T.E.D. (Ted) Wright
Ted, if he is still around is about 100 years old. He has dowsed more wells in the Okanagan than anyone else. His technique is unusual in that he holds one arm in front and the other behind with both hands open, palms down. He dowses the underground streams walking with the direction of the water flow. After a few minutes he can tell how many gallons per minute, depth and purity. He is correct more than 90% of the time.
Last time I saw him he was climbing into his old pick up in Enderby. He was headed home to Ashton Creek ten minutes to the east on Mable Lake Road. He was in his mid 90s and still locating wells. He had just finish having coffee with his friends. A few weeks earlier he showed me his workshop behind his house where is able to make bobbers, springy dowsing tools, on an ancient metal lathe. He used to own Wright’s Machine Shop in Revelstoke and took the old equipment when his son bought the business. He also took the old steam engines he salvaged from the paddle wheelers. The engines are mounted on cement and steel ready to run. He has four or five engines of the historical paddle wheelers. His workshop should be a provincial museum. It may become one in the future.
The bobbers have a quality about them. They are made by a dowser who is also a machinist. The fit and finish of the metal is perfect. The wooden handles are expertly lathed. The bobber point is lathed brass. Raymon Grace ordered many bobbers from Ted.