Tag Archives: flash back fridays

STRATHCONA WILDERNESS TESTS METTLE – They call it the Whale Rock 1981

No one knows why for certain, but it does resemble a huge humpback lurking just below the waterline in the lower reaches of Campbell River.

It’s a major obstacle for white-water runners, along by Rosie’s Hole and just below the BC Hydro dam and the trick turn required to pull into Stick Eddy further downstream.

A group of kayakers demonstrating a river rescue—teamwork

Paddlers can play it safe with the Whale and keep well to the right, or they can play the odds and barrel through with the main current on the left and lean hard into the next turn. Not everyone makes it. But today the Whale claims no new victims; the dozen young paddlers from St. Michaels University School manage to avoid its bulk without taking a swim.

The kayakers are one of five groups from the Victoria school testing their mettle in the wilderness areas of central Vancouver Island as part of St. Michaels’ an- nual grade eleven out trip at Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre. Another group is learning the basics of white-water canoeing on the Campbell, two oth- ers are touring Nootka Sound and Friendly Cove on the west coast by canoe and on foot, while a fifth troop attempts the summit of Mt. Albert Edward, the third highest peak on Vancouver Island.

NORLAN CABOT – 80s

Dan McKinnon barbequing salmon west coast style

I remember my little West Van self being dropped off at the side of the road to take my Strathcona courses. I felt so out of place. Everyone was a wild bushman and then there was shy me. I had never hiked or paddled or anything. The very first person I met was Jim. I will ALWAYS remember it. He was at the end of the boat dock fish-ing or something. He had on his big hat. I had on a red and white gingham shirt bought for the occasion. I was SO intimidated!!!!

And then it was all down hill as I began the courses. Penny Milbrandt and I were put in a canoe together, and we could not make it out of the paddock. We arrived at the campground two hours after everyone was there! I did ten days in the rain on

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Roderrick Haig-Brown – 1970 A story by David Boulding

Roderick Haig-Brown

Jim was an avid fly fisher. His great relief was to go to the mouth of the Elk River (across from the Lodge) or to the drowned mouth of the Wolf River (a few miles from the Lodge) with his friend and mentor, Roderick Haig-Brown. Jim named a building after Rod, to keep his memory alive; Rod’s quiet way in the world contrasted with Jim’s ebullient enthusiasm.
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THE SPIRIT OF STRATHCONA A story by David Boulding

Tony Hunter

The Spirit of Strathcona is people, ideas, and energy coming together. For example, Young Adrian Koeleman escorting a bus load of German tourists has a fan belt break in the Rockies miles from any garage or parts store. What does he do?Adrian turns to the group and speaks to the women. He explains he needs them to get their suitcases out and go through their lingerie and give him all their pantyhose. He says he must make a fan belt from their nylons so they can get to the next town. Excited, the women lay out their suitcases on the Trans Canada Highway and pass Adrian all their nylons. The bus moves along, not overheating, and several German women have a Canadian story that will amaze their friends for years. Read more

FRIENDS WORLD COLLEGE 1972/73

Friends World College, on boat to Nootka Island, October 1972 had decided that he Mary, Nikki, Michael, Joan, Bergie, Mark (top row) Ken, Mary, Johnny Cake (bottom row)

In 1972, Peter Wright took a sabbatical in order to start a branch of Friends World College, a Quaker College from New York. Peter arrived at the Lodge a few weeks early to prepare for the arrival of the students. I was attracted to Peter’s great intellect; he was one of the most knowledgeable men I ever met. Jim loved his practical application of his worldwide learning to local problems. The second professor at the college, Ken Power, had been looking for an alternative to teaching under structured educational methods. Ken had done undergraduate and post-graduate work in sociology, anthropology and economics at the universities of Windsor , Toronto and Alberta and had enough of structured educational methods. By chance he had written to John Young, a high school principal in Campbell River at the time, who told him about Peter Wright and Friends World College

The undergraduates were to spend the fall and spring living in our new building, ever since called the College building, on the south side of Lodge property. After they arrived, the students had a six-week orientation and then with Peter and Ken would negotiate a topic, a time, an evaluation method, and how the work would be done. The students then roared into action studying the agreed upon topic, such things as wolves in North America, outdoor education, new building techniques and methods of generating and saving power. One student, Mark Hurwitz, built a Buckminster Fuller style geodesic dome, which is still at the Lodge. He lived there with Nikki Ellman. Mary Shed, another student, spent the winter gathering elk droppings, in order to find out what they ate. She later became a wildlife biologist. Some students built canvas kayaks and many participated in creating a large vegetable garden. They lived together, sharing food, books and sleeping quarters.  Read more

ANNE RUETER and JOHN GREGG 1971

John Gregg

Anne & John left Portland on October 25th, 1971, and made their way to Ralph River campsite in Strathcona Park. The driveway to their campsite had a hump in the middle as well as a ditch on both sides. Anne had backed up the car and it slipped into the ditch causing the car to get hung up in the middle. Along came Jim Boulding and a bus full of teachers on a field trip. He offered to drive while the others pushed, but Anne wanted to continue driving so Jim helped push.  Jim asked what they were doing, and found out that they were on holiday. They were not too comfortable camping at that time of year because all they had was Anne’s uncle’s World War II canvas lean-to. Not only was it cold, there was no privacy. Jim suggested they come back to the Lodge where they could have a hot bath. He later talked them into staying, saying that John, who had attended Yale and spent a year in the Amazon working on a US AID project, could help winterize the buildings. He suggested that Anne, who had graduated from the University of Oregon in Portland, and had been a teacher and a stewardess, tended bar and managed a pizza parlor, would be a natural in our dining room. Read more

JANE DROWN (nee GREGG) 1968, 1969 and 1970

Jane Gregg & Jane Feniuk (nee McIvor)

Jane worked at the Lodge during a period when we did not have a lot of staff. Those that we did have were expected to lend a hand in many different areas and to work very hard. Her sister, Chris, worked here as well during part of that time (she later became a school principal). The first thing that Jane told me was that she decided after working at the Lodge that she never wanted to work in a resort again (she became a pharmacist) because the work was so hard. Read more