November 2007

SurgeNarrowsOverTonesRAG

S.N.C.A. * Volume 1 * Issue 10 * November 2007

SNCA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The AGM was a happy gathering that finished with the following set of Directors. Continuing their two year term: Rob Wood, Claudia Lake, Rieko Sevigney. Re-elected: Judith Wright. Newly elected: Sally Davies. The financial statements were presented and Rob gave a report on the year’s activities and accomplishments, with special reference to the successful application of the Community Involvement Policy. After the official meeting, we passed the talking stick. Useful information was exchanged, community concerns expressed and ideas presented. We then moved to the bunkhouse for a delicious and beautifully presented lunch, (catered by Irene and Brian), lots of social chat and a brief meeting of the new directors. Thanks to all the members who attended and ensured the continuance of the Surge Narrows Community Association. Many thanks to Bruce for preparing and heating the building.

SINGING WITH TINA ERIKSON
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19

11:15am. At the bunkhouse.
We’re expecting a crowd with some new voices, so come and add yours!
Cost: Donations accepted to cover expenses. Also $1.00/person Building Use Fee
Lunch will be available (also by donation) at the “Café Bunko” following the sing.




SWEET UNICEF HAUL

The sprites and goblins of Surge Narrows collected $66.18 for UNICEF this Halloween.
Well done kids and donors!


ENHANCE IT AND THEY WILL STAY

Celebrating nearly two decades of successful community salmon enhancement projects on Read Island

By Sheila Hollanders & Eve Flager


In August we came home from our city lives to help with two days of intensive stream cleaning on Bird Cove Creek. As kids we sometimes viewed stream cleaning as a chore but these days it serves as the perfect excuse to spend time at home and participate in a meaningful project. This article aims to outline a short history of enhancement projects to date and seeks to highlight how they have contributed to salmon and to community health. We hope that we can encourage Discovery Islanders to support future salmon enhancement projects. More importantly, we hope that the success of the projects will inspire others to get involved with similar positive community projects in the coming years.
The history of salmon enhancement on Read Island dates back to 1989 when salmon stocks were plummeting. Then commercial fishers, Ken Flager and Marci Simpson, mobilized a group of local islanders to build an upwelling brood box next to the White Rock Creek where Chum and Coho juveniles could be raised and released. They had difficulty finding enough eggs or suitable spawning gravel areas so the group shifted their enhancement efforts to the Bird Cove Creek, where 300 Chum and 50 Coho were counted during that year. Unlike the White Rock Creek, Bird Cove Creek has a high portion of suitable spawning habitat and could be more easily accessed. This is important, particularly in winter months when the box should be checked daily to ensure that freezing hasn't stopped water flow through it. Both the Bird Cove Creek and White Rock Creek boxes were run for six years, from 1990 to 1996. In 1993, at the end of the first four-year spawning cycle after the beginning of enhancement, the counts reached an all time high of 650 Chum and 110 Coho. These numbers showed that the enhancement project was successful in doubling salmon stocks!

In the same year, the community joined forces to raise $50,000 so the Surge Narrows Community Association could purchase the 20 acre parcel of land which borders the Coho tributary. Now marked by the beautiful “Surge Narrows Fish and Wildlife Reserve” signs along the public road, the reserve prevents the land around the creek from being logged and will preserve the creek ecosystem in the future
. Taking milt from male fish
Although active enhancement with the brood boxes definitely increased return numbers, the key to the stream's success was the annual debris removal that occurred from 1989 to 2000. During this time blockages in the stream were removed to prevent erosion and infill of spawning beds, and to minimize obstruction to salmon migration upstream. No debris removal occurred from 2001 to 2005, during which time significant drops in return numbers were observed. In 2006 another annual debris removal project began and was repeated in 2007. Presently, average counts are between 200-300 Chum and less than 10 Coho.

The participation of island youth (some as young as eight years old!) in recent stream cleaning projects is particularly heart warming. In part it is their limitless energy that helps clear debris from the stream, but more importantly it is the youths' honest interest and (com)passion for salmon and their natural ecosystems which offers hope: hope that in the future more holistic environmental/resource management strategies will value ecosystem health over economic health; hope that salmon stream enhancement projects will continue in the future.
Stream Cleaning Crew
Over the years we think every resident has contributed to the creek either in active enhancement and debris removal activities, funding, or simply as a voice for the wellbeing of the streams. The projects have involved individuals with varying backgrounds, ages and abilities. Enhancement efforts have been a successful and sustained effort for 18 years which shows that local community members strongly value salmon streams and support salmon enhancement projects. Community support was first shown in 1990 when the community (through SNCA) bought Lot 309. More recently, angry islanders raised their voices and succeeded in stopping Island Timberlands from logging the land bordering the main stream of Bird Cove Creek.

Another notable aspect about these projects is that they have developed meaningful partnerships with SNCA, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Surge Narrows Elementary School. In addition to the purchase of Lot 309, SNCA has sponsored some stream cleaning efforts. In 2003 the enhancement group worked with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) as part of a directed community involvement program. Bird Cove Creek is a DFO Coho Indicator stream, meaning the health of its Coho run is indicative of the health of the Coho salmon stock for the North Island. The DFO Community Involvement program provided an opportunity for Surge Narrows Elementary children to incubate and rear DFO provided Coho eggs. Once the fry were large enough, the students released the fry into Bird Cove Creek. These projects have presented opportunities for the community to come together in a healthy and positive way.
Lastly, in 2003, Eve Flager and two class mates from Camosun College's Environmental Technology Program-salmon conducted a Reconnaissance Fish and Fish Habitat survey of Bird Cove Creek and its two tributaries. The scientific report assessed the three creeks for their physical, chemical and biological properties in order to determine their overall water and habitat quality for salmonids. The Bird Cove Creek watershed exhibited a wide variety of biodiversity with minimal apparent impacts from human development. The physical attributes such as channel morphology, stream bank stability, and stream bed substrate type were within desired ranges for salmonids. The water chemistry, including pH, temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen, were optimal. Biological attributes, such as riparian zone, in-stream vegetation, and benthic invertebrate populations were within desired ranges. The report enables the enhancement group to assess if and how future logging and or other development may be affecting the quality of salmon habitat.
Looking to the future, we have no doubt that the Bird Cove Creek will continue to be valued as an important physical and spiritual place. It is integral to the health of pacific salmon stocks in the region and is a source of artistic and research inspiration to the residents of Read and surrounding Discovery Islands. In the coming years we plan to clean the creek on a regular basis and possibly conduct further enhancement activities. Further research would be helpful in identifying and mitigating the impacts of climate change and logging on salmon habitat. We hope that governments at all levels will work together with the community to protect and enhance this important creek. More importantly, we hope that islanders will continue to support and encourage local efforts to conserve and protect salmon streams and other community resources in the Discovery Islands. Let's continue to speak up and act together when pressures arise that could damage our fragile island ecosystems and our community.

Please contact Eve or Ken Flager if you have further questions or would like to get involved in future projects.
* * * * *

THE SURGE NARROWS FISH AND WILDLIFE RESERVE
By Judith

In the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s, Read Islanders were shocked by Raven Lumber’s massive clearcutting of a 1,000 acre area in the middle of the island. There were many protests and efforts to curtail or modify the logging and the community suffered from the acrimony of the conflict as well as from the environmental impacts. When the plans were announced to cut along the Bird Cove Creek, where it ran along the main Read Island Road, the area’s residents decided to prevent the destruction of the creek and of a beautiful forested road corridor. The only way to achieve this was to purchase the land from Raven Lumber. The first plan was to buy the whole of Lot 309 but the price rose steadily during negotiations and we were finally able to afford only the area of mature trees along the creek and road (about 8.2 ha).

SNCA’s first fund raising act was to approach the Vancouver Foundation, which had received the original lands by donation and then sold them to Raven Lumber. They were using the income from this sale to fund cultural activities in Vancouver, but we argued that the people who had suffered from the logging, which resulted from the creation of the foundation’s capital, should also receive some benefits. The Vancouver Foundation was persuaded and gave us a grant of $20,000.00.
This left only $50,000.00 to find on our own! There were quilt auctions, dances, bake sales and mail out appeals to everyone we knew. Ian Fry donated a beautiful water colour sketch of the area which we used extensively in the campaign. When the results were still inadequate, Richard, Hamish and Mara masterminded
and executed a door to door campaign in Vancouver, selling chocolates and flower seeds. That jumped us much closer to our goal. Meanwhile our lawyer, John F. Grant, was dealing with all the legalities of subdivision and contracts, and was donating his services. With the purchase deadline closing in on us, Raven agreed to finance the shortfall of $9,000.00, interest free for three years. Those three years were tense as SNCA carried the burden of continued fund raising and payments but finally the land was ours!

A condition of the grant from the Vancouver Foundation was that the land be held as parkland in perpetuity. The only way that SNCA could ensure this, (being a sometimes unstable body itself), was to donate the land to the Nature Trust of BC, for perpetual trust holding. We then signed a 99 year lease with them for the land so that we could manage it. By the terms of the lease, SNCA agreed: to preserve all the trees and plants; to pay taxes (which are waived by the Province and CSRD); to be liable for injury or damage, (so we pay for liability insurance); to manage and develop the land as a
site of ecological interest for the use, enjoyment and benefit of the people of British Columbia. If SNCA should fail in its obligations, the lease would be revoked and, as the Nature Trust requires a local manager, the land would probably be sold to fund their land acquisitions elsewhere. The ability to retain control over the Fish and Forest Reserve is a major motivation for keeping SNCA alive and functioning healthily.

Ralph Keller and Ian Kingstone constructed the signs for the Reserve. The Salmon Enhancement Committee has worked its magic in the creek. Otherwise there has been very little development. Because the roads transect the area so well there is no need for trails that would degrade the environment further. An ongoing concern is conventional road maintenance that might be over enthusiastic and could plow down the moss and ferns along the shoulders of the road. So far the road crews have behaved sensitively and locals are invited to clip back any brush that might impinge on the road, so that a mower massacre will not be necessary.

Take a stroll down the road to where the Reserve starts, just past Louis’ driveway. The mossy forest on both sides of the road is in the Reserve and the Maple Triangle is close to the centre of it. Turn left at the Triangle and the next road junction marks the northern corner of the parcel. Turn right at the junction and watch for beaver, ducks and red wing blackbirds in the wetlands on the right. A sign marks the eastern boundary of the parkland. Please, enjoy the beauty of this little enclave and appreciate the fact that it is protected for the benefit of the forest, fish and animals, and that it should stay unchanged by direct human activity for another century, at least.

* * * * *



THE MARKET AT SURGE NARROWS

By Ginny

To everyone who has participated in our monthly market days this last summer, thank you for coming! It was a pleasure to chat with you over coffee and a muffin or sticky-bun. You’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve raised over $200 for SNCA. In addition, a number of vendors have been selling their own specialty products, such as crystals, garden fruits and vegetables, herbs, jams, pickles, and home baking (yes, those amazing plum-cakes and sticky-buns!).

The high point for me was the Corelair delivery of a freshly made pizza, after which there wasn’t much conversation, only slurpy cheese eating noises and higher bid prices for each pizza slice sold.

Thank you to organizers Judith and Ginny for donating and purveying gourmet coffee and tea, and to donor bakers et al (Sue for bread, Shawnai and Ginny for muffins, Violene and Ginny for cookies and other treats, and George for massages) and the produce vendors who donated some of their proceeds. A special thanks to all the vendors who made the effort to bring their merchandise and join in.

You can be sure we’ll let you know when the market on the dock resumes next summer!

* * * * *

MARKET Y’S
By Judith

On the surface, the Surge Market looks like a simple exchange of goods but the essence of the activity goes much deeper and it could have profound effects on the community.
The motive of market vendors might be simple profit but this is unlikely as we are all relatively well off and we prefer the easy life to dollar chasing. However, a few dollars in the pocket does pay for the travel expenses of a fun, sociable day. Perhaps we come to display the fruits of our labour and share the bounty with our neighbours. This is a nice mix of pride and altruism with good results: surplus production is not wasted and we can all enjoy the high quality and nutritive value of local foods.
Buyers certainly enjoy the convenience of stocking up locally between town trips. They relish the good flavours of lunch offerings, the decadence of sweet treats and the chance to visit with neighbours over a cup of brew. The quality and freshness of island-grown, organic produce can not be matched in the supermarket.
Beyond these obvious elements of market day, it also provides a small start to a deeper economy that could enrich and strengthen our community, make our lifestyle more sustainable and decrease our impact on the environment. I don’t mean just monetary wealth and enrichment but rather an upgrade in our quality of life and health as improved by excellent food, artistically crafted items that beautify our homes and wardrobe, and services that come with genuine caring. The act of trading strengthens social bonds and builds our appreciation of each other’s skills and talents. Less reliance on the global economy and more dependence on our own resources can increase the security and stability of the community. Every delay made to another town trip, by a local purchase, lessens our use of fossil fuels and decreases our harmful emissions.

If more of us were to embrace this market concept we would have to push ourselves to create special products or works of art, to grow an unusual crop or to increase the scale of our gardens, or to learn a skill that is lacking on the islands. The challenge and the knowledge gained would be a benefit to the creators as well as to the consumers. Knowledge and skills that are being lost in the larger technological society might be retained here.

Establishing a self sufficient food supply will take time and we would need to start now planting long term crops like fruit and nut trees, building flocks and herds of livestock, breaking and improving ground, and learning horticultural and food storage techniques. Many island women have already embarked on this journey in their own households as they explore traditional foods from extreme scratch: flour and bread from the grain kernels, wine and preserves from fruit, lactic pickles and sourdough leavening, cheese making, gathering all kinds of wild foods, butchering and preserving their own wild or homegrown meat. We can help each other by sharing this knowledge.

Market day can open our eyes to the possibilities and to the resources of our neighbours.

Some excellent reading about these concepts is circulating in the community. Watch for The Hundred Mile Diet by A. Smith & J.B. MacKinnon, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

If you would like to see the market continue through the winter, let me know and we’ll make some plans. Meanwhile, please consider what you could contribute to increasing our combined true wealth in the coming seasons


* * * * *



THURSDAY AFTERNOON MOVIE SERIES

Please join us for the following Sierra Club recommended movies on the "big screen" at the Bunkhouse at Surge Narrows:

Thursday Nov 8th, 2:30 PM
The Great Bear Rainforest
This visually spectacular rainforest documentary will give you insight into an ancient harmonious ecosystem in balance. Highly recommended.

Thursday Nov 22nd, 2:30 PM
Shining Mountains - On the edge
Are we loving our mountains to death? A documentary exploring human encroachment in the Rocky Mountains.

Thursday Nov 29th, 2:30 PM
Shining Mountains - The once and future wild
A search for solutions for the grizzly, wolf, and cariboo to remain at home on the range, including details of the Y2Y Yellowstone to Yukon initiative begun by Karsten Hueur, and a native boy heading out on his first moose hunt.

Each movie is approximately an hour in length and has been selected to appeal to all ages. Complimentary tea, coffee, and treats will be served. Stay posted for future listings.

Did you miss our first movie?
On Monday October 29th, all of the students at Surge School and several adult members of the community gathered in the Bunkhouse to watch "The Power of Community", an inspiring Sierra Club recommended film about how Cuba solved their oil shortage crisis with innovative yet simple solutions that involved the whole community.
This was well received by the audience, stimulating discussion afterwards, and a social time with complimentary treats and nibbles.



CHRISTMAS CONCERT

is planned for Tuesday, December 18th.
This is the social event of the year, so mark your calendars!



News items, announcements, opinions, stories, photos and art work are needed for the Rag! The goal is to stimulate communication within the community and to encourage participation in events and programs. Deadline for submissions is the first of each month. Articles and letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Submit your contribution by e-mail (best method) to judithwright_@hotmail.com (note the underscore before @), OR mail a paper copy to Box 4, V0P 1W0. For short items and notices you may also phone Judith at 250 830 8583.

The Snot Rag is published, usually monthly, by the Surge Narrows Community Association, as a communication tool for the community. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of SNCA

Directors of SNCA: Rob Wood, Claudia Lake, Judith Wright,
Rieko Sevigny, Sally Davies.

The 25 paid-up members (counting the directors) of SNCA for the year October 2007 to October2008 are:
David Cox, Bruce Davies, Brenda Dempsey, Ross Campbell, Ken Flager, Richard Gillmore, Sheila Hollanders, Cameron Humphreys, Lannie Keller, Ralph Keller, Fern Kornelson, Jorge Little, Mary Anne Moss, Max Primgaard, John Robilliard , Carolyn Robbins, Eileen Sowerby, Tina Thomson, David Turpin, Laurie Wood

SNCA membership is $10.00 annually, payable to the Surge Narrows Community Association, P.O. Box 52, V0P 1W0.

October 2007

SurgeNarrowsOrbits&Trajectories RAG

S.N.C.A. Volume 1 Issue Number 9 October 2007

Surge Narrows Community Association
Annual General Meeting
Saturday, November 3, 2007
11:00am
Murray Hall (gym)

Agenda: Reports, presentation of financial statements, election of officers.
Coffee, tea, snacks on arrival. Lunch will be served after the meeting for $5.00/plate, children $2.50.
Everyone welcome! (Only members can vote.)

* * * * *

YOGA WITH RIEKO

Another relaxing, deep breathing season of yoga is flowing into a new season. Rieko lead 26 yoga classes at Surge in the past year for a total of 220 ‘person sessions’. The popular activity on Wednesdays, 12:30 to 2:30 continues to draw both regulars and drop-ins. Rieko tailors the activity to suit the abilities of whatever group shows up, so everyone is challenged but not overextended.

Rieko collected Building Use fees for this activity and has recently submitted $220.00 to SNCA. Although these fees are only $1/person/use, they add up over time and are a significant help in maintaining the buildings. Thanks to all the stretchers for paying up.
“Keep breathing, it’s the most important part!”

* * * * *

NEWS FROM SURGE NARROWS SCHOOL AND THE PARENTS’ ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PAC)


Last month, Anne Graham held a big Garage Sale on Quadra and she has donated over $1,200 to the Surge Narrows PAC – Many thanks to Anne and the volunteers who helped out and to all islanders for their support.


Jenn L. has posted a huge sign up sheet in the School foyer to encourage community and parent involvement with the children. There’s room to fill in an activity and sign your name beside it – an activity that you would like to coordinate, run, or bring in resource people for. Some suggestions that have been made include karate, dance, boat building, field trips, crafts, and survival skills, but there are so many possibilities. There are talents and a huge reservoir of knowledge in our community that we could pass on to the kids and to each other if we were each to take a little time, commit some energy or spend some afternoons enriching the whole.

The Bunkhouse improvement project has been stalled, at first by slow funding, then by busy personal schedules but there is a push to get it turned into a clean, cosy, inviting space for the winter use of Mom’s and tots especially, and also for the use and enjoyment of the community generally. While waiting for the larger parts of the project to get underway, Claudia and helpers have scoured, cleaned and organized the bunkhouse into a much more welcoming space.

The Surge School has a new blog that can be found at: http://surgeschool.bccoasthost.com/. The blog has been set up by Jenn Reeves and it will continue to improve and expand as everyone climbs the learning curve. The children are close followers of the weather and record each day’s readings in their Sky Watch programme. Now they are also using their new blog to post their observations of the effects of weather events on our local community. Check out the blog for this entertaining feature and also for other school information and useful kid related links.

Every Wednesday, from 2:45 to 3:30, there is an all ages game in the gym. The kind of game varies; this week it was soccer. Adults are invited and encouraged to join the children for an energetic and fun time.

The children have experienced their first hot lunch, provided by PAC’s “Healthy Lunches Programme”. Jenn L. had a lovely table set up in the bunkhouse and served the children an attractive meal of cheese wraps, vegetables, fruit and juice. The kids loved the meal and they displayed good table manners and behaviour throughout, as observed by all the folks who were attending the market day in the other half of the room. Well done Jenn and PAC!

* * * * *

A job that is waiting for a volunteer to come along: the bunkhouse junk room, on the south side of the entrance walkway, needs to be emptied and all the contents disposed of (town dump?). If you have the energy, please go for it!

* * * * *



SINGING: ONE MONDAY A MONTH

Singing is back on line. Tina Erickson will be here for singing once a month at 10:00am in the school and then at 11:15 with the adults in the bunkhouse. Exact dates are still to be chosen but we are aiming at MONDAY, November 19 for the next one. Keep tuned for possible changes. Tina is hoping to come to Read on Mondays, not Thurs. this year). We are thinking of every 3rd Monday but future dates will be confirmed.

PAC was able to fund the program completely last year but this year they will have a shortfall. SNCA has agreed to collect and hold donations, (suggestion: what you can afford or $5.00/ person/singing session) and these funds will be used to cover the shortfall and possibly even to buy some extra sessions. Some regular attendees may like to pay a lump sum to SNCA, just for their own convenience. In addition to the session fee SNCA asks that each person also pays a $1.00 Building Use Fee. The suggested total of $6.00 per sing is still a great deal as all of Tina’s other choirs pay $10.00 a time.

We would like to sell tea and coffee, and baked goods after the sing so there will be a chance to refuel and socialize.

If you missed the singing last season, you will want to be sure to mark your calendars this year because it’s a wonderful, fun entertainment, with an excellent, very talented leader. Tina could pull music from a stone so all you folks who “don’t sing” come out anyhow and add your noise to our very non-performance, no-fault choir. Be ready to be surprised!

Come Join Us for a Movie and Social

Come join us for the first movie and social on
Monday October 29th at 12:30 PM - 2 PM
in the library at the Surge School.
Bring your own lunch. Coffee, tea, and treats will be provided.

"The Power of Community" is a highly recommended documentary about how the Cuban people handled their oil crisis with ingenuity, community co-operation and conservation.
This is the first event in a series of movies on loan from the Sierra Club.
For information, contact Shawnai at 203-3924 or by VHF at "Windrose".

* * * * *

PLAYGROUND PROGRESS

As anyone walking by the school field will notice, Dave and Hazen have done a fine job of clearing and smoothing the new play area site, and placing some log barriers along the road. There is a load of concrete sacks at Quadra Builders awaiting a berth on a future trip of the Gung-ho. When that load arrives, the equipment can be put into position. There is also need for massive quantities of safe fill (such as pea gravel or maybe wood chips) and this must somehow get to the island. If we rely solely on the generous volunteer efforts of the Gung-ho and its crew, this delivery may take some time. Thanks for all the help and effort so far, Harper & crew, Hazen and Dave!

* * * * *

PLAYGROUND EVOLUTIONS
By Sebastian Matson-Shaw
I feel that someone needs to write a recent history of the Surge playfield and playground. Until now it has just been word of mouth and pictures.
This history of the field dates back to its clearing in 1959 by a young Louis Poitras with a bulldozer. When the school was reopened in 1975-6 the playground equipment consisted of a single monkey bar, a tetherball, and a basketball hoop on a huge cedar tree behind the Quonset hut. Over the years, as the tree grew taller and the roots ran rampant, the basketball playing style of Surge School kids developed into a game of tackle and shooting baskets into a ridiculously high net.
In the summer of 1982 some parents got a summer student works grant for the teens to build a playground and work on the archives of the history of Read Island. The teens of Surge Narrows built a play deck with a slide and ladder, tire swing, pole swing and a row of poles and nets. These were all taken down between 1990 and1995, for safety reasons. The baseball backstop was replaced in 1980 and again in about 2004. Interest in having more playground equipment led PAC members to raise money and buy play structures that will be erected soon in the site cleared by Dave and Hazen. This playground site includes a barrier in between the parking lot, and the playground, which will also be handy because of the speed that most people come down the hill. For safety there is also now a speed bump, which should slow people down. None of this would be possible without the concerted efforts of the parents of students now in the school. Thank you everyone who has made this possible.

* * * * *

Get ready here we come!
Goblins and Ghosts of Surge School are coming to your door
(along main road, Read Island) after school Oct. 31
Are you ready with tricks and treats?
Spooky fire at Lambert's Beach to follow
Bring your own warm drinks and ghost stories
Everyone Welcome!!!



* * * * *

REMEMBERING AND RETURNING TO READ

By Heather Shaw
My family moved from the USA to North Rendezvous Island in 1969. They came here to get away from the Vietnam war and to homestead. They built a cabin on North Rendezvous where we lived for five years until the then owner of the island, a friend of my parents from Seattle, decided to sell the island to a logging company. My parents bought land on Read Island in 1973 and we moved to Burdwood Bay.
By then the Gilmore/Moss clan and all their kids had moved to Read Island so along with us Southenders, the Armstrong family from Steamboat Pass and the Port Maurellers there were enough kids for the parents to pressure the school board to reopen the school. My child memories may not be strictly factual, but at the time I think 10 children were required to register to re-open the school; a few kids, who may not have existed or been of school age, crept quietly onto the register book. Life in these parts is ever a balance of creative reality shaping, perspective, and prioritizing right?
The reason I wanted to write in the SNOT rag was that I wanted to tell you a little about what it is like for me to be a parent at Surge School as compared to a kid. The year the parents reopened the school- ‘75-6, I was in kindergarten. It seems like the biggest problem was always how to get us to school. The road was a path with two ruts and grass down the middle and most of the people who lived around Surge or on Maurelle had sailboats with no motors. The result was that by the time we got to school,l either through the mud or the tide, it could be noon or later. My dad, Jim Shaw, and Richard Gillmore got the road maintenance contract and bought a backhoe and a dump truck and started working on the road. The south end parents also co-owned and ran a series of crazy vehicles and I particularly remember riding to school in a big green pickup truck with a wooden house thing with benches in the back. There were around eight of us coming from the south end at that time so I suppose it was worth it. Of course the Pink Pig was memorable too- a pink volkswagon bus held together by a rope. Whatever vehicle we rode in, it always involved lots of us pushing to get it going. Special thanks to Jim Schwartz for being our driver for a year even when he had no kids. I guess he enjoyed the challenges of the kids, the road, and keeping the vehicle going?
The multitude of challenges posed by 5 times a week daily school runs, either by land, mud or sea caused the parents to dream big and buy a float house to keep us in at the Surge dock, so we could go to a 3 day school week. The parents had a care roster where they took turns staying with us and we went to school from 9-4:00 and then from 6:00-8:00 pm three days a week. Food was short so often we were fishing off the dock for lunch or dinner. I remember these times as a mix of hilarity and difficulty. I had my own bunk, we had to bring food and bedding for all three days and, I didn’t always like to eat what the other parents made - cod cheeks and buckwheat were my least favourite. From a parent’s perspective it must have been insane - staying in an old float house on slippery logs tied up to the pilings by the dock with 10 or so hippie brats who probably didn’t believe in authority. I think the school board was forced to get involved when a health inspector came by and saw the situation. I am not sure of the exact course of events but soon the float house was dragged up the hill by a skidder, ( Louis P. no doubt did this), and funding was provided at $5.00 per day per kid for groceries. The float house became a bunkhouse and life went on. Eventually a travel allowance came into existence and some parents were able to get outboard motors, enabling then to arrive on time throughout the tide. Our family bought a horse and I rode him to school, others bought motorcycles and eventually the bunkhouse closed. School went to four days a week. I could write an endless account about our teachers, the revolutions we kids staged, the games we played in the forests, SNOT trips we went on and how great growing up here was in general.
Coming back here with my kids, Sebastian (grade 7) and Ella (kindergarten), has been fun. Times are different in the larger world, the reasons people live out here have changed and thus the community perspective is very different. Regardless, the priorites seem pretty similar: get the kids to school so they can learn and be socialized, no matter what the difficulties. Growing up here gave me a strong sense of belonging to a place and a people. I felt like I had many parents and protectors, teachers and mentors because of the community effort that was put into bringing us kids up, including ensuring we were educated and socialized at school. Today I see that the school facilities are stellar, the teacher is wonderful, and the parents and many community members are devoted to ensuring that the kids are getting a well-rounded education. Kudos to everyone for putting energy into the Surge kids, it will be remembered and will make a difference to them. Together you are forming community and children who will know how to live with others well. I never cared much that I didn’t have ballet, skating lessons or normal basketball skills because in the long run dribbling a ball is not nearly as important a skill as knowing how to get along with each other and make things happen as needed. Hugs to all, here in my extended Surge Narrows Community!

* * * * *

. .

News items, announcements, opinions, stories, photos and art work are needed for the Rag! The goal is to stimulate communication within the community and to encourage participation in events and programs. Deadline for submissions is the first of each month. Articles and letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Submit your contribution by e-mail (best method) to judithwright_@hotmail.com (note the underscore before @), OR mail a paper copy to Box 4, V0P 1W0. For short items and notices you may also phone Judith at 250 830 8583.

The Snot Rag is published, usually monthly, by the Surge Narrows Community Association, as a communication tool for the community. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of SNCA.

Directors of SNCA: Rob Wood, Claudia Lake, Judith Wright, Rieko Sevigny, Percy Hart.
SNCA membership is $10.00 annually, payable to the Surge Narrows Community Association, P.O. Box 52, V0P 1W0.

The 50 members of SNCA (counting the directors) for the year October 2006 to October2007 are:
Lise Badchellor, Roger Beriault, Teresa Beyerstein, David Cox, Sally Davies, Bruce Davies, Derek D’Altroy , Pat D’Altroy, Brenda Dempsey, Ken Flager, Cristina Fox, Susan Gilbert, Tom Gilbert, Richard Gilmore, Trudy Hansen, Kare Hansen, George Hawley, Sheila Hollanders, Cameron Humphreys, Jenn Leggett, Clarke Leggett, Jorge Little, Karen Locke, Bill Locke, Rhea MacKenzie, Rachael Mattice, Roger Mattice, Mary Anne Moss, Max Primgaard, Jules Randall, Dale Rolfsen, Gloria Rolfsen, John Robilliard , Marcella Simpson, Eileen Sowerby, Jeanne Stoppard, Tina Thomson, Anne Tonkin, David Trendell, Ginny Vassal, Maya Weichelt, Sandy Welch, Danny Welch, Brody Wilson, Laurie Wood

September 2007

photos by Rocky Royko

SURGENARROWSOUTDOORTREKKERS RAG

S.N.C.A. Volume 1 Issue Number 8 September 2007

The Snot Rag will continue to receive the community’s outflow of ideas. The results of the name poll were:
Snot Rag – 9; Surge Soundings – 4; Discovery Channel – 2; SNCA n’ Digest – 1. Thank you to all the responders!

* * * * *

ROBBIE BEGG

Robbie Begg, a long time, occasional resident of Rendezvous Island died on August 30 in a scuba diving accident, (caused by a faulty regulator). Robbie was the designer, builder and original owner of Rendezvous Lodge. This beautiful building has been enjoyed by hundreds of visitors from all over the world, and through the years many local people have been employed by the operators of the lodge. Robbie also filled in for a short time in the early ‘80s as a teacher at the Surge Narrows School. He orchestrated one of the school’s most memorable Christmas concertperformances. He will be missed by his many friends and neighbours in the area.

* * * * *

NOSHINE/ HOSKYN LANDING/ END OF ROAD HISTORY AND UPDATE

By Laurie Wood

I have recently talked with a couple of new people to the area who have no idea of the history regarding the Surge Road or Hoskyn Channel dock so I figured that I would write something up as I remember it. If anyone has more to add or correct please do.

1975- When we arrived the public road was in existence and the section from the upper parking lot to the beach was much narrower and steeper. How the road came to be in the first place I don’t know. It was useable until about 1980 when it started to get washed out. Highways were not required to maintain it.

Early 1990 When the Norwegian fish farm (now Discovery Lodge) was put in, the road was upgraded, Highways started maintaining it, and local use of the road increased. Mid 1990 John Dolmage had a net cleaning barge tied at the existing Hoskyn dock site and allowed the locals to tie up to one of his floats. Users of the float found it easier to get into town for emergencies, appointments and shopping, with less worry about the winter SE storms. When John was unable to get an industrial lease for the site he moved out the bulk of his installation but offered to sell the small float to the locals.

1999- A group of about ten families and a local fish farm rallied together and purchased the float for $2,850. At this time it had no ramp, just a transfer raft & pulley system from the float to shore. This worked quite well for the first few years despite the raft sometimes being getting hung up on the beach side at low tide or the rope jamming up, requiring the occasional swim to get out to the float. Maintaining things was on a volunteer basis and the fish farm helped
out with hardware and anchoring when required. However with more use, things need improving, which required money as well as time, so Jim Abram was approached about the Regional District taking it on.

2004- Jim Abram helped in working with the Regional District to get a lease on the dock site and approvals from all agencies. The CSRD then took over ownership and liability of the float. They also provided $10,000.00 to have the ramp built by Cape Mudge Boatworks and engineered by Murray Johnston. All other work was to be done by volunteer labour and donation. About this time Emcon Services built the road to the lower parking lot and to the
beach. This was to be a one shot deal and up to the locals to look after it. Emcon is only obliged to maintain to the upper parking lot. There is a possibility that they may do one more grading as far as the lower parking lot but not to the beach.

Jan 2005- The cedar for the landing was milled locally by donation. A group of locals went out in the middle of the night during low tides to pour footings and to install the landing framework. This required working while the Bute wind was blowing and snowing. Low tides were limited and it had to be done before February when DFO shut things down for herring spawning. Feb Marine Harvest barged the ramp from Cape Mudge and installed it as well as a new anchor. June 2005- Regional District installed a notice board in the upper parking lot with some
rules & regulations.

2006- Locals got together and built a walking trail running parallel to the lower road to the beach. The float was checked over for possible upgrading but it was decided that it needs replacing. Options were looked into and one has been in the works for the last few months. Rob has negotiated with Marine Harvest for two galvanized steel floats and arranged for Peter Heidema Engineering to engineer them and the anchor system. The Regional District has approval from DFO and Navigable Waters and is now waiting to hear from Lands, Water & Air since they will require an extension on the existing lease. Once we have the okay, Marine Harvest will bring the floats over and install them, complete with new anchors.

The one criterion for the users is that before MH will do this that we take off the old decking and put on new decking. The floats are on land in CR and the work could be done there. This will require volunteer labour and about $1,800 for the wood. An idea is to request about $60 per family @ 30 families.

The recent roadwork being done by Emcon is in preparation for the logging trucks of the Cape Mudge Woodlot License. We will benefit from this work and Emcon is also planning to take out some of the danger trees in the upper parking lot and enlarging the parking area to the other side of the road for another ten cars or so.

Overall, considering how much usage the dock gets things seem to be working out alright. The dock is intended as a small boat, commuter dock (not for boat storage) and there have been as many as fifteen boats tied up there at one time. The rules sometimes get ignored or misunderstood, (e.g. boat launching damages the lower road and trailer storage stresses the parking availability), but hopefully if users understand the history and take some responsibility for looking after the dock as well as the road there can be more of an appreciation for what they
have. I know that I have pride in knowing that it is possible for locals, governments & industry to work together for their own benefit in a win win scenario.

* * * * *

DANCE MAKES A PROFIT

The summer dance was a financial, as well as a social, success. The organizers have donated $740.00 to the coffers of the Surge Narrows Community Association! Many thanks to everyone who helped to make the donation possible. It will be used for the continuing maintenance and improvements of the community buildings

* * * * *

MY DAD
by Ava Duff

My Dad and Uncle Dave helped a guy pull a plane off of the bottom of the ocean, and they were on the Gung-ho. The guy that they helped was Kevin. He lost 2 brothers on the plane. The next morning they brought the engine into Heriot Bay. When they got there the families of the men that died and the news people were there. My Dad was on TV. I’m proud of him.

* * * * *

SUSANNE STAYS ON

I am very pleased to finally announce that I have been given a continuing contract for the teaching position at Surge School. This means that I no longer have to reapply for my job each year. I would like to thank all of the parents who were involved with the initial hiring process and the parents who have continued to write letters of recommendation for me each year. I really appreciate your support. I look forward to many more years at the school.
Susanne Hrybko

* * * * *

HERIOT BAY TRU VALUE “SPIRIT BOARD” WELCOMES SNCA

When you check out your groceries at the Heriot Bay Store, you can now direct your Spirit Board points to the Surge Narrows Community Association when the cashier asks for your preference. You can see an accounting of these points on the bottom of each checkout slip. It shows how many points you have added to the account on that bill, and also the total points accumulated in the SNCA account so far. Your contribution is one point for every penny you spend in the store. SNCA then gets 1cent for every 100 points in the account, (1% of sales). Last time I was in the store, just a few days after SNCA was added to the board, the count was almost 10,000 points or $1.00. At this rate, points should add up quickly. SNCA can redeem these points for merchandise that can be used for fundraisers or community events.
Surge Narrows Community Association is very grateful to the Heriot Bay Tru Value for this fundraising opportunity and commends the management for their community spirit!

* * * * *


SURGE MARKET
On the dock on Wednesday, October 17
11:30 to 1:30 p.m.

* * * * *


CLIMBING THE SNOT
By Susan Gilbert

Our big excursion this summer was to conquer Snot Mountain with our 7 year old. We sailed to the head of Frederick Arm and as we approached a huge logging camp in full operation, Merlin, Rob Wood and Josh pulled away from the shore in Merlin’s open skiff and came out to greet us. They were wet and weary. The three of them had taken on the intimidating task of forcing the overgrown salmon berries and alders to regurgitate the trail they had been swallowed up. For twelve hours, they had whacked and chain-sawed their way up to the cabin at 3600 feet, on the tree line. Rain, fog and sodden clothes were their thankless reward. They came aboard to give us route instructions and Rob, in true British form, asked for a pot of hot tea before they faced the windy, two hour trip home. Our friend, Barry, unfamiliar with the boat’s plumbing had inadvertently filled the kettle with salt water so that Rob’s eagerly awaited tea, steaming with milk and sugar, was sadly undrinkable. Dark was falling so there was no time for a remake, no small reward for days of labour.
We tied our sailboat up to the rickety timbered dock for the night. The whining drone of the camp generator made our sleep fitful but in the morning a rosy sunrise followed by brilliant clear sky injected energy into us like ambrosia. Tom, Barry, Tanjira and I cinched our waist straps and started on our adventure into the wilds of coastal BC.

Our start was along an engineered road that ran through hectares of logging at its worst: a giant’s game of pickup sticks. When we reached the end of the destruction a salmonberry entrenched tunnel greeted us. A piece of pink flagging tape indicated we were at the right place. We followed the freshly slashed trail on what we knew to be an old logging road. Tanjira serenaded us with her version of music and song until I finally promised her a Werther’s if she would let the forest music replace hers for five minutes. This proved to be the psychological and physical fuel that infused her with unabated energy and happiness. The trail gently ascended the valley until the dense brambles and a washout diverted our route into dark, unflagged second growth forest. The floor was a soft mattress of needles and rotting debris and, at first, was easy to travel but as we climbed, giant unclaimed logs from the days of springboards and the mighty handsaw made our route difficult and slow.

My three fellow trekkers were unphased by the lack of trail markings but my teeth were clenched as my mind jumped from one potential disaster to another, knowing that we could be eaten by this forest, our bones discovered by some future man in the next millennium. In anxious silence I followed the happy trio, song still radiating from the youngest, and just as Tom said it would, the forest opened onto a switchback in the old road. Signs of the freshly slashed trail once again became my safety net.

The next few hours were like a walk in the park. A flat, clear trail, dotted with drops of sunlight shimmering through the alder canopy, led us easily to the spot known as “The Camp”. Stashed in a tree are a large green tarp, and three cooking pots. It is strategically located before a large creek that must be crossed. Because the creek is fed by snow melt, the water flow at the end of the day is often far greater than in the morning, sometimes making the creek impassable and necessitating an overnight wait. Fortunately, this was not the case for us and we easily waded through the frigid water to the wild blueberries on the other side. The hike now became arduous and would have been impossible had Rob, Merlin and Josh not cleared a narrow trail through the dense brush. We were in a tunnel just wide enough to place one foot in front of the other, with no chance to deviate from the beaten path. This scramble was only a few hundred meters but was the most intense fight with the claws of the bush. The machete that Merlin had left stuck in a tree was indispensable.

The final stretch of our journey was the old growth ascent. Two hours of steep topography stretched before us. A spattering of flagging tape marked our route. We trudged upwards in silence. Even Tanjira conserved her energy for this physical test. Up, up, up we climbed until finally the dark forest gave way to spindly crooked bonsai. We trudged with our heads down but on one of my stops to catch my breath, I saw it. There in the shadow of the last big trees, at the base of the ridge that joins Blueberry Hill and Snot’s Hill, was a little green roofed cabin that was to be our sanctuary for the next three nights. Here a wood stove with chopped firewood awaited us. Here were pots and pans, cups and plates, books to read, games to play, and an open invitation for those who respect the hard work and dedication that has gone into providing this cabin for the Surge Narrows Outdoor Trekkers.

The sun was low in the sky when we threw our packs onto the loft above the eating table. We went and laid on the barren grey rocks that give rise to the summit of the mountain and became drunk on the view. Below us lay the glacier gouged channels, arms and inlets that run into Johnstone and Georgia Straits. Snow drenched mountains and deep valleys drifted into infinity; only the curvature of the earth limited our view. Blue sky, white snow, penetrating landscape, utter aloneness. I dug out the flask of scotch I’d hidden in my pack and gratefully we sipped in silence as the mountains seemed to pull the sun from the sky. The night blackened the silhouetted peaks and stars defined the Milky Way.

Nature’s voice echoed from around the mountains with a great reminder: “You are but a speck of dust resting on a vast, beautiful planet, floating in an endless universe, in a millisecond of history. Have fun!” And that we did.

* * * * *

"S - NOT Your Average Hike"
By Sheila Hollanders,

September 2007When my cousin Pelle came to visit from Holland he had his mind set on doing a “good old mountain trip” in the five days he had to visit us. I immediately thought of the SNOTS hike as it really is the perfect hike to do in a short amount of time and satisfies all the criteria of a great hike; climbing through old growth forests, enjoying spectacular views of our natural surroundings, and of course bum-sliding on the snow! I contacted the Alsager's on Quadra to see if they wanted to join us on the hike and a few days later the seven of us were, as Pelle says, “doin' it!”

We had a fabulous time up on SNOTS. We found the cabin in excellent condition and appreciated the wood and propane stoves as well as all the pots and pans and utensils which made our packs lighter for the hike up. After an oatmeal feast with fresh blueberries (picked right outside the cabin door!) we hiked up to the ridge in about an hour. We planned on a day hike so chose not to attempt Van der Est, (Snots Hill, the pyramid shaped mountain that can be seen from Heriot Bay), and instead followed the ridge to the south east to Blueberry Hill. Despite the low clouds we enjoyed views of the Discovery Islands and Vancouver Island to the south, and the mainland mountains and valleys to the north. It took us a few hours to reach the summit since there were just too many spectacular photo ops and snacks to be had!
As we ate our lunch and built an inukshuk on the summit there were smiles all around. Maybe it was the food in our bellies or the fresh air that made us so happy, but I think it was more than that: our success in reaching the top of Blueberry Hill and viewing our natural surroundings gave us an entirely rare and unique perspective of our world. We gained a deeper understanding of how we as humans are just one living entity in our beautifully intricate and delicately balanced environment. It was especially nice to share this experience with my cousin,
who could truly appreciate drinking fresh glacial melt water and seeing the spectacular elevated vistas which are non-existent in his homeland. His broad grin was a constant reminder of how lucky we are to live in coastal British Columbia. When we got home with three days of hiking under our belts it was satisfying to hear Pelle's catch phrase turn to, “we did it!”We'd like to thank the SNOTS community whose hard work on the trail and cabin made it possible for us to access this amazing pristine wilderness and share the “snotty” experience with friends from around the world.

* * * * *

A Word about the Cabin

The cabin was erected about thirty years ago by Jim S. and a local crew to enable access, especially by the children, to our magnificent back country. We have always been discreet about this unauthorized amenity and have discouraged any advertisement of it beyond our community. The trail has been voluntarily maintained through the years by Rob and Laurie and the many other users. It is hoped that there will be continued and frequent enjoyment of the area by new generations of Surge trekkers. Visitors to the cabin have developed particular protocols of use that ensure the cabin’s structural security and the comfort and enjoyment of following groups.
Instructions for the cabin systems, a route map, advice and precautions can be found in a brochure available from SNCA. Please inquire!
Note that this is a multi-day trip through rough terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions. To enjoy it safely, hikers must be fit, well prepared and provisioned, guided or skilled with map, compass and route finding, and ready for emergencies. Cell phone coverage is very unreliable.

* * * * *

The Snot Rag is published, usually monthly, by the Surge Narrows Community Association, as a communication tool for the community. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of SNCA. News items, announcements, opinions, stories, photos and art work are needed for the Rag! The goal is to stimulate communication within the community and to encourage the organization of, and participation in, events and programs. Deadline for submissions is the first of each month. Articles and letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Submit your contribution by e-mail (best method) to judithwright_@hotmail.com (note the underscore before @),OR mail a paper copy to Box 4, V0P 1W0. For short items and notices you may also phone Judith at 250 830 8583.
SNCA membership is $10.00 annually, payable to the Surge Narrows Community Association, P. O. Box 52, V0P 1W0.


.