Magic in the Charlottes

Day 1
I just got back from 5 crazy and magical days on the Queen Charlotte Islands. Last Thursday I hopped on the Queen of the North for a 5 and 1/2 hour passage to the QCI's/ Haida Gwaii. Due to a late night of speed packing and laundry my head was dipping into my sandwich so I headed back to the cardeck to have a nap in my Van. Three hours and much rested later I met up with friend and BC Ferry 4th officer Lori Bartlett for a chat and a tour of the Bridge. There is an amazing view from up top and I learned that at certain times during the voyage there is less than 5 feet of water below the ship as it picks a precarious route into the Skidigate harbour. Ferry docked and unloaded I traveled to Tllell to meet up with Frank Wall, Edge of the World Festival Coordinator and organizer of the Saturday Night Show I was on Island for. Tlell is what I would call a artisan community filled with wonderful, welcoming people situated halfway between Skidigate and Masset. I fell alseep listening to a chorus of frog calls.

Day 2
Rising early the next morning it was a short stumble from Franks nice clapboard-cottage-like home across a field to the coffeeshop Dress For Less. When you travel up the Island the shop appears to be plunked in the middle of nowhere. It really is just on the outskirts of the community and is a perfect spot for tourists and islanders alike to stop, rest and enjoy a coffee and browse a supprisingly highend selection of second hand clothes. Coffee and muffin in hand I headed across the road to sit on the rocky shorline and enjoy the sunshine. Later that day Rhea (Franks Roommate) and I headed up the coastline to Massett to pick up Gary who was flying in by Floatplane. We mucked around Massett, doing errands and taking a drive through the Old Masset Village. We sat on the dock in the sun and wind, and watched the float plane carrying Gary swoop in and land on the water. With Gary safely 'on-island' we traveled the 1.5 hour drive down to Queen Charlotte City to have dinner and meet Violette and Melinda the organizers of the 'Island Spirit Rising' Dinner/ Dance Fundraiser that we were scheduled to perform. As we wandered around outside the hall on what felt like a summers eveing we stumbled across Roi and Ryan (two islanders) practicing by moonlight. The two of them have exude nothing but energy as they play acoustic guitar and banjo. The show at the hall was fun and we danced until 2:00am. With minor mechanical problems we headed back to Tlell to sit under the moon and stars next to a huge campfire until the wee hours of the morning.

Day 3.

Not so early to rise. More fuel from Dress For Less coffee and muffins. Gear for the show obtained from Tlell we headed to QC City to set up for the CoffeeHouse at On the Rock. Morgan and Dawn own this funky furniture store that used to be the old legion building. They left the stage intact and the hall/ store is able to seat about 150 people comfortably. The evening progressed with music from many talented locals such as Elizabeth McKinster, Frank McGowan, Roi and Ryan. Gary and I had a the headline spot and played for about an hour. In the Charlottes you have to be aware of the Ferry Schedule and not take offence if people get up and walk out during your set. There is only a set number of sailings between Sandspit and Skidigate and those not wanting to spend the night on the other island have to leave early to get passage home. We spent the rest of the evening at Norms house, listening to Jesse Cook and relaxing by the fire. The night was pretty uneventful in a relaxing-under-the-moon sort of way, except for a run in with a wolf spider in the bathroom.

Day 4
After a gourmet breakfast of French Toast with Cranberries and Whipcream, Gary headed back up island with Frank and Jen to attemp to hitchhike from Tlell to Masset to catch the plane back to Rupert. I relaxed for several hours at Norms, swung on the large pine swing that soars over the ocean. I boarded the ferry from Skidigate to Sandspit and arrived at Kerri's in time to have a quick nap on her back deck in the sun before setting up at the Sandspit Inn. Kerri had decorated the Inn with ferry lights, candles and hung a backdrop for me to play infront of. It was a nice relaxing end to my visit to the island.

Day 5
Got up and took the ferry to Skidigate and then boarded the ferry home to Rupert. Roi and Ryan were heading down to Victoria so we gabbed and relaxed the trip back. I plan on heading back to Haida Gwaii in September to start my BC Fall Tour.

Special Thanks to:
Frank Wall - organizing the On the Rock Show
Kerri Haybittle - organizing the Sandspit Gig
Jen for selling my cds and making amazing egg salad sandwiches
Dawn and Morgan - On the Rock
Suki - Sandspit Inn
Violett and Melinda - Island Spirit Rising
Rhea - Tour Guide to Masset
All of the amazing people that made my trip memorable