Dear editor,
My wife and I just recently took up geocaching and rediscovered camping (after having camped in many different ways over the years — backpacking, tenting, truck camper, etc.)
We are retired, live in Powell River, and decided to explore the many lakes and forestry campsites in the Campbell Lake area. Most of the sites we found were full since it was Thursday before the Labour Day Weekend, but eventually we found a site on the Lower Campbell Lake Road that had a spot open just a short walk to the lake.
As we were getting ready to set up camp, another camper was loading his kayak on the other side of the road, which was lakeside, told us we could have his site. Since it was a beautiful site, we took him up on his offer, and pitched our tent there.
Granted, he did warn us that the people on one side had been noisy the night before, and later found out that the people on the other side of us had complained to them about the noise that their teen agers had made until 3 in the morning.
During the afternoon, everything went quite well until we saw about eight teenagers take off on a zodiac by themselves. Most of them were not wearing life jackets, and we both guessed that the oldest was no more than 14, while the parents floated on inflatables around the shore drinking.
Having worked as a lifeguard and water safety instructor, I was not impressed, but we said nothing.
Several hours later, the teens arrived back, and their campsite erupted into an extremely loud yelling conversation for an extended period of time until the teens decided to slide (in the dark) down an already very steep eroding bank by the side of the road leading down to the campsites, screaming and yelling as they did so.
There was one parent (woman) there, whose voice carried above all of the other parents. I had never heard the term before, but my wife said to me that she has the voice of a fishwife.
One of the other parents said to her, "Where are the kids?"
The fishwife said, "They are teenagers; they know what they are doing."
One parent meekly said, "No, they don't."
The fishwife quickly brushed that comment off and continued her conversation in volumes that could be heard through most of the campground.
The sign in the campground clearly stated:
1. Respect other campers.
2. Keep noise to a minimum at all times.
3, Quiet time hours are ... etc.
This should not have to be explained to parents and adults!
The next day, we packed up and left. I hope that this letter is read by those at that campground.
I am sending this letter to you because it was very obvious from the "fishwife's" conversation that she lives in the Comox Valley.
Willy Jorgensen,
Powell River