Victoria - 8. If Adults had Summer Camp

Colleagues of mine live around the world, and two like-minded writers, Kathryn and Cornelia, live not far from Victoria in Nanaimo and Hornby Island – in the only two Summer camps for adults left.

Most Canadian children have experienced going away for a week or more in July or August to a Summer camp where you live in wooden bunkhouses in the ‘forest’; swim; work at crafts in the ‘craft hut’; eat meals in the ‘mess tent’ together under the mosquito lights; hike; and have late-night camp fires talks before falling asleep in a cool, pine-scented night.

That is Hornby Island, for adults. Although the bunkhouses are now organized into individual homes and cottages, the islanders live the life we all enjoyed in the Summer. There are artisans working in every medium; community-organized film nights; theatre; yoga; the tack shop (the ‘Co-op’); and long sunset walks through woods.

“Turn right at the only 4-way,” she instructed.

We turned left, but found our way to Seawright and Porpoise anyway.

“It’s the Bee cabin.”

Three bright bees lined the entrance, symbols of a boy named ‘Gert’. Drummer the dog (half coyote) beat the bass ground, and two small blonde girls howled after him towards a beach lined equally with the communing rock flows and log jams.

There are too many drift sculptures to choose from – the most useful already nicked.

Warm coffee and pulled-pork couscous air signal dinner.

We talk. We talk. We droop. We sleep. Light jabs at our eyes. Loud whispers announce another hike. Craft shops. Yoga. Camp awaits.

Kathryn’s home in Pacific Gardens is a sustainable co-housing apartment complex near the historic fishing harbor in South Nanaimo. The complex is a colourful set of self-owned apartments or flats which each open up onto common gardens and dining spaces. Each resident has time set aside for tending the vegetable gardens, and once a week they meet together in the ‘mess tent’ area for potluck dinners, and sometimes other get togethers like yoga or walks and talks. Very civilized. The original group of residents (some have come and gone since then) actually organized to hire a contractor to build the complex all on their own (rather than going through a real estate agent or developer) which is wonderful. Light is everywhere, and whether you are looking inside or outside at Pacific Gardens, you feel as if you are in a tropical resort. Children run down the centre of the indoor arcades where couples sip coffee and others talk long into the night air.