excerpt
Named for William Bowser, a former Premier of the Province of British
Columbia, Bowser is a minute community with a long history. It is situated
on the eastern shore of Vancouver Island within a string of holiday and
retirement communities in the area known as Lighthouse Country. These
residential hamlets follow the easily accessible seashore between the larger
communities of Parksville-Qualicum to the south, and Courtney-Comox to
the north. In the 1940s, the area had become famous because of the Pink
River, the early name for Nile Creek. The seasonal run of homecoming
salmon, more pink than silver in their waning cycle, choked the river in their
drive to seek the upstream pools and gravel riffs where they could spawn in
relative safely. Despite the falling numbers of returning salmon through the
1990s, Nile Creek continued to be one of his favourite places—a peaceful,
restorative out of the way escape, and when he needed space to heal, it
became his destination.
It seemed reasonable that if he were serious about reinventing himself,
he should begin with the basics. A healthy body generally encouraged a
healthy mind. He started with solitary beach walks, and as his stamina
improved, he ranged further. In the course of his exercise routine, Ken
eventually explored every beach, hidden cove and tidal pool from Parksville
to Bowser to Courtney in the mid-island area of Vancouver Island. He
chatted with fishermen and shopkeepers and old-timers with stories to tell.
It provided a fine opportunity to learn the history and the folklore of the area
he now considered home.
On this mission to return himself to physical and mental health, he
was dogged. Close friends became concerned when they learned he had
not only changed the way in which he did everything, but he also appeared
no longer to have any desire for either of his life-long passions: fishing and
painting. The truth was that for some time his heart had not been part of
either occupation. For nearly six months he had not even entered the studio
he rented together with his cottage from his neighbour, Ken Harris. He says,
“Even in those areas I’d been on autopilot.”
Mayanaam
vequinox
Manolis 