Invaders

Sunshine Coast

Intrusion, invasion, attack and violation. Under the cover of darkness they creep over the gunnels and crawl into the bowels of The Audrey Eleanor. It is apparent that they have settled in and been onboard for possibly months. Access was gained on the aft deck, sneaking into holes that were gnawed through the walls. A tarp hid them from daylight and possible discovery. Once entry was gained into the hold they proceeded to chew through the interior walls of the house and to slither into every aspect of our lives on board our beloved boat. By the time we arrived for our summer get away, this was their home, we were the intruders and they possessed the Audrey Eleanor.

Rats! I have never had the misfortune to set eyes on this type of vermin. We don’t have the plaguy miscreants in the north. My knowledge of rats, were of spring hunts in the Northwest Territories. The villages evacuated for weeks in early spring as everyone headed out in search of fresh muskrat meat and hides. Rat canoes were constructed specifically for rat hunting. Sometimes built of little more than canvas over large willow ribbing, these topless kayaks were only large enough for the one person who paddled quietly through the willows looking for “rats”.