CBC journalist and author Grant Lawrence is not shy when it comes to professing his fondness for the qathet region; the folks who choose to live there, and specifically, the beauty of Desolation Sound.
His latest book Return to Solitude: More Desolation Sound Adventures, featuring the Cougar Lady, Russell the Hermit, Spaghetti Bandit and others, was a bestseller, with Lawrence acknowledging the overwhelming support from folks living on the upper Sunshine Coast.
Although he has been visiting the region since he was six years old, he has never been to Texada Island. Grant Lawrence and Friends: Texada Island, is a new storytelling musical tour hitting Texada Island Community Hall on May 6.
“Texada Island has always been on my bucket list; this show provides me with a great excuse to visit these places I want to see.” said Lawrence. “I come almost like a travelling circus; I come with musicians and stories. I come with a whole show that is about our area and the people who cling to our coast like barnacles.”
He said he finally wanted to visit the island and experience that unique community of islanders, so close to Powell River yet, very different. He also points out that the show is from 6 to 8 pm, so residents from Powell River can get back on the last ferry.
“The show is early and it will end when the last ferry heads back,” said Lawrence. “I keep getting questions from Powell River folks: ‘Will I be able to get back?’ Yes you will; we will keep it nice and tight so everyone can get back.”
Not only is he touring his show but he is also about to launch a new series in the Peak called: Handy Candy: Coastal Crafter of Desolation Sound.
The series is about a neighbour of his in Desolation Sound he describes lovingly as being like actress Lucille Ball’s character in the 1950’s sitcom I Love Lucy. Lawrence admits the reference may be outdated. However, laughing, he said, “there is always something going on, always a story or a predicament my neighbour is getting into.”
Handy Candy focuses on this wild single woman in her 70s, who has lived in the area for over 30 years; the retired art teacher from Tacoma, Washington, still sculpts and makes things with found objects. The last debacle she found herself in was when she was trying to get her new boat off some rocks.
“She was trying to pull her boat off the shore, and this is a tidal zone, so the water is constantly moving,” said Lawrence. “She turned the motor on and was pulling on the hull, when the boat dragged her backwards into the Malaspina Strait; thankfully no one was hurt.”
Last year Lawrence and his friends were at the Patricia Theatre, which served as his official book launch for his latest stories. Return to Solitude published in April of 2022.
“I’ve done this show all over coastal BC, and the show at the Patricia was the first kind of big, post-pandemic show,” said Lawrence. “It was really cathartic.”
Stories and songs
At Texada Island Community Hall next week, Lawrence stressed that no one will be bored.
“There’s a lot of variety and humour; it’s a fun show about where we come from and our area [qathet, Desolation Sound],” he added.
Lawrence will be reading from both his Desolation Sound-based books (Adventures in Solitude was published in 2010) and from his regular column in the Peak. Along with storytelling, musical guests Jay Malinowski, Suzie Ungerleider and local Texada legend Evan Symons will play alongside the author.
“I love the alchemy of transitioning from me telling a story to the audience and complementing it with a live song,” said Lawrence.
His column, North of Town, profiles the lives and livelihoods of those who have chosen life at or beyond the end of Highway 101. One such character is 74-year-old Ken Beaubien, whom Lawrence met at the Okeover wharf.
“He still lives like a pioneer up the Homfray Channel,” said Lawrence.
Desolation Sound/Okeover has been home to many folks who chose a life that’s different, including Nancy Crowther also known as “The Cougar Lady.” The area attracts people who want to maintain a living-off-the-land lifestyle, many of them being women. Lawrence has chosen to document these people in his books, so people won’t forget there are still people out there.
“Last spring I wrote a series for the Peak about Linda Syms, an oyster farmer in Okeover and Desolation Sound for 40 years,” said Lawrence. “The series was called Wild Pick (also a podcast), a reference to oyster farming and [Syms]choices in life, including her incredible husband Wayne Lewis who is the wildest character ever to exist in Desolation Sound.
“You can’t make this stuff up, that’s why I am drawn to non-fiction. I’m a writer. I document what is around me. People are drawn to great stories and great stories are always retold, that’s the fuel for my fire.”
For more about his show on Texada, go to grantlawrence.ca.
