Letter - Peekin' at the Beacon

Last summer my husband Larry, our Chihuahua Mojo and I circumnavigated Vancouver Island on our sailboat ‘Run Away.’ Following the trail of Emily Carr, one of our destinations was Friendly Cove (Yuquot) Nootka Sound. While exploring Nootka Island, Larry snapped this photo of me perusing the beacon in front of the Nootka Island Lighthouse; the Canadian government declared Friendly Cove a National Historical Site.

Many significant historical events took place in Nootka Sound including the Nuu-chah-nulth's Chief Maquinnas' relationship with the Spanish and the British during the fur trade boom and Captain James Cooks’ arrival in the late 18th century.

Emily Carr came to Nootka Island in the 1920's on one of her lifelong quests to learn and document the coastal First Nations people of British Columbia. Here Emily completed her sketch of ‘Indian Church’ which became one of her most highly respected masterpieces. Although the ‘Indian Church’ burnt down in the early 1950's, Emily's painting has been appreciated and loved by many for decades. 

Lisa Nohr

Photo by Larry Nohr