Remote Living on High Altitude Lake on Xeni Gwet’in Land in Canada

Reachable only by boat

A few years ago, I got an email from Jakub Amler in British Columbia, describing a 75-year-old man named Chendi, who has been living on the shores of the high altitude (4200 feet) 50-mile-long glacier-fed Chilco Lake in west central British Columbia for over 50 years. This is on the land of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nations tribe. From Jakub (edited):

“It’s hard to believe he has been here for such long period of time since he hasn’t cut down a single tree — for firewood or structures. He collects all his wood, mostly with his rowboat on the wild and windy Chilco lake.

It is totally off grid, no road access. His “truck” is a rowboat which he uses to carry all the logs from the lake. He doesn’t use any power tools (lover of japanese tools, of course), the craftsmanship is unique, his buildings are charming like most of the buildings in your publications.”

Chendi allows people to come stay there (one month minimum), and says:

“Volunteers sleep in simple and old log cabins, carry water, use an outhouse and rustic bath or sweat house.

“This is a very difficult and isolated lifestyle, requiring volunteers to be physically fit. You cannot function here if you are not up for the challenge. The wind is quite intense for much of the year. It is also as majestic a place as you ever will see.

“Kayaks are available with access to pristine wilderness, hiking, rowboat, fishing from a kayak, gathering wild roots and hunting or snaring.

“I also only want people who are serious about going forward from this experience to lead a different life. This is not just a place to have an adventure, but a place to learn a meditative lifestyle (yoga). I want people to come here with intention and mindfulness.”

https://www.workaway.info/en/host/438711758842

Note: I’m starting to select from the 5,000+ posts on my blog, and post the occasional one here. It’s a way I can post while on the road (this morning with latte and morning bun at my favorite Marin caffeineister, Equator at Shoreline in Mill Valley — a vibrant mini-neighborhood, which includes Hook Fish, Proof Lab and Surf Shop — which also has skateboards and a mini indoor ramp).

Apropos of Nothing Department: the barista here just called out a coffee order and I thought he said “Lloyd.” It’s not a common name, and I said to the guy, “Your name’s Lloyd?”

No,” he said, “it’s Floyd.”

He paused a moment and then said, “But I have a brother named Lloyd.”

“Wow,” I said, “Floyd and Lloyd. Your parents had a sense of humor. How many years apart?”

“Three years to the day. We both have the same birthday.”

What a delightful encounter. We kinda, er, bonded.

Sometimes I am speechless at cosmic coincidences. Friday was such a day, with serendipity and concurrence of people and events hitting a high that I right now don’t have the time (or ability) to explain. It was thrilling.

Gotta run, going into SFO to trade a couple of boxes of books for other books at Green Apple Books on Clement Street.