CRAB LOUIE RETURNS TO PORT McNEILL JUNE 25TH

The infamous "Crab Louie" is back armed with hatchet and cleaver. Notice his new clean cut appearance. The "Poney Tail" is gone!
A quick lesson for Louie's perfect Dungeness Crab.
1. Use chicken backs for bait.
2. Take only males and throw all females back! (It is one of the few breaks woman get in this world)
3. Use measure to make sure the crab is the proper and legal size.
4. Turn crab over and gently rub his underside to hynotize him for a more humane execution.
5. Break crab in half on the undeside center by using a cleaver or hatchett (a Karate chop works) and remove carapace.
6. Rinse and clean both halves removing intrals.
7. Plunge in boiling water for 12 - 15 minutes and rinse in cold water.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT!

After returning from the traps Lou prepares to clean and cook the crabs. Even though Mr. Crab is putting up a gallant fight there is no question who is going to win this battle!
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Lou lightly rubs the underside of the crab which hypnotizes him just before he is "hacked" in half.
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The intrals are removed and the shell is brushed clean.
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The crab halfs are plunged in boiling water and cooked for 15 minutes, removed and immediately rinsed in cold water to stop the cooking process.
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The cooked crab is placed in Zip Lock bags and chilled ready for crab cakes, crab pasta, crab omelettes, crab salad, crab cocktails or just plain crab dipped in butter!
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Potts Lagoon, Karlukwees June 21st

After leaving Lagoon Cove we entered Clio Channel to Potts Lagoon. We anchored, dropped the crab traps and crossed the channel to explore Beware Passage and the abandoned First Nations Village of Karlukwees. We walked the midden in front of the village hoping to spot a trade bead on the shore. The village is slowly disappearing and we noticed the structures that were standing last year had fallen.

This is the abandoned native village of Karlukwees. It was home to the Tlowitsis Tribe.
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The remains of a childs metal bed frame on the beach of the abandoned native village of Karlukwees. We were searching for trade beads often found on middens.
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Good to see the pictographs at the end of Beware Passage near the abandoned native village of Karlukwees.
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A huge Bald Eagle Nest at the entrance to Potts Lagoon.
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Sea Asparagus

Salicornia (Sea Asparagus) is also known as glasswort, sea bean, sea pickle and samphire. It grows along the Northern Pacific Coast and is common in British Columbia, Canada. It is delicious sauteed in butter and garlic or Asian sauces to be served hot. It is a tasty addition in salads served cold. It makes a beautiful garnish with any seafood. It is often pickled to preserve it when out of season which is May thru July. I enjoy gathering it on walks along inter tidal zones.

Sea Asparagus is found in the inter tidal zone along beaches or salt water lagoons.
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I cut the Sea Asparagus an inch above the root to allow re-growth.
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After soaking over night in cold water and rinsing several times the Sea Asparagus is blanched in boiling water for approximately 3 minutes.
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June 19th Port Harvey to Burial Cove and Lagoon Cove

We sailed 8 miles from Port Neville then up Havannah Channel to Port Harvey. I wanted to locate a pictograph at the Keecekiltum Reserve of the Tlowitsis Tribe.
We found a sheltered anchorage and proceeded to explore the area. We were delighted to find the pictograph and study the details. It appears that 5 canoes met a trade ship that had sailed from afar. This is depicted by the porpoise at the bow. There is a figure of a man at the helm. On the left wall we can see 4 canoes with the sun shining brightly. There are other representations that are difficult to see because of exposure to the elements. We continued to explore the remnents of an abandoned settlement. We returned to Seventh Heaven and continued on to Burial Cove where we anchored for the night. In the morning we waited for slack tide to enter Chatham Channel. As we passed Minstrel Island Marina we noticed that it is still closed. We continued on through "Blow Hole" and spent the night at Lagoon Cove.

Seventh Heaven anchored in Port Harvey while we explore the area
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Another view of the Port Harvey Pictograph. This is in the Keecekiltum Reserve on Cracroft Island home of the Tlowitsis Tribe.
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A Bald Eagle watches from above.
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This pictograph tells of 5 canoes meeting a trade ship. Click on image to see detail of porpoise at the bow of the ship and a figure of a man. To the left there are 4 canoes with a shining sun.
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An abandoned house once part of the settlement.
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Wreckage of an old boat near the abandoned settlement of Port Harvey.
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Remnants of where trading ships would tie up to load goods from the native settlement.
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Lou waits patiently while I explore an old native abandoned settlement.
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Lou helps to prepare a prosciutto, calabrase salami, garlic, onion, tomato, cheese pizza on a freshly baked whole wheat crust with Caesar Salad for dinner.
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June17th - 18th Campbell River to Port Neville.

We departed Fisherman's Wharf in Campbell River on the 11:26 AM slack tide through Seymour narrows and rode the ebb tide sometimes reaching 12 knots north to Port Neville. We enjoy stopping and saying "Hello" to Lorna the Post Mistress and keeper of the "Old Port Neville Store" which was started by her family in 1895. She lives here alone now that her daughter attends school in Campbell River. On my afternoon hike I enjoyed watching Bald Eagles, a herd of deer and a young black bear all within one hour.

Seventh Heaven tied up at the government dock in Port Neville.
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Lorna is the Post Mistress and caretaker of the old Port Neville Store established in 1895 when her ancestors settled in the area. She lives here alone and welcomes guests into the museum displaying her heritage.
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This doe enjoys eating fresh sprouted leaves that she has to jump up to reach.
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This doe is the mother of the fawn in the next photograph.
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A group of deer were grazing behind the Port Neville Store. The young fawn had followed her mother who had spotted a young black bear near the lagoon.
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I spotted this black bear while on a hike. I am sure he is the one that frightened the deer. At one point he looked up at me and then went back to eating the fresh green grass.
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STILL IN CAMPBELL RIVER JUNE 10TH - 14TH

After three attempts our freezer temperature problem is finally fixed (for now). The repairman informed us that there is a delicate balance of pressure in charging the system. In our case the pressure was too high because of overcharging. It is now running at 12 degrees F. Just as we resolved that problem our water pump that supplies our fresh water system, galley, heads, showers etc DIED. Here in Campbell River they did not a replacement model in stock. We rented a car and drove to Nanaimo about 160 kilometers south from here. We made it into a lovely adventure enjoying the beautiful day and scenery. The wonderful colors of spring wild flowers dazzled our eyes with the back drop of snow capped mountains and the bright blue ocean. We found our pump at one of three West Marines in all of Canada. When we returned to Campbell River we took opportunity of having a car to explore some of the local spots. It turned out to be another great day!

We rented this PT Cruiser to go to Nanaimo and pick up our new water pump. In the evening we explored some of the local scenery.
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We visited Campbell River Provincial Park home of famous salmon fishing.
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Species of Salmon the migrate up the Campbell River to spawn.
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Campbell River rushing by as we walk the trail.
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One of the many species of wild lillys growing by the trail along Campbell River.
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A BC sign at a good viewing spot.
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A cruise ship on its way back from Alaska headed for Vancouver entering Seymour Narrows. The length of the northern half of Vancouver Island's portion of the Inside Passage ocean water ebbs and flows through this narrow point. Currents can race through at 16 knots at max tide. Here is a great website on understanding tidal action.
http://www.irbs.com/bowditch/pdf/chapt09.pdf
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A cruise ship and a tug towing a barge pass each other at the northern entrance to Seymour Narrows.
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We load up the dinghy with provisions to prepare for our departure north in the morning. Who needs a car?
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Campbell River June 3 - 9th

There will be no fancy marinas for these sailors. We are going where the real boats live. Fisherman's Wharf Public dock charges $.50 per foot. If you stay a week you get a special rate and in our case it comes out to $88.00. At Discovery Marina it is $1.10 per ft. and at Coast Marina it is $1.25 per foot plus it is fun to rub hulls with the big guys. Nothing like being the "New girl on the dock".

Bald Eagles search for food along the jetty of the marina.
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Walking along Fisherman's Wharf Public Dock.
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Finger "B" at Fisherman's Wharf.
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Seventh Heaven hanging around with "the big guys"
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This tug is the smallest one on our dock.
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This tug is our dock mate behind us.
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Chieftain III is docked beside us.
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Storm Force is a "tug on steroids"!
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We can see the beautiful snow capped mountains in the distance as we look out the stern of the boat.
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"Shiver me timbers" The Captain is growing a pony tail!
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DIVER BRAVES THE FRIGID DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN TO SAVE THE DAY!

Diver Jedediah Duyn of Gorge Harbor dove into the icy waters of Gorge Harbor to retreive Mary Aubert's wallet that slipped from her hand into 45 feet of water as she boarded a small craft tender to the sailboat Seventh Heaven on Fiday, June 2, 2006. Fearlessly he searched the rock and mud bottom until he located the object. While beneath the water he noticed that the zinc on the sailboat's drive shaft was in need of replacemnt. After presenting Mary with her wallet full of identification, credit cards, pictures and cash from a recent trip to an ATM, without hesitation he returned to the frigid waters to replace the zinc.
Mary and Lou were extremely grateful and celebrated with a toast to their new found Hero. THANKS JED!

This is the face of my hero!
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Jedediah arrives at the scene of the accident.
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Jed checks his equipment before disappearing into the depths.
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SUCCESS! My hero finds my wallet in the dark cold depths of the ocean.
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