It's been a tough winter for the Surge Narrows community with uncommonly heavy snowfall, rain and wind at times isolating the off-the-grid and self sufficient community that inhabits the the Discovery Islands of the north Sailish Sea, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Surge Narrows lies at the midrift of the East Side of Vancouver Island, at the confluence of the narrow Whiterock Passage to the east, the Hoskyn channel to the south, and the Okisollo Channel to the north. When the tidal currents run through the constricted rocky gaps at Surge Narrows at 14-16 knots, roving whirlpools abound and the tidal rapids sound like thunder at a mile distance.
Surge Narrows area is a beautiful and fun place to explore by boat, and on foot. Friendly people and a tight-knit community in tune with the weather and their surroundings. The Octopus Islands lie 7 miles north, through Beazley Passage and up the Okisollo Channel, a thorough-fare for orcas.
The San Francisco Bay area is blessed to have an uncommonly talented group of sailing writers. Ronnie Simpson, John Riise, and Kimball Livingston are just a couple of the best.
With the reduction of writing skills being taught in schools these days, I'm encouraged and recall fondly the kids at Surge Narrows's two room school, snowbound, and things they wrote this winter. Here are a couple of their stories.
My Upcoming S.A.L.T’s Sailing Trip by Robbie Leggett
Later this year, I will get to go on a ten day sailing program called
“S.A.L.T’s”. The particular trip I am taking goes on the outer coast of
Vancouver Island and from Victoria to Port Hardy on a tall ship
called the “Pacific Swift”. It is over a hundred feet in length and is a
schooner. There is one other ship I could go on called the “Pacific
Grace”, but it isn’t sailing the rout I wanted. The Pacific Grace is a
little bigger, is a schooner as well, and sometimes does the same rout
as the Pacific Swift at the same time. My sister, Jenna, went on the
Pacific Grace for the past two years. She did the outer coast first and
the inner coast the next year. She is the one who recommended the
outer coast to me. Jenna said the outer coast was a little more fun
than the inner coast because at some points on the trip you hit wide
open water with no land in sight. On the outer coast, there is also hot
springs you eventually stop at. There are hiking trails on some of the
stops we make, and lots of beaches you can look for souvenirs on.
There will be lots of swimming, hiking, and learning how to sail a
tall ship. I hope to tell everyone all about it when I return.
Winter Wonderland by Salix
As usual I woke up late, because it’s was a
school day. I always get up late on a
school day, and early on a normal day!
But today was different! I gasped, as I
looked up, at a white winter wonder
land! It was “beautiful surprise” said dad
grinning, ”wow” I exclaimed “ I made
pancakes!” dad said. ……. There was silence
as we ate…then Dad packed my
lunch. After a while we headed outside, I
made a snowball and threw it at dad! He
made a face and threw one at me! Then
he said “we should start to go” so we
trudged up the hill. I started to sweat…..
After about a thousand years it seemed to
me, we were at the road. I threw my backpack
on the snowy ground and panted. After
we had caught our breath, I hurled a snowball,
it hit dad in the chest, he said” huh?”
but then caught on and started making a
snowball, I promptly curled into a ball, it
hit me on the back. After we were done the
snowball fight, we did snow angels. Dad put
two ears on his and said it was a snow bunny.
I tried to make a snow bunny, but
failed. I tried some more times and finally
made one. Then the school bus came and I
had to go. The End
Dylan’s Snowy Boat Ride
One day I went to school with my sister and Salix. We went in the little boat. Mom was driving us to school.
Mom had to wear her sunglasses because it was very snowy.
It felt very cold. I felt it everywhere! We could see the ocean and it looked like white and blue at the same time.
The snow was falling and when it touched the ocean it turned to water. I couldn’t see the shoreline because it was
too snowy. We couldn’t see any trees. But Mom knew where to go.
The only sound I could hear was the boat. There was no birds flying around. We saw mist.
By the time I got to school I was very cold. I got out of the boat and walked up the hill. There was lots of snow
on the road. It was up to my waist. It was hard to walk in.
When I got in the school I had to take all my snowy clothes off. My clothes kept me dry. It felt really warm in
the school.
Then Susanne made me do some work because it was a school day.
The end. By Dylan
Surge Narrows lies at the midrift of the East Side of Vancouver Island, at the confluence of the narrow Whiterock Passage to the east, the Hoskyn channel to the south, and the Okisollo Channel to the north. When the tidal currents run through the constricted rocky gaps at Surge Narrows at 14-16 knots, roving whirlpools abound and the tidal rapids sound like thunder at a mile distance.
Surge Narrows area is a beautiful and fun place to explore by boat, and on foot. Friendly people and a tight-knit community in tune with the weather and their surroundings. The Octopus Islands lie 7 miles north, through Beazley Passage and up the Okisollo Channel, a thorough-fare for orcas.
The San Francisco Bay area is blessed to have an uncommonly talented group of sailing writers. Ronnie Simpson, John Riise, and Kimball Livingston are just a couple of the best.
With the reduction of writing skills being taught in schools these days, I'm encouraged and recall fondly the kids at Surge Narrows's two room school, snowbound, and things they wrote this winter. Here are a couple of their stories.
My Upcoming S.A.L.T’s Sailing Trip by Robbie Leggett
Later this year, I will get to go on a ten day sailing program called
“S.A.L.T’s”. The particular trip I am taking goes on the outer coast of
Vancouver Island and from Victoria to Port Hardy on a tall ship
called the “Pacific Swift”. It is over a hundred feet in length and is a
schooner. There is one other ship I could go on called the “Pacific
Grace”, but it isn’t sailing the rout I wanted. The Pacific Grace is a
little bigger, is a schooner as well, and sometimes does the same rout
as the Pacific Swift at the same time. My sister, Jenna, went on the
Pacific Grace for the past two years. She did the outer coast first and
the inner coast the next year. She is the one who recommended the
outer coast to me. Jenna said the outer coast was a little more fun
than the inner coast because at some points on the trip you hit wide
open water with no land in sight. On the outer coast, there is also hot
springs you eventually stop at. There are hiking trails on some of the
stops we make, and lots of beaches you can look for souvenirs on.
There will be lots of swimming, hiking, and learning how to sail a
tall ship. I hope to tell everyone all about it when I return.
Winter Wonderland by Salix
As usual I woke up late, because it’s was a
school day. I always get up late on a
school day, and early on a normal day!
But today was different! I gasped, as I
looked up, at a white winter wonder
land! It was “beautiful surprise” said dad
grinning, ”wow” I exclaimed “ I made
pancakes!” dad said. ……. There was silence
as we ate…then Dad packed my
lunch. After a while we headed outside, I
made a snowball and threw it at dad! He
made a face and threw one at me! Then
he said “we should start to go” so we
trudged up the hill. I started to sweat…..
After about a thousand years it seemed to
me, we were at the road. I threw my backpack
on the snowy ground and panted. After
we had caught our breath, I hurled a snowball,
it hit dad in the chest, he said” huh?”
but then caught on and started making a
snowball, I promptly curled into a ball, it
hit me on the back. After we were done the
snowball fight, we did snow angels. Dad put
two ears on his and said it was a snow bunny.
I tried to make a snow bunny, but
failed. I tried some more times and finally
made one. Then the school bus came and I
had to go. The End
Dylan’s Snowy Boat Ride
One day I went to school with my sister and Salix. We went in the little boat. Mom was driving us to school.
Mom had to wear her sunglasses because it was very snowy.
It felt very cold. I felt it everywhere! We could see the ocean and it looked like white and blue at the same time.
The snow was falling and when it touched the ocean it turned to water. I couldn’t see the shoreline because it was
too snowy. We couldn’t see any trees. But Mom knew where to go.
The only sound I could hear was the boat. There was no birds flying around. We saw mist.
By the time I got to school I was very cold. I got out of the boat and walked up the hill. There was lots of snow
on the road. It was up to my waist. It was hard to walk in.
When I got in the school I had to take all my snowy clothes off. My clothes kept me dry. It felt really warm in
the school.
Then Susanne made me do some work because it was a school day.
The end. By Dylan
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