A return to Alert Bay, B.C.

By TARMO HANNULA

With our backs to the south and the city of Vancouver in our rear view mirror, Sarah and I continued our road trip to the most northerly point of our October journey, Alert Bay, a small fishing village on Cormorant Island near the top of Vancouver Island.

It was here Sarah lived for five years and where her daughter, Ann, was born in 1972. Named after the arrival of the Royal Navy ship HMS Alert in 1860, Alert Bay has a marina with some commercial and sports fishing boats, far less than when the fishing industry flourished more than 30 years ago. There are a few stores, businesses, cafes, an inn and bar tethered to the main street, Fir Street, that hugs along the water of the bay. The most visible sites are the cemetery filled with totem poles, the remains of the old hospital, the museum, trees and scores of simple homes.

Just getting there is a treat, as there are only a couple of ways in and out — by ferry, boat or small plane. We caught the BC Ferry from Port McNeill for a 45-minute trip to Alert Bay. The ride was a great way to decompress and take in the bounty of the clear sky that day, deep blue waters, an occasional bald eagle or raven that cruised past, or a pod of killer whales—orcas—churning by.

We stayed two nights with our long-time friends, Terri and Audie, whose histories go way back in the area. Their two-story home is perched on the edge of Johnston Straits, and their porch chairs face out onto the waters that are frequented by whales, commercial fishing boats, tugboats and ferries. We strolled on “The Boardwalk,” a stretch of wood walkways that wind through an eco-preserve on the top of the island. Audie drove us through the twisting small streets that showed us clusters of homes perched in the low hills that included a few homes where Sarah once lived.

One highlight was a stop at the U'mista Cultural Centre. The museum, created to house masks and dance regalia returned after they were confiscated by the Canadian government when potlatches were outlawed in the 1930s, gave us a rich view of the history of the Kwakwaka'wakw people who still inhabit the island. Half of the island is First Nation land.

The two-and-a-half-mile long and half-mile wide island is dotted with modern and early totem poles, many depicting eagles, salmon, whales and noteworthy people of the area. The tallest totem in the world resides there as well.

After two nights on the island we bid farewell to Terri and Audie, caught the morning ferry back to Port McNeill and began our long six-hour drive to Victoria where we drove aboard another ferry to Port Angeles, WA.

Once we figured out where we would stay, we searched online and found a motel in Bremerton, a port city on the Puget Sound. Hungry, another search led us to the Golden Star Chinese & American Restaurant. Their interior decor was spectacular, with brilliant red lanterns, gold framed artworks; the waitresses wore Cheongsam, old-style Chinese dresses. It was like eating our meal on a movie set.

In the final part of this series, we set off for Eugene, OR, where we tracked down a few sculptures my dad donated to the library while completing his Masters in Fine Art at the Univ. of Oregon in 1958.

Home Improvement

Tom Brezsny’s Real Estate of Mind

Provoking thought since 1990

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Tom Brezsny’s

Real Estate of Mind

First, an apology…I know I’ve been acting like a born-again Realtor bent on barraging you with all kinds of “helpful” homeowner info that some could probably care less about. But your home is your largest asset, not to mention the centering place of your life, so forgive me for oversharing!

Provoking thought since 1990 a home, including HVAC, refrigerators, lights, computers, medical devices and more. It also provides home essentials that facilitate safety and comfort. This is especially important during winter storms when people are less likely to leave home. Having access to heat, electricity and appliances like a stove is essential.

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In a world beset by too-much-information, the things you have to keep track of if you want to be a “responsible” homeowner are overwhelming. The influx of new rules and regulations, specially at the start of each year, is mind-boggling. And with increasing population, concerns about the environment and all the climate-related disasters that have become the norm these days (floods, fires, coastal erosion, landslides), it’s unlikely homeowners will get a break anytime soon. I promise, this is the last column about boring homeowner topics - for a little while :). Here’s a list of the four homeowner talks we’ve had so far (if you have questions about how they impact your home call me and I’ll give you a mini-class):

Automatic power no matter where you are

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You do not need to be present to operate your home's standby generator, which is great if you have to evacuate or simply are gone when the power fails. An automatic transfer switch continuously monitors power from the utility and transfers the electrical load to the generator when power is lost.

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New Septic Guidelines are going to significantly impact homeowners in rural areas around the county when they sell their homes or apply for permits for remodels or additions.

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What’s New with ADUs? An overview of the new State-Mandated regs affecting ADUs, Junior ADUs, lot splits and duplexes in singlefamily neighborhoods.

For example, a KOHLER home generator is completely automatic. The unit's commercial-grade engine fires up quickly within 10 seconds of power loss and can handle heavy demands while operating quietly.

Changing Landscape for Fire Insurance.

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The growing crisis in cost and affordability of fire insurance in the wake of California fires, plus policy cancellations and defensible space disclosures.

Go With the Flow: The New Sewer Lateral Regs in SC City/County. How they impact homeowners who are selling or adding square footage or ADUs.

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Looking ahead, we’re shifting away from talks about fixing or maintaining or protecting your home to something warmer and fuzzier and much closer to my heart, namely - how the homes people move to and from revolve around the bigger life transitions they are making - especially those of a certain age.