Village Channel

Village Channel, originally uploaded by macatay.

We have made good progress north and west, and are anchored tonight at Crease Island, about twenty miles short of Alert Bay. We have returned to this anchorage at every opportunity since we discovered it a few years ago. From here we can look out at Village Passage, dotted with islands that were traditionally the sites of of Indian camps or communities. The best known - Mamalilaculla - is just a few miles away. A few buildings and poles still stand there, nearly buried in the high blackberries and young alder trees that are fast reclaiming the site. All through these channels, we come upon white beaches that are actually middens - piles of shells left from years of inhabitation. It's easy to paddle from one island to another, there are protected channels and back passages to keep a traveler out of exposed water. There is a sense of neighborhood, shared locality. Community would be possible.