Adirondack Feather
Nice neighbourhood – no one steals the chairs
I was at Kitty Islet in McNeill Bay where someone has put one red and two blue Adirondack chairs. The birds perch on them and one left a feather to catch my eye.
So, these are the subjects of my blog today. Would you call this nature photography?
Sitchanalth – The Songhees History Cairn at Willows Beach, Oak Bay
As I noted yesterday, I sought and found more cairns in Oak Bay that mark Songhees geography and history. This is the sixth one that I am aware of. Maybe if I look, I will find more. Too bad that I have to hunt for them, but perhaps by the time I am done, other people will not need to look so hard.
Today’s cairn is at Willows Beach, the cairn itself is in Willows Beach Park very close to the tea room. I have updated the map to show the location of the cairn, which is about midway along a site that must extend over a kilometer of shoreline.
The monument marks the site of Sitchanalth, a major Songhees village that extends behind most of the sandy parts of Willows Beach and also encompassing land on the rocky headland to the south near Bowker Creek.
Spewhung (Turkey Head) – Another Songhees History Cairn in Oak Bay
After blogging about the three Songhees history cairns nearest to where I live, I thought I should go looking for others and there are more. This one is at Turkey Head, near the Oak Bay Marina on Beach Drive. I have updated the map and in future will describe the other one I located.
The monument commemorates Spewhung (Turkey Head) and provides Songhees names for other places visible from this location (provided there is no fog, which there was when I was there). Included on the plaque are names for Chatham Island (Stsnaang) and Discovery Island (Tlchess) which are 4 or 5 km offshore at the confluence of the Straight of Juan de Fuca and the Gulf of Georgia. It also gives the name Koweechella for Mary Tod Island (also known locally as Jimmy Chicken Island) which is a few hundred metres off shore and partially visible to the left in the picture below.
Chikawich and Tlikwaynung – A Songhees Cairn at Kitty Islet
Writing about the Sahsima and Chikawich cairns that mark Songhees places and history prompted me to revisit a third one, the only other that I know of. I have also prepared a map for those readers unfamiliar with our geography.
This cairn is located on Beach Drive, opposite Kitty Islet, at the eastern end of McNeill Bay. The monument also commemorates Chikawich and mentions another place, Tlikwaynung which is now known as Trial Island. The text concentrates on Kitty Islet which was the site of a Songhees camp that was associated with the main village site of Chikawich located further west in the bay.
This image shows Kitty Islet with Trial Island in the middle background and the Olympic Mountains in Washington State in the distance.
Monkey Puzzle – Ross Bay Cemetery
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Ross Bay Cemetery is one of the most interesting places within walking distance of my house.
I like this monkey puzzle tree, umbrella-like over headstones, near the middle of the cemetery.
Sahsima and Chikawich – Cairns marking Songhees places in Oak Bay
In the Greater Victoria area there has recently been a concerted effort to start recognising First Nation’s geography and history with permanent markers. An interesting blog about the ones in the City of Victoria is at this page. In the municipality of Oak Bay, marker cairns have appeared for the past two years or so. Last weekend one showed up near my home, and last year a similar one was installed close by. These cairns are nicely done with a bronze inscription describing the Songhees information for a nearby location, and a different bronze plaque in each one designed by Charles Elliott of the nearby Tsartlip Nation. This video gives some information about Elliott’s work and shows the wide range of public art that he has contributed to this area.
The Sahsima cairn is brand new and at the east end of Penzance Road next to the Chinese Cemetery on Harling Point with the rock it refers to on the beach beyond.
Fisherman Launching Boat, Clover Point
Clover Point in Victoria is the location of a major and controversial sewage outfall. Not the kind of place one wants to hang out. Except, it is.
The adjacent beach in Ross Bay is wonderful (though artificial) pebble beach, the sea wall along the point is architecturally interesting and easy to walk on in good weather. There is no smell. And, on its east side, there is a small unobtrusive boat house used by the Clover Point Anglers Association. Inside are small boats, mostly aluminum, which are pushed out, one after another, first thing in the morning for a bit of salmon fishing. Some have motors. Some, like this one, are rowed.
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