Venison Stew in Tanu and Hotsprings

A deer in Tanu

On Tuesday after the large raven bade us farewell in K'uuna (Skedans) we hastened back to the boat and placed the frozen deer meat in the freezer, which is gradually emptying.

Hotsprings Cove change rooms and pools 

Wednesday I got up and looked for a venison recipe. I unloaded a bag of dairy products from the refrigerator, and I made room for the marinated deer meat and the two containers of cold pear soup. We have no handy internet or 'Google' out here so fortunately I found a recipe for venison stew. It was in a lovely old cookbook which a former piano student had gifted me with at least thirty years ago. I set to work. The meat was thawed, and then it was marinated in an oil, fresh thyme and brandy sauce in the 'fridge for 5 hours. It was then taken out of the marinade (which was saved) and dried with paper towels. A roux (made of flour added to butter) was created in the pot along with onions. The deer meat was popped in with more thyme, salt and pepper and mushrooms and it was browned before being covered with red wine and cooked under maximum pressure for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, baby potatoes and a cup of frozen baby carrots were prepared to add to the venison along with the used but still good saved marinade. Everyone agreed that this was a marvelous tribute to the deer which Dee-D said she had thanked for giving its life - a traditional Haida invocation of gratitude to Nature's bounty. I fully realized throughout this time of preparation that my European way of cooking (particularly the use of liquor) was very much against what would have been the cooking method of the Haida. It also goes against the current desire of many of these people - they view alcohol as one of the European introductions which has most contributed to the ruin of their culture.

This trip has been very different from our earlier trips. That's because I wanted to make really special food for my friend Nancy after her many years of service to her Muse - Classical music. For this magical trip to the Gwaii Haanas Park it would be possible to have some exciting cuisine. This time we have been able to store a great number of fresh vegetables and fruits. Many of them are in a hatch at the back of the boat. Unfortunately they can still get hot with the beautiful sunny weather we've been blessed with. So I usually take them out at night to chill down thoroughly under the canopy of the dodger (sprayhood for those sailing friends in London who might read this!). I had to throw out a soggy and overheated container of spinach - one lot had already been used up in a warm spinach salad - a great (but easy) - recipe in 'Whitewater Cooks'. Larry won our first of this series of cookbooks books at the Cruising Sailor's Rendezvous we attended in August. Along with losing the spinach, the mushrooms were also getting unappetizing, but they added great flavour to the stew. Alas, I'd noticed that the bosc pears were also definitely past their 'use by' date. I found a delicious salad recipe with lettuce, bosc pear, blue cheese and maple-candied pecans (also in WW Cooks) and retrieved a cold pear, kefir, cinnamon with a small splash of orange liqueur recipe from my trusty Pressure Cooker cookbook. These were ready to go on this active day. Not too many of our provisions are going to waste. I have plenty of red and green cabbage and root vegetables and Granny Smith apples laid by so we won't lack fresh vegetables. Of course, there's also a plentiful supply of limes and some lemons so scurvy will never be an issue on this vessel. It would be hard to explain missing teeth and rotten gums to our dentists and families!

On Wednesday between preparing and eating all of that, we reached the little island of Tanu (T'aanuu Linagaay in the Haida language) and found that the Watchmen had already departed for home for the Season. However, the wonderful presentation which Dee-D had given us the day before enabled us to identify many of the moss-covered wooden relics of this former stronghold of the Haida. This is where the grave of artist Bill Reid is buried under a beautiful marker and under his Haida name. When I visited here in 1994, the day was rough, windy and dark and the aspect of the island appeared dark and mystical to me - wandering amongst the ghosts of the past alone. Larry had to stay out on Traversay II while I rowed ashore. This time, we were together with Nancy and we had a brilliant day. The streaks of sunlight which managed to penetrate through the heavy mantle of spruce branches high overhead rendered a varied celebration of the colour 'Green'. A deer wandered into view, hesitated, went inland foraging and then decided that we weren't a threat and lingered to have its picture taken. We followed the path marked out by white shells. Upon discovering a 'nest' of white shells, I planted one beside the path and remembered our daughter Alice who would have loved to be with us.

That evening our anchorage was visited by six eagles whose distinctive cry drew us out to watch them scavenging on the beach.

Nancy and Sean

We got up early yesterday because of the long day of motoring which awaited us. We were anxious to get to Hotspring Island. It has reverted to it's historic name which I cannot pronounce - Gandll K'in Gwaay.yaay. We were met at the beach by Watchman Sean who is an anthropologist with a musician wife and small daughter. They were busy getting ready to leave for winter quarters in Skidegate where Sean is the Director of the Haida Heritage Centre (which we visited on Saturday). The island has recovered from an earthquake in 2012 which relocated some of the hot sulphur spring water with which it is gifted. Today, with new structures and improved basins for the hot pools there are three pools to choose from. The hottest is about 105 degrees and this is where Seans' relatives Derek and son Eric were relaxing. While Nancy preferred to stay in the 100 degree water, we each found these waters very soothing for our aching and ageing bones and bodies. This island is a 'must' for the many tourists who arrive on tour boats. Sean had guided more than 40 tourists on Wednesday. Despite the lovely sulphur treatment, I had knee trouble last evening. After a stew and corn-on-the-cob dinner, Nancy 'forced' me to relax on the couch, also lending me her knee support. The most relaxing part of my day arrives every evening when Nancy insists on doing all the collected dishes. Larry provided a climax to the wonderful day by bringing out the Cookies-n-Cream ice cream which he had secreted at the bottom of the freezer.


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At 2018-09-14 12:55 (utc) our position was 52°20.84'N 131°21.79'W