We’ve just ducked quickly behind a small island so that Otto can show me the First Nations community of Klemtu; if you didn’t have a navigational chart to direct you, you could easily miss it given how well-protected it is. It’s not a large community, maybe 500-800 people, but is served by BC Ferries and so has an impressive ferry dock and a few roads. (Which must lead to nowhere, because there are no other communities on the island.)
There are a number of small communities like this one spread throughout the mid-coast; add in all the inhabited lighthouses, swanky fishing camps, logging operations and boat traffic and you quickly realize that this is a far less desolate place than it seems. As Namu showed us, though, there was once a great deal more activity on this coast than there is today. Improved engine and refrigeration technology means boats can travel a longer distance to a cannery or processing plant and that means less need for many of these small but interesting places.
For all that I’m getting to see on this trip; there’s so much more around the corner, hidden away. I could spend a lifetime just exploring this place.
—
During the trip, you can either check this blog for the latest entries, or you can go to this interactive map of all the blog posts related to this trip. You can also find photos from the trip on Flickr.
