Retiree Stories

Annemarie's Journal
Annemarie and John Rodger

This is a continuing journal that will be added to each month. Please scroll down to view new entries.

Almost a year ago to the day, the Campbell River Retiree Project received a letter from a couple living in Ottawa. Annemarie and John Rodger wrote “Last Spring we visited Vancouver Island with a view to retiring there in about two years' time."

Their letter contained several questions about Campbell River including the mill odour and local rainfall. A year has passed and much has happened in the lives of this couple who are in the process of making some major decisions about their retirement. They have not purchased a home here, but are serious about retiring on Vancouver Island.

In May they plan to drive west looking for a place to relocate. The Campbell River Retiree Project has invited them to keep a journal of the steps they take on their journey into retirement. This is a “live” event, the outcome of which is yet unknown. They may settle in Kelowna, Vernon, Victoria, Nanaimo or Campbell River. Annemarie writes “you can expect a journal from us about once a week”. Readers are invited to follow their progress.

This is a human interest story and could tell us a great deal about how our community is seen from afar.

ANNEMARIE’S JOURNAL
Annemarie Rodger

Our Journey Towards Retirement in Campbell River

27th May 2003- Victoria
Camped by the water in Esquimalt, I am enjoying the sun at a picnic table overlooking the harbour. We spent the afternoon driving along the West Saanich Road and walking through Workpoint Barracks where John was stationed in the 60’s. He’s so excited to be back here after 40 years, and talking more and more about retiring on this island. He is disgusted that I don’t share his enthusiasm – but I am an Ontario girl, and not at all keen on leaving my pleasant home in Ottawa.

28th May 2003- Victoria
We took one of the little bobbing harbour ferries to Victoria and explored it on foot. Rather than the “sights”, we were drawn to the tranquility of Beacon Hill Park and finally found ourselves by the waters of the Juan de Fuca Strait.

30th May 2003 Qualicum Bay
After a brief side-trip to Sooke and Port Renfrew, we headed over the Malahat, very scenic and dramatic. A strange frame of mind sets in: we’re on vacation, but with an underlying quest. We visit so many towns along the way: Mill Bay, Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Chemainus, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach. At each one, we ask, “Could we live here and be happy?” We don’t have a lot of time, so we have to go with gut feelings and first
impressions. “Pretty, but too big, too touristy, too creepy, too many gray heads, etc.”

We will spend the weekend in Qualicum Bay, and have managed to raise the new side tent for the VW Westfalia, in spite of the conflicting German and English instructions. Right now we are enjoying a cup of coffee while watching the seals frolicking in the Strait!

31st May 2003 Qualicum Bay
We are informed that the tremendous winds that nearly sent our tent into the Strait last night are not uncommon here. However, damage is minimal and we are off for a drive to Comox/Courtney. The piles of oyster shells surprise us, and out comes the camera. The drive along Fanny and Union Bays very pleasantly led us into the Comox/Courtney area. Military friends spoke highly of this place; but, although we enjoy the shopping, the small town feeling that we are looking for is not here.

3rd June 2003 Campbell River
We dawdled in Tofino, Euclulet, Taylor River, Port Alberni and Cathedral Grove. Running out of time, we had to hurry to the north end of Campbell River on the Inland island Highway, by-passing the scenic route. We mistakenly go over the bridge and end up north of town, just as the shift ends at the mill. We joke about the Campbell River rush hour, but it is rather un-rushed and the drivers are courteous!

We camp on the Spit, and have a front-row seat for the activity in the Discovery Passage.
At the ore dock, we encounter a group of young men sitting and joking by the shore. I am apprehensive: in the city, this would be a situation to avoid, but they shout out a cheery “Hello!” and “ Nice day!” and my fears evaporate.

As the tides change, the traffic in the Passage picks up. Our neighbours, retired seamen, treat us to a full narration of the different ships, their functions, origins, and destinations. They lend us their binoculars, so powerful that we feel like we are on the deck of a passing cruise ship. How marvelous it must be, we think, to be able to look out on this scene every day.

4th June 2003 Oyster Bay
Stopping at the bank in downtown Campbell River, we noticed the people going about their business, but not in that frenzied way that we see in downtown Ottawa. This town has friendliness to it, reinforced in the bank where the tellers greeted everyone by name. At the service station, one man describes winter in Campbell River to me, in Willow point a woman explains that this morning’s pervasive paper mill smell is uncommon and will quickly dissipate.

We are having a picnic lunch here at Oyster Bay. The sun is bright and the view goes on forever. We talk about the morning and suddenly realize that Campbell River, the town that was never on our itinerary, is very attractive. But there is no time now to go back and explore: we will have to come back some other time.

28th January 2005
On the tarmac at Abbotsford, our fellow passengers are flipping open their cell phones and complaining about the rerouting due to fog at Vancouver airport. Feeling the warmth of the sun on our jacket-less shoulders, and noting the lack of snow and ice, we aren’t upset at all – it was minus 23C and dark when we left Ottawa this morning. Our one concern is that John’s sister Pat and niece Laura may be stranded at the airport. And all this after John had so meticulously planned for our flights to arrive within 10 minutes of each other! However, a quick phone call determines that they have not even left Edmonton. A most uncomfortable bus takes us through sun-dappled greenery on a one-hour bum-numbing trip to the only bit of fog to be found – the airport, where we meet Pat and Laura’s flight a few hours later. Our afternoon of shopping has been lost, but we enjoy walking the brightly lit streets of the West End, and, after an excellent meal and a soak in the hot tub, quickly drop off to sleep.

29th January 2005
The roar of the city follows us even on a walk through Stanley Park, an enjoyable diversion before we take the scenic route to the ferry and Campbell River. We arrive in the dark, somewhat disappointing, but console ourselves with pizza.

30th January 2005
It is a blustery day, the kind that critics were warning us about. However, we find this windy, rainy weather invigorating and head out to the Seawalk to enjoy it. It is a quiet Sunday: “Open Houses” take place on Saturdays and we have missed them. We do an “overview” drive through town, and spend the afternoon at a pub, lingering over a late lunch.

31st January 2005
Laura has marked the “houses for sale” on the map, and we drive around and look at them all. We are becoming very familiar with this town. Having viewed Campbell River via webcam for several months, we are curious about the locations on the Spit and the Government Dock, and scout these out as well, disturbing a flock of napping ducks on the Spit. We wave at the camera, wondering if someone out there, like us, checks regularly to see what the weather is like in Campbell River.

1st February 2005
We take a slow start to the day, and have a look at the Oyster River area. We meet with the Real Estate agent, explain our needs and feel quite good about the process. Rain does not dampen our enthusiasm for a walk in the rain forest to the thundering Elk River Falls. In the evening, we finally meet our email friends, Jim and Rhonda, in their lovely home.

2nd February 2005
We wander through town on foot, doing a little shopping, stopping at the visitors’ center (highly recommended), checking out the library, and looking at restaurant menus for a later dinner. We also find an Internet Café (Campbell River has three), catch up on our email and indulge in a great coffee.

Popping in to the museum gift shop to pick up the River City history book, we decide we may as well “do” the museum. We are somewhat wary of small museums since stopping at one in the States that was eclectic, to say the least: the best exhibit was a stuffed two headed sheep! However, the Campbell River museum is a gem! The exhibits invite you to linger, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and you leave happy and with a much better understanding of the city’s history. (And I now have a Ripple Rock fridge magnet!)

3rd February 2005
Today we check out the new subdivisions, Oyster River and Miracle Beach. Lunch at John’s “new favourite coffee shop”, as we need to access the Internet again. There are some good sales at the shops along Shoppers’ Row – hope there is enough room in my suitcase!

4th February 2005
Pat and Laura are leaving us today, so we drive to Comox. It is only 35 minutes, which is about the time it would take us to drive to the Ottawa airport from our home, but this drive is much nicer! We look around this area, and, although Comox harbour is quite pretty, we decide that we made the right choice in picking Campbell River for our retirement site.

5th February 2005
After meeting with the Real Estate agent again, we head to Willow Point for coffee (and the best blueberry muffins ever) with Geoff Goodship of the Retiree Project. I have been emailing him for a long time, and he asks me what I think now that I have been here a week. My answer is immediate, “I love it, and I am going home to sell my house!”

And that is just what we did…