The Ferry Filter

Cortes Island in British Columbia is remote and the islanders like it that way. The “ferry filter” is one guarantee for keeping its 950 inhabitants locked into their back-to-the-land life styles. I took three ferries to get to this tiny little island, sixteen miles long by eight miles wide, nestled between the northeastern shore of Vancouver Island and the west coast of Canada. It is a land of tall pine trees, Douglas firs and the red cedar. There are wolves and eagles and sea lions and seals and otters.

Cortes is part of the Discovery Islands and sits at the gateway to Desolation Sound a world famous marine destination renowned for its warm summer waters and oysters, and as the saying goes, “when the tide is out the table is spread”. Oysters on the half shell are savored once a week on the beach here at Hollyhock, and everyone has a special sauce. Bill’s is a curry sauce served right next to the wasabi and garlic.

Here, doors are rarely locked, 40mph is fast, and the mail is delivered only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. People are gentle, eccentric, creative, and resourceful and spin in the vortex of island time where things are often dependent on the tides and which way the wind is blowing. Islanders know their neighbors and when new things have arrived at the free store. The ferry filter is working to fend off the western world at large, but there was an island workshop yesterday on how to use Facebook.

So I slow down, sleep well and sink into island time. Hence, I have just begun to post things on the blog. Enjoy.