Islands

 (Just some random musings…nothing too earth shaking :-) )

Having just read Madeleine Bunting’s excellent book, Love of Country, A Journey through the Hebrides” and enjoying every minute of being here on “our” island, I’ve been thinking about islands.  Some of the words I’ve seen used to describe what it means to live or the attributes one needs to live there are: escape, retreat, remote, romantic, sublime, individualistic, not for everyone, self sufficient, independent, problem solver, flexible, nature lover, conservationist, environmentalist,  fabulous nothing, harsh, seductive dangers, inviolability, steadfastness, detachment, “this little world apart”, encouraging introverts, frustration,, magic, intrigue, adventure, creative, insular (pejorative) “create own little blessed plot”,  personal freedom, salvation, solitude, water loving,  wildness, simplicity, less stress, chaos avoidance, refuge, solace.   to start with.  

Since 71 % of the earth’s surface is covered with water, there are hundreds of thousands of bits of land, surrounded by water,  most of which are not inhabited… and when is an island a continent? 

Artists have created masterpieces while alone and not distracted on an island.  People have starved trying to eek out a living from harsh island life.   Or died away from no medical help or trying to get off in dangerous conditions   There are also fierce island communities that cling to each other.   There are islands that will be covered by the rising ocean soon and the communities will have to go elsewhere.    There are islands with huge estates built by millionaires, because they can.    Islands have been used for exile and prisons and military defense.  The remote Hebrides get a lot of tourists and the communities are holding on to their historic Gaelic culture but population is decreasing in many of them with the lure of an easier life on the mainland.

Escape from the chaos of city life, (noise, traffic, industrial offices,  and relationships,) and a less stressful environment in nature,  seem to be what I hear from people here in the Gulf Islands…which are sheltered from the big Pacific Ocean…. This small Parker Island is about 2+ miles long and 1/2 mile wide….there are 4 full time residents but most are “weekenders’ who enjoy their retreats.   It’s a community of neighbors who would help when needed but respect everyone’s privacy.  Everyone created their own “little blessed plot” from rocks and trees.    But it’s  not without stress…. There’s the weather and what it will do…..prevent boats from leaving the dock or ferries from running or trees down disrupting power,  There’s all the work involved, on or off the grid,  and lack of a ready supply of helpers.    Everything comes by boat (including dirt for gardens… and we need to replace our washing machine!)

It’s quiet,  it’s beautiful, the sounds and smells of the The Salish Sea, it’s wildlife and of course all kinds of boating,  a place to look and listen, think and create,  a place to savor solitude and to share,  a place to love and cherish.  I hope we can enjoy it for some years more….the work is getting harder and there’s always stuff that can happen… I’m grateful for every day.

Photo taken from the top of our property looking up the slot towards NW , and Nanaimo…Sphinx, Wise, Wallace, and Galiano before Vancouver Island.    The map from google maps.  Yes there is a REAL vulture this time in the photo and the red bird is where the camera was.   The angled line on right is the border between the USA and Canada and I left the power lines on the left in for balance..


no words tomorrow. :-)