We run a wide variety of BC cruising tours during the summer and rather than listing each one by artist or tour leader or date I thought I would just throw in a smattering of photos of folks having fun on the Columbia III. Some are scenery but most are just people shots and “stuff” that happens on our tours. These are in no particular order but just here for fun.

One famous British Columbian came along to explore Bute Inlet. Vicky Husband is well known for her environmental activism and it was easy to see how she accomplishes so much in her life.

We took one tour up Bute Inlet this year. This is literally just out our family’s back door, but it was our first tour here with Mothership Adventures. Even our daughter/guide who has been up Bute numerous times couldn’t put her camera away.

Alison Watt has joined us for several artist’s workshops and it is always fun to eavesdrop on her teaching sessions.

When we stopped at Billy Proctors for the first time this spring, our daughter, Farlyn, just had to investigate Billy’s winter project. He had built a replica of a cedar shack loggers cabin.

Boomer Jerritt came along again to teach photography. He is certainly our best “teacher”. He is organized and focused (sorry for the pun), informative and always lots of fun. It is great to see the same world through each individual participants camera “eye”.

Ok! Ok! I love this picture as it really tells a great story about our tours. This is a photo of our ship’s chart table in the wheelhouse (I hope Transport Canada isn’t looking too hard) But look closely here and read between the lines. There are 3 pairs of binoculars, so we have had lots of cool scenery and wildlife to look at. There is the Mothership Adventures big camera, so that is a sure sign that some GREAT wildlife has been close at hand. There is a surprise birthday cake ready for lighting for an unsuspecting guest . . . so it must be dinner time and the guests are enjoying a gourmet dinner and dessert is coming soon complete with a rousing round of “Happy Birthday”. There is a card with a picture of the Columbia III which we have secretly got all guests and crew except the birthday boy(girl) to sign. AND there is the killer whale identification catalogue open so the guides can confirm which whales they have just seen . .. which answers the question about why the big camera and telephoto lens are out . . . AND there is the marine chart below and my log book open from the last entry . . ” 18:08 Anchored in quiet bay, great sunset. a seal is curious just out the wheel house door,”

Jeanette is happiest poking about in the bushes looking for historical treasures!

Now that is a great dinner table view! And as the boat swings on the anchor it is constantly evolving, revolving. And different every meal, every day.

I usually remain aboard the Columbia III to move the boat to a new spot, to monitor the vessel as she lays at anchor (an arduous task!) and to work terribly hard (napping?!) but my wife, Fern claims her job is by far the most onerous . . . a guest snapped this photo to reveal the truth!

Jeanette is our long time friend and tour leader par excellence but really she does get this fiendish smile when she is looking at pictographs . . . you should see her when she finds a new one!!

Scott runs Alexandra Morton’s field station near Echo Bay and we have gotten to know her a little bit. But it is really easy to pick out her skiff as she swings past to give us a wave.

On our First Nations cultural cruise, we visited a remote settlement with a stunning bighouse. The chief and his family gave us a rare dance performance with several generations participating. We were all spell bound and deeply honoured that they would share with us in such a dramatic and intimate way. We were so lucky!!

. . . . and further to the hard working Mothership Adventures team member . . . my wife joins the “Shoreside Jumpers” skipping team. From all accounts, Fern is still championship material.

I have said it before, but we sand, we paint, we varnish, we order food and supplies, we polish and clean and upgrade and improve. We are inspected and measured (well the boat is!) and approved and improved. We answer emails and phone calls and letters and post cards . . . and FINALLY we get to put away all the tools, polish one last time, stow the final bits of clothes and personal effects and YAHOO!!! leave the dock at home to gather up our first group of guests for the season. I think we are as excited as our guests! Of course, some are returning to join us again, old friends now, and some are new faces. Its fun to meet the first fresh faces of the year and to show off all our hard work. This year we were especially lucky to have the painter, Robert Genn, join us for a painting workshop. Robert has owned several large and beautiful vessels and I was anxious that he would find our COLUMBIA III up to snuff. But all was well. Robert liked the boat and the paintings were abundant by all participants. It is always a marvel to watch a Master at work and catch a glimpse as his paintings unfold.

Here are a few photos from this tour. The weather was a little wet, but the group made good use of the covered aft deck.

Each student and instructor! added a small painting to our guest book and Robert wrote, “Ross, Fern and Miray, Thank-you so much for the privilege of traveling on your precious vessel.”

We decided to run our annual “Christmas Tea and Cruise” again this year, our fourth. What we didn’t anticipate was the response. Due to a Transport Canada limitation, we are allowed to carry 22 passengers and we thought 2 cruises would be enough to satisfy demand. So we let a couple of local radio stations and newspapers know about the event and we waited. But not very long! The first two tours sold out very quickly and so we thought we might run a third tour .. . . but then that one filled too and then we filled a fourth tour! But the phone didn’t stop ringing. In one day we had 18 requests for groups from 2 to 10 . . . we eventually had a hundred people on the waiting list.

We had all kinds of people join us, young and old, local and new to Campbell River, and some who remember, as children, the Columbia coming into their bay carrying Christmas gifts 50 and 70 years ago. Fern made tons of homemade short breads, ginger snaps in the shapes of holly and cookies decorated for Christmas. We had liters of cream on hand and caldrons of tea and coffee . . . . well, maybe not CALDRONS but you get the idea. The weather stayed dry and the wind calm and we even had White-sided dolphins join one group.

The response was so great we will have to think hard what we will do next year . . . how does a “Sing-a-long Caroling Cruise sound??



And everyone wanted a photo of the mast head Christmas tree and its lights as they left.