May 2011

Paws for Thought

Knight Inlet Lodge guide Dean Dogherty spent part of April in Zambia on a guide exchange with Norman Carr Safaris. This co-operative guide exchange program will continue with 2 guides from Norman Carr Safaris visiting Knight Inlet Lodge in 2012.

The lodge has successfully restored its micro hydro system to working order. This has allowed Knight Inlet Lodge to run without diesel generators for part of the winter. While our water supply is not sufficient to use the system during our season we can produce enough power for our winter offseason requirements.

Jetboat tours of the Klinaklini River at the Head of Knight Inlet will be returning for the 2011 season. For guests staying at the lodge for more than 3 nights, this all day adventure will be an opportunity to explore a different and beautiful part of Knight Inlet.

Knight Inlet Lodge is pleased to announce that John Jefferson is the winner of our first photo contest. This excellent photo shows John and Valerie standing on Mount Nebo overlooking Jericho and the Dead Sea. The best part of the photo, to us, is the Knight Inlet Lodge ball cap that John is holding! Congratulations John.

Knight Inlet Lodge would like to extend a big thank you to Mark Cantor for sharing his videos with us. Mark went above and beyond to get a copy of these super videos into our hands. Enjoy them here.

Pauline and Ian Anderson, return visitors in 2010 and Knight Inlet Lodge blogcontributors, sent us a few photos to share with everyone in this newsletter.Thank you Pauline and Ian.

Photo Credit - Pauline Anderson

As regular readers will notice Dean’s Rant is missing. Dean apologizes for not having a rant but there were so many things he wanted to talk about that he couldn’t choose! He promises to be ready for the next newsletter.

Photo Credit - Sue Harbottle

This wonderful photo was taken by Knight Inlet Lodge guest Sue Harbottle during a visit to the lodge last September. Thank you for sharing this with us Sue.

Knight Inlet Lodge is pleased to announce an exciting new book by well known photographer Dave Campbell. Dave has made many visits to Knight Inlet Lodge over the years and some of our more famous photos are from his collection. This book is sure to be a hit with past and future guest of Knight Inlet. Click here to read the press release for his book.

Anyone that has read the book “Grizzlies in my backyard” by Beth Day on Jim and Laurette Stanton will enjoy this photo of the Stanton’s, taken in 1926, standing outside their cabin at Kwalate.

Knight Inlet fish Cannery

Much of the history surrounding the fish cannery in Glendale Cove has been lost over the years. In an effort to learn more about this part of our history Knight Inlet Lodge Guide Lori Kublik was tasked with a research project his winter. Some of the interesting facts that Lori discovered are:

The cost of operating the cannery in 1940 was $585,263.00. Using an online inflation calculator this works out to over $9,000,000 in 2011 dollars.
In 1925 the cannery Foreman earned $200 a month. By 1945 this had increased to $275 per month.
Employees made $.35 per hour. With an average work week of 42 hours this works out to $14.70 per week.
An inventory of the cannery store for 1940 shows among other things 7 pairs of men’s work boots selling for $4.60, 11 pairs of ladies dress shoes selling for $2.10 , 24 china tea pots at $.40 cents each and 7 pairs of ladies bloomers for $.55 cents each.
Between August 6 and 10, 1946 4,853 cases of salmon were packed. At an average weight of 40 pounds this works out to over 97 tons of fish caught, cleaned, processed and packed for shipment.

Barb’s story

The staff of the Knight Inlet Lodge newsletter recently sat down with Barb Callander, Lodge Accountant and longest serving employee, to get her thoughts on being part of the team since 1998. This is her story.

KIL: When did you start working for the lodge?
Barb: I started in 1998 working 2 - 3 afternoons a month.

KIL: Where was your first office?
Barb: It was in the Wyatt’s family (recreation) room. I used the pool table to sort papers.

KIL: Has the lodge changed much in your time?
Barb: Outwardly the lodge looks much the same but in reality with all the construction and improvements that have happened over the years it is virtually a new place.

KIL: What other changes have you seen over the years?
Barb: I have watched the lodge grow from less than 400 guests in my first season to close to 2000 annually now. Our environmental and ecological side has also matured, our recycling, sewage system and stop the hunt campaign being some of the improvements or initiatives I am the most pleased about.

KIL: Looking back what is the biggest change that you see, something that reminds you of how time has flown by?
Barb: I think it is how the Wyatt family has grown. I have seen 3 young sons grow into young men starting their own successful careers. The importance of family values reflected by Knight Inlet Lodge is something that I really appreciate.

Snorkel with the salmon

Guests of Knight Inlet Lodge looking for something different to do during their stay in Campbell River should consider a "snorkel with the salmon" tour with Destiny River Adventures. Offered from mid-July to October this 3 hour tour isunique to the Campbell River.

The crystal clear water allows for easy viewing of the salmon in their natural environment either from the comfort of a raft - or you can snorkel in the river pools teeming with thousands of salmon. All five species of Pacific salmon can be found here over the course of the fall run, starting with Pinks in late July and finishing with Chum in October. This is an easy trip suitable for almost everyone, with past participants ranging in age from 5 to 95! All safety equipment plus snorkels, masks and wet suits is provided.