Island Ramblings

[galianomama]

What about the cougars that came right into downtown Victoria? I know they found one in the bottom of the Empress Hotel, and another time there was one in James Bay. Jumped through the basement window when the girl was getting dressed. she hid in the closet until the game wardens came and got it. I wonder if she ever got out.........

I think there are a lot of cougars around here, they hang out in the parks and for the most part you never see them. Dogs do disappear though. Usually just the annoying small ones. So, they do do us a favour :wink:

 

[galianomama]

Then there was the time my husband was checking over a house for structural damage. He went into the basement. You both would know the house, it use to be on the island highway, right across from the forestry museum in duncan. anyways, it was really old, dark, surrounded by large trees and lots of brush. wooden house, in really bad shape.

goes downstairs. the only way to get downstairs was from the outside, and you opened up these big 'barn doors'. had a dirt basement that someone had dug out, so it was only about 4 feet high. opens the doors wide, walks in hunched down, and staring at him face to face was a cougar. hanging upside down, they had just shot it the day before. good one. i would have been nice if they let him know it was there!!

 

[bevvyd]

Galianomama! Those poor doggies were only doing their job. Barking like an idiot for no good reason.

Yeah I don't know what it is about the Empress and cougars. Seems every year they go there. I wonder if there is a high tea for cougs or maybe the restaurants make a special meal for them.

 

[peapod]

I doubt if anyone believes us around here, but honest folks this is all true. This is the kind of thing that happens when you live on a rock, be it one beautiful rock

Galiniomama do you recall a few years ago a guy sitting in his office in victoria doing his job, minding his own business and a cougar comes crashing through the window chanced by police and conversation officers. Now that guy deserved a bonus! remember that one. Will have to see if I can dig it up...Now I am spending my lunch hour in the rain, who knows what I might find in a big puddle :wink:

 

[galianomama]

OMG, that reminds me of a story. Years ago my partner of the time and myself managed an old apartment building in victoria. it was up in the rockland mansion areas......huge place. so anyways, everytime it would rain, this one drain would get really plugged. i would don my gum boots (any excuse) and head out there to unplug it. there i am, literally up to my armpits, trying to get the bloody drain unplugged and up i haul a starfish! mean joke played on me by the tenants. too good.

 

[peapod]

Galaniomama all this cougar talking got me to thinking about Port Alice. I have not been up that way in a few years. So I started looking into making a trip up there, have you seen the price of real estate up there 8O I am thinking forget the shack on the beach on Quadra, I could go there on weekends, I am gonna go and check things out up there, and do myself a little fishing trip at the same time in the old stomping grounds. Make the plan stan to come with. Check out this site.

http://www.portalice.ca/house-sale.htm

When my father was building roads in Mahatta river, you could only get there by boat or plane, you had to launch from Port Alice. the trip to Mahatta river was some of the best scenery on this island. Actually I have a good fishing story about that. Me and my youngest brother were going from mahatta river to port alice by boat, he decided to try and fish some halibut. We had the family dog, west wing stricker the third, a golden retriever with the head of a lion Poor guy the ocean made him act like he was on drugs! There was so much going on it was to much for him to take in. Seals, sea lions, dolphins. He did not know where to look or bark, it was dog heaven for him. You had to watch the bugger tho, he would have no problem jumping overboard after a dolphin. They would be cruising along with us on all sides, up and over, up and over, it drove him nuts, he wanted a piece of them so much, he would go to one side of the boat than the other, like he was chasing his tail. Back to the halibut.

My brother knew where a Halibut shelf about a few miles after we started our journey we headed for the spot. He lined himself up He maneuvered back and forth scannning with the depth sounder until we hit the spot of 230 feet. You usually need two people to land a halibut. He dropped his line in, I do not fish halibut, to big game for me. I was happy to catch red snapper.

It takes around 15 minutes to wind a 25 pound halibut from that depth, we were there for over an hour. Let me tell you this, its very dangerous to have a live 75 pound halibut in your boat with the family dog! They can break your legs with their whipping tails, look out if they smash into you, he smashes into the dog who is barking his head off at the fish, overboard the dog goes, my brother is trying to smash the halibuts head in, which they say is hard to do because his brain is the size of a pea, I said pea, not peapod :lol: and their skulls are like steel.

so there is my brother beating down his halibut, and I am trying to get the dog back into the boat. I got my snapper hanging off the side about and a seal pops up and trys to steal it, the dog now want to go chase the seal. Look stricker you dumb ass dog, this is the ocean, you will be dead soon if you do not get back in this boat! My brother is still beating on the halibut, like a crazed norman bates! To much work and excitement landing the old halibut. Just about vanished now from these waters, thanks to trollers. Hey time to go home, catch you tomarrow

 

[peapod]

:lol: ah....life on the rock

Cougar Wanders into Downtown Building in Canada


VICTORIA, British Columbia, Sept 16 (Reuters)- Authorities hope to return a cougar to the wilderness after the big cat was discovered wandering on Wednesday inside a downtown building in British Columbia's capital city.

"It scared the crap out of me," said Craig Grebicki, an employee of Scott Plastics, who managed to trap the cougar in a room by throwing a chair against a door.

Conservation officers shot the cat with a tranquilliser dart and captured it without incident. It was unclear what prompted the cat, a three-year-old female, to enter the building, but officers described it as "extremely malnourished."

"She walked in right by one of our sales reps. He just saw the tail and at first he thought it was a dog," said Sheila Simpson, a company employee.

There have been a half-dozen cougar sightings in Victoria in the past three days, but authorities said the reports have come from a wide area so they do not know if this is the only big cat wandering around the city.

British Columbia has had a very dry summer this year, making it difficult for animals including cougars and bears to find enough food in the wild. A cougar was also recently captured prowling in a park in a Vancouver suburb.

 

[peapod]

Hard to believe that this could happen, it goes to show, appreciate every day you have, many times I ended up in the same aisle as daryl in bolens book store, me looking to read an adventure, he having lived so many. A great man with an abundance of humilty and kindness.

Famed climber dies rescuing cat from tree



VICTORIA—A renowned B.C. mountain climber has died from injuries sustained when he fell out of a tree while trying to rescue a cat.

Daryl Hatten, 49, lived much of his life on the edge of mountains and cliffs. He blazed trails in the Canadian Rockies and California's Yosemite National Park, as well as the Squamish Chief region north of Vancouver.

But Hatten died Saturday after falling from an arbutus tree soaked by heavy rains in suburban Langford. He slipped and dropped about 20 metres to a rocky patch while being paid to retrieve a large, black house cat for its owner. Hatten was rushed to Victoria General Hospital, where he died of severe internal injuries.

Friends in the climbing community are organizing a memorial service for Hatten Sept. 8 at his favourite climbing spot on the Squamish Chief, where some of his ashes will be spread.

"He believed some of the most worthwhile things you do in your life are the ones where the outcome is uncertain and he embraced that ideal," said Greg Foweraker, 42, an old climbing friend in Vancouver.

"Daryl's death will affect us all," said Kevin McLane, whose Elaho Publishing company produces guidebooks for climbers and mountaineers across B.C. "It really is the passing of a great legend."

Along with climber Eric Weinstein in 1975, Hatten accomplished the first free ascent of the Split Pillar on the Grand Wall of the Squamish Chief, which still stands as a hallmark climb, said McLane.

"Daryl lived to climb," said McLane.

Canadian Press

 

[bevvyd]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend Peapod. It sure sounds like he lived life as an adventure. Some of us could really learn a thing or two from great guys like him.

My condolenses

 

[peapod]

He was not my friend bevvy, I would like to say he was, but just someone I chatted with a few times at the bookstore, he was always very nice to me and told me about a few of his adventures. It was not hard to see that he was a very special person an oddball if you like, of the highest stature, most important of all tho he never came across like he was aware that he was anything special 8)

 

[peapod]

Hey we got another islander to tell us some stories about the rock.... details holly...what your favorite spot on the rock

 

[Seacrave]

Galianomama! Those poor doggies were only doing their job. Barking like an idiot for no good reason.

Yeah I don't know what it is about the Empress and cougars. Seems every year they go there. I wonder if there is a high tea for cougs or maybe the restaurants make a special meal for them.

:blob4: :lol: HAHA, this is great. Thanks for the bump peapod!

I recall the Empress and cougar stories! LOL On the news they interviewed an Asian visitor who was terrified after sighting a cougar in the underground parking lot. All 4'11 of him was shaking in his boots discribing the "mountain lion" by his car. Hysterical!!

I can relate to many of your island adventures...

When I was a teen we lived on acreage just off of Interurban in Sannich. Many a party there I tell ya. Ahhh, the years of discovering the best kept secret get-aways for skinny dippin'!

My husband and I like to discover our own little spots away from it all. We bought ocean front property across the bay from Ladysmith a couple of years ago and there are many beautiful unknown little beaches. Elliots Beach is my personal fav. In all my times there I have yet to see a soul. It still amazes me that there are such incredible little places that are in a complete natural state.

We mostly spent our time finding little spots by boat for our weekend adventures. We still have the boat, stored at my Uncle's in Sannich. YAYYY!! We're coming home to you soon...

Well, I haven't even finished reading this thread and could probably ramble all night but my eyes are closing against my will and my fingers are growing numb. I look forward to reading your ramblings in the morn. Cheerio!

 

[peapod]

skinny dipping!!!!! yes you are a island girl for sure 8)
The best swimming hole on this island is sproat lake!!!! my home town is Port Alberni....they have a swimming hole there with some really good cliffs for jumping off...a few months ago me and a friend headed there about 2 in the morning...good tunes blasting as we were butt naked as we made our run and jump off the cliffs....pitch black...except for our flashlights......she almost tore my arm off on the way down....hey but it was worth it 8)

I live in your old neighbourhood seascave :lol:

 

[peapod]

If this keeps up seacave come spring time when you move back here, we will have to have a goddess party...burn a little sage, do some earth dancing....the numbers are piling up...some nice beach somewhere...nobody around...just us girls...butt naked..dancing around the fire...bonding...earth sisters...and of course very good tunes... 8)

 

[peapod]

If this keeps up seacave come spring time when you move back here, we will have to have a goddess party...burn a little sage, do some earth dancing....the numbers are piling up...some nice beach somewhere...nobody around...just us girls...butt naked..dancing around the fire...bonding...earth sisters...and of course very good tunes... 8)

 

[galianomama]

hi seacrave!!! great to have you aboard......pea, i hope you realize you have now reached that stage of your life where you are repeating yourself. pea, i hope you realize you have now reached that stage of your life where you are repeating yourself. something like that.......

seacrave - i grew up in gordon head when it was a farming community. yikes. that sure dates me

my dad had great stories of the island when he was a kid, he was born in gordon head and grew up on the rocks!

 

[peapod]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Tummy all better this morning

 

[Seacrave]

Haha Peapod…true witches of the island!

Port Alberni huh? We tried to move there before heading to Edmonton. My husband had a job interview there but unfortunately they were not willing to pay him the $$$ he asked. Now, in retrospect, he probably would have taken it! (

Yep, Sproat lakes a beautiful spot all right. When we lived on Oyster Bay around the bend from Ladysmith, there was a forest fire above the town in the hills. What an experience watching your Sproat Lake bomber right over our roof filling up and going for the dump. Sounded like World War 3 had begun…very cool!! That fire was set off at the fault of a ranger too. Never did hear what happened to her other than the obvious loss of her job.

Hi Galiano,
Gordon Head was farm land?? lol I know it's crazy how Victoria has grown. My dh's family has been on Quadra for 28 years...way up at the end near Royal Oak district. When my husband was growing up all those new subdivisions were dirt bike trails created by he and his brothers. Not a home to be seen! Now we get lost in all the culdesacs (sp?) and mazes of roads! I've been reading some of your island ramblings...it's been fun!

 

[peapod]

Seacave!!!! stop it I live off Quadra 8O Also you probally know my brother...he lives in ladysmith...has for many years now....god what a small world....I love ladysmith..especially that hill in if some snow happens to fall....oh my god!!!!!!!! once I went down it sideways........he haw...................

 

[Seacrave]

'tis a small world! That is bizarre that we have so many connections. Paths cross for whatever reason...makes life interesting and all the more intriguing

Ladysmith is a beautiful, yet crazy little town. Before we purchased the property on Oyster Bay we viewed a number of houses right in Ladysmith. My favorite, bar none, was at the "top" of the town. I forget the street addy, but it was at the fartherest tip and the home itself was incredible. Pretty much solid glass and when you stepped on to the deck you were living with the gulls. Heavenly! The view was incredible and the feeling of well-being unmatchable! We opted out for the sake of the kids and their rollercoaster ride to school . There was no yard to play in, being built on the rock, and everywhere you move would require a louge with any kind of chilly precipitation. The people on that block and the one below do not park in their drive ways...the garbage is not even collectable! :lol:

I still wonder what it would have been like! I loved that house and I'm one who goes with the gut...if it feels right it usually is. Gotta question those what-ifs, especially while awaiting 40 below and 5 feet of snow!!! :lol: (wait a sec....that's just not funny...*smack*) AHHHHHH