The 2010 photo gallery is full of images from the summer, but here are a few more from the BC Broughton Archipelago / Johnston Strait area

Yes, there are still lots of Orca in the Broughton Archipelago in particular and we had sightings in all our areas this summer. Check out the photo gallery for 2010. I had to throw one shot in here for “the record”.

Besides acting imperially as the skipper I do lend the “occasional” hand to domestic tasks around the vessel. I am also known to polish, wipe, sweep, dry, clean and (fuss) over “stuff” sometimes . . .

Below is a great photo. As you might have picked up by now, the Columbia III is a very special boat on the BC coast and many people’s lives have been touch by her; and many of our guests claim it is still happening every tour each summer still! But I need to set the scene for this photo, so I will back up a bit here. Because of the historic nature of our mothership we have two different books aboard that trace the history of the Columbia III. We also have a few photos taken from the BC Archives with select scenes of the Columbia III. One I am very fond of is also in the history section of this website, and it shows the bow of the Columbia III crowded with people. It appears to be a christening ceremony and there must be 18 people on the front deck. I like the photo because it reminds me of how many souls have crossed these decks. This photo also hangs in a place of honour in the main salon of the boat. . . . So, one tour this summer a silver haired woman strides aboard at the start of the tour and declares that her father use to be the skipper on the Columbia and she was the deckhand for one summer when she was 18! 50 years or so before! She even opened one of our reference books and pointed to a wonderful picture of her working at “my” chart table!. And then she exclaimed, “Why there is a picture of me!” and she pointed to the picture on the wall and to her in particular. I had to record this moment!

Thank goodness for the modern GPS. Here a guest caught me trying to figure out where I am. (Not!)

Our youngest daughter drew us some great maps of the areas we paddle. Here a group is updating their travels . . . “dots for travel by kayak, dashes for travel by mothership . . . now where did we see the dolphins? . . . ah, by that little group for islands . . . “

Fern and I have been together forever, but I still like good photos of her and she still vetoes most of them. I’m slipping this one in here because she might not notice.

On the mothership, all kinds of things can happen . . . good things! Like spontaneous singing, charades games, puppeteering, dancing, music concerts, all manner of games, nice practical jokes (only to the deserving!) celebration cakes and then there is always something new . . well it seems to always be new in the best way, but this summer one group brought their own scavenger hunt that included many zany items. Here is one item . . . an obligatory photo of your team with the skipper!