Paterson Lake on Vancouver Island is located just north of grey lake which is on Brewster Lake Road. Turn onto the Paterson lake road just north of fry lake. Or you can reach the lake from the camp five mainline just above Brewster Lake. This Lake has some great fishing in it. I remember coming to this lake when l was just 6 or 7, more than 50 years ago. A friend of my dad’s had a cabin at the east end of the lake, and we would go and spend the weekend fishing the lake. The cabin is gone now but the old wharf is still there.
The fish were big, but I was small, so maybe they just seemed big. I still remember one time when we were there in the fall, my dad and older brothers had headed out hunting, and I was left behind at the cabin. I, being 9, got bored pretty fast and figured I would take out the 12 boat to fish, it had a 9.9 gas motor.
I ran down the lake and was going to fish my way back, but as I turned the motor to steer the boat back in the direction of the cabin, the motor jammed and l could not straighten it out, the boat would only go in circles. If I was not back soon and my dad got back and found me gone, it would create panic and I was going to be in deep shit. There was a paddle on board and I tried to paddle the boat, but it was going to take forever, so I fired up the motor, stuck a stick in the gunnel, and put the paddle out on the side that was on the outside of the turn, by adjusting this, l was able to make my way back. My dad was pissed at me, as he had already returned. But on the other hand, he was quite impressed at how I got back.
For the last 30 or so years, a family has lived on the island in the lake. The forestry tried to have them removed several times, but the courts would let them stay. I did not see anything wrong with them being there. Then one day, the old guy had to go to town for some medical appointments and well they were in town, their house was burnt down by the Ministry. They lost all their stuff but more than that, they lost their way of life that they had made for themselves. I don’t understand why they needed to remove them as they were doing no harm and had built a wonderful home on that island.
I miss this place so much! In the Winter, summer any time of the year. I learnt to hook a worm, fish for trout, swim , firewood, bake bread, feed chickens, milk goats, plant vegetables, dry laundry, fed pigs, harvest the greenhouse in the winter. So many memories I can only share with my son as he wasn’t ever luckily enough to experience that happiness. My grandparents were the most inviting hosts. Maybe a bit too trusting and that’s what might have bit them in the end.
#Paradise Island forever!!
Hey guys I need a hint or two is there more then 3 caves on the south end of Paterson lake? And which road is it that takes you to the quarry
Two years ago my youngest Son and I mapped into Paterson lake to trout fish with a 12 ft aluminum boat on trailer the road was a little rough in places but took our time. The road finished at the north end of the lake at a tricky small boat launch but between the two of us we man handle boat off trailer into the lake.
Camped at roads end next to the boat launch was a older gentleman living in a camper van. At the time he was sitting outside in a lounge chair keeping warm at a small camp fire. He was friendly fellow who said he’d been living in and around the area since he was very young. We got talking and he began sharing some stories from his past. His stories would always start with now over there or over here or down there. We listened for a some time and had to excused ourselves as our day was getting shorter and asked his advise the best place to fish, he didn’t mind telling us and we launched our boat. In hour or so we had had six nice pan size trout. We headed back to the boat launch loaded up the boat and fishing gear looked for the older gentleman. We wanted to thank him but he was gone but the camper van was still there.
We have not gone back to Paterson lake since then but plan to do this year in hope he’s still around and do some more trout fishing.
Yes this family had a beautiful home on the island, beautiful garden, family times and reunions. This shattered their lives. The best fishing lake, and the grandchildren and great grandchildren spent many summers there. They caused no harm to anyone. They now reside in Brandon ,Manitoba.
I was one of those Great Grandchild and I wish everyday I could go and homestead my family’s island. I’m sad my kids will never know the smell of the céder cabin, has to be one the the best things in life.
It was such an awesome lake back in the early 60s with a few families living there.
I was wondering more about the island on Patterson Lake you say that people used to live there does that mean the island is vacant right now do you have any other pictures of that Island I was doing some research on this area and I’m really interested to find out a lot more information about that Island can these people who live there why do they still do or not makes for an interesting story look forward to all the pictures and details you can give me thank you very much
My grandparents were the people who homesteaders on the island.
It was my parents who lived there for 33 years. The last few years they lived there they were bullied by a person who took over and I mean “took” over the smaller cabin at the other end of the lake. Needless to say, us “kids” were concerned for their safety an in their advanced age of them being snowed in. We had convinced them to come and stay at our home when the were calling for snow. That last winter, they came to town before a snowstorm. So picture this if you will, heavy snowstorm, no one can get in or out. Only one person at the lake, no one had been in their home two days prior to the storm, so no burning embers to jump out of the fireplace and the house, solar house, and greenhouse burn to the ground. Three different areas, set ablaze.
My name is Dianne Kovasin, I am their daughter, if you want more information you can contact me @ dkovasin@hotmail.com
And yes my parents are still alive, they reside in an assisted living in Manitoba. They reflect fondly about their time on the island and can now finally be at peace about they were shoved off.
Cool, l will send you an email.
Hello Bud. Have you ever heard of an old rock quarry that contains giant turtle shaped rocks located somewhere south of Paterson lake. I was there in the mid seventies, and have no hope of ever locating it again. I have made inquiries here and there with no luck. I bet that old guy that lived on the island knew about it.
Hi Tom, l used to get to a quarry that was above the lake, there was a road that went past the lake and then up the hill that took you to a series of caves and the quarry was on this road. The quarry was full of shale where we would find lots of fossils. Its the only quarry l can remember, l have not got back into there for more than 30 years though.
That sounds about right. I have not been in there for about 40 years, and there are many caves in the area, a nice one was right beside the road. I have some fossils from that quarry. I must get back there as soon as i can……not getting any younger!
Hi Tom. My boys and I are going there soon, when l was a young man, working for forestry, one of my jobs was surveying caves in our district. I spent some time searching for and recording the locations of a number of caves in the Paterson lake area, one cave was very illusive though, It was the biggest cave there, went in a very long way they say. Never did find it. it would be cool to find it.