5th Annual Christmas Tea and Cruise

We seem to have started a new tradition in Campbell River BC, the town nearest our island home. Originally we ran the tours at Christmas to allow the many old timers in the area that know and love the Columbia III but realistically aren’t going to join one of our tours. For some it is admittedly too expensive or outside their mobility. Many are quite elderly. But still they do love the boat and the chance at a ride aboard “the old girl”is not to be missed. We started out running 2 tours on a Saturday 5 years ago, but we had to expand to Saturday and Sunday. And still we turn down the reservations by the dozens! You have to be quick to get a spot on the much coveted cruise. We charge $10 per per person by donation. If you don’t have the money, we don’t ask, and everyone seems to appreciate the Christmas thought. Fern and the kids make a MOUNTAIN of homemade cookies for the weekend. I wanted to make a giant batch of chocolate chip cookies for simplicity, but no, there were some very fancy and time consuming Christmas treats made. The candy canes were two types of dough rolled together. I know this is a classic wooden heritage vessel and she is high maintenance, but even the cookies are a lot of work!


Brian and Ann are coastal mariners but they drove the 3 1/2 hours up island to join the 2 hour cruise.

And here is Rick of Rick and Carolyn. They drove 4 1/2 hours(!) just to travel with us again. They had been with us in September in the BC Great Bear Rainforest but they wanted to be on the Columbia III again. It was great to see them. It was a present for us.


I am going to submit this shot below to Transport Canada. They keep a close eye on our operations to ensure everything and everyone is “up to snuff’. So I thought I would reassure them that I am “Training for the future”. This little guy was glued to the wheel! His eyes were as big a saucers, even if Tavish had to nudge the wheel a little left or right. He wasn’t quite strong enough to steer unassisted but he could sure hang on.

Finally home, and winding down and working!

The Columbia III left the dock in front of our house in late May and finally returned about the 20th of October. Home safe: all guests safe and satisfied, all crew safe, the Columbia III safe. Thank-you.

The final trip south to our home was storm plagued and we waited 7 days in one harbour waiting for the winds to abate. There is one prominent headland that we must round and 5 meter seas and heavy swells just don’t work. When we do make it home we have to demobilize the ship for the winter and just in time our friends on the Coastal Messenger pulled into the bay. They are very good sports and all were willing to help us carry loads up to the house and give the ship a final scrub and vacuum.


Of course, as soon as we settle in there is lots to do. We hammered out the details for our 2011 season and mailed out the information to our guest list. And there is no time like the present to get a start on the winter maintenance. We removed the anchor winch for maintenance and upgrade. Here Luke is welding a new base on the winch. I have added a new, much heavier 1/2″ stainless steel cable for the “rode”. This will let me sleep more easily next summer.

And then our first heavy snowfall of the winter. I can never resist the opportunity to take a few shots of the boat. I must put one on the bulletin board next summer.

Great Bear Rainforest 2010

What a great start to our Great Bear Rainforest Season! There was a humpback whale feeding in harbour! and it spent the whole day lunging for food. Over and over and over. It was a wildlife photographers dream.
And the GBR just kept putting wildlife in our way for all our tours. As crew, we get just as excited as the guests! This stuff never gets “old”.


Tara’s family has joined us twice in the BC Great Bear Rainforest and once to the Broughton Archipelago.


Two sisters and a daughter. 3 times guests!


Scott from the USA has joined us in the Great Bear for four 9 night tours over 5 years!


Damien Gillis is carving himself quite a name as a political documentarian. We were honoured to have him aboard. And yes, he does have a golden voice. Below is a “still photo” from a great opportunity that arose for Damien. The group happened upon a grizzly feeding on crab apples and Damien set up his tripod to record the action. Well, great shots are not to be missed, even if the tide is coming in. And in, and in. Until Damien was waist deep! (no chest waders) but the camera kept rolling!

Lead Guide Luke Hyatt. here in his element. Luke is a walking encyclopedia for the natural world. He reads and reads and even remembers it all. He and Miray have also perfected the technique for taking great shots of the spectacular nudibrachs that they have keen eyes to find.


We don’t need much prompting to make a great day an extra celebration. Here is a wedding anniversary. Congratulations Rick and Carolyn!!

And a final whale’s tail good-bye to the GBR for another season. With out a jest, we now have reservations for 2011,2012, and a ‘HOLD” FOR 2013!! Some folks really plan ahead!