Monday August 28, 2017

It was foggy this morning in the area, so we waited a while until it was clear enough. EG had a nice view from the channel through the Fox Island Group so once they could see the individual trees, we left - around 10:00. It was a lovely ride down through the small islands that make up the Broughton Archipelago. When we arrived at the docks, we called the Harbour Master and she said that we could choose either the front or side of the dock, whatever we wished. We originally went behind EG along the "side", but soon found out that the only power available was a 20amp plug. This is when we found out that you need an adaptor for a 20amp plug. Of course EG had one, but Byron couldn't remember why! So we moved around to the front of the dock where it was also empty and had full 30amp service. (Although later when we had a bit of trouble, Greg checked and it only had a 15amp breaker!). There was a gate across the top of the ramp and there were 2 lovely looking "wolf dogs" standing on the other side of it, looking like they wanted to welcome Bella properly. One even howled.

Shortly after we arrived, two young women, Alex and Eleanor, arrived in a skiff and collected the dock fee's, and told us there would be a tour at around 2:30 or 3:00pm. A boat would be arriving from somewhere else with people coming specifically for the tour. She also came back and told us that they had had a bear in the area the night before, and that the dogs were a little worked up right now as they had chased it off, and that we might want to just stay in the front area of the village. Check.

We had some lunch and then decided to go out for a short dinghy tour. The clouds had cleared and it was a beautiful blue sky and warm. Byron and SB decided to go around to what is sometimes listed as "Monk's Wall", but is really the old "Galley Homestead". Apparently back in the day, they had a large homestead with home and trading post and fruit tree's etc. It took us a bit to find it, but we did eventually. You would never know anything was there now except for the tumbling rock walls - the tree's have taken over. And then just up the hill the whole area has been logged up to the edge so there is tree bit's and debris around.



We arrived back around 2:30 and not too long afterwards a boat showed up with a boatload of people. It turns out they were from Farewell Harbour Resort, not too far away. Alex was the main tour leader and Eleanor was there too. We started out at the top of the dock where she did some introduction and history of the village. It is a very recent one and appeared to exist due to the dedication of her Great Grandfather. The land was given to the family as a dowry for a marriage, and he came back and cleared the land and built the big house. We could take pictures outside, but she asked us to not take pictures inside. Once inside, we saw many other items that her Great-Grandfather and Grandfather had built. There were some beautiful totems, masks, and a large bowl for fish oil (can't spell the kind of fish). Historically, the family came from Kingcome Inlet, but had been almost wiped out by smallpox. So they moved down to the Village Island group, but could never really make a go of it there and the village was abandoned. Alex's Great Grandfather was groomed from a young age to be the chief and to bring the tribe "back", so he did by bringing it back to this new location. There are about 13 year round residents and about 20 in the summer. Alex herself went to school in Campbell River, but the other kids were home schooled there. Alex is leaving tomorrow to return to Campbell to start college. After the tour, we went to the gift shop where everyone else got T-shirts with a lovely design. It was at this point that we found out that the tour was $30 each too. Yeah, a little dear, but good thing the moorage was good!

When we got back, we decided to all pile into our dinghy and head to the "MSomething" village on Village Island, the original abandoned village. We landed on the midden beach, but it was quite intensely over grown and it was hard to tell how to get up to the village area. Once we did, it was also completely over grown and we could just walk these "deer" paths or narrow paths through the area. There was a wooden arch and some dilapidated houses, but that was about it.



We did see though the remnants of the blackberries and fruit trees that were planted, as well other other non-native trees. We saw the coolest butterfly ever and Greg even found a "Grouse" sitting in a tree and waiting for us to look at him. (Sue was particularly happy about that). Mother Nature has pretty much claimed everything that was ever there.

Back to the boats for dinner on EG - BBQ chicken burgers and yam fries. Yummy!!