Changing Times and Places

From Port Browning, we motored up Plumper Sound to Lyall Harbour on Saturna Island in search of more updates for the Waggoner Cruising Guide. We continue to be surprised by the number of changes we find each year while out cruising.

Dock at Lyall Harbour Public Wharf

In the case of Lyall Harbour, we discovered that the fuel pumps at the dock have been removed; however, limited amounts of gas and diesel are available upland near the pub. Boaters can fill-up the 15-gallon jerry cans located on site, and use them back at the boat to replenish their fuel tank. In other news, the Saturna Store has closed and so has the Wild Thyme Café in the double-decker bus up the road.

Great Views from the Lighthouse Pub at Lyall Harbour

The good news is that the Lighthouse Pub is still thriving and is a popular island venue with grand views of Plumper Sound. The adjacent bicycle rental shop is a great way to explore the island and is conveniently located near the wharf.

Glamping with a View; unzip and the front door is revealed

The latest news at Lyall Harbour are the “glamping tents” – luxury camping inside a walled tent with a real front door and nice beds. The campground is located a short distance from the wharf, with tents tucked along the hillside among the trees, offering great views of the harbour below. There’s even a nice shower for guests of the campground; boaters staying at the dock may also use the shower. “Glamping facilities” and B&B’s are becoming increasingly popular among cruisers with smaller boats and extra people onboard looking for a weekend getaway.

Departing Lyall Harbour, we crossed Swanson Channel to visit Russell Island, a National Park Reserve. This small island is situated off the southeast end of Salt Spring Island and is a special treasure. Russell Island was settled by Hawaiians as early as 1886. During the fur trade, the Hudson Bay Company hired hundreds of Hawaiians as laborers. After their contract expired, many Hawaiians decided not to move back to their homeland.

Trail on Russell Island to the Fisher Homestead

In the early 1900’s Maria Mahoi and her husband George Fisher raised their family on Russell Island. Maria inherited the island from her Hawaiian father and First Nations mother.

The early 1900's Fisher Homestead

The house in which Maria and George lived, still stands on the island surrounded by old apple and cherry trees and specimens of a once lovely garden. The Fishers harvested what they could from the land and sea, and traded and sold what they didn’t need.

A summer chair left on the front porch

A bag of clams sold for a dollar, which was a lot of money at that time. Many Hawaiian, First Nations, and European visitors stopped at Russell Island to visit Maria and George.

Today, boaters can anchor on the north side of the island and take the dinghy to the dinghy dock to access the island. A trail leads to the Fisher homestead. We found an old bicycle leaning against the house, a summer chair on the front porch, and a Hawaiian wood carving on the back porch; perhaps these items were left behind upon Maria’s death in 1936.

As we walked around the property, it was easy to imagine all the activity that once took place here and imagine the happy faces of their 13 children.

There are some steep drop-offs along the shore trail

Other trails on the island include a loop around the shoreline with splendid views; it's a special island indeed.