My friend Pat has asked to see what Ganges looks like. I have delayed doing this, because I knew how difficult it would be to photograph it well enough to show it in its finest light. I'll try for Pat.
When I first heard the name "Ganges," I thought of Shiva letting down his hair to soften the impact of the mighty waters hurled down by the great goddess Ganga to create the Ganges River. But no ...
Actually, the village of Ganges was named after the HMS Ganges, ship of the Royal Navy. Oddly, to me anyway, there were two ships named HMS Ganges. One ended up being a training ship and then a stone frigate (landed training ship, if you will). Whichever one of them patrolled these waters for the Royal Navy left its nameplate which is mounted on a stone in Centennial Park in downtown Ganges.
Here are some photos of the park in winter.
This island has a Coast Guard unit -- you see the boats patrolling and the ensigns, or whatever they're called, parading around in very handsome professional waterproof gear. (There are Royal Canadian Mounted Police here, but not in the red coats and riding pants -- they look just like regular cops on foot and in SUVs.) I've seen the CG guys patrolling in my inlet a couple of times, so I feel safe from Russian subs and Sarah Palin who I hear has gone rogue. I'd like to ask them to take me on patrol, but I think they would tell me to go kayaking.
The town looks fairly commercial, with banks, grocery, hardware store, art galleries, several good book stores, health food store, The Village Cobbler who is called The Village Robber, restaurants and coffee houses (no Starbucks, no trailer tacos). As you can see, the Mouats own pretty much everything but the banks. My feeling is that the Mouats arrived, grabbed anything that wasn't tied down and called it their own. Don't quote me on this; I've sort of demonized them, don't ask me why. Maybe that's why there are so many churches here, some people needing a lot of forgiveness and all.
When you go into town, you are close to the docks, and so they draw me in. I can't resist taking a look to see if the water taxi is in or out, if the seaplane is taking off or landing, if there's really fresh crab at the Centennial dock.
Here's the grocery store where you can buy a small carton of yogurt for $9.00.
A cute beanery, but don't order the burgers or the enchiladas or -- there's other restaurants in town.
Good restaurant.
Green belt.
Where the roast beef sandwiches are.
The Village Cobbler and health food store.
Where I knit with friends.
More book stores.
Spring springing out on my road.
Then I'm home around low tide.
