Well it has been a long time since I have sat down and written anything. My month at Nootka was uneventful as such - but I did get in a bit more beach walking over the time I was there. I managed a walk to the lake, visit the grown over graveyarf, slogged along the beach. Walking on the outer beach is a toughie as the ground cover is smooth stones and you tend to slog through them like walking through deep snow - great for the leg muscles.

We had a fair amount of rain that month (note here at Beale we had from January 1 to May 25th 80.8 inches of rain) and one day a private helicopter landed on the pad when the visibility decreased to almost zero. The owner, his son, and HIS pilot went to Kip's house for coffee and waited out the weather. Although, with ever such a small break in the ceiling they quickly took off hoping to get out before it wasn't possible.

A tug boat went aground on the south side of Bligh Island - and that seemed to take several days to contain the fuel spill and get the vessel off the rocks. We were never made aware of the amount of fuel or damage to the boat - nothing was mentioned on the news either. Makes you wonder how many of these incidents happen and the public is never told.

Before I headed North I planted my seeds to start my spring growing. I don't know if it was the fact that there was not alot of sun or bad soil but I wasn't very happy with the results. A lot of things never came up - I am sure Norbie did everything right - didn't he!??

Once I got home and the rain stopped I started tilling the garden beds and weeding them out. Before the May long weekend I could plant seeds in the raised beds. Luckily there wasn't a huge amount of rain. Once again the birds decided to pull out the beans and peas as they started to peek out - which meant I had to cover them over to protect them. I don't know if they think they are worms or if they are just protesting that the peanuts are not being handed out enough!

Brian Tull and his Scottish friend "Rudy" Watt - who was here on an student exchange program at SFU - fought the wilds of the way and hiked out the weekend before the May long weekend. They made good time on the trail despite from what we heard there are over 90 trees down between Bamfield and here. The worse being before Topaltos.

The boys first night here was Scotch Tasting night. Sipping Scotch between bites of homemade Shortbread, dark chocolate and nuts.... And you have to know that it takes more than one sip to determine what the flavour of the scotch goes better with. Brian brought me a bottle of Robert Burns scotch to bring the total of different scotches to be tasted to 8 - not including the bottle of Cutty Sark which was consumed!!!! Norbie headed to bed early as he was on morning shift - and I chased the boys out a few hours later.....

Norbie took the guys on an expedition to recut the trail to Deadman's - they never did find it past the first marker. Should have taken a compass!!!! Three hours plus later they dragged themselves out of the woods close to where they went in. The boys then decided they would hike the hike over the hill to the whale beach. Both parties reported running into a bear - a larger mature one. When Norbie met it the bear stood up on its hind legs to take a look at him!!!

Another thing which has taken some of our "house" time has been getting things and stories together for the Port Alberni musuem. Part of their display this year is about Electricity and they have put a portion of this to Lighthouses. So taking time to sit down and write about life on the lights and how electricity has changed this life really taxed my brain. I wanted to give the public an insight into our life out here and managed to also send out a disc with over a hundred shots of our little piece of land.

We have all been busy cutting lawns, weed wacking, cleaning out gardens etc. These jobs seem to just get finished and its time to start all over again. I have to go out today to try and get as much done as possible before I head off to my adventure to the Great White North - Yellowknife. I will be heading out Thursday (or Wednesday - depending on the grocery day) and in town for a week then hop the plane to see Jac and Alvaro. I am really excited about this trip as going North was always one of the things I wanted to do in my life. I am sure to have lots to write when I get home. I am taking with me when I go some shells, crab shells, sand, water, a mermaid's purse (any guesses what that is - no fair Chris and Jac you know - or you weren't paying attention) an octopus beak.... I have also got some books for Jac to have in her class. I want to go to the Aquarium when I am in town and find a whale book and some other little things. Should be fun.

Jac has got me volunteering at the school for family night as well as a day in the park. When I am up there the 21st of June is Aboriginal Day so there will be festivities in Old Town which is just blocks from Jac's place. Lots of fun. Hopefully we will get to see a couple of the falls - one may involve camping over night I can hardly wait. Dinner at the Wild Cat Cafe .......the list goes on.

I come back on the 27th of June - one day earlier than scheduled - as Ivan is needed to go and do relief at Trail Island. I had been hoping to come back with the "Tull" gang on the 28th by way of the Bamfield road and Lifeboat but it was not meant to be. Oh well one more day to be home and make sure goodies are on the table when company arrives.

Until next time.....Our Light is always on
Lady of the Light