A few days ago, I saw my friend John. He was pretty excited, told me he had just finished reading Whale in the Door and how much he loved it. “Did it make you fall even more in love with Howe Sound?” I asked. He shook his head. “It made me want to get arrested.” As I tried to gather myself, he told me about being in Clayoquot in the […]
Sonja Arntzen is a dear friend of mine who recently sent me this email: “I finished reading Whale in the Door yesterday. I found it informative, moving, inspiring and much, much more. You danced a delicate balance between your passionate commitment to protect Howe Sound and your openness to listen to all points of view.” She told me she had written a poem inspired by Whale in the Door, and […]
A few days ago, I watched this powerful movie in North Vancouver. Written, directed and produced by Sarama, it explores the beauty of the Salish Sea – a sea that knows no borders – home to more than seven million people on the west coasts of Canada and the U.S. Spectacular underwater photography reveals the living treasures of the Salish Sea and the grassroots resistance to the corporate fossil fuel […]
There are only 76 remaining southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea and the numbers are dropping. The David Suzuki Foundation is building a movement that includes all sectors — and you, if you #JoinThePod. They’re developing initiatives that Salish Sea Orcas need to survive. When you #JoinThePod and follow the foundation @SalishSeaOrcas on Facebook and Instagram, you’ll learn from inspiring humans who know these Orcas best. And they’ll provide opportunities […]
Carved from a piece of yew wood, with a piece of copper for the eye, this is the magnificent pendant Xwalacktun/Rick Harry made for me and I have been thrilled to wear it at all my launches and readings. Xwalacktun is a masterful Squamish Nation Carver. His English name is Rick Harry. I met him many years ago when he unveiled his dramatic sculpture, Spirit of the Mountain at Ambleside […]
It’s been quite a month of travelling. Visiting communities on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, as well as Squamish, North Vancouver, and Vancouver, reading from Whale in the Door, and telling stories about the spectacular fjord known as Howe Sound (Squamish name Atl’kitsem). I met so many wonderful people, renewed old friendships and made new ones. Here are a few photos. Chris Corrigan was the host of […]
The day spent on Gambier Island at Camp Fircom was unforgettable. In the morning, we gathered on the island with some of the participants on the C 3 Expedition, sharing our stories about Howe Sound/Atl’kitsem. After lunch we climbed into Voyageur canoes – a real thrill for me as a kayaker. I was re-experiencing the mode of travel of my ancestors. I made sure to get into the same canoe […]
Welcome to this brand new site for my book. Whale in the Door: A Community Unites to Protect BC’s Howe Sound, a story of biological resilience as a community struggles to shape a vision for its future. The book is 206 pages, has stunning photographs by Richard Duncan, a Foreword by Elizabeth May, and was published by Caitlin Press. This site was created to offer new stories and new discoveries […]