Natural Pearls from Western Canada

Natural Pearls from Western Canada

For the past two years, I've been busy at the farm and other new experimental areas here in Tofino. I have added quite a few new naturals to my collection and currently producing a run of both nucleated and non-nucleated cultures.

Since returning to Lagoon Island, I built a floating lab for the farm. I've also expanded my research and collection areas in several regions of the Sound. One site is near the old community of Clayoquot on Stubb's Island. This is the location where Ed Ricketts did most of his collection work during the late 40's. Interestingly enough, Ed had little or no reverence for pearls. While no one can dispute Ricketts influence on Steinbeck during their voyage to Mexico as chronicled in the "Log from the Sea of Cortez", Ricketts was aghast at the plight of the environment from the crass commercialism of over-fishing and industrialization of our oceans. When Steinbeck returned to La Paz to author "The Pearl", Ricketts would have none of it, choosing to return to Clayoquot instead. It was was only after the book was done, when Steinbeck agreed to join Ricketts to finish creating "The Outer Shores", but tragically met with his death one week previous to departure. While I would never put myself at Rickett's level of knowledge, I am picking up where he left off, by retracing his footsteps from his notes and documenting the critters which had him so focused.

I'm running a few production experiments, using a variety of techniques both known and new. Only time will tell whether these will be successful, viable and marketable pearls, but needless to say I'm enjoying good survival rates in the meantime and likewise the level of co-operation from government, regulators and scientific peers. My work has not gone un-noticed by important institutions as our province's universities and particularily the Department of Palentology at the University of Granada, Spain. (Checa, Cartwright, Vasiliu et al.) According to SEM (electron microscopy) I'm happy to report, my pearls are indeed highly nacreous with terraced aragonite comparable to some of the finest pearls from other parts of the world. The ability to work with wild stocks as opposed to rearing my own is indeed a priviledge not enjoyed by most of the world's farmers.

Again Kari, thank you for your expansive knowledge of pearls and information packed website.

Kind regards,

Dave

See Dave's rare octopus pearl.

See a photo of Dave's vast natural pearl collection.

Read about Dave Le Blanc and his pearl experiments here.