Grizzlies, Gales and Giant Salmon: Life at a Rivers Inlet Fishing Lodge

by Pat Ardley

At age nineteen, Pat Ardley packed up her belongings and left Winnipeg for Vancouver, looking for adventure. Little did she know that she’d spend the next forty years in the wilderness, thirty of which would be spent with a man known as George “Hurricane” Ardley. Pat met George soon after arriving in Vancouver, and not long after that the two of them set out for Addenbroke Island to work as junior lighthouse keepers. The journey up to the little island in the Fitz Hugh Sound, 483 km north of Vancouver, took four rolling days by Coast Guard ship―and a huge leap in lifestyle. There, the couple fell in love with the wilderness lifestyle and each other. They learned to grow their own produce, keep chickens, can clams and salmon, build their own furniture, and in the evenings they read aloud to each other for entertainment. But, of course, it wasn’t always easy. Pat’s fear of the ocean made for a constant struggle in her marine environment, and being the partner of an adrenalin junky (he didn’t earn the nickname “Hurricane” for nothing!) sometimes  made for a wild ride. Soon Pat and George were starting their own remote fishing lodge in Rivers Inlet, not so far from where the adventure began on Addenbroke Island. Financed by their wilderness odd jobs, the lodge came together slowly but surely through the couple’s hard work. George proudly added a nursery to the float lodge when their family grew, and they made sure the little ones knew not to step out the door without wearing a life jacket. Life was full of both challenges and rewards, and dealt plenty of disasters and close calls (including grizzly encounters) but the lodge business supported the family, and gained a steady clientele who were enticed back year after year by the warm welcome, beautiful setting and plentiful salmon, giant halibut and ling cod. After running the lodge together for twenty-seven years, George passed away from cancer. Despite all the advice she received to the contrary, Pat decided to run the business on her own with the assistance of her two children. Through resolve and strength in adversity, Pat outgrew the shadow of Hurricane Ardley and earned an intimidating nickname of her Don’t-Mess-with-Me Ardley. Reminiscent of British Columbia classics like  Fishing with John ,  I Heard the  Owl Call My Name  and the evocative wilderness writings of Chris Czajkowski, this memoir is a touching tribute to coastal life.

Genres: Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2018

Reviews

[Josianne Haag]

I feel I can't properly rate this book because just after halfway I started skimming it instead of reading every word. I was enjoying it, but the pacing wasn't there for me. I felt like we were repeating the same things over and over again and I had to put it down.

But I did get that feeling of what it was like to live in the wilderness - the difficulties and the freedom. It's a great book to learn more about life on the west coast.

[Leah Vanderwiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an inspiring read for a wilderness enthusiast and a feminist at heart!

Pat Ardley did an incredible job portraying her love for the wilderness, the love for her husband, and the love of being a mother, all while also drawing on the frustrations of being a women in "mans world". This is not a book that you read, and it gives you rose coloured glasses on the life of running a fishing lodge, but instead shows the true reality of what it takes.

10/10 would recommend this book to everyone!

[HelenJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book. The floating fishing lodge is situated straight way across the Salish Sea from our home. The amazing amount of work the young bride, then mother of babies, then teens helping to run River's Inlet Lodge to Widowed Jan doing most of the work. A great insight into the on the fly skills needed to be floating off the grid with a few and eventually many guests treated to the best sport fishing BC can provide in comfortable accommodations with gourmet meals.

[Delia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I worked at River's Lodge in the summer of 1986. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a story well told. Pat has the spirit of a pioneer. I was amazed at the lengths she and George went through to achieve their dreams. The book is a memoir, it is informative, it is entertaining, it is a love story. Well done Pat, congratulations.

[Menolly Lysne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it difficult to put down. There were many aspects of wilderness life that had never occurred to me. I was also amazed at the luxury of the lodge that the Ardleys created.

[walt schlotfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing history of a life not easy to live today

A wonderful love story. Many life’s challenges but not in Pat and Georges relationship.

Pay, thank you for sharing!

I enjoyed very much

[Kate Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing - a wonderful adventure!

[Rowan Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book. I’ve read it multiple times.