Cortes Currents

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - While there are Facebook groups on Cortes Island, they have largely been  marginalized by a wiki style community bulletin board. The Tideline is not a place for personal webpages or a typical news website, but for the past 20 years most of island’s population have used it to post notices, community announcements, reports and advertisements.


Someone suggested that this may be a model for the rest of the country to emulate, now that Facebook has barred Canadian news outlets from using its pages. 


This prompted me to ask a few people at Lovefest for their opinion. 


Only one expressed a preference for Facebook. 


Most repondents prefer the Tideline, often in conjunction with other sources, for local news.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Village Bay Lake Fire, on Quadra Island, is no longer considered out of controi. The size has shrank from 4 to 1,5 hectares in extent, and according to BC Wildfire Information Officer Sam Bellion, it is now ranked as being held.

“Last night, they did blanket it in retardent. Crews worked through the night to action the western side of the fire. This morning, when we saw that update to the size, they also observed just rank one low smoldering ground fire along the north and west flanks as they were patrolling this morning. They're going to be working some more on active pockets of that rank along the southern edge today and working towards that containment. So, it's looking really good,” she said.

Cortes Currents has an as yet unconfirmed report that ‘the fire was started by a tree falling onto a powerline very near the intersection of Bold Point Road and Surge Narrows Road.  It burned uphill a short distance into a 20 year old woodlot. Forestry was on it with helicopters very quickly.  No evacuation alerts or orders were issued.’

Bellion stated, “I've heard that rumor as well at this point in time. The only thing I can see on our reports is that it is suspected to be human caused, and that would certainly fall into that category. anytime there's an interaction with fire and interface - power lines, any type of machinery like power lines or electricity, chainsaws, industrial activity - any of those would be human starts. Right now, I don't have any confirmation that it was a tree or wind. So all I can see on my report it was the suspected human caused. ”

This fire was first reported to BC Wildfire Service at 3:36 PM Thursday August 17th. 

CC: People are concerned because of the dryness of the islands. They're also concerned about the wind. Being as we're talking about a small fire, is there any reason to be overly concerned?

Bellion: “The province did see a dry cold front sweeping through yesterday and today, and it does bring increased winds. Those increased winds always have that potential for extreme fire behavior with this fire. Specifically, crews have worked hard to change that status to ‘being held’ and are working on that southern flank to mop up those little pockets of more active behavior. So we're feeling really great about that and we just remind everyone, especially when there's a wind event, and especially when we're coming off the back of a heat wave, to be cautious, to be careful, and to keep your eyes open.

So one of the ways folks can help us is to call us if they see smoke and report a wildfire using *5555 from a cell phone, or if they have the app downloaded on their phone, they can submit a photo directly from the app as well.

A news release from the SRD News service adds that “ at this time, there is no risk to critical infrastructure or homes and there are no evacuation orders or area restrictions. The roads are open and not currently impacted by the fire. However, residents and visitors are encouraged to avoid the area.”

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Sunday, August 13, was Sandcastle Day at Smelt Bay on Cortes Island. There were about 20 entries, made by sculptors whose ages ranged anywhere from 18 months to 81 years. Some of participants live on Cortes, but others are visitors from as far away as Campbell River, Victoria, Vancouver, Langley, Quebec City or even England.

It was a hot, but very windy day and you can hear the breeze pushing against my mic throughout the broadcast.


Three of the entries were actually castles, ranging from fairly basic to highly sculptured designs.

Louis Belcourt/ CKTZ News - The Cortes Island Fire Department is creating a new Wildfire Brigade to serve the community.

It’s function will be to support the department during major wildfire events with Wildland firefighting, structural protection, and support tasks. In a deployment, Wildland members will work in teams supervised by existing department officers or team leaders.

"We had a fire on the island in late June, the largest wildfire event we've had in many years. And a lot of conversation came out of that around preparedness in general and how we notify the community of the status of a wildfire event and preparing in general for more serious wildfire seasons to come with changing climate and all of that.", said Eli McKenty, Interim Fire Chief of the Cortes Island Fire Department.

"And going over this, I realized that it's much easier to train people for wildfire than as full department members. It's a much smaller time commitment. Equipping them is not nearly as expensive. And there are a lot of people who would be a huge asset in a wildfire who don't have the time to be a full member of the department."

Cortes residents, including summer residents, who are able to attend the provincially mandated basic training sessions and meet minimum medical and fitness requirements are eligible to apply.

"Currently we have 26 members on the department. And I'd like to see double that number available for a major wildfire.", stated McKenty.

Canada is reporting its worst wildfire season on record in 2023, and the fire season isn't over yet.

Learn more about wildfire preparedness, safety and wildfires in B.C. here.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The course of Denise Larson’s life took a radical change in 1983, when she and two of her band members came to Merville. They were professional musicians promoting her third record. It was nice to get out of Vancouver, but Denise did not have any expectations of a small dance in the Merville Hall. Then Ron Wolda walked into her life. She had actually met him two years earlier in Courtenay, but at that time they both had other partners. Now they were single. Ron sat himself down beside her at the dinner being given for the musicians. The next morning, Ron took her out to see the home he built beside the ocean.  


“We're married three months later and I haven't had to pay rent since. I'm very happy for many reasons, not just that one,” she said. 

“ He was a great fan right from day one. He has always supported me to keep it up. So I continued to write, and when I moved to Cortes, you can imagine how totally inspiring Cortes Island is to a singer, to a songwriter. I don't have to make my living at it anymore,. I have the luxury of playing for fundraisers , for the joy of it and hopefully for the appreciation of people, and without worrying about that.”

“Ron is a phenomenon really. I'm not the only one who would say that. He's just endless energy.  I'm 76, he's 75: his energy is still just remarkable, as is his strength. That said, he agrees that it's time to slow down a little and think a little more about other things like sailboats, but we would not be on Cortes Island and we would not live in a nice big house that he's built were it not for Ron and  his hard work ethic. He's from Holland. It's got something to do with it. He's a great fellow, and I certainly never regretted that he asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”


“He has made a good life for us, and I've certainly done my part, but together we've made a good team.”

CC: How does music fit into your new life? Is Ron supportive?

“ He was a great fan right from day one. He has always supported me to keep it up. So I continued to write, and when I moved to Cortes, you can imagine how totally inspiring Cortes Island is to a singer, to a songwriter. I don't have to make my living at it anymore. I have the luxury of playing for fundraisers, for the joy of it and hopefully for the appreciation of people, and without worrying about that.”

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Behind Lovefest’s ongoing success, and the success of so many festivals and community events around the province, is a dedicated corps of volunteers. 

According to Amy Robertson, who oversaw this part of the festival, “We had about 60 volunteers this year. They were doing everything from making sure that  parking is safe out on the road and that the blue bus has a good place to park. Volunteers sell tickets, help the vendors and they're setting up. They do a lot of decoration for this event, help promote it, sell T- shirts, and just ensure that everybody has a good, safe time.”

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - I can’t take too much heat anymore and had to pack it in by 4:30, but it was already apparent that this year’s Lovefest was another success. 


How does a little music festival on a remote island consistently draw crowds larger than the entire adult population?  


Singer/songwriter Denise Wolda gave a partial answer to this during a totally unrelated interview a few days ago: 


“ I wanted to talk a little about the current musical scene on Cortes. This is a very different community than when I moved here 30 years ago. There were always musicians on the island, but the getting together and the sense of there actually being a Cortes Island musical scene did not exist, as far as I'm concerned, until Rex Weyler and Rick Bockner did the initial and maybe the bulk of the work to get this ball rolling. Lovefest has been so important and the beautiful Hollyhock Lodge coffeehouse that happens over the winter, which gives us a place to be musicians in the wintertime as well.”


Cortes Island’s first Lovesfest, in 2017, was a celebration of the 50 years since the ‘Summer of Love’ in Haight Ashbury. 


Lovefest became an annual event. 


“It's one of the few events where the entire community comes and joins in one place. It's a really special thing for that,” said Radio Sean.


Hugh Barton agreed, “It's just a great sense of community.  So many people come out to set up and organize it all. We get these fabulous musicians from off Island as well.”


David Rousseau elaborated, “Lovefest is Cortes Island distilled into a one day event, that's why. When I first came here 50 years ago, I admired the old timers, I respected the old timers, I learned a lot from the old timers. Now we're the old timers and the vintage is about, what, 1969, right? And here we are.” 

David has been a prominent voice on the island for so long that it is hard to think of him as anything but a Cortes resident, but he now lives in Comox. 

Namchi is another Cortes resident who has moved off island. She lives in the Comox Valley during the school year, but returns to Cortes every summer. Namchi was also one of the dancers in Meinje’s Dream Caravan during the first Lovefest and has come to every Lovefest since then.

“Lovefest seems like a fun melting pot of many generations and different types of people,” she said.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - If Cortes Island had an anthem, it would very likely be the chorus of 'Feel the Island.' The songwriter, Denise Larsen, was a professional musician for twenty years prior to her marriage to Ron Wolda. Her story goes back through the folk revolution to rural Saskatchewan.


In the first of a two part series about her work, Denise Wolda talks about her journey from being a farmer's daughter to the 20 years she was a 'professional' musician.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Four of Cortes Island’s women songwriters, and one man, got together for an afternoon of sharing stories and songs on August 6. 

More than fifty people gathered under the big top in the Village Commons to listen to Denise Wolda, Josie Simpson, Juli Nelson, Brenda and DJ Hanson.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Four days until Lovefest, at Linnaea Farm on Saturday August 12.

Rex Weyler has a couple of updates:  


“One thing that's new is Amber from Klahoose is going to sing us a couple of songs early on in the show. The other thing, that I just heard from our community action bus driver. is that people can actually flag the bus down anywhere on the route between Manson's Hall, Gorge Hall, and Squirrel Cove Store during the day. If you go out on the road in front of your house or whatever, or walk along the road, you can flag down the bus.

The Lovefest bus will be making pick-ups at :

- Gorge Hall - 10:30 AM, 11:45 AM & 1:30 PM.

- The Squirrel Cove Store - 10:45 AM, 12:00 PM & 1:45 PM

= Mansons Hall -  11:15 AM, 12:30 PM & 2:15 PM

Rides leave Linnaea Farm that evening at 6:00, 8:00, and 9:45.


“Also, we've got secure bike lockups, so if you ride your bike, that's cool.  Parking's limited at Linnaea. So we like people  to carpool, ride bikes, or take the bus. You can drive and park , but parking is limited along the road,” said Weyler.


“Cora is going to do the kids' tent again. The kids tent was nice last year, because it's a place for kids to hang out if they want, play games,  dress up, do art and so forth .Of course, our kids can run around. We'd love to have families at the Lovefest. It's a family island community event, kids are welcome. There are family tickets available. If you don't have your family ticket,  they're still for sale at all the island stores, and tickets will be for sale at the Friday Market at Manson's this Friday and of course at the door.”

“Family tickets are great.  Two adults and just all the kids you can bring, so if neighbor kids want to tag along and stuff like that, that's okay. We don't quibble about that.” 

CC: Are there any other changes in the lineup? 

RW: No, I think I've published the show: Adonis Puentes, the Cuban band, really looking forward to them. Pierre Schreier and Adam Dobres, the fiddle player and guitar player, were a big hit last year. They had everybody dancing and we love them so much we brought them back.  Willow, the harmony singers from Quadra Island, are coming back.  The Unfaithful Servants from Victoria, Josephine Simpson, who grew up here on Cortes.  

Wiley Ferguson, who played last year, and was a big hit. 

Heather Wolf's going to be here. Marianne Grittani, a Toronto singer who now lives on Salt Spring Island"

"There are a bunch of local favorites like: Michael Keith,  Jesse Roy, Ali and his sitar playing friend, Jemma Hicken, Brenda Hanson, Sachika and Dave Blinzinger, Amber from Klahoose, and Hazel Lennox, who's a singer, songwriter, storyteller." 


“It's going to be a great show, One thing I want to say is thanks to CKTZ Radio.  CKTZ has just been so helpful to us and has supported us through the years and is supporting us again this year. 

“As well as Linnaea Farm, bless their hearts. They make this space available every year and we really appreciate the community at Linnaea Farm for doing that. Klahoose has always been very supportive and Tideline has been supportive.” 


“Lovefest is really a full community event. It's quite amazing the number of people that come together to make this happen every year, but it's fun. It's one great summer day.