Fish Finding with a Garmin 160C

As I've mentioned before, this has been the best year for fishing on Powell Lake. At the end of a warm summer day, you'll find Wayne and I out in our tin boat trolling through First Narrows and out into the main lake.

I don't think our new fish finding toy has had anything to do with our recent success, but it hasn't hurt either.

We purchased a Garmin Fishfinder 160C to help guide us to likely spots. It's full colour display is easy to read and gives us information about depth, water temperature, and the bottom structure. It also displays images of cute little fish swimming below the surface. Dark ones are below the boat, outlined ones are swimming nearby. Don't ask me how that works, magic I guess.

Whether using old fashioned fishing skills or new fangled technology, the fish are here. Powell Lake is open from April 1 to October 31. You will need a BC freshwater fishing license if you are 16 years of age or older to catch some of our resident Cutthroat and Rainbow trout. Use barbless hooks like we do to make it easier to catch and release if you want to give our fish a second (or third) chance.

Thanks for visiting "my world." If you want to see more exciting places from around of the globe, go to the "That's My World" website. -- Margy

The Watchful Sky

The head of Powell Lake was the scene of extensive logging in years past. In the heyday of MacMillan Bloedel, there was a large camp there to house loggers. When we visited last December, the old shops were still standing. When we arrived last week, everything was torn down and the ground bulldozed. The docks and log pens are still there, but for how much longer?

One lone logging truck remained, a last testament to times gone by.

A hike up the logging road towards the old camp was a sad reminder that times change.

But the waters of the Daniels River flow on, filling Powell Lake as they have since the last ice age. I guess some things don't have to change. That's a good thing. -- Margy

Fishing at the Head

Wayne and I are amazed at the quantity and size of trout in Powell Lake this year. We've been fishing here ever since we arrived in 2001, but this year tops everything. We think it must be a multi-year cycle. That makes sense since trout take about five years to fully mature.

Recently, Wayne and I took our Campion on a day boating trip to the head of Powell Lake. We fished the mouths of the many snow-melt streams cascading into the lake. Trout love hanging out in the fast water where nutrients are stirred up. We were rewarded with many strikes and landed seven nice-sized rainbow trout between us. We usually catch and release, but this time kept two of our fish for a picnic lunch at the Head.

Even though it was a nice day, the lake was very quiet. We only passed two other boats on our 35 kilometre (22 mile) trip and never had to share a fishing hole. At the Head, we stopped at the logging dock and built a small fire to cook our fish. This used to be a busy logging spot. Today it is empty, a sign of the slow timber industry.

Fishing season on Powell Lake, BC, runs from April 1 to October 31. You will need a freshwater fishing license if you are 16 years of age or older. Annual, one-day, and eight-day licences come in resident and non-resident formats. For BC residents, the annual license for $36 is the best bet, but if you are a visitor, the one day for $20 or the eight-day for $50 might work better. Licenses are easy to obtain at most sporting goods stores or online. We like to get ours at Marine Traders near the Powell River Wharf.

Are you looking for a summer vacation idea? Make Powell River and Powell Lake your fishing and recreation destination. Want to learn more about the lake? Wayne's books Up the Lake and Farther Up the Lake tell the story of our Coastal BC home. For more information about print, Kindle and ebook versions visit www. PowellRiverBooks.com. -- Margy

Logging Upswing

We live near Powell River in Coastal BC and logging is a very important part of our economy. In fact, the availability of good timber and lots of water for hydroelectric power made it an attractive location for the the paper mill that was built here in the early 1900's. You can learn about the history of timber and logging in our Forestry Museum at Willingdon Beach.

The last several years have been difficult for forestry companies. There's the aftermath of the Canada vs. US softwood dispute, slowdown in new home construction, the recession and the high Canadian dollar for international trade. Up Powell Lake, much of the logging activity is conducted by Western Forest Products. From our cabin porch, we see them head up and down the lake with work boats and barges. I may not be awake at the early hour they go to work, but I can feel the wakes rock my cabin and the waves lap on the logs. That's much better than an alarm clock for sure.

Each year different tracts are logged. This makes a patchwork on the hills and allows for trees to grow back at different rates. In the late 1990's, the hills north of the Hole in the Wall were logged. Trees there are now about ten feet tall and everything is green. Then last fall we got a notice on our cabin door that they would be logging this spring near our cabin. A full parking lot at the Shinglemill told us the time had come.

Last month a large crew arrived and cut behind the cabins in the Hole and around the point towards the main lake. Because of the steep, rocky cliff behind us, our trees were spared. I know the rest will grow back in the years to come thanks to the hard work of tree planters and responsible logging companies. But at the same time, I'm glad mine still have a lease on life. -- Margy

Waterfall Time

Spring is waterfall time up Powell Lake in Coastal BC.

Spring rains combined with warm weather and snow melt cause creeks and streams to flow. They result in beautiful waterfalls, especially towards the steeper cliffs and higher peaks at the head of the lake.

But even down our way we get our share of water displays. This lovely falls is in the Rainbow area, about fifteen minutes north of our cabin.

Want to find out more about what it's like living up the lake in a float cabin? Check out Farther Up the Lake, the newest book in Wayne's Coastal BC Stories series. Go on an overnight boat trip in the Bayliner to the head of Powell Lake. Look for Mountain Goats on the rocky cliffs around Goat Lake. Go on the maiden voyage of the Gemini with Stick the Cat. Ride out a windy winter storm in the float cabin and so many other tales. Go to www.PowellRiverBooks.com for more details. -- Margy

Boats, Floats and Mountain Goats

Last week Wayne, John and I celebrated the break in rainy weather and the lengthening days with a boat trip to the Head of Powell Lake.

Powell Lake is a glacial carved fjord that filled with fresh water after the end of the ice age, trapping salt water from the ancient ocean at the bottom. It's a big lake that's 51 kilometres (32 miles) long with 480 kilometres (300 miles) of shoreline.

Like all fjords, the rocky walls are steep. While most are covered with trees, there are some bare outcroppings. These areas are home to Mountain Goats. From a distance they stand out as small white dots on the moss covered rocks. This time of year they are easier to see. The snow level has pushed them lower on the cliffs, just about 120 metres (400 feet) above the water level.

This trip we saw a group of four followed by a single goat in a separate location.

The days are short, so we had to leave the Head after lunch and a quick hike along the logging road. Then we skirted around the empty logging booms on our way down the lake.

We would have liked more time to explore, but the short winter day made us hurry on our way. -- Margy

Debris Field

The water in Powell Lake is high after all the fall rains we've received. From an almost record low in October, the water level is way up and rising higher with each storm.

Sticks, twigs, branches and whole logs have been washed from the shore and are floating in profusion all over the lake. The Hole in the Wall seems to attract this floating debris field. It will enter early in the morning and then float back out later in the day.

Some of the debris gets caught behind our log booms. We haul out stove-size chunks, kindling and small, thin logs that can be cut up to burn. The large logs we encourage to leave to find a shoreline home elsewhere.

Or to continue their journey towards the Shinglemill Marina and dam at the lower end of the lake. You have to keep your eyes open boating this time of year. A chunk of wood would just love to get lodged in our dual-prop. -- Margy

First Snow

We've had lots of wind and rain here in Coastal BC this week ("Sunshine Coast" RAIN and WIND Warning). Because Powell River is at sea level and the weather is moderated by our coastal location, we hardly ever get snow. But not too far inland and up in elevation there's snow already.

I finally got up to the cabin after my bout with a bad cold (flu?). When I woke up the first morning, I was greeted with a beautiful sunrise highlighting the first snowfall on Goat Island.

What a beautiful sight it was before it clouded over and the rains began again in earnest. -- Margy

Cold Water Rescue

Quite often, Wayne and I hear the Canadian Forces helicopters working in the lower part of Powell Lake. They usually stay south of our cabin in Hole in the Wall, so we can only hear them. But on a recent trip to John's cabin we saw them in action.

CFB (Canadian Forces Base) Comox is just across the Strait of Georgia from Powell River.
Comox is the location of the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue, where all para-rescue specialists in the Canadian Forces, known as Search And Rescue Technicians or "SAR Techs" undergo training. This time of year they must be practicing cold water rescue techniques.

The large CH-149 Cormorant Helicopters can carry a crew of 5 and up to 45 standing, 30 seated or 16 stretchers with medics. They have a range of 863 miles or 1389 kilometres. That makes them a good rescue platform here along the cold, western coastline.

During practice, the helicopter hovers over the cold waters of Powell Lake. Then a rescue trainee rides a long cable down to the water then after a while, he is reeled back in.

It's important to understand the techniques of cold water rescue and the dangers of hypothermia when you live in our climate. Recently I saw a program called Cold Water Boot Camp on TV in Bellingham. It was also highlighted in the the November 2009 issue of Pacific Yachting magazine. The two most important things I learned about cold water survival were: 1) WEAR A LIFEJACKET and 2) the 1-10-1 Principle. The lifejacket part is a no brainer, but sometimes ignored. The 1-10-1 Principle is:

1 minute of Cold Shock to control breathing and avoid panic
10 minutes until Cold Incapacitation to make a self rescue
1 hour until Hypothermia with unconsciousness and possible death

Here is a link to a clip of the video on YouTube. I highly recommend that you view it for your own safety. -- Margy

Come to Powell Lake for Fall Foliage

Many people go east on expensive fall foliage trips. That region is well known for its spectacular trees in hues of yellow, orange, red, purple and brown. Just like the Atlantic Provinces, the broadleaf trees surrounding Powell Lake start to turn color in late September through October. Right in front of our cabin, Goat Island has a superb display of maples, dogwoods and alders. The swath of glorious color paints up the hillsides through stream carved gullies and across expose rocky slopes.

Have you ever wondered how this colourful display occurs? Chlorophyll, which is the pigment that gives leaves their green color, gets energy from sunlight to transform carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates (sugars and starch). Leaves also have yellow to orange pigments called carotenes and xanthophylls, but these colors are overpowered by chlorophyll most of the year. But when fall arrives, things change.

Fall days are noticeably shorter and trees start getting ready for winter. The presence of chlorophyll, and its green color, begins to diminish. This allows the yellow and orange colors to become more dominant. The bright reds and purples are created when glucose (sugars) are trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Bright sunny days and cool nights in autumn cause leaves to turn the glucose into a red to purple color. The brown color is made from wastes left behind in the leaves.

As fall moves towards winter, leaves begin to fall. Where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree there is a special layer of cells. This layer gradually breaks down until it can no longer support the weight of the leaf. When storm winds blow, the leaves fall to the ground. Trees become dormant and live off the food they have stored over the summer. Their stems, twigs, and buds are equipped to survive extreme cold until the following spring.

Fallen leaves are not wasted, at least in nature or by the composting gardener. They decompose and replenish the soil with nutrients. They become part of the thick humus layer of the forest floor. There they absorb rainfall and hold moisture. They also become food for organisms that are important to the forest ecosystem.

Here are some more resources of you would like more details:

• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• Science Made Simple
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

Want a different place to experience colourful fall foliage? Come to Powell River in Coastal BC. The people are friendly, the resorts are uncrowded and the restaurants are great. Last night we even saw some tourists come up the lake on a Desolation Sound Boat Tour. The opportunities are limitless. You won’t be sorry you chose to head north rather than east. -- Margy

Is it Live or Is It Memorex?

Sunrise over Goat Island. Up above ...

and recorded in the waters below.

Tweeking the Transom

When you live on a lake, you like to have your boats and engines be reliable ones. A little over a year ago, our good friend John located a used 14' tin boat with a 15 hp motor for us. Both have served us well, but the engine has progressively gotten worse. Every few months something went wrong. John is a master mechanic and always got it back in working order, but it wasn't reliable.

On several occasions, we barely got it re-started to get home. One notable incident involved a plastic part flying out at Wayne when he pulled the starter cord. After that, we asked John to help us find a new motor for our trusty little tin boat. We ended up purchasing a new Honda 15 hp 4-stroke outboard to replace the old, tired Evinrude. But don't be too sad. I'm sure the Evinrude will find a new use either in John's or our endeavors.

The new Honda is quiet and smooth, but also heavier. After John helped us get it installed, he and Wayne took it for a test drive. It was immediately evident that the transom would need beefing up to handle the heavier, more powerful Honda. John gave the dimensions to a local fabricator for an aluminum plate. Placed over the back of the transom, it stopped the wood from flexing when power was applied.

Once it was glued and riveted in place, we were ready to go fishing. But another down side of our new motor is it's increased power at idle. To slow down to trolling speed we have to use the "two bucket" method. But the up side is we have a reliable boat for pleasure and emergencies at the cabin. -- Margy

The King Comes Up the Lake

Wayne and I were sitting on the deck of the Laughing Oyster Restaurant at Okeover Inlet on a warm summer day in 2001. At the table next to us we overheard people talking about a cabin on the lake. The conversation went something like this:

Guy in biker gear: Just got back from a friend's cabin.
Girl in short shorts and a shorter top: Oh?
Guy: Yea, had a great time.
Girl: Where's the cabin?
Guy: Not far from Elvis Point.

The conversation was intriguing. Maybe we should rent one of the small tin boats at the marina and take a look at this lake for ourselves. Well, if you've been reading my blog, you know that boat ride resulted in us finding the home of our dreams ... but back to the reason for this post, Elvis, better known as THE KING.

Powell Lake has acquired quite a few colourful place names: Hole in the Wall, Three Mile Bay, The Washout, Stump Creek and Elvis Point. The King came to Powell Lake because of local fan. He perched on the cliff behind her cabin to croon her to sleep with strains of Love Me Tender. But in the Winter of 2007, it was more like Heartbreak Hotel. Elvis "left the building" or more specifically the cliff for parts unknown. Even though he didn't grace the rocky wall with his presence any longer, his spirit lived on.

But lo and behold, when Wayne and I took a trip up the the Head in August, there was The King back on his cliff crooning to his beloved fan.

Now all is right with the world again. -- Margy

Summer Cruise to the Head

Each year we take our 24' Bayliner out of the chuck (ocean) and bring her up the lake for a winter in fresh water. There are several advantages in doing this. The fresh water is good for the hull and every other exposed and internal part, the growth of algae and sea critters is brought to a screeching halt, and we have a bigger boat for lake cruises and for an added measure of safety during rough winter water.

This weekend we took the Bayliner for a summer cruise to the head of Powell Lake. Powell Lake is a glacial carved fjord that is 51 kilometres (32 miles) long with 480 kilometres (300 miles) of shoreline. From our cabin at Hole in the Wall it about 36 kilometres (22 miles) to the head. Our first stop was the logging dock. We hiked through the log sort and found it full of fresh cut trees ready to be dumped into the lake for transport. We were surprised to see so much action because of the summer and economic slowdown.

Next we passed through the camp built by Plutonic Power to support the construction of hydro lines from their run-of-river project in the Toba Valley. We continued up the logging road to the bridge that spans the Daniels River. During dry summer months, this is the main source of water for the lake. As you can see from the exposed stumps, the input isn't keeping up with evaporation and the outflow at the dam.

We then took the Bayliner to the east side of the large bay and anchored where we would catch the last rays of the setting sun. There aren't many places on this steep sided lake where you can anchor, but we found one near Jim Brown Creek. We lowered Mr. Bathtub (our dinghy) and paddled to shore for a hike up another logging road. On the way we found tracks from elk reintroduced here last year. It's good to see they are flourishing in the lush environment.

After a refreshing swim, we headed back for a shipboard BBQ of chicken and sausages. And boy was I hungry. The weather was warm and calm all night. Just a gentle rock and lapping sound on the hull. On our way back home in the morning, we saw lots of people enjoying the lake. Some were at their cabins, others camping along the shore. There's still a bit of summer left, so why don't you join Wayne and I up the lake. -- Margy