gdare

Back in my 20s – more than 30 year ago now – I was still in former Yugoslavia, doing something that would become part of my life forever – martial arts. I was practicing Kendo for about four years at the time but, being poor, managed to buy bogu (training equipment) just few months before, in early 1990.

I had training two times a week, in a gym located in downtown Belgrade. One day, my friend Dragan and I came early, changed into training attire with do and tare on, and were standing in small hallway near the entrance doors. The doors were wide opened and we looked outside, waiting for the rest of members of our dojo to come. That’s how Professor saw us.

Passing by the opened door, a Japanese gentleman looked inside, saw two of us and stopped abruptly, saying hello, smiling. Pointing our direction he asked “Kendo?” and when we confirmed, he said, “Me, I’m a professor, Kendo professor”. Dragan and I were a bit confused, smiling at him while he continued, “Ichi, ni, tannn…, ichi, ni, tannn,…”, positioning hands like he is holding shinai (kendo bamboo sword), with “tannn” representing a moment of attack, which completely made sense to us.

While I was thinking if we should invite him inside, his party noticed he is missing from their group, and came back for him. He said “Sayonara” and they left.

I never saw Professor again, but would remember him from time to time. Back then he was in his 60s and if he is still alive, he must be a very old man now. It was a first Japanese person I saw in my life, also the first one I had something in common with – Kendo. I like to think that he remembered that short episode, wondering how unusual it was to see two kendoka, so far away from his home.

Maybe it was people like him that made me keep practicing Kendo and, later, other forms of Japanese martial arts with swords. And still keep on doing it. Or it is just me, hopelessly stubborn and resilient.

Some of you might know about The Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada, becoming a federal statutory holiday on September 30, 2024 for a fist time since a discovery of unmarked graves of indigenous children at the site of former Kamloops Indian Residential School, in May 2021.

For some of you who have never heard of residential schools before, there is a long article on Wikipedia – Canadian Indian Residential School System, and many other resources that explain how Christian churches and Canadian government established a chain of “schools” throughout Canada. Children were forcibly removed from their parents, prevented to use their ancestral languages and culture. These practices lasted until at least 1970s.

As a result, many children never returned – they died and were buried secretly in unmarked graves, mostly on residential schools sites. On Kamloops Indian Residential School site, 215 unmarked graves were found. On Marieval Indian Residential School site in Saskatchewan, on the lands of Cowessess First Nation, an estimated 751 graves were found, near Kootenay Indian Residential School in Crambrook there are additional 182 grave sites, 40 grave sites near former St Augustine Residential School in Sechelt… All the discoveries were not news for First Nations’ members but, until 2021, never really found its way to a broad public. Eventually, a National Student Memorial Register was created, where members of families affected can check if there is a record of someone they knew or heard of, died in residential school.

The Truth and Reconciliation Day honours all the children who never returned from these schools as well as survivors, serves as a reminder about suffering and consequences as well as attempt to finally expose the truth and try to heal and reconcile with the society that failed them. As ceremonies were being held across Canada, San and I went to one organized in Campbell River.

Artist Shawn Decaire leading a march through downtown Campbell River

Elder and residential school survivor James Quatell

traditionally made cedar bent boxes contain a messages from children to residential school survivors and were being handed to them during a ceremony; it was very emotional…

Kwakwakaʼwakw First Nation dancers

Kwakwakaʼwakw First Nation drummers

Namgis chief Wedlidi Speck

In the video: eagle down spread to bless the ground where a ceremony was being held, Residential School Survivors ceremony and traditional dances performed by Kwakwakaʼwakw First Nation dancers and drummers.

Due to the sensitive nature of this post, I removed the option for comments; our society, unfortunately, still live with elements of racism and verbal abuse.

We had sudden opportunity to spend a weekend camping in Fillongley Park on Denman island. BC parks introduced a cancellation warning system on their web site and, when subscribed, it would send you an e-mail about cancellations in campgrounds you are interested in.

Fillongley Park beach in early morning light.

It is a small campground, only 10 camp sites, open for entire year. However, during winter times it is better to have RV or motorhome. Storms can be bad in these areas.

First night had clear skies in the forecast and I wanted to try and make some night photos.

when I looked at the night sky, I couldn’t but remember Dave Bowman’s last words in 2001: Space Oddyssey – “My God, it’s full of stars…”

Big Dipper, some light pollution from Comox/Courtenay

night sky, me and some lights from Texada Island

beautiful morning view from the beach

Next day we went to nearby Hornby Island and its famous Helliwell Provincial Park.

We saw a sea lion, otters and humpback whales.

three Humpback Whales were swimming nearby but still about 700-800 meters away; this is the only decent photo I managed to make;

Cormorants near ferry terminal

Great blue heron

Back on Denman island, there were a lot of loons just off shore.

Common loon

how many loons one can squeeze in a frame – there were seven of them but two dove just before I pressed the shutter….

Ravens in first morning light

Forecast for the next night was overcast so I didn’t bother getting up. But morning brought some very nice scenery.

Hornby Island

This was probably our last camping of the season, unless something else comes up. First atmospheric river is coming to BC this night, bringing a lot of rain in next few days. Air is getting colder. Winter is coming…

Loveland Bay is a popular family campground in Upper Campbell Lake, some 35km from downtown Campbell River. Meaning that getting there is easy and convenient. If you get a spot for camping, that is. Part of the camp have fairly spaced camp sites but we were (unfortunately) not there – site that we managed to reserve was in an area with so many other sites, just a few meters from each other, meaning there is no privacy at all. Oh well… We found two spots that we really like and next time will try to reserve them.

early morning at Loveland Bay

Upper Campbell Lake is another lake in the area increased in size by a dam.
Wikipedia says: “Upper Campbell Lake is a reservoir on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The lake was flooded in 1958 for a large hydroelectric project, which raised the water level by 30 metres (98 ft). Crest Creek and headwaters of the Heber River are diverted into the lake^. Part of the lake and its watershed is located in Strathcona Provincial Park, and the Strathcona Park Lodge is located on the eastern side. Freshwater fish species in the lake include Cutthroat trout, Rainbow trout and Dolly varden.”

Upper Campbell Lake, a view from Gosling Bay campground.

We went for a hike along the logging road that goes further west, loosely following the lake. Didn’t see any bear, cougar or elk, but then again, the day was hot and there is not much for them to eat – for bears at least, even though there was one visiting a camp about a week prior. We hiked down some old fishing/hiking trail to a small bay; someone would call that “looking for a trouble” but nothing was around. A woodpecker and some birds, but nothing to photograph except the fishing site itself.

Nobody was there recently, and with province having a campfire ban, not too many people want to spend a night in a bush in pitch black of a night.

Upon returning to a main road, we went few kilometers further to a Burnt Beach camp, sort of a camp for backcountry camping – minimum facilities (one toilet pit) and few camp sites, but accessible by car. All campers had at least one big dog on site and that was understandable.

As I mentioned, area around the lake represents so called “Crown Land”, meaning that government can cut trees for lumber – and that’s exactly what they are doing.

The area has a long history of logging, one of the proofs being the remnants of the logging bridge on a picture above and many clear cuts with recently done tree planting.

clear cut with so called seed trees, left to help reforestation;

The only wildlife we encountered were birds, toads and a garter snake trying to get some warmth in the middle of logging road. We chased it to a side but I have no doubt it came back to its warm spot once we were away.

garter snake, about a foot long;

toads like wet and dark spots on forest floors, I almost stepped on this little one;

These two Red-breasted Sapsuckers were chasing each other around the same tree just across from out camp site. It seems that they liked to stay around, we heard them every day, usually early in the morning.

White-crowned sparrow observing our advance on logging road, ready to warn the flock hidden in a grass nearby

For our next trip we planned to go backcountry camping in Forbidden Plateau area; but due to extremely bad fire season in BC, air became smoky and gray so we just might turn that into a day hike. We will see.

We went to a day kayaking tour from Telegraph Cove, small settlement in Northern Vancouver Island. Last time we were kayaking was back in 2017, we went to a 4 days kayaking tour to Broken Group Islands on the west coast of Vancouver Island (you will have to be logged in to Facebook and on my friend’s list to see these photographs). But ever since we moved from Vancouver to Campbell River, kayaking was one of the things we wanted to do again.

Weather was supposed to be rainy – after all, Telegraph Cove is exposed to anything that might come from the Pacific – but it turned to be just overcast and foggy. Which I prefer. If you ever kayaked in the ocean or lake, you know that on sunny days you are being slowly baked; sun is reflecting from the water and no matter what sunscreen cream you apply, the only effective cover is clothing which makes things even worse. Experienced kayakers recommend to even keep your mouth shut to protect it from reflecting sunrays.

Sandy setting up our kayak

We met with our guides near the dock to set the kayaks up and get ourselves skirts and life jackets. All kayakers except for guides were in double kayaks – which some call “divorce kayaks” after couples start arguing where to go and what to do 😀 😀 😀 But we spent a lot of time kayaking together and we know how to cooperate.

ready to go!

We took off from a boat launch which made things a bit easier, but you still have to put your feet into the water. I could tell that some people didn’t like that 😀

And then we were there. There was no wind and water was calm. And it was quiet…

Except for occasional fishing boat, all we could hear were eagles, kingfishers and ravens. I didn’t bring my big camera, it would have been awkward to try to take it out of cover every time I wanted to make a photo – I brought Sandy’s small point and shoot Canon and I must admit I had hard time operating it. Settings seemed weird and kayak is wobbly so… It took me several attempts to make acceptable selfie 😀

lunch break in small cove

We made a lunch break in some cove after couple of hours of paddling. We left Campbell River at 6am and by the time we made that stop I was starving.
Later we walked around for a bit and found some old rusty machinery from logging days.

logging machinery on the beach

As with many areas in BC, Vancouver Island has a long history of logging. Among fisheries and mining, it is still important part of Vancouver Island’s industry. I don’t know what was the purpose of that piece but it has been here for a long time. Salty air and long rainy seasons eat through the best of the devices human can make. Just give it some time…

We were hoping to see some whales, humpbacks and/or orcas – the first ones are already there but orcas just started moving in, following salmon. But we only saw some porpoises. And seals, eagles, kingfishers, crows and one sea otter. There was a lot of herrings and salmon, some of them leaping up from the surface.

I already mentioned that I was trying to make small camera working the way I wanted. However, I didn’t see that it was making a movie every time I would press shutter to zoom the image. As a result, I got a short 2 minutes video that you can watch here.