Going Deep House

Lorne behind the wheel

We met Lorne, the driver of the water taxi that we chartered down at the Marina in Port McNeill. Lorne was a quiet, hard working fella that spent most his life up in Kingcome Inlet. His grandfather came to the Inlet in search of work back in the 1930‘s during the depression.  It was here that Lorne’s family stayed and he continues to live with his wife and dog in Shawl Bay. This community was our last stop before Kingcome itself and reminded me of a scene from Waterworld. I didn't get a chance to see his feet but I think Lorne might have been the inspiration for Kevin Costner’s webbed brilliance. The entire community was floating on sea water. It is an annual occurrence that any community in the Inlet is prone to flooding. Kingcome’s resolution to this is to build on stilts - the norm is for the river to rise into town about 1-2 feet, twice annually. Last September, after three straight days of very intense rain, Kingcome was under 8 feet of water and the people were forced to evacuate their homes for about a month!  Shawl Bay avoids these catastrophes by living as a buoyant community.

Shawl Bay - the community on the Sea and just East of Gregory Island :)

Marianne Nicolson's powerful pictograph
near government dock at Kingcome Inlet

Lorne was more than a gentleman and after the four hour ride to the government dock at the mouth of the river, Jackie and I were more than grateful. Two harbour porpoises swam past us near the government dock, and it was our official welcome to the inlet. It was here we got dropped with our 2000+ pounds of food and possessions and we waited for the arrival of Les Dawson. Les and K-Dog (his 15 year old nephew) rolled up in two separate boats hoping to bring us into Kingcome, 4 km up river.  K-Dog had mastered the 30 foot dug out cedar canoe with a strong 20 horse on it. I had no doubt that the canoe was going to bring our food safely up stream as it appeared that it had done the trip about a hundred thousand times already. This boat looked almost identical to the one that took me from Northern Thailand to Laos a year and a half ago.  Like that experience, it was as if Jackie and I were entering another nation. I have never been to a community so remote.

After loading up, Jackie and Atticus waited at the government dock with the last of our gear.  Les ensured that there was no food left with them, and we made our way up river.  Ripping through the fast moving current, Les jaunted from left to right, choosing his favourite route and attempting to throw me off of the front.  I was taking it all in. The sharp rising coastal mountains stocked with waterfalls and rock and conifers, the brisk fresh air, and the runoff of logs and debris along the river, clearly from last year’s flood.  We pulled up to the sandy beach and Les said “welcome home”.

The river in our backyard, our canoe is proving to be pretty useful. The Mountain is called Whoop-Szo or the Noisy Mountain.

After unloading the boat into Les’ truck, he ripped back for Jackie and Atticus. Upon arriving, Atti had himself a greeting party of the local pack-o-dogs. He immediately hit it off and they have all taken to him quite nicely. Although his experience this past summer in bush camp prepared him for what he has come into, wildlife encounters are a daily occurrence in Kingcome, which is a constant concern for us.

On the short drive to our new house, Les gave us a quick introduction to the village.  That morning, there was a sow Grizzly and her cub hanging around the outskirts of town. It was a wakeup call that our handheld radio is going to be our ‘Kingcome lifeline’.

There is much more in Kingcome than you would expect from a community that has a population of 100 permanent. The local Tsawataineuk band consists of about 500 folks. There is a pretty sweet soccer field and church that sits in the centre of the old village. Standing tall in the east end of the village is the beautiful school and the community big house. The school has a full-size gymnasium and three fully equipped classrooms that puts many urban facilities to shame.  Considering what it took to bring the materials in this deep, it is all quite impressive.

Our home sits at the base of the north-side of town, which is the ‘new subdivision’ that was built in the early 80‘s. It is a quick jaunt to the school and Jackie can actually see me sitting on the front porch from her classroom. I have included a few photos with this entry, but many more to come of the big house and around town after our welcoming community dinner this week.

Our home out front. Stairs to the right go to our side door

Living room.

Fine dining :)

Come on down to Greg's kitchen.

Stocked storage room.

GUEST ROOM!!! ;) ;)

*Jackie and I have begun to read Margaret Craven’s I Heard the Owl Call My Name which was set in Kingcome. (The book describes the mystery and power of native life and tells the story of a dying Anglican vicar sent by his bishop to Kingcome Village to work with the Tsawataineuk people. The bishop believes that the young vicar will live a rewarding life till the end, and "learn enough of the meaning of life to be ready to die.") Wiki.

Atticus and a few of his buds (Marley and Oscar).