The pub at Heriot Bay Inn was filled with characters last night. A family foursome from Sweden. Some flannel-clad locals. And plenty of Frustrated Fishermen who'd been forced off the water by the day's high winds. Brian and Rob fit into the FF category.
Brian is a great talker and a great story-teller. I was all ears as he served up a boat-load of information, advice and local lore. "We're South African, you know. But I've lived in Campbell River for 25 years. The wife and I kept a place here on Quadra Island for a while, but she felt it was too quiet, too remote. So every summer I come back to Quadra and the surrounding islands for the best sailing in the world. You can sail these waters for decades and never pass the same coastline twice. Rob's keeping me company this year."
Brian's boating heaven is known as the Discovery Islands group. It's made up of about a dozen major islands including Quadra, and countless smaller islets. The less populated islands -- Read, Stuart, Maurelle and the Redonda Islands are collectively known as the 'Outer Islands.'
Brian told me a bit about the next island over -- Cortes -- bigger, more remote, and even quirkier than Quadra. A segment of the population there is comprised of aging peace-niks who moved to Canada in their draft-age youth to avoid going to Viet Nam. Like other islands, Brian says, Cortes' arts community is very prolific. Everything from painting and sculpture to resin-cast trophy fish. But unlike other islands, Cortes has a nude beach at Hague lake near the center of the main town. The year-round population of 1,000 plays host to a growing and devoted legion of summer-trippers who like the relaxed atmosphere and good weather. "Worth a visit," says Brian. Maybe I will.
The music in the Heriot Bay Inn pub was unexpectedly 'vintage', but very much to my liking. A nicely mixed track of Van Morrison, the Beatles... and -- yikes -- even some Emerson Lake and Palmer. Good background as we talked about boats, about fishing and about island history. Well, I know nothing of those topics, so it was Brian who talked... with great energy and enthusiasm. Rob smiled and grinned. Me too. I listened to every word while I nursed a pint of hand-crafted lager and finshed off a full pound of local mussels.
Brian, Rob -- you're the best. I wish you safe sailing and good fishing. And I'll follow your advice after I leave Heriot Bay on Tuesday and will explore either Cortes or the Painter's Lodge... or maybe both.
