7 Awesome Things about Summer in Powell River

Today is the first day of Spring and I'd like to invite you to my favourite place on earth, Powell River, BC. Here are 7 awesome things about Powell River for this summer.

1. An exciting ferry ride to get here. BC Ferries serves Powell River. You can easily turn your visit into a Circle Route vacation. Check out the CirclePac and Experience Card for extra savings. On the Vancouver to Powell River route you will travel through majestic fjords and pass towering snow-capped peaks. It's an E-ticket ride for sure.

2. Uncrowded campgrounds. We have a special place in our hearts for Willingdon Beach Campsite. We stayed at this oceanside campgound when we discovered Powell River. Hookups are available at Kent's Beach near Saltery Bay, Garnet Rock near town and Sunland by-the-Sea near Lund. We love the remote forest and wilderness campgrounds such as Nanton, Dodd and Khartoum Lake. You can even rent a float cabin to experience off-the-grid life on the lake for yourself.

3. Offroad adventures. Do you ride a quad, off-road motorcycle or drive a 4X4? Logging and forest roads take you to trails, lakes and quiet forests. The Powell River ATV Club loves to help visiting riders. They have an ATV Trail Guide with GPS coordinates. Contact our president Dave through the ATV/BC website or in town at Guy's Cycle Works or Quality Parts. Some of our favourite destinations are Theodosia, Fiddlehead Farm, Poki's Place and Khartoum Lake. You can read about more ATV adventures in Up the Main.

4. Restaurants with views. From everyday to fancy, we have it all. South of town at Beach Gardens is the Savoury Bight, great for sunset dinners. North of town on Okeover Inlet is the Laughing Oyster for great seafood. Continue to the end (beginning) of Highway 101 to the Lund Hotel's for a marina view. And don't leave town without a brew and steak at the Shinglemill Pub on Powell Lake. Sit and watch boats coming and going from logging sites and float cabins up the lake.

5. Events and festivals. Summer is event time in Powell River. The International Choral Kathaumixw from July 6-10. July also brings the Texada Sandcastle Weekend on the 10-11th, the Texada Aerospace Camp for kids from Jul7 21-24 and the annyal Fly-in on the 25th. The 47th Annual Seafair at Willingdon Beach from the 23-25th. Then Marine Avenue closes on Friday, August 20, for the annual Blackberry Street Party. The weekly Farmers Market in Paradise Valley is open April to September. For more activities, read Around Town in the PEAK or PowellRiverDirect.com.

5. Beaches. Powell River is overflowing with fresh and saltwater beaches. In town, Willingdon Beach is the place to go with it's grassy park, sandy beach and Beach Hut. South of town there's Saltery Bay Provincial Park and north there's Gibson's Beach. Keep going towards Lund and you will find Dinner Rock Park tucked away on a gravel road. Or take the Lund Water Taxi to Savary Island for some of the best sandy beaches in BC. Prefer fresh water? Try Mowat or Haywire Bay on Powell Lake, or one of the many smaller lakes in the region.

4. Hiking. Whether it's a stroll down historic Willingdon Beach Trail or a hike on the 180 km Sunshine Coast Trail, we have a path for every ability. Inland Lake's circumnavigating trail is wheelchair accessible. Stop by Breakwater Books or Coles to get Eagle Walz's books (Sunshine Coast Trail Guidebook and Along the Edge of the Salish Sea) about hiking in and around Powell River. They are a must! Also, stop by the Visitor Centre for maps and information.

6. Kayaking and canoeing. Powell River is a great destination for both kayaking and canoeing. Bring your own, or rent one when you get here. Choices include Skeeter Jacks, Powell River Sea Kayak, Alpha Adventures and Y-Knot. Each outfitter also offers lessons and guided tours. The Powell River Forest Canoe Route through pristine lakes is world famous. So are nearby ocean destinations such as Desolation Sound.

7. Boating on the chuck. Around here we call the ocean the salt chuck. The Westview Harbour is the perfect fueling, restocking, maintenance and jumping off for Coastal BC cruising to Desolation Sound and all points north along the inside passage. Nearby Lund also has a marina with fuel and moorage. Check out some of the exciting anchorages and marinas along the way in Wayne's book Up the Strait.

Stop at the Tourism Powell River Visitor Centre in the Crossroads Village Shopping Centre next to Quality Foods on Mondays through Fridays 9:00-5:00. They will give you great tips about our wonderful community. Pick up a free Powell River Living magazine or buy a Powell River PEAK to see what's happening around town. Need more reasons to come? Visit the Tourism Powell River website. I'll see you here soon! -- Margy

Horseshoe Lake Kayak Adventure

The Powell River Forest Canoe Route draws paddling enthusiasts from around the world. It follows a chain of 8 lakes through the back country and is best navigated in a canoe or small kayak. That's because of the 5 portages between the lakes. Wayne and I own what we lovingly call the Big Yellow Banana. It's a Current Designs Libra XT that's almost 22 feet (660 cm) long and 92 pounds (41 k) soaking wet.

Add our camping gear and you can barely lift her off the ground. Obviously, we aren't going to take her on the whole Canoe Route, but you can access portions of it by vehicle. Last week on a warm spring day we transported the Yellow Banana to the Nanton Lake Campground. Nanton is a beautiful Forest Service camp on the Goat Lake Main logging road. This is an active logging road, so use caution and obey signs.

After launching we paddled the north side of Nanton. It's shallow near the shore and the bottom is covered with plants, perfect for trout but tough on lures. We let this little guy go home to his mama. Nanton connects with neighboring Horseshoe Lake through a wide channel. The waterway is dotted with lots of old snags from logging early in the 1990's before the dam was installed on Horseshoe.

Horseshoe also has lots of floating logs and stumps. We found hundreds (maybe thousands) of them in a solid log jam blocking the opening. We decided to work our way through. At times we felt like explorers moving through ice floes in the Northwest Passage. We would nose forward and pull logs past our hull. Sometimes we were blocked by a solid mass and had to reverse course. After about an hour we made it to open water.

We followed the north shore to the campground at the portage to Little Horseshoe Lake. It was late afternoon and the camping area was already in full shade. We decided to continue south to find a sunnier spot. About two thirds of the way down the lake (just above the canoe symbol on the map) we crossed to the west side and found a perfect spot on the bluff of an island.

It was a rustic site with a stump bench, a mossy flat area for our tent, a fire ring that we chose not to use and a dynamite view. Our kayak floated safely below tied to several beached logs. From the healthy look of the Bearberry plants and moss on the ground, we were the first occupants of the season. After our dinner of subway sandwiches we turned in to be serenaded by frogs and loons.

After a leisurely morning in camp we worked our way north fishing and trolling. About half way to the head of the lake we encountered the log jam. We paddled around it and back through the channel without any obstruction. It must move back and forth en masse with the wind. Back in Nanton, we stopped at the new picnic site built by the ATV Wednesday Trail Building Group.

After a snack and rest we paddled back to our car. On the way we passed this empty Osprey nest. It looks ready to receive its new occupants for the summer season. Osprey must need and claim a large fishing territory. We only saw one other nest in Horseshoe Lake.

Back at the campground we took time to unload and organize our gear for our next kayak trip. If you are planning to visit Powell River and want to camp, Nanton is an excellent choice. It has several lakeside spots, some with their own launch ramps. You can also headquarter here for ATV rides on the extensive logging road and trail network south of town.

If you have any questions, just leave a comment. If you want more information about exploring Powell River's back country, I recommend reading Wayne's books Up the Main or Up the Winter Trail. They are both available online at www.PowellRiverBooks.com. -- Margy

Super King Air

I've written before about the airline that serves my hometown. In fact, Pacific Coastal Airlines had its beginnings in Powell River, BC.

One of the things that makes Pacific Coastal unique is the ability to match its airplanes to the needs of its runs. Usually, Powell River is served by the 19 passenger Beechcraft 1900C. On busy days, we might get the 30+ passenger Shorts 360 or Saab 340. But on my trip this week there were only seven of us heading down to Vancouver. This time they sent the 11 passenger Super King Air. Nice plane. Kind of like 997 on steroids.

The small low building in front of the wing is the Powell River terminal. It was pretty crazy here during the Olympics with a temporary baggage screening machine and lots of security agents. Now things are back to small town quiet.

While the other passengers were relaxing and catching up on the day's news, I enjoyed watching the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit. -- Margy

Night Ferry

The ferry between Powell River BC and nearby Texada Island runs day and night, transporting residents and visitors alike.

When the 7:15 p.m. ferry comes in from Comox (the lights in the distance) on Vancouver Island, the Island Princess to Texada hovers off the breakwater waiting to pick up passengers who want to complete their journey home. Isn't she a beautiful sight?

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 Powell River Open Air Market is Back!

People living in Powell River have to be just a bit more self-reliant. Even though we live on the mainland of Coastal BC, it's like living on an island. To get to Powell River you need to take a ferry, airplane or private boat. While this does cause some isolation, it also makes our community a strong one.

The 50-Mile Diet is a big thing in our town as it is in many places across Canada. People are more concerned these days about where their food comes from and how it is grown. We even have several restaurants in town that serve meals that meet the 50-Mile Diet criteria. How about that?

Many people here have backyard gardens. There are also several rich farming areas near Powell River. New regulations, especially on meat sales, make it difficult, but the farmers continue to produce locally grown items for garden gate sales, local restaurants and our weekend farmer's market.

Opening day for the 2010 Powell River Open Air Market is Saturday, April 24, from 10:30 t0 12:30. As a part of the opening day activities there will be a special Earth Day celebration.

The Open Air Market is held at the Paradise Valley Exhibition Park on McLeod Road each Saturday (10:30-12:30) and Sunday (12:30-2:30) from late spring to fall. In addition to vegetables, you can find fresh baked bread, gorgeous flowers, crafts, guest speakers, good food and great music. The new Market Manager is Jesse Black. He is quoted in this week's Peak saying, "There is an exciting new line-up of vendors and entertainment planned for this year’s Open Air Market, as well as community favourites whom you’ve come to love year after year."

Look for a farmer's market in your own home town, even in urban areas. Try growing a few veggies in your own yard, pots on your balcony, or places as unlikely as my floating garden. Even if everything you eat isn't from a 50 or 100-mile radius, you will have more nutritious and delicious meals. Happy gardening, shopping and eating! -- Margy

Wind Warning

Friday was a very windy day here in Powell River BC.



This lone barge was stuck in the waves riding out the storm.

At the same time, the Island Princess ferry from Texada Island made all it's normal runs. But it must have been a wild ride. I could see her with binoculars plowing through the swells in mid-channel, sheets of spray blowing up and back through the car deck. It must have felt good to get to the Powell River dock with it's minimal protection. -- Margy

7 Awesome Things about Spring in Powell River BC

Today is the first day of Spring and I'd like to invite you to my favourite place on earth, Powell River, BC. Here are 7 awesome things about Powell River for this spring.

1. Very friendly people. One of the first things we learned about Powell River is that it's filled with friendly people. Stop at the Tourism Powell River Visitor Centre in the Crossroads Village Shopping Centre next to Quality Foods on Mondays through Fridays 9:00-5:00. Pick up a free Powell River Living magazine or a Powell River PEAK to see what's happening around town.

2. Great places to stay. In the middle of town is the Town Centre Hotel, lounge on the beach at the Oceanside Resort and Cabins, or immerse yourself in history at the Townsite's Old Courthouse Inn. We have a special place in our hearts for the Willingdon Beach Campsite. That's where we stayed when we first discovered Powell River.

3. Tasty restaurants. From everyday to fancy, we have it all. Start the day with coffee and a cinnamon bun at Rocky Mountain Pizza, great eggs benedict at Starvin' Marvins, or a really big breakfast at my good friend Margaret's Magpie's Diner. Grab lunch in the mall at Moose n' Eddies, but don't leave town without a brew and steak at the Shinglemill Pub on Powell Lake. Sit and watch boats coming and going from logging sites and float cabins up the lake.

4. The Mill and Historic Townsite. Powell River was founded as a mill town for the Powell River Paper Company. The paper mill is now owned by Catalyst, but Powell River is no longer a company town. Homes are now privately owned and the Townsite was designated a National Historic District by Parks and Monuments Canada in 1995. Discover more about Powell River's history at the Museum.

5. The Open-Air Market. Powell River's farmers market is open April to September. Watch Around Town in the PEAK for opening and special event dates. Come for fresh produce, flowers, home baking, hand crafts and local entertainers on the Open Mic Stage on Saturdays 10:30-12:30 and Sundays 12:30-2:30.

6. Lots of outdoor activities. Whether you favourite activity is boating, hiking, ATVing, winter sports, kayaking or just relaxing, Powell River has it all. We are famous for our scuba diving, Sunshine Coast Trail, Powell River Canoe Route and rock climbing. Forest campgrounds and easy access to the back country make it paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.

7. Heading up the lake. Powell Lake is a land-locked glacial carved fresh water fjord. I love living in a float cabin up the lake in Hole in the Wall. You can rent a float cabin or boat to experience life on the lake for yourself. You can also read about off the grid living on Powell Lake in Up the Lake and Farther Up the Lake by Wayne J. Lutz at www.PowellRiverBooks.com.

Need more reasons to come? Visit Tourism Powell River. Hope to see you here soon! -- Margy

Breakwater Books in Powell River BC

As you probably can guess from the name of the blog, books are an important part of our life. Wayne writes books, I edit books (mostly Wayne's), and we're a small book publishing company. But we couldn't make it without the help of local bookstores that carry Wayne's titles. One of our strongest supporters in Powell River is Breakwater Books.

Breakwater Books is strategically located near the corner of Marine Avenue and Alberni Street. It's a great part of town to walk, window shop, have a bite to eat and purchase a good book to read. The owners are Sean and Ruth. They have great books to browse, a free wireless hotspot, tables and chairs for relaxing, and a great little coffee shop with breakfast sweets and lunch treats.

When you enter the store you'll find tables displaying books of interest, including lots of local titles. Look close and you'll see all six books in Wayne's Coastal BC Stories series. Other good finds include the Sunshine Coast Trail Guidebook and Along the Edge of the Salish Sea by our local hiking expert Eagle Walz.

Sean and Ruth also host book launches, author readings and other cultural events in their store. So come on down to Breakwater Books. You'll be glad you did. -- Margy

The Powell River Finger

Ed has a funny sense of humour. In lots of ways, it reminds me of my dad's. You have to listen carefully and sometimes read between the lines.

Powell River is built on the sloping shores of Coastal BC overlooking the Strait of Georgia and Vancouver Island. This time of year we get lots of cloudy skies. But on some days, we get a patch of sun at the end of the day. Ed's name for it is the "Powell River Finger."

There isn't enough time left for the teasing rays to warm us, but they sure make a beautiful light before darkness falls. OK Ed, it may be a mean thing for the weather to do, but you have to admit the sunsets can be pretty spectacular. -- Margy

Americans by Birth, Canadians by Choice

Today's the second anniversary of Wayne's and my landing as a permanent residents in Canada. Wayne's a little more worldly than me having lived in New York, New Jersey, Texas and California. I was a Los Angeles County babe, born and raised. But we both were well traveled thanks to our airplane 997.

We discovered Powell River BC in 2000 during a flying camping trip to BC. Actually, that's not the whole truth. We discovered Powell River twenty years earlier as a gas stop on a similar trip. But, first impressions aren't always accurate.

We needed fuel and Powell River seemed a likely spot. It was "obvious" it was an industrial mill town, so we flew off to a remote strip to camp for the night. But in 2000 we took the time to stay, and that's all it took. That one night stretched into the full two weeks we had for our summer vacation. The next December we returned to see if we could handle the winters. The answer was a resounding yes, but we couldn't find a suitable property for part-time visitors.

The next summer we almost didn't return, but something drew us back at the last minute. And that's the real beginning of the story. We decided to rent a tin boat so we could explore Powell Lake. We packed a picnic and headed for Goat Lake. On the way we saw the most amazing sight, float cabins dotting the shore. We were very excited about what we saw. So much so, that we asked the proprietor at the boat rental if there were any for sale. He said yes, but he was sure we wouldn't like it. It was right next to a big rock wall.

Well, if you've followed my blog you know that was the turning point of our lives. Yes, we had to go back to LA for a few years to complete our careers, but every holiday we returned to our float cabin on Powell Lake. We started living our dream. But after we retired (early for both of us), we wanted more. We wanted to live the dream full time, and that required applying for residency. So we chose to become Canadians. It was a huge step, but one we took with great enthusiasm.

Like the lines in Sloan's song "The Rest of My Life:"

One thing I know about
The rest of my life
I know that I’ll be
Living it in Canada

Thank you Powell River and Canada for letting us truly follow our dream. -- Margy

The Absolute Best Place on Earth

Tourism BC had a campaign called "The Best Place on Earth" to encourage British Columbia residents to vacation at home. If BC is the best place on earth, Powell River is the "Absolute Best Place on Earth." This morning I was driving along Marine Avenue. Right there in front of me was a beautiful sight. The rising sun was shining off the calm waters of the Strait of Georgia. The sun tinged clouds were parting to reveal clear blue skies. It just doesn't get much better than that.

As I stood at the viewpoint taking in this glorious sight, I met a man who has lived here for sixty years. As it is in a town of this size, he was the father of someone Wayne and I know from up the lake and have business dealings with in town. We stood in the brisk morning air while he told of days gone by when he worked in the paper mill, and of his vision for the future of his community and country.

He talked about salmon fishing with his wife, raising his daughters and sons in a safe environment, his cabin up the lake, and his jobs at the mill. While some of his children have moved to other parts of BC, some are still here in Powell River. And when they have a reunion, where do they want to go? Up the lake of course.

At then at end of the day, this is what I saw from the front room window at our condo in town. Want to know more about Powell River? Read Coastal BC Stories by Wayne Lutz. Up the Lake will tell you why Powell Lake is the only place we want to be in all seasons. Follow along Up the Main to experience the pristine backcountry. Hike Up the Winter Trail and get ready for a vacation at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Cruise Up the Strait of Georgia to hidden coves and uncrowded anchorages. And come up to Powell River, the absolute best place on earth. -- Margy

And I Heard It on the Radio

... as the Glen Burtnik song goes. When Wayne and I first came to Powell River BC, we immediately started listening to the local radio station.

We're a small town so there's only one. It was called CHQB at 1280 AM. The format was country with lots of local programming. That's where I got my theme song, The Truck Got Stuck by Corb Lund. I'd just purchased my GMC 4X4 and it made me think about driving in the bush. Reception up the lake wasn't great, but we listened for hours. My favourite features, other than the great tunes, were the local news and Telemarket. Call in with your items to sell and leave your phone number for prospective buyers. You learn a lot about a town on a show like that. Roo (now on JRfm in Vancouver) even interviewed Wayne about his first book, Up the Lake. I really miss that original format!

One day I was driving my truck into the bush towing my quad. I turned on the radio and to my surprise there was no country music. It was now the New Magic and the music was a mix of oldies, pop, easy listening and local information. John Stevenson was the morning anchor. In the evenings we still could listen to live broadcasts of the Kings home hockey games.

Then a little over a year ago the station "flipped." The word came through the reliable taxi driver grapevine. Now it's Sun and can be found at 95.7 FM. The music has improved and we get syndicated Ryan Seacrest on weekends (unless he really comes to hang out in our great little town!). You can even listen live on the Internet. But alas, no more Telemarket. Bummer! But we do get to hear His Worship the Mayor on the news quite frequently. He keeps us informed about local happenings along with Brittany King, the new morning personality from Red Deer.

So whether you are in Powell River listening live or out of town on the Internet, tune in to SunFM. You just might hear Wayne's Coastal BC Stories add on the Mainstreet Powell River feature. -- Margy

Introducing Margaret's "Thistle Garden"

Blogging has become a large part of my life. I use it to share memorable events, cooking experiences, living the simple life off the grid in a floating cabin in Coastal BC, and of course, Wayne's books. But what would blogging be without you, my loyal readers.

When Blogger started the Followers feature, Margaret over at Thistle Garden became my first "official" follower. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to her.

Margaret lives here in Powell River and we meet in real life as well as through our blogging. Margaret lives in a semi-rural part of town and has a large garden and chickens. She's an inspiration to me when it comes to simplifying life and getting back to the basics. Here are some of my favourite posts:

Switchback Trail at Wildwood Hill
Carrot Cake (you can taste it at the diner!)
Swiss Chard (inspired me to plant some)
50-mile Diet (eat local)

Margaret does a lot of sewing and crafting. You will see lots of her projects on the blog. You can also purchase some of them for yourself at her ETSY shop online.

If her life isn't busy enough, Margaret and her husband Art just opened a restaurant here in town. It's called Magpie's Diner and they serve breakfast and lunch six days a week. If you make it to Powell River, stop by for a sumptuous treat.

One other thing we have in common is floating cabins on Powell Lake. And not just any cabins. Both of ours were hand built by our good friend John.

Head on over to Thistle Garden and say hi to Margaret. And Margaret, thanks for being my first and very faithful follower. See you for breakfast soon. -- Margy