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Vancouver Island Preppers?

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(@laz-1)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 25
Topic starter  

 Like many other smart people with some foresight, I chose Vancouver Island as the ideal location for my prepping life style. There are some obvious reasons for this choice ... the Pacific NW has the best year round climate in Canada. The prevailing winds blow in fresh oxygen laden air from the Pacific ocean. In times of crisis the island would be isolated and hard to reach ( heck, even a big wind stops the ferries and small boats). There is a small local population to land ratio, and a near infinity of old, abandoned, overgrown logging roads leading to some remote camp sites,. And a BIG one, there is abundant readily available food from the ocean for those who can harvest it.

If you want to prepare a future bug out/ SHTF/ Survival retreat, or even a rough and remote location to hide for a while, "FANTASY ISLAND" is one of the best places in Canada, perhaps the entire North American Continent. If you want a more self reliant lifestyle in the present, the island has opportunities for self employment and skilled tradesmen are usually in demand.

Although,
as SNOBIRD,
I also enjoy certain parts in MEXICO for the ideal climate, and a long history/culture of self reliance... on a budget. Every small town in Mexico has a local market, where farmers sell the same food they feed to their families ... at a cost most Gringo ex-pats and retirees can easily afford. I spend Winters in Mexico, and live well on my small pension. I live much better than I could if I full timed in Canada. For people with pensions, or fixed incomes, Mexico makes sense BUT, if you don't speak Spanish, and do not have $$$ available without needing an ATM, you will be at a major disadvantage if "THE CRUNCH" catches you down there.

I will be back on Van Isle in June, staying till November.
I am going to start a Van Isle  PREPPER / Self Reliance and Mutual Assistance Group when I get back.

Emphasis will be on embracing the present, TODAY,  living one day at a time, while still being aware of REALISTIC future possibilites, and making preparations for various realistic scenarios. Note the repetition of the word "realistic". ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE and Alien invasions are not gonna get much time or energy. There are too many other horrible events that actually miight ( and/or probably will?) happen, without wasting effort on fantasies.

I used to write for SURVIVE MAGAZINE, and once did a tour of "SURVIVAL COMMUNES" as research for an article. What I found was mostly VERY UNHAPPY people, terrified of some apocalyptic future, and living ( poorly) more in their visions of a potential future, than in the present. This is NOT a recipe for a happy life style.

There were basically two types of communes, the "Defended Remote Compounds", where guns, Guns, GUNS was the main prepping strategy. Imagine the worst, run down trailer park you can, with razor wire topped fences, and gun towers. Sort of like a holding pen, mostly keeping people IN. Add in that EVERYONE was packing all the time, and you get some idea. And this was with people with less than basic minimum fire arms training ...
eg: " Sorry about the bullet hole in the side table and floor in the guest room".

Then there were the "MOTHER EARTH back to the landers" types. These were mostly unrealistic people with unrealistic expectations for their potential long term futures, especially if social break downs occurred. They had food crops, and cash weed crops, and some had marketable craft skills, but most were unready to defend them selves from any encroachments. Pacifism is a great CHOICE, but having other back up alternatives should be available options.

None if the communes I visited seemed capable of LONG TERM survival, even in the day to day ordinary world. And some of the people involved were borderline for stability
.. ego and religious cult leaders, racial purity types, and mostly run away from society predominated. Not the people you would want to be trapped with, or rely on, in desperate times.

So,
any almost same,
pretty sensible,
serious,
Van Isle Prepper/Self Reliant life style people interested?

This group will not be emphasising violence or force. Not about guns, Guns, GUNS, or the quickest way to disable an attacker while un-armed. But as a former Canadian Armed forces Infantry Officer, a former Gunsmith and practical shooting competitor, and a former martial arts instructor, if there is interest in specific security topics, we can chat. Briefly.

Let's get together, share experience, opinions, strategies, tactics, gear reviews, and ideas with other like minded people.
(;-[)
LAZ 1


   
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(@protector)
Estimable Member
Joined: 11 years ago
Posts: 185
 

Talk to The Island Retreat. Hes having a camping weekend soon


   
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The Island Retreat
(@the-island-retreat)
Reputable Member
Joined: 12 years ago
Posts: 290
 

Hey Laz,

We've been chatting a bit for a while now on a different thread. While the hot springs meet is on the mainland, my home base is just north of Nanaimo. What part of the island are you hanging around for the warm season?

I'm always game for a meetup.

Check out Canadian Prepper Podcast on iTunes!

One is none, two is one.


   
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The Island Retreat
(@the-island-retreat)
Reputable Member
Joined: 12 years ago
Posts: 290
 

Here's the youtube channel we chat on....

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL53RumH4n_TrWtjfUe8xJw

You will note, quite intentionally, we have not mentioned ‘guns’ as a topic so far in the podcast. We may yet, but not from an ‘armed compound ‘ perspective. It is not our priority before air, water, food, shelter.

The only time we mention the zombie apocalypse is in jest. Kind of like the reason I just mentioned in the last episode, why I got glasses.... to ‘not be blind during the zombie apocalypse’ and see them coming.

I’d like to think I’m reasonably balanced, sane, and intelligent. Just don’t ask my kids’ opinion.

Serious? We moved 3500 km to start the doom-stead in the right climate. Takes a certain level of commitment;)

Look fwd to hearing more from you!

Check out Canadian Prepper Podcast on iTunes!

One is none, two is one.


   
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(@laz-1)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 25
Topic starter  

Thanks, I have a MOBILE lifestyle, so in the Summers, I wander all over the Island. I was usually spend most if my time in the Duncan/ Victoria area, but am flexible. I searched on GOOGLE for Vancouver Iskand prepper groups and found nothing. If you are already established, my best option might be to join up with you.

I will definitely read your postings, and look forward to meeting up with you when I get back on the rock.


   
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(@laz-1)
Eminent Member
Joined: 6 years ago
Posts: 25
Topic starter  

When I worked in a gun store ( I was the troglodyte gun smiter in the basement who rarely came upstairs to talk face to face with the customers) I had the reputation as "SURVIVALIST" ...
ex infantry officer, practical shooting competitor, etc. So I got some "special needs" customers, as in people who had seen the future, and decided to live out their future visions here on FANTASY ISLAND.
Some were sane an sensible ... self sufficiency and prepping motivated them. And some were ... a bit loosely wired? And they came around looking for guns ... guns, Guns, and GUNS, the better to shoot their new neighbors with.

Like the 'Mericans who moved North when Rocket Ronnie Reagan was elected POTUS. Fantasy island , especially around Sooke and Coombs got most of the most visible relocators, but of course, MALCOLM Island and Sointula also got their share. A gun show at Duncan or Parksville or Courtney or Campbell River, were great places to meet these types. And meet them I did, and sold them guns!

Given that SOINTULA was initially founded as one of the first modern "SELF SUFFICIENT/ Prepper" communities in North America, it is an interesting closed loop/small community socio/economic dynamic to study.

Don't get the wrong idea ... some of my firearms customers were working professionals, SWAT, military, secret squirrels, etc who actually NEEDED the best equipment available to do their day to day jobs. But the vast majority were ... not so professional? And with these people, internet opinions, gun magazines , mis-information, and fads guided their purchase planning. A big part of my job was educating people into selecting what they really NEEDED, not necessarily what Dirty Harry showed them in the movies.

I had many new people, just starting out in IpSC, telling me they wanted a 1911 Govt model, " with all the bells and whistles". I tried to tell them to get a .45 with a basic reliability package, and with the $$$ saved, buy a case of ammo. Then when the ammo was gone, and after shooting a few matches, come back and tell me what you really need.

Very few people took this advice. They were confused between equipment and experience. An experienced craftsman can do a good job with whatever tools he has on hand. The best guitar in the world will not instantly make you into a rock star. And the best firearm in the world won't make you into a gun fighter.

Simple facts of life in the real world.
So it is written,
so it shall be.

These are just my personal opinions based on my personal experience.
YPMMV
LAZ 1


   
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