Sept 4 – Day 123 Burdwood Group and Echo Bay

 Sept 4 – Day 123  Burdwood Group  and  Echo Bay

 

It started raining in the middle of the night and hasn’t stopped, so much for summer.

 

Echo Bay is the new target.    There was quite a bit of wind today.   We made it to the dock in Echo without incident.  About 15 minutes later when Willard and Diane came in it was a bit more challenging for them.  Their boat is a lot lighter so it was pushed around by the winds more.   We got them to the dock and then a bit later moved them to another dock further inside the marina.   

 

On approach

 

 

Swing set and fire pit

 

Echo Bay was sold in May 2020 to the first nations native community.   It’s been a rough go for them since with the lack of visitors due to Covid in 2020 and again in 2021.   In early February 2021 there was a big windstorm which broke all the docks off the main dock and just jumbled them in the bay hanging on their anchors.  The main dock was also damaged and broke apart.   A young man named Jackson who had a lot of experience with building docks for logging camps was hired for a 3-week task of putting the docks back together.   He got that job done and is still there.  Now as the harbormaster and doer of all tasks.   He is actually the only staff person there now and the only year-round employee; and will be here all winter.  We had a nice chat with him.   He said that they only had about 200-225 moorage guests all summer this year.  There were 4 boats in for the night tonight.   Sounds like Pierre sold at just the right time.  Jackson reported that Pierre is doing ok (has MS) and is living in Ladysmith near their grandkids.

We walked over to Billy Proctor’s and had a nice visit with him and of course looked at his museum.   He is doing great and looks great at his 86 years.   He still goes fishing 3 times a week and goes over to Port McNeil to “restock his double stuff Oreos” and visit one of his daughters every 10 days or so.   For those who don’t know Billy’s story.   He has lived all over the place but most of his life on Gilford Island (opposite side from Echo Bay).  He started collecting ‘stuff as he calls it’ at the age of 5 and clearly loves doing that.  He has an amazing collection of old tools, native artifacts, trading beads from the Capt. Vancouver days, old bottles of every kind and color, etc…   

 

 

 

Just a sample of the yard art.  There is lots more inside the ‘tool room’

 

Spirits

Medicine

 

 

Things never change

 

Fossils

 

Native tools

 

 

Visiting with Billy

 

He still tends to his gardens and has things like beets, broccoli, potatoes, etc… just waiting for his next meal.  His book and gift shop has lots of photographs, cards, pillows and other gift ware, as well as a supply of books including those he wrote or others wrote about his life.  Diane bought a couple books, and of course we gave a donation to his museum.     He said that visitors have been fewer this summer but during the heat of the summer (July) he seemed to get a few every day.   He is great to talk to, and we hope to see him again on our next visit.

There was no cell service in Echo but they do have internet access for moorage guests.  So I was able to upload and download some emails, but nothing with attachments. 

Photo of photo from Billy’s place – pictograph what we missed

 

Other great photos – not mine – seen at Billy’s

 

 

Billy’s dock and view

 

 

Every place has it’s weather report

Sept 3 – Day 122 Kingcome to Simoon Sound

 Sept 3 – Day 122   Kingcome to Simoon Sound

It had rained a bit during the night and a little in the early morning, but by about 9am the rain had stopped and it was clearing a bit.   Sky was still gray but not wet.

 

Weighed anchor and started the move.   As we went out of the inlet we looked for the other ‘old’ pictograph.   We found a bunch of pictures painted on the rock walls as well as a lot of clearly graffiti.   Not sure if any of these are the ‘old native pictographs’ or not. I’d say many are graffiti.

 

To the right and slightly above the sign, unidentifiable drawing

 

Looks like stenciled graffiti to me

 

Historical – mentioned in books

 

Likely graffiti

???

 

 

Historical or at least old – written up in books

 

 

Moved on to the McIntosh Bay and dropped anchor.  The prawn pots had been dropped off on our way in.   Found one site with more old piling, which looked to have been a dock over the water.

Later in the afternoon the harvesters went out to pull the prawn pots.  Harvest was an understatement.  They came back with 3 gallons of prawn and shrimp, mostly large prawn this time.   Yippee.  Processing for fresh eating and freezing the rest was the next order of business.

 

 

Yes we have Prawn!

 

Need more bowls!

 

Fresh Crab and Prawn for dinner tonight.

Sept 2 – Day 121 Claydon Bay to Kingcome Inlet

 Sept 2 – Day 121    Claydon Bay to Kingcome Inlet

Woke up to chilly fog.  Looks like it will burn off and be another sunny day.   Glen slept in while I did my normal morning routine – a bit of exercise and working on computer-based projects.  

 

The crew went out to retrieve the pots and came home with another half bucket, I think we’re set for a while.

On way out we paused outside Sullivan Bay as we passed by so Glen could run in with the Jet Boat and get all the excursion tanks filled with fuel.  

In route we saw many areas in the hills that we clearly carved by glaciers and very likely had hanging glaciers a one point.   Saw the rock peaks of the mountains seen yesterday from different angles and sides.   The glacier on Mt Walter which Nimmo Bay flies tours to was also visible.  The hills in this area climb right out of the water and go up quite a ways, 1,000-2,000 feet a few to 3,000 feet and are very steep.  You can see areas that have been logged in the past, and many areas where slides have cleared paths through the trees.  

 

We anchored in Anchorage Cove in Kingcome Inlet.  The water is that milky green, consistent with river and glacier runoff.   There was what appeared to be an old logging road, base just behind our anchoring spot but we did not go ashore to investigate.  

 

Looking up the valley toward the native village; somewhere up there out of sight

Looking the other way, the middle white dot is our boats at anchor.   There is snow in the hills above

 

Went for our excursion and saw large meadow at river delta, but no bear.  The river was shallow so we did not try to go up.  There is a native village up some distance upriver.   There was a dock and float plane ‘bus stop’ for the native community.  There was one small float plane at the dock but it looked out of commission with black burn marks along the side coming from the engine area --- that must have been a bad day.  We saw two planes come into that dock doing pick-up and delivery.   There was also a land-based logging operation near the river delta.

 

 

There were several signs posted in the area identifying the land as Native territory, and also saying that do to Covid they are closed to all visitors.

Near the seaplane base we saw a very large ‘modern’ pictograph on a rock wall.  We later read about it in the Waggoners book.   The artist, Marianne Nicolson is from this  native community and there was quite a bit of controversy as to if it should be allowed.   It is 38 feet tall and 28 feet wide.

 

 

Apparently there is another ‘old historical’ pictograph about a ½ mile down but we did not see it.  Will have to look for it when we leave this inlet.   There were a couple places with lots of piling and remains of an old pier with some of the floor/decking planks still there. No far from there was another area with an old boiler on the shore, so there likely was a cannery in the area at one point.  Near there was a river outlet which was very rocky, but those rocks created small waterfall type areas.  Very pretty, but just needed a bear to be wonderful.  There were two birds swimming in the area which was nice since there were no bear. 

 

 

Weird simples appeared to be painted on this rock …  fish?

 

 

 

 

Hegams (Hopetown), Atlatixu (Wakeman), Gwayl (Kingcome), and Gwa’yasdums (Gilford) locations identified

  

 

As we zipped by I happened to see a cross shaped monument up in the bushes.  It looked like a memorial.  We went back and Glen climbed the rocks to see what it said.  It was the memorial for three natives who likely passed in a boating incident.  

 

Across the bay was a helicopter logging operation in the area, which has its water base camp on an old freighter.   

 

Interesting natural colors on the rock walls.

Sun is setting

Sept 1 – Day 122 Claydon Bay for 2nd night

 Sept 1 – Day 122 Claydon Bay for 2^nd night

Beautiful sunny day.  Summer is here!  

We harvested crab and shrimp and prawn and reset the pots.   

 

No Glen this is not a pictograph, it is bird doo

 

Our daily exploration included going through ‘Roaring Hole’, which was not roaring/running very fast, which was fine by me.  

End of the line on this tour

 

One massive Cedar stump, and lots of moss on trees

 

 

Bathtub with a view

 

 

Yard Art??  Appears to be an old compressor

 

 

 

We explored every nook and cranny that Glen found and went slowly by Nimmo Bay to see what was happening there.  Nimmo Bay is an exclusive resort which many of the rich and famous go to.  Guests are flown in by Helicopter and stay in a variety of small cabins on the beach or other larger buildings set back into the woods a bit.  We got a tour of the place some years ago (while guests were out for the day) and the place is amazing.  We had seen two of their fishing boats go out early in the day, and those were not back yet.  We chatted with some of the staff and watched as they loaded an elderly couple onto one of their ‘landing craft’ style boats to head out.  They had them seated outside in the sun with what appeared to be heavy fleece lined blankets/lap wraps.  One of the staff asked us if we had been here before and welcomed us back, he also said that we were the first USA boat they’d seen this summer.  They also said that they were still doing fine regardless of the Covid situation and restrictions.  They have a new lodge building which they use for meals and gatherings; it is beautiful.  The old lodge building appears to be being used as a gathering facility.  There was a table and chairs, and couches and coffee table, antic china hutch, and crystal chandelier outside under the cover by the front door.  Looked like a cozy outdoor living room.  Through the windows you could see tables set up for games – card, chess, etc… in what had been the dining room.  One of the other buildings is now a gym facility with workout equipment looking out the windows.  The new lodge is bigger and looks to be of a more modern style from the outside and had black trim rather than the normal red of the old lodge.   The ‘party barge/deck’ has been moved over to in front of the new lodge and looks much the same but all the Adirondack chairs around the fire pit are also now black instead of red.   The place looks great.

On our way out of the bay, we spotted the boat that took the couple and they were very close to shore down the bay.  Thinking that they might have spotted a bear on the beach we went that way.  No bear, and they were off loading their guests onto the beach.  We turned and headed out.  I glanced back and noticed that a blanket was being laid out on the beach for them, and also noticed a large bag.   Humm, my guess is that they were having a private intimate ‘picnic’.   We know that Nimmo is known for things like ‘chocolate, strawberries, and champagne served on a blanket on a glacier’, or whatever the guests want.  This couple clearly wanted some time on a beach in this beautiful setting.  The lodge boat left them and headed back to the lodge.  

 

Old lodge repurposed

 

 

The new lodge

 

On the way back to our anchorage we looked for but never found the pictographs on the rock walls near Nimmo.  We know they are there, just could not spot them this year.

 

Glen and I left Claydon Bay about 3:30pm and made the run out to James Point so that I could get internet and cell service to attend an NSP board meeting.   Got there anchored up, in between some large rocks, small islands, with views all around.  Glen read while I attended my ‘zoom’ meeting.  After business was done we pulled anchor and went back to Claydon Bay getting there about 7:30 pm where the Sea Life and crew were waiting for us.   They had spent the afternoon check crab and prawn pots – harvest was good, processing said harvest, and relaxing on the deck in the warm sunshine.   By about 8pm the ‘dew had dropped in’ and the decks were damp and somewhat slippery.  

We visited, played some cribbage and went outside to look at the stars.  There are no lights around here, and there were no clouds in the sky.   Jupiter was out clear as day, and with the high powered binocs we could see it’s moons again.  There were millions of stars out and visible.  The big dipper seemed huge and little dipper was easy to spot too.  The Milky Way and many constellations were fun to spot and try to identify.  There was a dampness and chill in the air, so we called it a night.   

Great day in paradise.