan is exactly the sort of person that makes it great to live in Tofino. This town is full of interesting, talented, creative people who just get things done. (And Duncan makes great food at The Wildside Grill, which is always appreciated.)
Squatterman is, of course, the multi-talented Duncan Booth. And thanks to Tofino Guide and Twitter (which I really need to get on more often) I learned that Duncan is starting a new podcast, The Booth.
The Booth - Episode 1
I started my Saturday by listening and you should too. (You get super bonus points for playing Tom Waits, Duncan!) Duncan is exactly the sort of person that makes it great to live in Tofino. This town is full of interesting, talented, creative people who just get things done. (And Duncan makes great food at The Wildside Grill, which is always appreciated.)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
This is a Test: Tofino's Tsunami Sirens
Tomorrow, Jan. 5, the District of Tofino is testing its tsunami sirens at Chesterman Beach and Cox Bay between 10 am and 1 pm. You can help the district assess their efficacy by taking this survey after the event.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Celebrating St. Columba in Song
Wow. A song and video created about Tofino's St. Columba Church. (Thanks to Malcolm Johnson for the head's up to this beauty via Twitter.)
This is an especially nice discovery because I am currently working with the ACW (Anglican Church Women) from St. Columba, writing a history of the church celebrating its centenary in 2013. We're planning a few get togethers so people can reminisce as Bev does in this video. If you'd like to share your stories (and photos), please leave a comment here or email me. (I'm also in the phonebook.)
St. Columba from Mike Edel on Vimeo.
This is an especially nice discovery because I am currently working with the ACW (Anglican Church Women) from St. Columba, writing a history of the church celebrating its centenary in 2013. We're planning a few get togethers so people can reminisce as Bev does in this video. If you'd like to share your stories (and photos), please leave a comment here or email me. (I'm also in the phonebook.)
Friday, December 9, 2011
A Tofino Christmas, 1904
I was given a little gift a few weeks ago, courtesy a couple doing a bit of purging — six boxes of old newspapers from the west coast. Only a history nerd like me would probably think that was cool, but I'm slowly going through the musty piles, gleaning some gems here and there. I'll share a few from time to time, but I thought that given the time of year, some of you might enjoy reading a bit about a Tofino Christmas before plastic (and electricity, water and sewer for that matter), circa 1904, written by Alma Sloman. Alma was the first child — and only daughter — of Jacob Arnet, one of the area's first settlers, and his wife, Johanna. This was printed in The Sound in December 1990. (Copyright gods, please forgive me for the direct cut-and-paste, but I feel fairly confident that all involved will be okay with this.)
A Child's Christmas in Tofino, 1904
By Alma Sloman (nee Arnet)
I was born on December 22, 1897, at what is now known as Grice Bay. Our home was across the bay at Metla Moses. In the native Indian tongue "Metla" is understood to mean "between" and it could be that it means a point of land between bodies of water. 1897 is a long time ago and I have these many years of memories to look back on.
As my birthday was so close to Christmas it was a very special time of year for me. I am remembering back to the beginning of this century — about 1904 — and my family had settled in Tofino by that time. What an exciting time of the year it was and what a busy time it was. There was the baking to be done and the cooking to be done and, of course, the cleaning and polishing of every corner of our house!
My father would cut a pine tree and it would be set up in our living room. My mother had saved ribbons and brightly coloured paper during the year and we would decorate the tree with them, cutting and forming the paper into attractive shapes. Cedar boughs were brought in and placed above pictures and about the house.
I helped my mother with the baking and what a lot of baking there was to do before Christmas. The steamed puddings had already been made a month or so before and were mellowing in their bowls. Ours was a Norwegian Christmas so we made sugar cookies and lefse with its delicate cardamom flavour (spread with butter and sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, it was food for the gods!). We made fatigmands and jule kaka, which is more commonly known as Christmas stollen. It is a sweet bread with the addition of raisins and other dried fruits and nuts and while still warm an icing glaze is applied. We made krum kaker which when baked we quickly rolled around a wooden shape that formed them into cones. When served, they were filled with whipped cream and were so delicious.
My father had a herd of Herefords — those lovely red and white beef cattle — and we had the black and white Holsteins for milking so there was plenty of rich cream and fresh milk. My mother would make her own sweet butter. She had two dozen Leghorns — those big white chickens with the bright yellow legs — so we had fresh eggs.
My mother would make me a dress for Christmas and this would be sewn on her hand-operated sewing machine. It was made in Germany in 1885 and my mother brought it from Norway when she came to Canada in 1896. It was one of her most prized possessions and my mother made most of our clothing with this sewing machine.
Our Christmas dinner usually consisted of stuffed wild goose and venison and gravy and mashed potatoes, carrots, and turnips. I was the eldest in my family and you can imagine the fun we had in later years when I had been joined by my six brothers! We all sat around the big table that had been made by my father and there was so much joy and laughter. In memory, I can still feel the warmth that was given off by our big "Majestic" wood stove. There was a compartment for water at one end so we always had plenty of hot water. It was ladled out for dishwashing or personal use. My parents and any guests who had shared in the dinner would have their coffee — it was sipped in the Norwegian fashion, a cube of sugar being placed in the mouth to sweeten it.
We bought our major supplies at Mr. Walter Dawley's store over at Clayoquot (Stubbs Island) — there was no store in Tofino in those days. I can remember some of the ships that served the area and most of the West Coast. There was the Maude, Queen City, Willapa and Tees and as they all called at Clayoquot at various times, we were not entirely isolated. We would row over in our boat and my mother would look for suitable materials for the clothing she made. At Christmas time Mr. Dawley always gave us a five-pound tin of hard candies and included in the assortment would be a long ribbon candy so hard and brightly coloured, and there were "satins" in pastel shades with coconut centres. And we had apples and oranges and nuts, too.
Sometimes we had snow for Christmas but I remember the weather being pretty much as it is now. When we visited our neighbours at Christmas it was by boat. We went everywhere by boat as there was no road and the trees came right down to the water's edge in those days. I can remember visiting our neighbours, the Wingens. They still lived at Metla Moses and Mr. Wingen operated a sawmill there.
After visiting, it was back to the coziness of our home and I remember the coal oil lamps and the welcoming glow they shed. And I remember the beautiful braided rugs made by my mother and myself and how pretty the room looked. And sitting there near the Christmas tree was my doll, given to me by the doctor in Ucluelet. She had a china face with pale pink cheeks and her blue eyes opened and closed. She had blonde hair and wore a blue organdie dress with matching blue shoes and real silk sockettes.
One last peek at the tree and then off to bed after an exciting fun-filled Christmas Day in Tofino, eighty-six years ago.
[Published in The Sound, Vol. 1, No. 21, page 7.]
A Child's Christmas in Tofino, 1904
By Alma Sloman (nee Arnet)
I was born on December 22, 1897, at what is now known as Grice Bay. Our home was across the bay at Metla Moses. In the native Indian tongue "Metla" is understood to mean "between" and it could be that it means a point of land between bodies of water. 1897 is a long time ago and I have these many years of memories to look back on.
As my birthday was so close to Christmas it was a very special time of year for me. I am remembering back to the beginning of this century — about 1904 — and my family had settled in Tofino by that time. What an exciting time of the year it was and what a busy time it was. There was the baking to be done and the cooking to be done and, of course, the cleaning and polishing of every corner of our house!
My father would cut a pine tree and it would be set up in our living room. My mother had saved ribbons and brightly coloured paper during the year and we would decorate the tree with them, cutting and forming the paper into attractive shapes. Cedar boughs were brought in and placed above pictures and about the house.
I helped my mother with the baking and what a lot of baking there was to do before Christmas. The steamed puddings had already been made a month or so before and were mellowing in their bowls. Ours was a Norwegian Christmas so we made sugar cookies and lefse with its delicate cardamom flavour (spread with butter and sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, it was food for the gods!). We made fatigmands and jule kaka, which is more commonly known as Christmas stollen. It is a sweet bread with the addition of raisins and other dried fruits and nuts and while still warm an icing glaze is applied. We made krum kaker which when baked we quickly rolled around a wooden shape that formed them into cones. When served, they were filled with whipped cream and were so delicious.
My father had a herd of Herefords — those lovely red and white beef cattle — and we had the black and white Holsteins for milking so there was plenty of rich cream and fresh milk. My mother would make her own sweet butter. She had two dozen Leghorns — those big white chickens with the bright yellow legs — so we had fresh eggs.
My mother would make me a dress for Christmas and this would be sewn on her hand-operated sewing machine. It was made in Germany in 1885 and my mother brought it from Norway when she came to Canada in 1896. It was one of her most prized possessions and my mother made most of our clothing with this sewing machine.
Our Christmas dinner usually consisted of stuffed wild goose and venison and gravy and mashed potatoes, carrots, and turnips. I was the eldest in my family and you can imagine the fun we had in later years when I had been joined by my six brothers! We all sat around the big table that had been made by my father and there was so much joy and laughter. In memory, I can still feel the warmth that was given off by our big "Majestic" wood stove. There was a compartment for water at one end so we always had plenty of hot water. It was ladled out for dishwashing or personal use. My parents and any guests who had shared in the dinner would have their coffee — it was sipped in the Norwegian fashion, a cube of sugar being placed in the mouth to sweeten it.
We bought our major supplies at Mr. Walter Dawley's store over at Clayoquot (Stubbs Island) — there was no store in Tofino in those days. I can remember some of the ships that served the area and most of the West Coast. There was the Maude, Queen City, Willapa and Tees and as they all called at Clayoquot at various times, we were not entirely isolated. We would row over in our boat and my mother would look for suitable materials for the clothing she made. At Christmas time Mr. Dawley always gave us a five-pound tin of hard candies and included in the assortment would be a long ribbon candy so hard and brightly coloured, and there were "satins" in pastel shades with coconut centres. And we had apples and oranges and nuts, too.
Sometimes we had snow for Christmas but I remember the weather being pretty much as it is now. When we visited our neighbours at Christmas it was by boat. We went everywhere by boat as there was no road and the trees came right down to the water's edge in those days. I can remember visiting our neighbours, the Wingens. They still lived at Metla Moses and Mr. Wingen operated a sawmill there.
After visiting, it was back to the coziness of our home and I remember the coal oil lamps and the welcoming glow they shed. And I remember the beautiful braided rugs made by my mother and myself and how pretty the room looked. And sitting there near the Christmas tree was my doll, given to me by the doctor in Ucluelet. She had a china face with pale pink cheeks and her blue eyes opened and closed. She had blonde hair and wore a blue organdie dress with matching blue shoes and real silk sockettes.
One last peek at the tree and then off to bed after an exciting fun-filled Christmas Day in Tofino, eighty-six years ago.
[Published in The Sound, Vol. 1, No. 21, page 7.]
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
A Drifter's Log & Performance Anxiety
Last Thursday evening I experienced an event that gave me a little boost at this busy time of year. It was one of those events where I was so happy to be a Tofino "local." Although tourists would have loved the event too, no doubt, there was a special "in" for those of us who knew the performers and much of what they spoke of in the event, "Performance Anxiety," which was put on by several writers in the Clayoquot Writers' Group. So thanks Chris, Jo, David, greg and Janice (with help from Reno, Jan, Jan and Therese) for a wonderful evening, that came just at the perfect time for me.
Joanna wrote a bit about it and shared some of her haiku on her blog, Drifter's Log, which you should all check out!
I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to attend (or give) a traditional "reading."
Joanna wrote a bit about it and shared some of her haiku on her blog, Drifter's Log, which you should all check out!
I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to attend (or give) a traditional "reading."
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