Well, that was an interesting few weeks as we recently partook in our favourite recreation activity of camping and fishing. This was a bucket list trip to Haidi Gwaii, formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, so along with a couple other couples, we strapped our bright orange kayaks to the top of our campers and headed west (young man). Definitely a place to check out as far as culture, history and of course scenery, but not for the faint of heart when it comes to visiting many gas stations across the province — culminating in Masset with $1.77 per litre. I did have to agree with the operator there who summed it up with. “That’s the price you pay for living in paradise.”
So, what might be a tie to our community complex? I would have to say it was about the third day on the island, early morning, watching the surf roll in on north beach with the first steaming cup of coffee. Turning and stepping on a log that happened to be covered in moss (because the moss even has a layer of moss in some places), I found myself lying on my back holding an empty cup of coffee. Shortly after that, I discovered I was now blessed some exquisite pain in my knee and hip, and was thinking I had just finished any chance of kayaking or hiking for the rest of the trip. It took about a day or two, but I was back to about 90 per cent and was able to enjoy the balance of the adventure.
I most certainly attribute the quick recovery to the fact we exercise and swim regularly at home — it drives home the fact that you need to maintain yourself on a regular basis in good condition, no different than you would maintain your vehicle before a long trip. Face it: Many people put more money into their car than they would think of spending on themselves at staying fit. Heck, you don’t have to spend anything on staying fit if you don’t want — maybe just an investment in a good set of runners. It pays off. Really.
One of the other health benefits you will derive from travelling comes from meeting new people and seeing new things. New experiences help the brain grow new connections and let me tell you, as you get older, you need all the new connections you can get.
Speaking of connections, it never ceases to amaze me about the small world syndrome; in fact we started to call it the “Creston Connection”. At one point, at a campsite 30 kilometres down a forestry road where you had to dodge 12-foot-wide logging trucks and go down a hill with a 25 per cent grade to get to, we discovered the campers on one side were from Kimberley and shared mutual acquaintances, and the camper on the other side was a shipbuilder from Steveston who turns out knew, very well apparently, the cousin of one of our travelling partners. Later, in Masset, the owner of the restaurant up there overheard us mention Creston and the next thing you know, her husband is chatting with us as he had gone to school with the brothers of one of our travelling partners (yes, same one!).
On another occasion, we chatted with a family out in the boonies on Moresby Island; one had lived in Creston as a child and knew a few names still around here. Later, on the ferry back to the mainland, I struck up a conversation with a fellow wearing a Korean vet hat (as my father-in-law George is a vet, as well) and turns out he is a cousin to a local Creston resident who used to be president of the New Horizons group at Rotacrest Hall that we worked closely with (as well as knowing a raft of other people here).
Finally, in Prince Rupert, we took a drive down to a public dock to look at all the fishing boats, trawlers and container ships and started chatting with an old-timer on a boat who had a startling resemblance to Popeye. Turns out his connection was that he was here in the mid-1960s or so paving the road over the summit when it went in.
Have a great week!
Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.