The Haunting of Chesterman Beach

Chesterman Beach is a beautiful close-to-Tofino location everyone likes to surf and visit… While I was researching The Haunting of Vancouver Island I was told by a local woman she believed the beach was haunted. I included her comments in the chapter on Keeha Beach. Surprisingly, I recently read about a Spanish massacre on Chesterman Beach by the Tlaoquiaht and some other Nuu-chah-nulth allies. (Believe me, they had it coming.) As I read the story, I realized it seemed to validate the feelings of the woman I’d interviewed. Continue reading “The Haunting of Chesterman Beach”

My First Transmountain Pipeline Protest

On May 31st I went to Victoria to photograph–and participate in–a Transmountain Pipeline protest. I overheard a reporter saying there were 700 people. At its peak, there could have been 1000. The protest was in response to the controversial purchase/bailout of the Kinder Morgan project by the Trudeau Liberal Government for $4.5 billion dollars. Continue reading “My First Transmountain Pipeline Protest”

Winter Solstice: Coles Tillicum & Westshore Book Signings

I will be signing books at Coles Westshore in Langford and Coles Tillicum in Victoria on December 21st. This is the Winter Solstice, of course, and I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing on this date than talking about ghosts and the spirit world. Continue reading “Winter Solstice: Coles Tillicum & Westshore Book Signings”

Cowichan Elder Della Rice Sylvester’s Medicinal Plants Workshop

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend a Plant Medicine Workshop taught by Cowichan Elder Della Rice Sylvester. It was held in the Skutz Falls area near Cowichan Lake and hosted and organized by Rebecca Christofferson. Auntie Della (as I have been taught to refer to female elders) describes herself as a cultural keeper and healer. Continue reading “Cowichan Elder Della Rice Sylvester’s Medicinal Plants Workshop”

The Pod Couple Interview: The Haunting of Vancouver Island

Hey everyone,

This week I was interviewed by The Pod Couple and indie videographer Jeff Carpenter about my new book The Haunting of Vancouver Island. The episode was made available today. If you’re interested in listening you can click on the link below or find it on iTunes. Continue reading “The Pod Couple Interview: The Haunting of Vancouver Island”

Staqeya: Sacred Wolf of the Songhees

The 25-foot Amanda Anne plows through the frigid February waters of the Juan De Fuca Strait. Somewhere in the darkness ahead of us are the islands habituated by a wolf many in the Songhees First Nation believe is sacred.

Campers were the first to report a lone wolf on Discovery Island, east of Victoria, in 2012. Conservation officers dismissed the sightings as mistaken identity. Perhaps a dog had been abandoned on the island? While coastal wolves have been known to swim short distances, it seemed unlikely that this one would have swam the five km. from the city of Victoria.

However, Songhees First Nations members and conservation officers have since confirmed that the skittish animal is a coastal wolf. Discovery Island is part marine provincial park, part Songhees reserve land, but the wolf has also been spotted on various other islands nearby, including First Nations reserve lands such as the Chatham Islands. It has been dubbed Staqeya by the Songhees, which means “wolf” in their Coast Salish Dialect.

Continue reading “Staqeya: Sacred Wolf of the Songhees”

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