149.2mm and our first medivac

That was the rain we had in a twenty four hour period. My last post should have been MM as well. Tried to change it but with no luck. I am famous for hitting the wrong keys and when it comes to math my family knows it is not my strongest suit.

This is the weekend of rain and wind. Would be great if we had a fireplace but heard that years ago some keeper burned down a place with one. That must have been a real long time ago. Oh well just turn up the heat and keep warm. Well I am up early and looking for my morning coffee so off I go for now.. have a good day humm wonder is anyone other than my family is reading this well maybe my friends as well. Shall keep it up tho keeps them in touch and to see how sane I am keeping out here.. Take care all later from the Bluff

Well later in the day and what a day it has started out ... Not just the rain but we did our first medivac from the station. It was a broken ankle turned out to be but could have been a leg or more. We put the person on a stretcher moved them down to the dock and then called the fast boat from the village to come and get the person. That ment having to lift them down in the stretcher on the hook to the waiting boat. That was a brave thing to do not so sure I could do that so afraid of heights but then one does what one has to do in such cases. We have learned since that it was a broken ankle and that they will have to do a full medivac to a hospital not sure which one they will take them to. I must say not a nice thing to have happen but we did learn that we need to keep the village numbers that are important down below so if we need them fast they will be there. And that having a private line is a good thing. We still had to notify the Guard but the guys handled it so well. Me well I did what was asked of me well tried.. We can only hope that she will be home soon. At least the rain has stopped and the weather will be good for someone to come and get her . Well guess that makes my day here at the Bluff we are always learning and this is one learn I hope that we do not have to do again. But we do know how we all work in this sort of situation and that is a good thing. Bye from the Bluff for today. Will keep posting.. for my family and friends.. so they know I have not gone off the deep end..smile

81.4 mm

That was the amount of rain we had the other day and who knows after today I feel that we will have a lot more than that. One of the other lights had 114.00 mm and they south of us. Usually we are the station with the most rain.

This is great I have been able to do a double rinse with the laundry, and run the water while brushing my teeth, take a longgggggg hot shower, and all those great things town people take for advantage with water usage.

Looks like I will be able to go to town for Christmas as well. Hubby is off to Ivory for a month and I will have it with our children and friends in the big city. But seems that there are no more choppers to Hardy so I will be put off in Bella Bella which means that I had better make the 1:30 flight out of there to Hardy or I will be sleeping in the small hanger there. Got to love it. And with this weather and noon air hummm what are the chances I will make that flight. Oh well things can and have changed over the yrs and by that time it could well change for the better as well for me .. well not just me as the lady and her dog are coming off as well and she is kind to take me to Namino so I can get the ferry from there to Vancouver. That is so much nicer than taking the bus.

Well off to see about my laundry and other great things here and dry off the dogs still had to have their daily stick tosses. Bye from the Bluff

No more Sun

Well guess we should not have complained about the no rain. Now we have it in spades and then some. But we all needed it and so did the water reserves about the providence.

Rather cold , windy at Ivory the waves would really be something but here as we are in a passage not so high about 4 Ft. Had good winds the other night about 35 knots and for here that is good winds!!

So on days like today is a good one to do what I call Life's Laundry. That is going through drawers, cupboards etc and throwing out stuff that I have used or worn in a year or more. Have also gotten nice plastic baskets to put stuff in that will be easier to see and clean out when necessary. The goodwill will a bag of clothing as well along with a few reasonably good winter coats.

It is getting so dark now that by about 7 pm even the dogs are looking to go to bed for the night. I think it is this weekend we fall back on the clocks.. had heard that we might not do that until Nov at some point just not sure think it is next yr.

Well off I go to see about lunch for the house and then back at my life's laundry. And packing as hubby is off to Ivory for the month of Dec and I am heading out to spend Christmas with our son's family and friends. Enjoy your days bye from the Bluff

The weekend

Saturday and foggy. But that is normal in the fall along with the getting dark much earlier in the day. If today is like yesterday it will burn off and be a lovely day. Not sure which is more depressing rain, fog or getting dark earlier. I can see out here yrs ago how people might have done themselves in. With no radio, tv, only candle light for a few yrs and then when oil lights, and then the generators to give real electric lamps. I am sure books would have been hard to come by, and mail, food and other things. So glad that I am not living in that time. That would not have been very romantic for sure.

Yesterday we had a humpback whale, and our two sea lions are back. Nice to see they are usually here all winter. Along with all the other wildlife we have. Early I saw an eagle take a dive and pick up his breakfast right out of the water. Even after all these yrs I still love seeing that.

Speaking of breakfast seems my dear hubby has mine ready so off I go later you all from the Bluff

What a difference a day makes

Well today we had a barge come around and now we will be having a chopper lifting who knows what on to the station. Then it is up on the mountain top where they some sort of equipment. The Coast Guard that is has a rely site for the VHF radio I think and they need to sent stuff up there once a year.This is nice because that means that we get more MAIL!!!!!

To lovely getting Mail more than once a month. What I mean by that is having an extra chopper arrive get mail than just on the grocery run once a month.

What a day lots and lots of rain but then that can you expect now that we are home. But that makes it nice in that you do not have watch if you flush to the toilet or not , shower and wash stuff a lot.

It is so hard to do that sort of stuff at Ivory as they have a much smaller water tank for the house about 4,000 gallons less than most of us. That makes a big difference. And here we have the composting toilet, flies, smell and leaks. Oh well see it is romantic yea right. Laughing out Loud.

If we get lucky again this week the chopper will come again and this will mean more mail and maybe I can order a few other things and get them pdq( pretty darn quick). When choppers are coming that is when you order stuff as it means not having to wait a month for it.

Well should be off and running here have the dogs looking to go out and then it is getting on to supper time. Enjoy your evening now with the days getting darker so much earlier now. And as you can see I have learned to use the spell checker. Later from the Bluff

HOME AT LAST

So here we are finally home only a few days late. And of course the weather went for so lovely to pouring rain. As always we waited and waited and we where all up early to try and clean and get stuff ready to leave. All of a sudden we get a call telling us they will be there in so much time. So after loading the trailer and getting the dogs ready off we head to the chopper pad. Well lets just say that once landed that was a bob's your uncle mess. The skies finally decided that was the time to open up and open up they did boxes where drenched along with people and dogs.

The other lady came with her dog so that meant trying to keep the three apart and she was getting soaked and our dogs did not to go by her's or get on the chopper what and error of comedies. All soaking wet we get on the chopper which now has not enough fuel so back we head to Bella Bella all soaking wet and steam coming off us. Land there get fuel then head home no rain then hit the Bluff and the skies open up again.. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh get off get stuff in the house as boxes break open because they are so wet, a rubbermaid has its bottom cracked open any way for all the mess I am so glad to be home. There is a lot to put away and get cleaned up but who cares we are home and glad of it.

The station is so lovely the other couple here have really made this place look like a well loved station. Will try and get photos of what they have done on the next chat I put on. Well guess I should head off to work on the house. Hope to hear from anyone who is reading this well I know family and friends are any way.. Smile take care and more from the Bluff later

AHHHHHH

Oh well what more can be said not going home the day we expected.. Nothing new got the message late in the day telling us that we will head home two days from now if the weather clears up. I know that the choppers cannot fly in bad weather but still to be told late in the day is a bit of a pain. Thank heavens I thought to order a bit of extra food or we would be out of luck. Not really we could borrow from the lady who lives here but that is hard because then you have to replace what you have used.

I guess we could borrow from the neighbours but then again taking their food and having to replace it..

Well here is hoping that on Sat the weather will be good and the chopper will not have a problem.. Then we will be home at the Bluff and I am looking forward to that even though I know that there are piles and piles of mail and boxes to be opened.. Have a good evening.. all

Latte Waves

As you can see the waters are so looking like the top of a good latte. That is the best time to be here clear, crisp and waves that sound like they are wind pounding on the side of the house. You can even here the logs being tossed on to the rocks here as you head down to the chopper pad. Mist hangs in the air like a white chocolate sprinkle on the ocean. The rest of the water is like a whole lot of bling and there would not be that much bling on the red carpet in Hollywood !

This is the sea that I miss at the Bluff it has it's own beauty for sure but the swirling water and the rocks to bash against is the one thing it misses .

No News is not always good news

Hi well we just learned that we are not heading home on the 12th of Oct, like that should be a surprise to me. It only one day different but still to know would have been nice. Seems that other people knew but just not us. Thank heavens I ordered enough food for a few extra days here.

One learns from experience that not only weather but the office changing things can happen. So we had to call and then they told us yes the day had been changed. And how did we find out.. Not like it was a hard thing with all of us on the net now.Something they (office) still has not learned yet that we can all email or msn chat.

Oh well just another day on the lights it is hard for new people as well to learn things the hard way but we old timers have learned that we are like mushrooms living in the dark a lot of time. Grip, grip, oh well the blog is good for that (laugh) hope you all can put up with this most on the lights have heard it all before so being able to vent is good.. So now it will be the 13th if the weather holds and the chopper runs. Off to do lunch and then go and enjoy the great weather

Past Memories

Last evening while not sleeping I was remembering back to when we first started on the lights. The strange thing about the aln which is like one big party line except everyone has speakers in their houses and are not turn them off so they all listen.

One time was calling husband to see about a tax problem and then all of sudden someone asked to break in and started to tell us that they did what our account told us not to.. then another keeper came in on line and chatted and then we where pretty much left out of the conservation we had started.

Another time after the last weather given on the this system one couple had a fight on the open line that was something to hear for the first time if you have never heard a couple fight by phone. Lots of crying and then silence then chatting crying, silence this went on for a bit of time. Another couple must have thought we where all in bed after the last weather and had what now is called phone sex. Ahhhhhhhh not my cup of tea. This open line is really something and we have to monitor it all day. Now that a lot of us have internet things are changing and not so much is the "guiding light" and at times missed . But there are always new couples who come one and do not have internet for awhile and then the fun and games begin again.. oh well. All part of living out here and quite a learning experience it is no matter what age we are out here.

Well enough of past thoughts and memories for now.. Smile might just open up again and let you know about things that where but now slowly changing. Bye for now later from the Bluff

Thanksgiving

This was one of the best Thanksgivings we have had in a long time. The neighbours here invited us over for dinner and what a great one it was.

After dinner we went out on the stoop and sat in the sunlight, blue sky, and waves lapping. So well all most romantic so idealic and in the back ground we had oldies music on the sat tv playing. Great to just sit there full of good food and good company and enjoying the last of warm rays of the sun.

If it had been just two people I would have to say that it would be very romantic. Days like this are so far and few between that to have had several in a row is so strange but I am not complaining as the wet , windy winter will come soon enough.

Last evening I could hear the waves lapping on the rocky shoreline so soothing and calming. Makes one feel like there is nothing bad happening in the world. But turn on the sat tv and you learn otherwise. Times like this I am glad I am out here and away from things and I can turn it off if I like so much harder when you live in town. And yet a couple of months from now I will be wanting to head off to town again and get my fix of shopping, people, good coffee, and chatting with my friends, going out for dinner, lunch and even a great latte from a side walk cafe.

How lovely it will be when I can have my own family out here and let them enjoy the things that make living on working lighthouse good and fun. Hope that will be in the summer this yr. It will be so good to hear the waves this evening. Well all who read hope your day was as good as mine and will pop in a note later. Looks like we will not be getting back to the Bluff as planned but then what else is new. We are the last to know.

What a day

What a day we have had!!! No rain I know but still a wonderful clear day. Like the song on a clear day you can see for ever and ever. So strange for such a glorious day in Oct.

Like I say rain is so common here and it is needed here at Ivory. But we checked the water level and is it up from when we arrived. How do we do that here well there is trap door in the kitchen you lift up and put a stick down it that is marked with different water levels. And we are not at the desperate level yet but not enough to water the fresh veggie here. But they are still growing with what rain or drizzle they get overnight. The lady here even has artichokes growing and she will come home to two nice ones along with a few zuchine ( sp), cucumbers, and pea pods. The soil here is not great so you can grow or eat root veggies,, but out on a lighthouse any fresh veggies are great. So on days like today it will help keep them longer in the gardens.I hope that there will be more days like this I love them and makes living on the lights so much easier than all the rain and fog and being dreary all the time. I find that these days make it so that one could do away with ones self or others.. laugh out loud not now but in days past I can see how people would get what is called cabin fever out here. Heard that at one time we had keeper who goosestepped on the chopper pad in the nude say a pair of boots. That must have been some sight for the passing vessels and low flying air craft.

Tomorrow we go to the only neighbours here on the island for our Thanksgiving (Canadian) it is time like this for the special days that you have a neighbour and one you get on with. A good time should be had on Ivory Island tomorrow and no doubt in the past as well on those special days like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Well time to head off and see the last of the sunset here and then off to bed. Night all how reads this.. Hope to type a bit more after dinner tomorrow..

Humm what happened to the Rain

Well the weather was off again. There should have been rain and here we need it as one of the houses only has 1000 gallon holding area. So you have to be careful of use. Let me say that laundry takes a lot of water who knew!!! About 1 inch and that is a lot of water.

Oh well the winter cold, wind and drizzle along with rain will come soon enough not only for here but for all the stations. I know our place The Bluff will be great we rarely have to be careful of water there. Even though we have an area that will hold half of what it used to . This is because they blasted for new tank area and cracked the basement area.

Here though for some reason yrs and yrs ago they only put in that small an area and it is the larger house, which means they would have had children. Oh well I know that the guard has brought in extra water here when things get really low it is an expensive thing but we all need water.

I was checking things out and seems that one of the small cement pads near the main house was the engine room and was taken out by waves.. so that lets me know that this place really does get some wave action for sure. Would be nice to get a few photos but not sure that I would want to be out in it smile.

We are here now for just another 4 days and then home to see the things that have been changed at our station over the last 5 months off. As well it will be another day of waiting and waiting for the chopper to come and get us. Well all take care and hope who is ever reading this is getting a small glimpse into life on the lights.

photos that did not make the last note

the long boardwalk.. one of the lovely views and our chopper on a foggy day at Ivory

Ivory Island

We are now down to our last week here. It has been very interesting. So here I go to try and let you see the station here. Once you land on the chopper pad which is on a small island off the main on. You that the long bridge and board walk up to the main island and the lighthouse. On your way you will pass the engine room and on your left there is a building that has lots of glass and rock. Well two of the walls are rock and cement very rustic looking this will be used as a greenhouse.There is also a small raspberry bush area that is well kept and sure has been here for yrs, along with a smoke house for the fish. Keep walking you will see the metal stand for the highline, and you come to the first house which is known as the assistants house only because it is the smaller of the two. You can also now see to the end of the boardwalk where you see the Canadian flag and the lighttower. And the larger of the two houses. But before you get there they have great garage, it is large enough to keep the tractor which is needed for getting the larger packages when the chopper comes in, but to work on it if necessary. In then in the back area there is a nice place for keeping the lawnmower and other things like that. The view from the right side of the walk way at this point is just super. Ocean, waves, rocks and blue sky is really something to see.

The larger house here is older it used to have the light on the top of it. But now with the new rules they had to take it down and have moved it to the tip of the island and it is a metal tower because of the high wave action. That would be something to see here.

I have found that one of small houses here is a very old chicken coop. And now wonder how long it has been here like from the start of the light. They are just using it a storage shed.. Speaking of sheds there is a lovely large building out the back of the main house with work shop, back areas for storage and then the upper level for even more storage. I have never see a station with that much storage.

The views here are just something else with the wave action much like Egg Island but you can see alot more here. So I can see how things could get washed out here for sure.

Hope the photos made it on one is the long boardwalk and then two of the views around here.. well all I never get comments so I am never sure if it is just family and a few friends ready.. about life on the lights.. smile