Praise the high heavens, the Bowron Lake Circuit has returned to a common sense contractor with knowledgeable staff the last couple of years, that isn’t dictated by senseless, clueless bureaucrats operating out of Hello BC in Vancouver.
I’ve been wanting to write this for years as there was a contractor for a few years that abided by some idiotic rules, it was only 11 years ago that a local who knew the conditions of the lakes set a standard of common sense safety by attempting to get the canoeists out early before the muggy heat accompanied by stiff head winds picked up in the afternoon, a labour of pain paddling against.
The Bowron’s always had a safety information video that you could view the day before heading out on one of the best lake circuits in the world.
Somehow over night some bureaucrat, you know the kind, came up with the genius idea that canoeists would have to watch the video the day of departure.
And the earliest viewing was 9 a.m., thus canoeists would be arriving on Isaac Lake, the largest with some nasty wave action, in the p.m., and the heat at its summit, a miserable and potential safety issue.
This concept was supported by the new contractor at the time who was from outside the region with little or no knowledge of the Bowrons. They had a procedure, you couldn’t prep your canoe until you saw the video, and if there were 20 canoes, god forbid if you’re last in line.
Now I’ll tolerate ignorance to a certain degree, won’t even comment, but a number of years back when I was offloading canoe and gear at 6:30 a.m., the enforcer of the contractor approached me advising of the rules and that I couldn’t unload the canoe until I had registered.
I thanked the staff as I belted on my good ol’ hatchet and blade, carried the canoe to the start of the portage, and prepped my gear for the portage.
Now I’m one of the most ornery, miserable SOB’s in the a.m. before I’ve had a coffee and luckily the bureaucratic contractor had enough sense to back off and not utter another word.
I then proceeded to the registration office where they heard of the events that had unfolded. In my best blunt manner I explained the ludicrous rules of holding canoeists hostage until the heat of the day and head winds could become potential safety issues.
And that the best time to hit the circuit running was well before 9 a.m. It was either the drooling spittle foaming at the corners of my mouth, the crazed eyes, or the fingers itching at the hatchet to brain the fool, but somehow they sent me on my way before the video presentation.
As I recited the outdated tape I’ve seen on 16 other occasions. So it is with endearment that I salute the knowledgeable staff over the last number of years who will allow you to view the tape the day before.
It was a pleasure watching the scene of a canoeist fishing without a life jacket, it was probably filmed by the same bureaucrat that came up with the new improved rules that have nothing to do with safety or common sense.