All posts by wilderness dweller

I have lived for more than 30 years as a Wilderness Dweller. Most of that time was in cabins I built myself far from the nearest road, high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. My "retirement" home is accessible by a bush road but still far from neighbours. I live off the grid, and operate this blog by solar-powered satellite internet.

Sam’s Nuk Tessli Experiments Part Two

But this project was a lot more ambitious.  First he and Rachel made a platform of logs and copious quantities of orange bale string.  At first Rachel braided ropes.

Rachel braiding rope at Nuk TessliThen Sam hit upon the idea of twisting the string with a hand-turned drill.

rope made with a hand-turned drill

Et voila! a catamaran!

Nuk Tessli's catamaran

It even had a flag!

Nuk Tessli Ferries FlagIn the last but one picture, you will notice a chair tied to the structure.  That was for the steerer.  One’s feet were slipped into two strings that controlled a rudder.  Into the chair went yours truly.

First they paddled the craft upwind into the lake. (This and the following picture were taken by a client, Jane Srivastava.)

paddling into the wind up the lake

And here we are sailing home again!!

sailing home again

Sam and Rachel will be leaving in a day or two.  I will miss them.  They have been here nearly six weeks.  They have both been a great help and lots of fun.