Sunday morning at Twelve-Mile Cabin.
Bruce and Kathy left at 5:00 am so they could make the Hollis Ferry to Ketchikan. Bob and I packed up and left about 7:00 am. Bob said we would stay somewhere in Craig tonight he didn't want me to deal with the anxiety fear of the bears. I was feeling better but by tonight when it was dark, I don't know? So we took more pictures and left.
Bunks to sleep on
Table and benches
Left of picture great fire pit with lots of fire wood. View from fire pit is lake.
Morning the tide is so low you feel you can walk to island, but last night tide was in and you need a boat to reach the island.
Leaving the cabin early morning low clouds and fog.
Heading into Kalwock for gas and breakfast.
This is where the day got good. We met so many people and flet liked we knew them forever.
We ate breakfast at Kim's Corner
Bob, Kim and Sharon
Omelet with potatoes
Frank, Fred and Bob
Fred and Spunky
Talking with Spunky: I told him I was afraid of the bears he said,"well you have a gun, don't you". I said, " we drove through Canada can't take a gun". So Spunky said, " Buy some fire crackers, thats all you need to scare the bears". Wow, now I felt better and not so scared to stay at the cabin tonight.
Thanks to Spunky and the fire crackers we did stay at the cabin Sunday night.
This is Mary-Anna she works as the cook Fri, Sat and Sun. She lives on a near island called, Waddle Island and drives on her boat to work. Mary-Anna and I bonded over my Devils Claw. She was growing some in her yard on the island and was excited for me to see it. So she invited Bob and I to go with her a 3:00 to the island. What a great opportunity for us. We were going to the native village of Hydaburg. Home of the Haida Nation. We would come back by 3:00 when she gets off work, Fred offered to let us park our rig at his house, he lives across the boat dock.
On our way to Hydaburg. Notice the Devil's Club strapped to the front of the sidecar, well I have had more people talk to us about the Devil's Club and tell many spiritual stories then you could imagine.
Village of Hydaburg
When we don't know where to go, we always park at a cafe or market and talk to the locals. The first man we saw drove up on a four wheeler and walked over to the bike. Bob thought he was coming over to see the bike, but he didn't.
He came over to me in the side car and asked me where I got the Devil's Club and do I know how powerful it is. I said I have a field of it in my yard in Wasilla and it is over 40 years old or more. I love and respect the accent plant. He continue to tell me not to disrespect it or it will bring you bad luck.
He then told me he was a Shaman in the village. My eyes teared up because for years I have felt this about my Devil's Club, in my yard and now here I was standing in an old native village having a Shaman confirm my beliefs. I told him I was honored and touched to hear him tell me this for many of my friends for years said it was just a bad weed and they cut theirs. He told me that if I use the tea to stay well I should ask the elder plants which ones to cut and use and they will tell me. I already do go into my yard and talk to the Devil's Club so this didn't sound crazy to me. He laid his hands over the Devil's Club on the sidecar as if to bless it, and as he left he said, "It is powerful don't misuse it".
Bob stood watching this whole episode speechless. It took me a few minutes to gain my composure.
Other people started to come over and talk to us.
All these kids were so excited and fascinated with our bike and side car and so cute I had to take their picture.
This figure is called a watchman
This is the carving shed
Large cedar poles used for canoes and totems
An abandoned fish cannery
Canoe in process of being carved for the Haida Festival at the end of July
Metal joiners to secure some splits in wood
Picture from under the canoe
Under inside of canoe
under inside of canoe carving
We met Mary Anna at 3:00 at the dock. We borded the boat. Bob and I are not boat or water people, so we were very funny and clumsy on the boat.
Mary Anna saying hi to people she knew around the Marina
At this point she told me to take the wheel and steer straight to the Mt. point. Oh my God, I never drove a boat. She went to the back to pull a plug to let some water out of the boat.
I'm yelling take the wheel I don't know how to drive the boat, she said your'e doing fine
Bob's eyes were wide open, he was hanging on while the boat was bouncing him up and down. He was in shock cause here I was driving the boat. Well he wanted this vacation to be an adventure.
We got to her house on the island, she pulled the boat on the rocks Bob and I got out on the rocks carefully and she tied the boat.
Mary Anna's house
Some of these trees on her property are 600 years old.
The inside of her house looks much like mind - lot of stuff, but all has a story.
She is drying herbs to make soaps and creams-starting a new business with all natural ingredients
This wall panel is wired to run off a generator and solar power. Like a ship.
Onto another island
collecting star fish for garden protein
We climbed to more secret places on another island to see a very old Watchman
These Watchman figures were used by the natives to watch over graves.
This one is old and weathered, if you look good you can still see the face image and one ear.
While climbing between these trees on the island we saw a dead Raven it was not decayed the feathers were shinny, so it come to it's death not too long ago. It bothered me so I said we have to bless it and I did. People do not often see Ravens that die naturally, they mostly see birds hit by cars of other things. So I researched the omen and found that a dead Raven signifies a new passage in life a change, a new start. So now I felt better knowing that seeing the dead Raven was not a negative omen, but a positive one of new beginnings.
Mary Anna's House
Her front yard
This is her smoke house
Sharon and Mary Anna standing in her
Devil's Club
Her yard-she cut some trees for sun, light or she was always living in the dark
her projects, weaving with cedar
She was given this shawl by the Hiada
and the vest also
She took us to an unknown island to see this petroglyphe. She found it in her exploring. She reported it with a picture but it stays a secret so that no one removes it. You notice that the rock is a different color from all the other rock. We believe that the natives used the different colored large rock to identify areas like we use signs.
I never thought I would be driving a boat
more strafish
Heading home for shore
Saying good-bye hoping to see each other again
Prince of Whales Island was a magical and spiritual island. You meet people and share their energy, you feel as if you knew them before. You don't want to leave and you know you will be back. they find a place in your heart and stay. No wifi, no cell phone the only connection is in your hearts.
On the way back to 12-Mile Cabin that last night on POW.
This is what the bear poop looks like. The bears poop on the road not in the woods.
So this time I'm no to scared because now we have the fire crackers
Outside the cabin's back door.
view from front porch
view from deck
The cabin had two folding chairs and I figured out that they were to be used to lock the doors from the inside. I propped them up against the door knob and jambed them tight not we were locked in for the night and with the fire crackers we were safe.
Good Night Sleep Tight and We Did!
quite the adventure indeed....sounds like Sharon liked being a boat driver!
ReplyDeleteI think she did
ReplyDelete