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Salieri said to Mozart: “…too many
notes, too many notes”. And David said
to Linda: “…too many words, too
many words”. I believe that certain readers
among you appreciate getting the details on something
like the Devil’s antics in Queen Charlotte
Sound so I gave you a blow by blow in the last
entry. But OK – David definitely has a
point.
This installment of the 2009 photo/blog is
mostly photos - of a lovely place in British
Columbia called Ocean Falls. It’s a bit
off the beaten track so you have to make a
special (short) side trip to get there.
This is the nice open entrance, with the side-tie
docks at the left.
You can wave to the greeting mermaid.
Then just pick any
spot – watch the out-flow
current from the falls and tie up. There is 30
amp power, water, and you pay on the honor system.
Looking the other way, towards the town you can
just catch the nice surprise we had in Ocean
Falls. The vessel you see on the far right
is the M/V Surprise, operated by Bob and Marilyn
Hale.
Bob and Marilyn write and publish the much-loved
and widely-used recreational boaters’ guide:
Waggoner Cruising Guide.
They update the guide yearly, with coverage that
starts in the Seattle area and spans British
Columbia’s waters all the way up to Prince
Rupert. They cruise BC every summer to update
and collect new information and we felt fortunate
to cross wakes with them at OceanFalls. Their
website is also a great resource for cruisers:
www.waggonerguide.com.
Once you leave the dock, you feel as though you
have fallen into a ghost novel. The four of us
decided to explore this nearly deserted historic
town again even though we had all been here before.
It is still home to a hydroelectric dam that
powers Shearwater and Bella Bella and several
dozen seasonal residents. There is a certain
grim fascination in trying to recreate lives
and stories from broken boards, peeled paint,
and 6-inch thick moss on the roof. New roofing
insulation anyone?
We always knew where to head because of the helpful
signs.
Bob and Marilyn
especially like the dilapidated “Ocean
Falls Fire Department”.
Dave likes the fire station too, but he likes
the big logs even better.
In years past Bob has been able to use the road
across the falls to get a nice picture for
his cruising guide. Not so this year. The road
is gone. So he may have to settle for a picture
from this side instead.
Those
falls are wonderful to gaze at. Either straight
on….
Or looking
down…
David and I have so few opportunities to have
our picture taken together that we leaped at
the offer by the Hales to get our picture in
front of the falls.
We decided to forgo a doubles match at this tennis
court.
Sixty years ago big bands played in the ballroom
of this now deserted hotel. The decline in
the timber industry led to the demise of Ocean
Falls.
The simplest things
seem to leap out at me. I loved this red anchor.
It’s the only
red anchor I have ever seen.
David is a wonderful
photographer and likes flowers. Here’s
a sample of his nice work.
So now you have a taste of the chimerical Ocean
Falls.
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