Nothing but Space, Jungle, Water: Vancouver Island. The largest North American Pacific island is the fulfillment of all dreams for those tired of civilization. And those less weary of civilization will also get their money’s worth here, as the largest city, Victoria, is one of Canada’s most charming seaside metropolis thanks to its Victorian architecture.
Lonely wasn’t lonely enough for them, so Catherine King and Wayne Adams set up their own island in a secluded cove on Vancouver Island’s rugged west side. Freedom Cove is made entirely of used or recycled materials. Catherine, a trained dancer, and Wayne, a trained carpenter, live completely independently of civilization: electricity is fed from the solar system, they grow plants and vegetables in their floating gardens, and they catch their fish every day. Huh. But both are nothing but fun-free hardcore ecos. How else can you explain that Wayne designed the living room floor with plexiglass? So he can see his prey at any time and fish comfortably off the couch through a flap in the floor.
Elephant snout is one of the strangest and most prized seafood dishes in the world. On the North American Pacific coast it is called a geoduck. The word comes from the indigenous people and means “dig deep” because that’s what you have to do to reach the giant clams hidden in the ocean floor. The backbreaking task, as Westley Sampson knows only too well: the experienced diver goes into the water with a belt weighing 30 kilograms to look for small holes 15 to 20 meters deep in the Pacific floor in which a geodeck hides. It is possible It requires an American football player’s upper arms to expose and take out. But the hard work is worth it. Anyone holding one of the rare lichens can make a very good living out of it, as a geodak like Phallus is considered a power enhancer in Asia. Because of the high demand, Westley Sampson and his colleagues could get much more out of it, but everyone on Vancouver Island agrees that mega mussels should be hunted only in a resource-saving way.
Canada is the world’s largest timber exporter. Vancouver Island is a prime location for this renewable raw material. A special method is needed to reach the most inaccessible areas of the forest. With heli-logging, the trunk of the giant tree is taken away by helicopter. Vancouver Island’s heli-loggers are even able to use a vineyard to rip trees out of the ground.
Alex Witcombe also handles wood, but he doesn’t need a helicopter to get to his stuff: he simply walks along one of the many pristine beaches and collects driftwood. Preferably one that has been noticeably deformed by the sea. From countless personal discoveries, largely unprocessed, he then creates life-size sculptures: sea creatures, dinosaurs, imaginary figures. The 1:1 scale replica of the VW Beetle made him famous. Alex is currently working on a humpback whale, which measures nine meters in length.
