The interregnum begins...a strange time of year when it is still summer but human activity makes it seem like fall. The day after Labour Day is some kind of strange new year, more so than the first of January, especially as we move away from life based on the seasons. It's still good swimming weather.

With the fall season beginning, some transit news. Bowen lies within the Greater Vancouver Regional District and our island is served by community shuttles which drive around the island and make getting around pretty easy if you are on a route. Thanks to the fact that Bowen Fuels have recently just started selling a 5% biodiesal blend at the gas station, these shuttles are now the only transit buses in BC running on biodiesal. Our community is, I believe, the first community in the country to have exclusively biodiesal pumps. It's only 5% but it's coming along. And with entrepreneurs Doug Hooper and Ian Thomson of the Canadian Biofuels Technology Corporation on island, we are poised to get the blend even higher.

In other transit news, Translink, the regional authority made Bowen Island part of the same zone as the North Shore, meaning that it should only cost $2.25 to from Bowen to anywhere on the North Shore (plus ferry cost). Anything to get more people out of their cars works for me. This year, I have slashed my own use of the car, making only 8 work trips to town in my car and driving less than three times a month on island with only me in the vehicle. If I'm alone, I always look for hitchhikers, but usually I just ride my bike down to the Cove (and back up the 300 feet of elevation home - pant pant).

Sustainability starts right here, baby.

At about half past four last night my eyelids shot open just as the air around the house exploded.

Sounds like a scene from a war movie, but there was an incredible thunderstorm last night. By all accounts, several places on the island took direct hits, Somewhere within flash/bang distance of us, something attracted a bolt, and it was simply one of the loudest thundercracks I have ever heard. The sound rumbled around Howe Sound for something like thirty seconds

No evidence of damage anywhere. Only side effects were an adrenaline rush that kept me up until dawn.

A great Bowfest yesterday, the official end of the summer social season here on Bowen. This year was both more subdued and more fun. The perennial beer tent was gone, and with it was the phalanx of police officers that made last year's so - interesting.

In its place were a bunch of highlights including:

• A great teen lip synch won by my friends Calder, Davon and Toby who did a wonderful version of the Arrogant Worms' "The Mountie Song"
• More people watching the parade than I have ever seen, and more marching too.
  
• An adult lip synch that was too raunchy for description, and anyway, words would not be adequate to describe the winning entry. Let's just say it involved the tucking of a ten dollar bill into a pair of gyrating pants.
• An unfettered performance by Bowen's own The Naive, who also defy description. None of these kids could get into a restricted movie legally, but they play hits from the psychedelic era like they were there. No comment on their parents!
• A rambunctious visit from the Coast Guard hovercraft again.
• A two to nothing tug o' war victory by the kids over the adults, proving once again that we just have to promote a more active contraception plan around here if we are ever to stand a chance of pulling against the ankle biters and actually winning. Even with the firemen anchoring our side, we got killed by the crowd of pre-teens at the other end.
• A two-horse slug race which was over long after anyone remained interested in the result.

And just on schedule, the rain and wind arrived today as if to say, that's it, your short summer is over, lay in the firewood.

Props to the Mollineaux clan for hosting another great gathering.

The blogosphere continues to grow here on Bowen. Today checking the Blogger profiles for Bowen Island, I found two new blogs: one from ex-pat American Jennifer Hansen called Life on Bowen, and one put up by a member of our local RCMP detachment, Constable Mike who, after I gave him a two minute tutorial, is blogging about his pet project, Cops for Cancer.

Here is the user's guide to enjoying life alongside a North American lion.



Everyone interested in cougar safety should bone up on this. Prior to our feline friend taking up residence on Bowen the most dangerous animal was the biting swan that lives at the lagoon. When you're used to living with a swan as the top of the food chain, it pays to be a little more mindful of what the cougar might do.



One interesting fact is that there have only been five fatalities from cougars in 100 years or so while two people a year in BC are killed by bees.



Watch out for the bees!

The Fog, the movie that was made here in the spring, is due for release in the fall. THe trailer is out now. This is not what a typical night on Bowen is like...most nights anyway!

We have a cougar among us. My friend Lisa Shatsky told me this story again tonight while I was helping her celebrate her 40th birthday .

There are persistent rumours of cougars on the island and from time to time people say they might have seen one, but this cat is the real thing and is striding around probably eating fawns. As the only predator on the island, the cougar has its pickin's at the Bowen all you can eat smorgasbord.



Pauline Lebel's astounding play, Voices In The Sound which was mounted last month told the story of Bowen when the cougars and wolves ran free and the humpbacks filled Howe Sound. I can't help but think her evocation of that time has somehow manifest this cougar onto the island.



What is the Island dreaming now? Cats.