Stepping away from politics, helter skelter weather forecasts and the rare beauty of our B.C. coast for a moment… I'd like to tell you about the beers (oops I mean bears 😏and trees of our summer so far.
First there was the troublesome, young, male Grizzly that had apparently been
're-located from somewhere near Sechelt to an area where he couldn't disturb his human neighbours anymore…. OOPS, seems he didn't like his new digs and relocated himself to the outskirts of Powell River… right into the neighbourhood where we were visiting friends. He actually trashed a small fishing boat that was tied up one slip away from where we used to stay when we visited; absolutely tore the boat apart (seeking prawn bate they think).
We learned quite a bit about bears during our visit; like the fact that most folks aren't too worried about the black ones as they remain shy and willing to take off if they hear or see you or you make the big loud noise. They also make a funny cough-like sound while they move through the bush. It's hard to replicate the "koph" but once you've heard it you don't forget it. I've heard the koph on two different occasions thereafter; the first while anchored in Prideaux Haven one evening when a bear must have been at the shore very near a boat that was shore tied (we were swinging) and then moved (very quickly) along a path paralleling the shore… kophing all the way. I listened diligently as he (or she) sped along the trail and finally moved out of hearing… spooky. I've heard the koph again, right here in our current anchorage, last night and the night before and, same thing, the bear moved quickly along his path and was out of ear shot quite quickly. (Is that correct? "Ear shot"… what a funny phrase).
We also learned that while black bears are happy to take off if they hear or see you, brown bears are a different kettle of fish (another old saying) and to be avoided. And then, there's the grizzly; not to be toyed with and certainly to be avoided at all costs (yet another). It seems the Powell River grizzly ( a young male seeking his own territory) tired of terrorizing PR and moved on. He swam from PR to Texada Island and arrived not too long before we pulled in to Sturt Bay (also on Texada island). One of the things we like about the that community and location is the friendly people and the opportunity to walk trails. Not so this trip. Grizz had arrived and left his calling card at the entrance to the ship yard across the bay from our marina. Signs were posted and all were discouraged from trail walking, etc. [Harumph… a fellow on the boat shore tied next to us just coughed…. Got my attention as it sounded just like a bear!]
Anyway, that's my news about bears.
The other interesting thing is that, to date, we have heard three large trees come crashing down…in different locations (Laura Cove, Roscoe Bay, and Hardy Island). It's rather unnerving as they have been (by their sound) large trees and they have cracked and fallen when there was no wind or other obvious reasons. Sadly it feels like this is a product of the earth heating up and normally moist environments drying up. I hope I'm wrong.
BUT FOR NOW we are safely anchored, enjoying the heat and warm water swimming and will continue our journey south in about a week. I hope all your trees are upright and you never have to meet a Grizzly in the wild. CJ
PS: no photos this time. I'm not getting close enough to take a pic of a bear… and you know what trees look like 😀
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