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Letters Knights of Columbus Thank you very much for publishing our K of C Early Bird First Prize winner picture in your APRIL 2020 edition of Take 5. It shows that winning a Knights of Columbus prize through K of C Charity Appeal tickets can happen not only in the rest of B.C., but also right here in Ladysmith. — George Weiss, For Council 4582, K of C.
Tell Me More The 16-year-old man on his Harley Davidson is Ron Johnson. The picture is taken in his hometown of Saltair in 1958. Ron was a faller/logger all his working life, and his nickname was “Lem.” Thanks to Wanda Reilly and other readers who also identified the photo. - Kevin Bray The photo is of Ronald Johnson on his motorcycle, probably would have been in 1958 or 1959. He was injured in an accident with the bike during this time. Ron passed away at his home in Cassidy in 2009. -— Wanda Reilly Everybody knew him as Lem. He was the middle child of five, an older brother and sister and two younger sisters. He lived two doors north of the Saltair market. Almost all the young people in Saltair got a ride or two. — John Knudsen
Letters to the editor on community topics are welcomed.
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10 Tips to stay SANE strong, active, neighbourly and energetic - during the Coronavirus Pandemic BY GUY DAUNCEY How can we stay SANE during this crisis? With care for others, and a rigorous two meters social distance. We all need to imagine that we are actually carrying the virus, and change our behaviour so that we won’t transmit it to friends and neighbours. This means taking hand-washing and social distancing very seriously. Here’s how to wash your hands the way the surgeons do: www. tinyurl.com/Like-A-Surgeon
Be active. A great way to explore the great outdoors and stick to physical distancing is biking. The country roads in Cedar district offer pastoral views and challenges for all fitness levels. Exercise is good for the body, mind and soul. Photo: Nick Longo
1.Practice Gratitude. Be grateful that we have an amazing public health service, and health care workers who are working so hard to keep us safe.
Be grateful for the utility workers, who keep our systems working. For the people who work in our stores and do home deliveries. For the people who grow our food. To all our frontline workers: thank you. 2. Be Kind. Reach out to your friends and neighbours. Some people live alone, and may be experiencing loneliness or distress. If you need help, ask for it. • Call the Ladysmith Resources Centre (250-245-3079) or Ladysmith Family and Friends (250-210-0870) and ask if they need help. • Join Beacon Buddies www.nanaimobeacon.com/buddies. • Take out a free membership in www. Zoom.us and use it to chat with your friends. • Go to www.tinyurl.com/viralkindness, print the postcards, and leave them at your neighbours’ doors. • If you have a friend who is not social distancing, urge him or her to wake up. This is deadly serious. People are dying. 3. Be Active. Explore our amazing parks, from Hemer to Stocking Creek. Cycle the new Saltair Rail Trail. Nature is beautiful. She is waiting to seduce you. Greet people with a smile, but keep your social distance.
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4. Grow Food. Whatever happens, we all need to eat. If you have a garden, dig a vegetable bed and sow seeds. Search ‘Lasagna Gardening’ on YouTube and learn how to build a vegetable bed on top of your lawn. Shar-Kare in Ladysmith and Buckerfields in Chase River have seeds and supplies. 5. Learn a New Skill. This is a great opportunity to learn a language, chess, guitar, cooking, woodwork. Make a list of things you’d like to learn, pick one, and dig in. There are free on-line courses here: www.tinyurl.com/GreatOnline-Courses 6. Deepen your relationship. At www.tinyurl.com/52-Questions you’ll find 52 conversational questions that have been proven to create intimacy and closeness with partners and close friends. Make it a daily ritual over dinner. 7. Keep Fit. It’s the best way to strengthen your immune system. The gyms and rec centres may be closed, but your imagination is not. Start jogging or cycling. Follow a Tai Chi, Zumba or Yoga class on YouTube. Try this 15’ workout: www.tinyurl.com/Full-Workout 8. Keep Your Children’s Minds Active. • Scholastic is offering free-on-line classes from Pre-K to Grades 6+ at www.tinyurl.com/Scholastic-Children. • 20 great home-schooling websites: www.tinyurl.com/20-Homeschooling. • Today’s Parent (www.todaysparent. com) has many resources, including the rules for old-fashioned outdoor games. • These museums have free virtual tours: www.tinyurl.com/12-Museums. • Fatherly has a page on indoor games that will give your kids exercise: www. tinyurl.com/FatherlyGames 9. Keep Your Mind Active. This is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of life, the economy, and the climate crisis. One selfish recommendation: Journey to the Future: A Better World is Possible, an ecotopian novel set in the year 2032. If you have books you no longer need, put them on a table outside your house with a note saying “Free
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Books: Do not Touch until you Take.” 10. Continue Working to Change the World. The climate and ecological emergencies are still real, and when we come out of this we going to need a new ecological civilization, with an economy of kindness that no longer sacrifices jobs, community and Nature for shareholder value. At www.tinyurl.com/ climatefamilyplanning you’ll find a Climate Action Planning Chart that you can use to start planning how to set your household on a path to being 100% climate and ecologically friendly by 2025. There is a much fuller version of this titled 50 Ways Stay Strong, Active, Neighbourly and Energetic During the Coronavirus Pandemic at www.tinyurl. com/Covid19-50-Ways
Guy Dauncey is a local author, organizer, President of the Yellow Point Ecological Society, and a huge believer in our need for a better world. www.thepracticalutopian.ca.
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The last pandemic Thank you to Ladysmith & District Historical Society volunteers John and Esther Sharp, Rob Johnson, Dr. Ed Nicholson and Dr. Quentin Goodbody for research on the last pandemic to affect our communities — the Spanish influenza of 1918.
Dr Edward Montgomery was hailed as a hero during the Spanish Flu pandemic. (top left) Nurses Miss White, Miss Glover, Miss Wilson, Miss Provis, 1917. Photos: Ladysmith Archives. Temperance Hotel was site of a temporary hospital during Spanish Flu pandemic. Photo: Rob Johnson
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken our society to its very foundation. Our schools are closed. Jobs lost; business could fail. People are worried about their future. These are the same worries that the people of Ladysmith faced during the Spanish flu in 1918. In 1918, Canada lost over 50,000 people to the flu; B.C. lost 4,000 people, Ladysmith lost 25 people. In contrast, the COVID-19 virus, as of March 24, 2020, has infected 617 people and killed 13 in B.C. This is not to say that we are not in a critical situation because we are. We have to follow all the recommended steps prescribed by our heath authority. The steps taken back in 1918 are similar attempts to what we are now taking. In the fall of 1918, the world had been at war for four awful years, but the fighting was coming to a close. People were exhausted from the war effort and were looking to celebrate the end of hostilities. However, in September 1918, the first cases of a virulent form of flu — called Spanish influenza — were noted in Quebec City. The virus had likely been brought by troops returning home from the European front. Infection quickly spread in a wave across the country and was in B.C. by mid October. Medical authorities of the time looked for ways to check the spread of the disease and guess what? They came up with what we now call “social distancing” — though they didn’t call it that.
On October 18, 1918, Ladysmith Mayor E.C. Pannell issued an order “prohibiting the holding of any public meeting in any Church or Mission, the holding of any public or private school or class, any public auction, and the opening of any theatre, moving picture theatre, dance hall, pool room or gymnasium, and the holding of any lodge or social meeting, union or social club, and any place where any public or private dance is held.” In early November, to cope with the number of potential cases and increasing caseload, the Board of Health arranged to rent the Temperance Hotel (which was at the corner of High Street and First Avenue) to be used as an emergency hospital. The Board of Health also asked school teachers and other volunteers to work at the emergency hospital. Around November 2, the hospital was helping 14 cases. The federal government arranged for Dr. Edward Montgomery to be posted in Ladysmith as chief civilian medical officer. Dr. Montgomery came directly from military service. He set out to arrange order out of the chaos caused by the pandemic here in Ladysmith. Dr. Montgomery stayed on to serve the people of Ladysmith until his death at the age of 37 in 1923 and is buried in our town graveyard. By October 26, The Chronicle noted few cases in Ladysmith as compared to Nanaimo and credited the proactivity
of implementing preventive measures. October 29 saw an advertisement put out by the Town urging people experiencing symptoms: “See your doctor at once — This disease is serious — Be on the watch — Help keep it down. Keep away from crowds — Keep your bowels open [yes, it really said that!] — Avoid common drinking cups, don’t cough, sneeze or spit without using your handkerchief.” By November 5, the number of cases had markedly increased, and the nursing staff in the emergency hospital became overwhelmed — this remedied by the nuns stepping in to help and through an appeal to teachers to offer their services. While people continued to work, employees were made to wear masks. It was noted on November 9 that the intensity of the flu was waning in eastern Canada, with the likelihood there of easing restrictions on meetings the following week. Meanwhile, the infection rate was still strong in western Canada. “Altogether the situation is looking well in Ladysmith, and it now remains with the people to assist in every way in preventing the spread of the disease.” Mid November saw many disruptions to businesses due to staff illness. By November 30, it appeared the worst was over. Bans on public gather-
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ings were being relaxed in many municipalities in B.C. Many Ladysmith people were anticipated to attend an Armistice Ball in Duncan, on December 5. Nanaimo, having been previously hard hit, closed its emergency hospital that day, citing lack of need for it. On December 7, the influenza situation had improved in Ladysmith, and many hoped that in eight to ten days, they would see the end of the epidemic in the town. By December 16, Council (also acting as the city’s Board of Health) was discussing closing the emergency hospital. December 21 saw the situation continuing to improve, with only one new case referred to the emergency hospital. By January 1, 1919, the ban on social activities had been lifted in Chemainus, and the young people were enjoying themselves in many ways — basketball games and a dance at the Athletic Hall on New Year’s Day. On January 11, Chief of Police Allen, acting as sanitary inspector for Ladysmith, reported that there had been 279 cases of Spanish flu and 179 houses quarantined. The number of deaths was not reported, but we know there were some from newspaper articles and obituaries. Discussion in Council involved a replacement building for the emergency hospital, the owners of the Temperance Hotel wanting the use of their building back. January 13 saw the public schools reopen after being closed for just short of three months. So, the effects of the Spanish influenza pandemic in Ladysmith were short and sharp (mid October to early December 1918). Proactive implementations set by the Town authorities, through physical distancing measures, setting up an emergency hospital to look after and isolate the most serious cases, emplacing medical staff prior to the infection taking hold, and home quarantining those infected with lesser symptoms during the passage of the pandemic, were credited with reducing the effects of the flu and saving lives. Doesn’t this sound familiar? While isolation and closures may seem frustrating today, it’s important to remember that these same actions in the past were successful in minimizing the effects of that pandemic, which was much more contagious and deadly, killing 25 people in Ladysmith, than COVID-19.
Spanish Flu: Its effect on First Nations BY QUENTIN GOODBODY, PHD The global effects of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic were devastating, with estimates ranging widely from 25 to 100 million succumbing to the infection. In Canada, there were 30–50,000 thousand deaths, representing a 2.5 per cent mortality rate of those infected. In B.C., approximately 30 per cent of the population was affected. The First Nations were particularly badly hit. Confident statistics are hard to come by, but it was estimated that the infection rate amongst the Indigenous population was up to nine times that of the European settlers. There were a number of reasons for this. The 1918 flu followed on a series of pestilences (measles, smallpox, tuberculosis), which had severely depleted and weakened the First Nations population since the 1850s. Adoption of European-style housing with crowded, under-ventilated conditions increased transmission of diseases. So too did the interruption of traditional subsistence patterns in favour of seasonal employment in canneries and fruit/hop-picking operations where workers lived in close quarters in generally
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unsanitary conditions. Canning and harvesting were at their peak during the arrival of the flu in the fall of 1918. When flu hit the canneries, workers left and returned home, bringing the infection with them to their villages. The disease spread via the transportation corridors of the time — railways and steamships. The number of flu-related deaths was exacerbated among the young by pre-existing health conditions, in particular tuberculosis, which was common in residential schools. Compounding the problem was a low level of medical service to the Indigenous population. The government had appointed departmental physicians and strongly “encouraged” adoption of European medicine, banning traditional ceremony. The quality of the physicians serving the First Nations was often questionable, as there was little incentive to offer good service. (In 1902, payment of doctors had been changed from “pay per visit” to a low fixed salary.) Why would a physician spend more time on a reserve when paying non-Native patients beckoned? Absent of effective European medicines, many First Nations turned to traditional remedies for relief. These included use of devil’s club, swamp gooseberry, water hemlock and sweat baths, combined with smoke from mentholated sage brush. Apparently, these proved as, if not more, effective than the European medicines in alleviating some of the symptoms, but they did not offer a cure. This is a sad history. Unfortunately, First Nations people are still today at a disadvantage compared to most other Canadians in terms of health, as in other ways. Steps are, however, being taken to improve the situation. Since October 2013, in B.C., the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is responsible for administering a variety of health programs and services. The FNHA emerged from a number of tripartite agreements between B.C. First Nations, the Province of B.C. and the Government of Canada. It strives to improve First Nations health outcomes and close the gaps that exist between First Nations people and the rest of the BC population. Let us ensure that today, in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, that First Nations receive the same level of care and attention as do other groups within our society. We are composed of different cultures where everyone is precious.
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Solutions bring community together Earthfest Creative Climate Solutions Showcase, one of the many community events cancelled as a result of the current pandemic, is taking it online to bring people together in the spirit of community. “Every day is Earth Day at CreativelyUnited.org,” says festival organizer and founder Frances Litman. The April 18 and 19 event, which included an incredible line up of worldclass presenters and musicians, was to be hosted by the Victoria-based Creatively United for the Planet non-profit society at Empress Acres in the Cedar area, with pre-festival events at the nearby Wildwood Ecoforestry Institute. Since 2012, Creatively United has brought together more than 10,000 people from throughout the region through seven zero-waste sustainability showcases, numerous community events and educational talks, collaborative part-
Frances Litman, festival organizer of Earthfest, Creative Climate Solutions Showcase. Photo submitted.
nerships, a televised video series and free community information network, resource and solutions sharing hub (creativelyunited.org). “Our plan was to launch our new on-
line community Solutions Showcase at the festival this April, but we’ve opted to get it online earlier to help bring people together when they need it the most. “Instead of being consumed by fear
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and all the bad news, we see this as an opportunity to explore the many ways we can manifest a healthier, happier world that works in harmony with nature and be ready to engage with climate solutions when the time comes to consider the next chapter after this pandemic,” says Litman. Creativelyunited.org offers, at no charge, a multitude of positive, simple solutions, videos and resources to assist people who are interested in doing something to help re-balance our world, plus allows the public to contribute their own ideas, tips, book and movie reviews, music, art and information. “Consider it a goodness hub of inspiration as we need to make our world healthy again. Each step we take, regardless of how small it might be, is a step in the right direction. Anything is possible. Together we can build community and feel encouraged by the positive steps we are all taking,” adds Litman. “The current COVID 19 crisis has taught us two important lessons. The first is that if we act together, we can make a big difference in mitigating the outcomes of the virus. The second is that if we act early, we can reduce the health impacts by ‘flattening the curve.’ “The same lessons apply to tackling the oncoming climate crisis. Though the direct impacts of this crisis seem in the distant future compared with the immediate impact of the COVID virus, the same two lessons apply. “COVID-19, like the climate crisis, is, at its essence, about humanity’s ever-encroaching relationship with the natural world. Together, we can find the balance that is needed for our individual, community and global health and wellness,” Litman affirms.
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Ladysmith working with Cowichan region to coordinate COVID-19 response The Town of Ladysmith is taking a number of measures to help safeguard against the public safety risk posed by COVID-19 (coronavirus). As a member of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), Ladysmith is working closely with our partners, including member municipalities, First Nations, school districts and the Vancouver Island Health Authority to fully understand the situation across the region and coordinate decision-making. Throughout the region, we are reviewing essential service levels across all aspects of our workforce, recognizing that this situation is likely to worsen and require reduction or periodic elimination of services. We are also following the directions from the Provincial Health Officer. In an effort to encourage the practice of “physical distancing,” we ask that the public consider their patronage at public facilities and determine whether their business with the Town could be conducted online or over the phone. If inperson attendance is essential, you are asked to maintain at least a one-metre distance from staff and other citizens as much as possible. Ladysmith has also implemented “handshake-free zones” in all Town facilities. The filming of the SyFy television series Resident Alien, which was supposed to take place in Ladysmith between March 15 and 17, has been voluntarily postponed for two weeks to allow production staff to assess the COVID-19 situation. As for what you can do, follow the advice the public health officials recommend : wash your hands often with soap and water, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth prior to washing your hands, avoid others who are unwell, practise physical distancing (staying at least one-metre
Nanaimo Airport’s new boarding lounge and security area. Photo: Nick Longo
apart) and stay home, if possible, and especially when you are sick. If you think you might have symptoms of COVID-19, the most important thing to do is stay home and call 8-1-1. The experts on the other end of that call will ask questions to help determine if you might have COVID-19. If they determine that you need to be tested for the coronavirus, they will tell you where to go. You do not need to go to a hospital unless you are experiencing difficulty breathing. Don’t believe rumours or everything you see on social media. Fact check
what you see and hear by going to one of the trusted official sites, such as Public Health Agency of Canada, World Health Organization, BC Centre for Disease Control and Island Health.
Airport terminal boarding lounge and security area The Nanaimo Airport held a grand opening on February 28 of its recently completed boarding lounge and security area. The completed $15-million terminal expansion project included a 14,000-square-foot building addition.
The community watched as Belton Brothers prepared the house located next to the Ladysmith Thrift Store for its move to its new location, freeing up the lot for the thrift store building expansion project. Photo: Quentin Goodbody
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Mike Hooper and Nanaimo Airport Commission members, as well as community dignitaries, were there to get a tour of the terminal and celebrate its completion. The construction started in 2018 and represents the first phase of a 20-year plan. As passenger demand grows at YCD, additional modules will be built allowing for easy expansion. The bright facility has floor-to-ceiling windows, taking advantages of the views and natural light, creating a comfortable and spacious setting for guests. The expansion has seating now for over 300 people, more than double its earlier capacity, with the ability to expand to a total of 550 passengers. The new dedicated security area has a future capacity to screen 1000 people per hour, up from 100 per hour. Passenger growth is six years ahead of projections, over 490,000 passengers in 2019.
Ladysmith Health Care Auxiliary Expansion Project The Ladysmith Healthcare Auxiliary is excited to be starting the long-awaited addition to our Thrift Store. Their house on the lot next to the store was recently moved, clearing the way to start construction. “We expect construction to start in April and be finished by November 2020,” said Pam Fraser. MKM Projects have been engaged as builders. “The additional 3000 square feet will be used for processing, storage, volunteer break room, office and small meeting
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room. In the existing building, there will be more retail space created, as many of our ‘behind the scenes’ operations will move to the addition,” says Fraser. The receiving area will remain where it is for easy access from French Street. “We ask for the public’s cooperation in NOT dropping off goods while we are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking forward to serving our customers even better in an improved facility and greatly improving the working conditions for our volunteers,” adds Fraser.
Education and Engagement Continue at LDHS “While the Ladysmith & District Historical Society (LDHS) has closed the museum and archives and ceased Saturday operations at the waterfront until further notice, that doesn’t mean that our minds have to cease operations,” says President Quentin Goodbody. LDHS volunteers are working on a few projects designed to entertain and inform you — with an historical perspective. Some of these projects include a series of walks with points of heritage interest, titled “About Town – Walk Through Time.” “The idea is to give you incentive to get out, get some exercise (in a socially isolated manner) and at the same time learn about our communities,” explains Goodbody. The society is also looking at the best ways to continue presenting their popular “Historically Speaking” series, which will be streamed online at specified times covering a variety of subjects including, but not limited to: • “Earthquake Ladysmith” details the history of earthquakes on Vancouver Island and the impending “Big One,” examining its likely effects on Ladysmith and what you could/should do to prepare. • “Ladysmith Fires: Risks and Prevention” looks at local fires through the ages and the story of the Ladysmith Fire Department. • “Climate Change Examined” puts global warming and its effects into perspective relative to the Earth’s history of climate change prior to man’s industrial activities. Work is continuing on the new museum exhibit on Vancouver Island
While COVID-19 has cancelled public events for now, such as this heritage downtown walk, the Ladysmith & District Historical Society plans to bring historic talks and programming via its online platform. Photo: Nick Longo
predators – wolves, wolverines, bears and cougars. A part of the exhibit is a wildlife photography show, and the society is inviting photographers to submit high-resolution digital photos, as well as prints, that showcase the diverse wildlife in our area. Visit the society on Facebook or their website at ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca.
Cookies! Ladysmith Girl Guides has Girl Guide cookies that they’re currently unable to sell publicly. If you would like to support Ladysmith Girl Guides by placing a pre-order, email LadysmithCookies@ gmail.com and let them know your name, address, and the number of boxes that you would like to order. Cookies are $5 a box or $60 a case. When they’ve been given the all clear to sell publicly, one of the Ladysmith Units will contact you to make arrangements for delivery.
Funding for Wildfire Preparedness Wildfire educatation got a boost, thanks to the $189,780 funding grant for North Cowichan, the Stz’unimus First Nation and the Cowichan Tribes. “This funding will help inform people about the threat of wildfires and how they can be prevented,” says New
Democrat MLA for Nanaimo–North Cowichan Doug Routley. Stz’uminus First Nation: received $25,000 to assist with planning and cross-training. There is $9 million in new provincial government grants to support wildfire risk reduction projects through the Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program.
School Upgrades Students in the Cowichan Valley school districts are going to see more green-efficient and safe-learning spaces thanks to over $1 million in provincial funding for school upgrade projects in School District 79. “Our government is making different choices by investing in important upgrades that help ensure our students have a safe and comfortable learning environment,” said Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo–North Cowichan. The Cowichan Valley School District (SD79) is receiving $1,352,640 in funding for school maintenance projects. These funding programs are part of a $217.7-million investment under the Annual Facilities Grant (AFG), School Enhancement Program, Carbon Neutral Capital Program, Building Envelope Program and Bus Acquisition Program.
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Propagating Herbs Nothing beats the elemental pleasure of cooking with or making medicinal preparations from home-grown herbs. Medicinal herbs are denoted by their Latin name officinalis, Melissa officinalis lemon balm, Calendula officinalis pot marigold, Valeriana officinalis valerian and Taraxacum officinalis dandelion. Herbs are among the easiest plants to grow and, once established, require little attention. They thrive in any garden soil, as long as it is well drained, but they do best in full sun. Annual herbs, such as basil, borage, dill and chervil, and biennial herbs, such as parsley, are easily grown from seed.
Grow them under controlled conditions in a starter mix, or direct seed them into warm garden soil. Seeds of herbs, such as basil and dill, which need more heat to grow, germinate best when provided with a source of heat. In the garden, members of the Umbelliferae family (angelica, dill, parsley, sweet cicely, lovage and fennel) selfseed readily — sometimes to the point where volunteers can be a nuisance. When growing these herbs under controlled conditions, it’s a different matter. The secret of success is to use fresh seed, as after one year seed viability drops dramatically, along with germination. Alliums, such as chives and garlic chives, also need to be grown from fresh seed. Allium seeds are viable for one, maybe two years, but after one year, the germination rate drops. Growing alliums from seed is slow, so it’s much quicker and easier to propagate them vegetatively by division. Simply dig up “mother” clumps and tease them apart into well-rooted sections. TIP: Cutting tops back by one-third helps plants establish new roots. Perennial herbs, such as lemon balm, oregano and sweet marjoram, are also slow growing from seed, taking up to a year before plants reach a harvestable size. The fastest way to propagate them is by division from established “mother” plants when well-rooted sections are easy to separate and pot on. Cuttings are the best way to propagate woody perennial herbs, such as rosemary, bay, thyme and sage. Softwood cuttings taken in summer root easily in the warmth and light of long summer days. Your cutting should have some flexibility and bend without breaking.
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If it snaps when bent, the cutting is too woody; if it is very flexible between the fingers, it is too young. Ideally a cutting should be a skinny pencil width in thickness and will not snap or bend too easily. The length of a cutting will vary, but generally it should not be over six inches long. French tarragon and lemon verbena represent the pièce de résistance of culinary herbs. Divisions of established clumps of French tarragon can be taken in spring. Cuttings of lemon verbena are taken in late summer and should be overwintered with a heat source. TIP: The best way to keep a lemon verbena plant growing well is to prune it back heavily in spring removing any spindly branches. Plants will sprout back vigorously. Lemon verbena is not reliably winter hardy, so grow it in a container and provide winter protection under cover. Once cuttings have rooted, as indicated by new top growth or roots emerging from the bottom of the pot, move them on into four-inch pots, in a growing medium with free drainage. To stimulate growth, begin a weekly feeding program using liquid fish fertilizer. There are many different varieties of Mentha, some more winter-hardy than others. Easily propagated in spring by vegetative division new plants will quickly establish. Mints range from fruity (e.g. pineapple, ginger and apple) to fragrant (e.g. lavender, chocolate and basil) to savoury (e.g. spearmint and peppermint). Beware if you plant mints in the garden, as they are invasive, so they are best grown in planters placed outside the kitchen door, easily accessible for snipping. Fresh mint leaves make a wonderfully refreshing herbal tea, a divine mojito cocktail and liven up tabbouleh salads and new potatoes when added to the cooking water. Carolyn Herriot is author of The Zero Mile Diet, A Year Round Guide to Growing Organic Food and The Zero Mile Diet Cookbook, Seasonal Recipes for Delicious Homegrown Food (Harbour Publishing) available at your local bookstore.
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Live the Life you Love … Sustainably BY CHAD THIESSEN We all want to live our lives in health and comfort, surrounded by people who care about our well-being, eating food that truly nourishes us. So, how do we get that without destroying the planet? The answer is simple: create environmental, social and economic sustainability in a micro-community. Environmental sustainability saves the planet. Social sustainability focuses on the physical and mental health of its residents, while economic sustainability ensures that there will always be funds available. In Cedar, a small world-class community is being created to become such a community. Resulting from the teamwork of Greenplan and Futures Forward, this development borrows from, then expands upon, some of the most successful intentional communities around the world.
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The community lands were toured by First Nations elders, Florence James and Gary Manson, who graciously offered both a blessing and a Hul’qumi’num name for the property: S’a’hlstum ‘Uxwiin Shxunutun, which means “something shown care and respect; small footprint.” This name was gladly accepted and will be complemented with the English name of “Austin Greens.” Based on input from an open house, residents can expect to benefit from “green” components that address power, sewage, water and food needs independently of those using municipal services, reducing the strain on the city’s budget. This also creates dramatically lower costs with higher reliability and resiliency for residents. Imagine not having to worry about utility bills or power outages, knowing you have a dependable clean source of water, knowing that you and your neighbours grow most of the food you need and are managing your own wastes efficiently. Countless specific “green” innovations will be included. While many people know that solar power is now cheaper and more reliable than ever. However, not many people know about rainwater harvesting, carbon-negative/ super-insulated/fire-resistant/toxinfree/EMF-reduced buildings, vacuum assist toilets, sub-soil nutrient-rich irrigation of orchards, re-circulating showers, passive solar sunspaces, aquaponics or many of the other innovations that allow such a community to give its residents a full life, while implementing dramatic conservation efforts without sacrifice. To understand social sustainability, just imagine how nice it would be to have neighbours that know how to listen to you, reduce conflicts and provide you with support when you needed it most. For those reasons, residents will develop their social skills and have social infrastructures setup. Multiple activity/ social spaces will connect the residents through recreation and creation. Even the homes will be designed to maximize friendly contact, while still ensuring private space. Adding to the resiliency With many people staying home, the COVID-19 is creating a renewed interest in gardening. Photo: Kim Black
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of the community, a diversity of age, education, heritage and socio-economic status will be encouraged. Lastly, economic sustainability will be fostered through mentoring of sustainable business ventures by residents (farmers’ market sales of excess food, sustainability workshops, etc.). To further encourage diversity, affordability will be maximized through a variety of suite sizes and levels of finish. There are even plans to setup a “complementary currency,” with neighbours helping each other out through “time-banking.” It may sound like a fantasy, but talented people are working hard to make it a reality. Chad has made it his legacy project to support worldwide adoption of sustainable community construction principles and draws on a wide variety of education and experience to achieve that goal. For more information, visit www. FuturesForward.org.
Green Thumbs and Sustainability Keeping up with the reality of our changing world, members of the Ladysmith Saltair Garden Club continue to cultivate deeper understanding of how to keep our gardens sustainable and our planet green. Records show that the
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A bounty of locally grown colourful peppers. Photo courtesy of Chemainus Visitor Info Centre.
club began in 1947 as the Saltair Garden Club. Over the years, practices have changed as we learn more about the delicate balances in nature. Where widespread use of toxic compounds was once common, we now work hard to protect pollinators, the food chains and our waterways. Each club year, September to August, the Speaker Series offers a wide variety of topics delivered by professionals, enthusiasts and experts — all of whom bring timely information that can help us get the most from our growing efforts. Lessons learned include building healthy soil and using companion planting to provide crops with greater resistance to disease and pests with no toxic residues. Water conservation becomes a concern during most summers. Water storage systems, micro-drip irrigation, mulching and choosing drought tolerant plants can replace wasteful over-watering. Homegrown food crops reduce the need for transportation, assure freshness and nutritional value while giving great satisfaction to the gardener. We have been told of the nutritional value of sprouted seeds needing only a jar and windowsill. The beauty of a garden is not just visual. From the microorganisms in the soil to the largest tree, gardeners are able to sustain natural systems that support life. Keeping the garden cared for is also a good physical workout for the caregiver. For the members of the Ladysmith Saltair Garden Club, the second Saturday in May is a time to gather up seedlings, perennial divisions, big and small, and transplants to stock the tables in the Aggie Hall for the annual plant sale. Lifelong learning is good for everyone. New members are always welcome. Come and grow with us.fibre-art/.
Cedar Coast Heating & Mechanical Want to help the environment and your pocketbook? Check out one of the many rebates for upgrading your heating system. One of the many advantages a well-operating heating system is reducing your carbon footprint. It’s also a good investment that will pay off many times over. Cedar Coast Heating & Mechanical is an employee-owned business that can help customers not only reduce energy consumption, save money but also make your time at home more comfortable. Their team will help customers navigate the wide range of technologies and resources available and make recommendations based on their client needs.
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RDN Area A Cedar Everywhere we turn, there are mentions of climate change, sustainability and resiliency. Climate action has become something that even elementary school kids are talking about. And just today, I was listening to the radio and heard of families having to move out of their homes along Lake Erie in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, with just nine days’ notice because the local government is concerned about the lake rising and the potential failure of a dyke that is protecting their properties. Local officials attribute the rise of the lake to climate change. Closer to home, the RDN is also tracking changes in the climate and the potential effects on our area and its residents. In developing the Strategic Plan for 2019 to 2022, the Board spent a lot of time thinking about and discussing the challenges facing the region. In many cases, the Board recognized that almost all of the issues were affected by changes in our climate in one way or another. As a result, many of the topics in the strategic plan address life in the regional district through a climate change lens. For example, one of the areas identified as a goal was social well-being. In this area, the Board stated the goal as wanting to make the region a safe and vibrant place for all.
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This means we must keep the potential effects of climate change (wildfi res, sea level rise, flooding, etc.) in mind when we try to address this goal. The number one goal in the plan is for the RDN to be a leader in climate change adaptation and become net zero by 2032. This is a very short time to try to change the entire operation’s way of operating to cease contributing to global emission levels. Consider the transit system. The RDN currently runs compressed natural gas buses that produce low emissions compared to diesel or gas, but it is pushing BC Transit to come up with more efficient bus models (electric maybe?) that can lower emissions further without increasing costs significantly. The second goal, to protect and enhance the natural environment, including land, water and air for future generations, also touches on climate change, sustainability and resilience. The actions in this area include protecting and acquiring lands for environmental preservation and parkland, updating the Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Plan, achieving 90 per cent waste diversion in the RDN Solid Waste Management System and continuing to improve the quality of treated wastewater in the region. All of these initiatives are compatible with climate change mitigation in that they work to improve the
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effects of our population on its environment. Another example where the influence of climate change may not be as obvious is the third strategic goal: promote affordable housing for residents. Within this goal, one of the action items is to advocate for alternative regulations in the BC Building Code to support innovation. While the focus of this action was to make homes more affordable, the Board also recognized that responding to climate change in zoning and building regulations will also pay dividends in terms of making new homes more sustainable and resilient. Hopefully, this can be done without huge increases in the cost of a new home. The rest of the eight goals, while not directly connected to climate, have some facets that touch on the process of facing and dealing with a changing climate. While there are still a few naysayers around, most people have come to terms with the fact that our climate is not the same as it has been over our lifetimes. In response to that, the Regional District of Nanaimo is doing what it can to try to make our region more adaptable to these changes. I hope the residents of the region will continue to support us in this mission. The Strategic Plan is available on the RDN website.
CVRD Area H Director Mary Marcotte Update Effective March 6, 2020, Mary Marcotte, your Area H CVRD director for more than two decades, retired from her position. I have known Mary for many years, and I know that this was not an easy decision. Director Marcotte loved representing the residents and viewpoints of Area H, as well as holding the position of CVRD chair and on the executive of the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities. Director Marcotte recognized that de-
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spite the enjoyment of the position, it was time to enjoy other aspects of life, including spending time with family, friends and slowing down to a less frenetic pace. On behalf of myself and the residents of Area H, I want to thank Mary for the years of dedication and devotion to the residents of Area H. I would also like to thank the members of her family and especially her husband, Barry, as I know that many hours spent in meetings, site visits and community events was time away from family. No elected representative can do their job properly without both the support and sacrifice of their immediate family. It has been my honour to serve as Director Marcotte’s alternate since the October 2018 elections, and I will continue to serve the residents as needed. With Mary’s retirement, the Local Government Act requires a by-election be held. Shortly, the CVRD board will appoint a chief election officer. The chief election officer will determine the proper date for a by-election to be held. It must be held within 80 days of their appointment and on a Saturday. There will be advertising with respect to the nomination period, the campaign period and the date of the by-election. Coincidently, for those interested in what the electoral area director does, a CVRD committee recently considered a description of the position of electoral director and, while not all inclusive does give some flavor of the responsibilities. You can find it through the following URL: https://cvrd.primegov.com/ portal/viewer?id=6613&type=2. Any potential candidates can get more information from the CVRD offices in Duncan or from any individuals currently on
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the CVRD board, including myself. COVID-19 By the time you read this, there will likely be more up-todate information regarding local government operations and contingency plans related to the global outbreak of the coronavirus. Closure or limited operations of facilities, as well as limiting of public gatherings, are already underway. The CVRD response is reflective of the advice and guidance of the Provincial Health Officer. Please take all reasonable precautions to limit both the effect and the transmission of this virus. Do not hesitate to offer assistance to neighbours who are selfisolating, such as shopping, picking up prescriptions, etc., for them. If you are self-isolating, do not hesitate to ask for assistance from your neighbours or other community members. Events such as this are where a community can show how much we care. The BC Centre for Disease Control has useful information and advice regarding the outbreak: http://www.bccdc.ca/ health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19. Check the CVRD website (www.cvrd.bc.ca) for an update on the local response to the pandemic. Harmonized/Modernized OCP The CVRD planning staff have drafted the harmonized OCP document, which is a consolidation of the various Electoral Area OCP’s, into one document. To date, the Area H Advisory Planning Commission has reviewed the draft HOCP and the draft Area H Local Area plan and agreed that the documents are generally consistent with the original Area H OCP. Their
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agreement regarding the Development Permit Area part of the HOCP is outstanding as of this writing. After the APC’s have done their work, the draft HOCP will come to the CVRD board for discussion and direction. Looking forward, the modernization of the OCP will be the goal. This is key to Area H as the existing OCP is outdated and needs renewal and community discussion. Watch for key dates for this process as the resulting Modernized OCP will guide the community for a number of years. This process will not happen instantly, but over months and likely years. It is about the future of our community, so participation and input is not only encouraged but required. If you have any questions or concerns, I can be reached by email (Colin. Haime@cvrd.bc.ca) or by phone (250616-3986).CVRD Area G Saltair
CVRD Area G Saltair/Thetis Saltair Parks & Trails CVRD Parks & Trails sta have analyzed the results of their 2019 Saltair Centennial Park Rejuvenation Survey. The results will be presented to the community at a yet-to-be-scheduled CVRD open house. Centennial Park has ball diamonds, tennis courts, outdoor courts, washrooms, a concession stand, a playground, a forested walking area, picnic tables and a pavilion. Funding for the operation, maintenance and capital expenditures comes from the Saltair Community Parks Budget, which is financed by Saltair taxpayers only. We need to know remaining life spans, replacement costs and maintenance costs. For example, the cost of replacing the playground might be $100,000+. The Saltair Community Parks Budget funds the operation, maintenance and capital expenses of 12 community parks, trails and beach accesses. Soon, a new trail will be added between Grandview and Lytton. Saltair is unique. We have an abundance of outdoor parks, trails and beach accesses. However, many of our trails need improvements. We also need to know what this will cost. The purchase of the former Mt. Bren-
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ton Elementary School property and building was financed over a five-year period by only Saltair taxpayers starting in August 2014. The maintenance and operation of the property is funded by the Saltair Community Parks Budget. The building (Saltair Community Centre) loan for major costs that were authorized by the past CVRD board of approximately $30,000 per year and approximately $5,000 per year building insurance costs are financed by Saltair taxpayers only out of the Saltair Recreation Budget. The Saltair Community Society (a private society), which collects the rents and rents out space in the building, paid $1 for its five-year lease and does not financially assist with the loan and building insurance costs. Many Saltair residents think this situation needs to be reviewed and revisited. Saltair Water System The CVRD has applied for a grant to help pay for the Saltair Water System’s Island Health-mandated filtration system. I continue to work on making this application successful. In 2019, there was a broken valve between the Stocking Lake Dam and the diversion point for Saltair and Town of Ladysmith (TOL). The TOL and CVRD worked together to find a solution. The outflow pipe under the dam and the valve were replaced. The process involved commercial divers, scoping and a complicated water diversion to bypass the broken valve until it was replaced. It is amazing what the CVRD and TOL working together accomplished. COVID-19 I am writing my article in mid-March. By the time it is published, we will all have had to make significant changes in our lives. Please follow the B.C. Health guidelines to protect yourself and those around you. Follow the news releases as they become available from the federal government, provincial government and the CVRD. I will continue to post updates on the Saltair News and Views website (saltairnews.ca). Regional Harmonized Official Community Plan The April 4th meeting in the Cowichan Community Centre is postponed. The March 15th Area G Advisory Planning Commission meeting was also postponed. When new dates become available, I will post them on the Saltair News and Views website. April 12th Saltair Easter Event Cancelled The SALT — Saltair Traditional Easter Event — in Centennial Park has been cancelled. Saltair Market Check out the changes at the Saltair Market. A garden centre has been added. Friendly staff are making the market a great place to shop. Physical Distancing As we all work through the emergency measures being taken to flatten the COVID-19 curve in Canada and our local areas, I applaud all residents for working towards taking extra measures to help protect our families, neighbours and others. Please keep safe. If you have any questions and/or comments, please contact me at lynne.smith@cvrd.bc.ca or 250-701-1407. Additional articles and information can be found on the Saltair News and Views website (www.saltairnews.ca). The site has a new look. Check it out.
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Great Horned Owl BY SARA MIMICK, NATURALIST It was twilight on a foggy and cold mid-January evening. Off in the distance, I heard the most beautiful duet of alternating deep voices penetrating through the Douglas-fir, Grand fir and Western redcedar trees of Wildwood Ecoforest. I knew instantly that this was a pair of great horned owls — a legendary and quintessential owl species found throughout Indigenous and North American folklore dating back thousands of years. The owls’ alluring voices were from a male and a female, with the female belting out a slightly higher-pitched
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hoot than the male. The couple was performing this duet to solidify their pairbond in preparation for nesting season. Great horned owls are typically monogamous, staying together for life. In the Pacific Northwest, they are known as “early-nesters,” nesting from January to March, potentially so that the young learn adequate hunting skills before the next winter begins. Come mid-February, on a slightly rainy morning, I noticed a great horned owl again in the Wildwood Ecoforest. It was sitting snug in an empty crow’s nest. Any renovations these owls made to the empty crow’s nest were likely to be minimal, possibly consisting of a few new feathers added to the nest lining, but overall, great horned owls are content with the new home into which they settle. Great horned owls will often adopt a nest built by another species, such as eagles, crows, ravens, hawks and squirrels. Sometime they also use tree cavities or other spaces in dead trees and buildings. It looked to me that this nest had been chosen as the right place for an owl pair to lay their eggs. Now it is the beginning of April, and
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Mama owl and owlets. Photo: Minot Adventures, minot.af.mil/ News/Photos/igphoto/2000254830/
while I have not yet been back to Wildwood Ecoforest, I imagine the owl I spotted in the nest in February was a female and by now at least two to three eggs have been laid. The female will sit daily on the nest to incubate the eggs, keeping them warm and protected. During the egg incubation period, the male works hard hunting and brings food to the female. He catches prey, such as mice, rats, squirrels, and possibly even frogs or skunks. Throughout May or June (three to five weeks from now) the eggs should hatch and new life and new hoots will emerge within the Wildwood Ecoforest.
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Best Table in the House (A play with two actors and a cat) The scene opens behind the bar of the World’s Finest Restaurant — an immodest claim, were it not for the soup. Standing behind the bar polishing glasses is the snake-hipped proprietor Julius Humpingforth III, also known as John Smith. But that was two careers ago, one of them grand theft auto. Humpingforth, if that’s what you wish to call him, is a small man with a big head. Either that or his glasses fit poorly. You might want him sipping a glass of house red, but then again, you might not. As Humpingforth polishes, sips if he’s lucky, a cat strolls by with a large rat in his mouth, recently deceased. The cat responds to the name “Hobart,” but not very often. The rat is just passing through. On the other side of the stage is an office setting. Printed on a frosted glass door is: Buck Carlotta, Sales Manager, Preowned Car Division. Carlotta is a hefty man, about 43 in both years and waist size. His younger wife, Jennifer, just had a boob job, but don’t get your
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hopes up — she’s not in this play. The action starts with Carlotta picking up the phone and dialing a number. Use a rotary dial phone. If the stagehands haven’t succumbed to Alzheimer’s, Humpingforth’s phone should start ringing about now. He puts down his polishing cloth and answers it, but not before his eyebrows bounce around like jitterbugging caterpillars. JH3: World’s Finest Restaurant, how may I direct your call? Press one for kitchen; press two for dining room; press three for upstairs washroom. If it’s women’s underwear you want, I’ll take the call myself. Carlotta: (Confused, but pressing forward.) Are you the owner? JH3: Not if this is about an unpaid bill. Carlotta: (Huffy, proud of the fact.) I only deal with principals. JH3: I’ve dealt with a few principals myself. Mostly after school. Carlotta: Listen, this is Buck Carlotta. I’d like to dine at your restaurant this Saturday night at seven, party of four, and (decisive) I want the best table in the house. JH3: Impossible. It’s out for repairs. Liposuction on all four legs. It’s the rich food. I’m sure you understand. Carlotta: Then I’ll have the secondbest table. JH3: The good Lord smiles on a man who knows what he wants. He also smiles at obesity, but never mind that. I want to congratulate you on your choice of tables. Why that very table came over on the Mayflower. Sure, it’s a little rick-
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ety, but I think the bracing will hold. Now, how long will you want it for? It goes for a hundred dollars per hour. Carlotta: A hundred bucks an hour! That’s outrageous. JH3: If you think that’s outrageous, try shipping on the Mayflower. Besides, I thought you said this was a special evening. Carlotta: Well it is, but I haven’t said that yet. JH3: Well, spit it out. How else are you going to get a good table? Carlotta: Okay, okay, put me down for two hours. JH3: I’ll put you down for three-and-ahalf. At hundred dollars an hour, service gets pretty slow. Sometimes it’s a fortyfive-minute wait just for menus. Carlotta: That’s highway robbery. JH3: No, I gave that up. Carlotta: Okay, okay, I’ll go for threeand-a-half then. JH3: Finally, we’re getting somewhere. Do you want chairs with that? Carlotta: Do I want chairs? Of course, I want chairs. JH3: That’s a smart decision. Dinner’s not the same without them, and they’re only fifty dollars each. Carlotta: Fifty dollars each? I suppose they came over on the Mayflower too. JH3: Deck cargo. But don’t worry. We brushed off the salt. Carlotta: (Trying to assert control. Best of luck on that.) I should hope so. Okay, I’ll take four. JH3: It’s a better deal if you take five. Carlotta: What do you mean, a better
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deal? JH3: It’s seventy-five per cent off on the fifth chair. Where else are you going to get those prices? Carlotta: (Blood pressure steadily on the rise.) But there are only four people in our party. JH3: That’s why I recommend you bring a friend. Bring two if you can find a lap dancer. Carlotta: (Scores a 9.6 on the exasperation level. But that’s a Polish judge for you.) I don’t want to bring a friend! JH3: With your friends, I can hardly blame you. Why not bring one of mine? I got this one guy who eats real cheap. You could invite him; take advantage of the seventy-five per cent off. Carlotta: (Like a tire with a slow leak, he begins to lose pressure. Keep in mind, it is past his lunch hour.) Okay, okay, your friend can come. Now, are we through? JH3: Not quite. How many jokes should he bring? They’re ten dollars each, but thanks to the winter special we’re running, the first one is free. Carlotta: Jokes? You want me to pay for jokes? JH3: Sure beats watching him drool in the spinach. But that’s acid reflux for you. Carlotta: (No longer sure of himself) Well … can you give me an example of what kind of joke? JH3: An example? Sure. It’s mid-December, pitch black by five o’clock. A guy phones to reserve a window table overlooking the garden at seven. Did you hear that one? Carlotta: No. JH3: Well, now you have. Carlotta: That’s not a joke to me. JH3: That’s ʼcause you’re not in the business. Okay, here’s another one. How about the guy who demands a view of the water? We’re two miles inland, and he wants a water view. Now that’s funny. Carlotta: (Curious, unusual for a guy who seldom listens.) What did you do? JH3: What are you going to do? The customer’s always right. I got him a view of the water. I had a fishbowl on the table waiting for him. Boy, did he squawk when he got the bill for the rubber ducks. Carlotta: Listen, you mentioned spinach. I want to make this perfectly clear: none of us wants vegetables. No vegetables on the plate. Not even parsley — just a steak and a baked potato. JH3: For a slight up-charge, we can do it. Carlotta: Up-charge? For not serving vegetables? JH3: Of course. First, we have to put them on the plate, and then we have to take them off. Besides, what am I supposed to do with used vegetables? Carlotta: (Reconciliatory) Look, I may be a little demanding here, but the couple we’re bringing are special clients of ours, and we want them to be impressed. JH3: How about I give them a photocopy of the bill as a memento? Believe me, they’ll be impressed. Or … I know. Why not a giant cake that someone jumps out of? We have someone agile and frisky washing dishes. The scene slowly fades into darkness. Humpingforth resumes polishing. The cat, now seated on a dining room chair, cleans himself. (Don’t ask about the rat.) Carlotta is motionless, frozen in time, finally silent. Much relief at the car dealership. Just
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before the curtain closes, the cat belches. I told you not to ask about the rat. Attention all hoarders: It has come to our attention that some of you are wasting precious hoarding dollars on toilet paper. I say put down the three-ply and go green. Hoard instead the new 2018 vintage of Brunel’s Chateau de la Gardine Cotes du Rhone. I know, I know, we’ve recommended this wine before, and recently, but this new vintage is spectacular and well worth stocking up on. Who said social distancing can’t be fun? Follow Delbert at Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com or pick up his book at Mahle House, CoCo Cafe or TAKE 5 when open again.
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Maiatla (left) sailed from Ladysmith to Honduras. (Far left) The “pirate” ship that followed the Maiatla. (right) Andrew’s sister Jacki Stapleton. Photos: Andrew Gunson.
Maiatla and the real Pirates of the Caribbean BY ANDREW GUNSON We departed Ladysmith Harbour on Vancouver Island in the fall of 2012, bound south on our 53-foot sailing vessel, Maiatla. My wife, Janet, and I, along with an assortment of friends, spent the following winter months exploring Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands to eventually arrive in Panama in the spring of 2016. Colón, on the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal,
became home for Maiatla for another three seasons. Despite the heat and humidity, I loved Panama, and in particular, the unspoiled San Blas Islands, ruled by the Kuna people. After almost seven years of sailing the sweltering tropics and driving the boat hard, it was time for a climate change and a much-needed refit for Maiatla. We laid out a course for the Rio Dulce area of Guatemala where the weather was milder and there were inexpensive boat yards abound. Our journey would take us north over 850 miles, which would entail skirting the notorious pirate hotspot of the Gorda Bank, on the border of Nicaragua and Honduras. A new adventure was afoot, but we would get far more than we bargained for. On November 26, with my older sister, Jackie, as my crew, we departed
Colón, Panama, bound for our first stop on Isla San Andrés, an island belonging to Columbia. The 250-mile run proved difficult, as squalls were tearing up the Eastern Caribbean, sending a large and confused sea our way. Eighteen- to 30knot winds lashed the boat while thunderstorms lit the sky. It was a wet bash to windward, which proved hard on the boat. The first day, an alternator bracket sheared off the engine, and on the second, we sustained rig damage, as our inner forestay and staysail was carried away. With the gale still blowing fresh, we entered San Andrés Harbour on the Island of Providencia, Columbia, where we spent three fine days making repairs and playing tourist. We departed on December 2, my 60th birthday, and were greeted by high winds and big seas forward of the
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beam, a rough slog up wind, but the boat was sailing well. I intended to sail due north before turning to the northeast so we could swing wide of Gorda Bank. Aside from being a prolific fishing zone, Gorda Bank has been the site of many recent pirate attacks launched against small yachts. The plan was to pass the bank a good 90 miles to the east, in hopes of avoiding any ugly encounters. It was a plan previous cruisers employed with success. A full day and a half out of San Andrés, we altered course to the northeast, but the big seas slammed into our bow, the force of which nearly brought the boat to a stop. To maintain our speed, we started the engine and continued on our course motorsailing. It was a wet and rough ride, but all was going well until the engine quit. We laid the boat off the wind to keep up our speed. Jackie kept the boat moving while I crawled into the hot engine room in an attempt to restart the engine. But after several hours of troubleshooting, I failed. The engine was dead; I suspected the fuel injector pump was the culprit. Under normal circumstances, I would not have been too concerned, as we were a sailboat after all, and I had no doubt we would reach Roatán, Honduras, in another three days. But the problem was the course we were now forced to sail would take us across the eastern extremity of Gorda Bank. Jackie and I discussed our options, then decided to carry on. Our timing was such we would spend two full days and three nights in pirate waters, and
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I was thankful for the mostly moonless nights. We would run dark with no lights, maintain radio silence and use the radar sparingly, as it, like voice radio transmissions, can be traced back to its source. So it was stealth mode for Maiatla. Our first day off the bank was uneventful — minus the thunder squalls hounding us. When a fishing vessel was sighted, we tacked back to the east to beat our way around the vessel before resuming our course while praying we had not been spotted. We sighted a total of 13 fishing ves-
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sels in the first two days, and if any had seen us, they gave us no mind. It would be the longest three days of my life, as I seldom left the cockpit, choosing fitful catnaps curled up in the corner as Jackie took the helm, standing watch. A little after noon on our second day off the bank, a large fishing boat suddenly appeared three miles off our port bow. It was moving fast as it crossed our path, and I was relieved to see it holding its course. I watched intently through my binoculars, and just when I thought we were in the clear, the fishing boat turned tightly, pointing its bow our way before coming to a stop. We were hoping he was simply fishing, but after a closer look, that was not likely, as the deck was devoid of fishing gear — no nets, traps nor crew on the aft deck. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. The fishing boat drifted down to us, falling in line astern a mile back. We altered course several times, and each time, he matched our heading and speed. This went on for almost an hour. I was sure he had his sites on us, but he did not approach. I said to Jackie, “I bet he is waiting for another boat to arrive before he boards us.” I was so convinced we were targeted that I radioed a “Mayday” with our position, stating we were about to be boarded by pirates. Surprisingly, I received no radio response. (Later I was told the pirates were probably jamming my radio call by broadcasting music at the same time. We did hear music several times that day.) Ninety minutes after first being intercepted, I spotted a second vessel, again about three miles out and running flat out and on an intercept course with Maiatla.
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“Well it looks like his buddy has finally arrived, Jackie, and I think we are about to get boarded!” It was looking like one boat would attack from behind while the other cut us off. There were two 45-foot to 60-foot steel fishing boats closing in on us. In preparation for what appeared to be the inevitable, I dropped below to hide some of my valuables. Monies were split up and my good navigational computer was hidden. If the boat was stripped and they let us be, I would need a means of navigation as we were still 180 miles from anywhere. That done, I returned to the cockpit to find both boats were closing in and fast. There was little to do other than wait, as without an engine, attempting to run was out of the question. While peering forward and past the second fishing boat, I sighted a dark shadow on the horizon. It was another vessel,
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a large containership. A flood of relief filled me as I snatched up the radio’s microphone. The officer of the watch answered right away, and I quickly told him our situation and described the pirate ships and their relative positions. Upon sighting the ship, the two fishing vessels turned back to the south and headed off at full throttle. It was such a relief to see them go that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Within 15 minutes, the great ship passed between Maiatla and the pirates. I made a full report to the ship’s officer who informed me he would notify the authorities. Our relief was short lived, because as fast as the ship had arrived, it had disappeared over the horizon, leaving us again engineless and alone in pirate waters. Thankfully the wind was still blowing strong over our stern. It was a long three hours until sunset, time I spent with eyes glued to the horizon, fearing the pirates would return. I was never so happy to see a sunset as I was on this night. It was another mostly sleepless night in the cockpit for Jackie and I, but when dawn broke, a land mass appeared directly ahead. It was Isla Guanaja, the eastern most isle of Honduras’s “Bay Islands.” During the night, we departed the pirate waters, but we had a new problem: the wind was failing and we still needed to maneuver through the numerous reefs of Roatán and into French Cay where a dock awaited. We would spend another night at sea, sailing, drifting at half a knot on a glass smooth sea. By 2 p.m. on our fifth day at sea, we found ourselves being towed the last two miles into the harbour where we took a dock at the Fantasy Island Beach Resort and out came the rum! Over the many years and the nearly 30,000 miles we have sailed Maiatla, I have often been asked (usually jokingly), “Have you ever seen any pirates?” Until now, it has always been an emphatic, “No!” I guess I can’t say that anymore! Andrew Gunson and his wife Janet live in Cedar when not sailing to exotic places aboard their sailboat. Andrew is the author of A Slow Boat to Panamá: México to the Galápagos Islands and Panamá, The Tahiti Syndrome-Hawaiian Style, and Voyage of the Maiatla with the Naked Canadian available on Amazon and local bookstores.
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HEART LAKE ROOFING for all your roofing repairs 250-668-9195. WANTED ACTIVE SENIOR LADY looking for reasonable rental accommodation. Ladysmith – Chemainus areas. Non-smoker; no pets. Excellent references. Call 250-924-6314 or leave message. . FOR SALE TWO 12FT MAHOGANY KAYAKS. Custom made, beautifully painted, epoxyed bottoms. Each with 2 cargo hatches, paddle, PFD, spray skirt, towline, safety & waterproof accessories. $1000. each. Contact Marguerite 250-722-2258 BUSINESS
GARDEN RENOVATION AND LANDSCAPING. Are you thinking of a garden renovation or landscaping project? Excellent quality and knowledge. We are happy to assist you with any landscaping or gardening work you need. Estimates are always free. Give Sandpiper a call! 250-246-2421. QUALITY RENOVATIONS. Big or small. 25 yrs. exp/journeyman, affordable. For free estimate, call Lars 250-616-1800. ALL ACRES TREE SERVICE providing all aspects of tree work. Pruning, falling, hedging, dangerous tree removal. Fully insured. Professional work at reasonable rates. Call 250-246-1265.
CONCRETE RESULTS. Contracting, fullservice forming and finishing, walls, walks, patios, drives. 35 years experience. Call Gord 250-753-4024.
DARRELL ESSAR RENOVATIONS. Over 30 years’ experience, certified journeyman carpenter. No Job is too small, from fences, decks, tile work, hardwood flooring, painting, drywall etc. For free estimate, call Darrell 250-714-3823.
EXPERIENCED HOUSESITTER Now offering Senior Companionship, Respite Care and Concierge Services. Peaceofmindcare. wordpress.com. Kathleen 250-619-0786 or email kgrcoaching@gmail.com.
ISLAND PRUNING. Professional tree care from large scale orchards to budding new trees. I can meet any pruning need. Shrubs, vines and ornamental. Large and small clean ups. Call Darcy Belcourt 250-323-1260.
I CAN EDIT. Copy editing, proofreading, structural editing and more. Fiction or nonfiction, web content and eBook prep. For more information, email editican@gmail. com.
ARE YOU BUYING OR SELLING A HOME? Curb appeal, re-design or new design, www. islandgardenscapes.ca or 250-802-0461.
VIDEO PRODUCTION services, from script to screen, edited and ready to post on YouTube, Facebook or your website. Editor@take5.ca. HEALTH & WELLNESS TAI CHI for mental & physical health. Beginner classes start Sept. & Jan., Mondays, at Cedar Heritage Centre. On-going class Wednesdays at North Oyster Community Centre. Both classes 10am–noon, www.taichinanaimo.org. Call Sara 250-245-1466. HOME & YARD MAKE IT NICE qualified, experienced gardener available for private, residential gardens. Please call 250-754-9346 KB HANDYMAN AND YARDWORKS SERVICES. Minor carpentry work, decks, fences, gutter cleaning, power washing, tree pruning, yard clean up, lawn fertilizing, mowing. Seniors discount. Contact Karl kbhandymanandyardworks@gmail.com or 250-714-2738.
PETS PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE “leash’em & walk’em” with Marlena & Babs. I am bonded, have Animal First Aid and CPR. My service for all pet includes dog walking, home care visits, overnight in your home and much more. As my love is yours! Call 250.246.3394 THE PET NANNY. Let us pamper and love your pets at your home or ours. References are available. Contact Shanon or Bill at sburchard@ hotmail.ca or 250-924-8809. SENIORS LYNN’S SENIORS CARE HOME. High quality personalized care. Warm caring environment. Great food and snacks. Family events. Couples and pets welcome. Ocean views, gardens. North of Ladysmith. www.lynnsseniorcare.com. Call 250245-3391. GRANNYS ON THE GO COMPANION SERVICES. Are you looking for someone that can help you with an active senior family member? Well look no further than Janet Bowman at janetmb@shaw.ca or 250-924-1515.