Lazo Log
F A L L / W I N T E R
SPECIAL
POINTS OF INTEREST:
 Stories by the
Pool
 Cruise to Princess
Louisa Inlet
 Member’s Profile
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Cruise to Princess Louisa Inlet
2
Spring Training 3
Notes from
VIND
4
Events
5
Member’s Pro- 6
file
Dine & Learn
8
Discounts
9
E D I T I O N
Stories by the Pool
in. He, his wife and grandchild
were on board and they were
already wearing their lifejackets
before trouble occurred. As he
put it, “if something is going to
happen, prime times are when
getting ready to set out or upon
ending a trip.” His standard
practice is to have everyone in
lifejackets when starting out and
docking/mooring. He always
kept a sharp knife close at hand
and used it to cut the mooring
line, which stopped some of the
swamping action. The stern
however was already
so full of water that the
Tom had years of expe- The mooring wave action continued
rience on the water,
to splash over the tranhaving owned some 20 line … fouled a som and quickly surboats in his lifetime,
rounded them. The
prop and
and sailed each coast
engines were almost
of North American and
entirely submerged
pulled the stern
West Mexico. His preand with half of the
vious experience was
under water. boat flooded, there
not without incident as
was no chance of using
he recalled having enthe engines. They
gine challenges and sail probneeded help.
lems on one southern voyage.
He knew the risks and carried all He remembered seeing a friend’s
boat about a mile away so he
the right gear to ensure he and
his loved one’s were reasonably reached for the flare gun, loaded
well protected – lifejackets with it with flares and started firing.
strobes, an Emergency Personal There was no visible response.
He grabbed the radio and raised
Locator Beacon (EPRB), VHF
radio, flares, signalling mirror, … the other boat only to hear that
his friend had seen the flares,
he rattled off an impressive list
but thought they were just firing
as I made a mental note to add
them off for fun. With the boat
some of his things to my list.
sinking away beneath them, they
When the swamping occurred,
were already exposed to the icy
experience and instinct kicked
While vacationing in Arizona this
fall, I happened to connect with
a fellow boater one afternoon by
the pool. Tom is from Alaska
and when we got to the subject
of boating, he started the conversation off by saying he recently swamped his aluminum
boat out in the Gulf of Alaska
when trying to unhook himself
from a mooring buoy. The
mooring line found its way to
the stern, fouled a prop and
pulled the stern under water.
Within seconds, he
was in trouble.
D E C E M B E R
2 0 1 4
By: Ian Mactaggart
gulf waters. Even though their
rescue boat was minutes away,
it seemed like forever as the
cold started to hit them. They
huddled together in the water
for about 10 minutes before his
friend arrived and pulled them
aboard. Since it was an otherwise decent day for weather,
they quickly recovered from the
cold and avoided the effects of
hypothermia.
Tom knew this could have ended a lot worse and the incident
gave him good reason to reflect.
Once again, it does not matter
how well prepared we are things can turn in a moment.
Ensuring everyone’s safety
starts with having the right kit
on board and at least thinking
about the unexpected. Having
the sharp knife close at hand
when dealing with mooring
lines struck me as a great thing
to have handy. In this case, it
did not save the day, but it
slowed down the swamping
action and gave them some
time to call for help. As for the
friend who did not respond to
the flares, there are two things
obvious to me here: first, the
danger in discharging flares for
fun is against the law and is just
clearly not on when operating
on the water; and second if we
see flares, we must respond
accordingly. As in this case,
every minute counts when people are in the water.
PAGE
2
Entries from the Log — Cruise to Princess Louisa Inlet
By: Jack Cryderman
Clockwise from above: Wharf at Princess Louisa Inlet; the
all too true Caution Sign marking the trail; Jack leading the
way; Upper Falls; and Chatterbox Falls
LAZO
LOG
FALL/WINTER
EDITION
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TRAINING AND OTHER THINGS
New Courses
Next Year
The decision was made to split the Boating Essentials course into two while
at the same time adjusting the content of each to offer shorter courses and
provide more options on content to interested students. The courses will be
called Beyond the PCOC — Boating 2 and Navigation and Skipper’s Responsibilities — Boating 3. Our Squadron will trial run these courses starting in
February (see “Boating Essentials” below for details)
Spring 2015 Safe Boating (PCOC) — Starts January 6th, 7pm at Mark Isfeld
School, Courtenay. Cost $80
Spring 2015 Seamanship — Starts January 13th and runs until April 28th (no classes
during Spring Break). Cost $180 Call or email Jack Cryderman 250-339-4014 / [email protected]
Spring 2015 Boating Essentials (see note — Starts February 3rd, 7pm at
Mark Isfeld School, Courtenay and runs until April 21st including exams.
Topics include magnetic compass, global positioning and charts, navigation,
conning, plotting, anchoring, lines/ropes/knots, boat handling and more …
like great tips from instructors on keeping things in a good place on the water. Total Cost $250 Call or email Barb Hammer 250-339-2333 / [email protected]
Spring VHF Restricted Operator’s Certificate — Course is fully booked;
next course to start April 28th, 2015. Details to follow.
To register for courses, (Cntl + Click Here), Select “Courtenay” and “Register” for the
course of your choice.
Have a boat or nautical things for sale?
Send the details including contact information to [email protected]; we’ll post it
in the next edition … and you’ll help me reduce white space — it’s boring!
3
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4
Notes from the CPS-ECP National
AGM & Conference in Quebec
Our 2014 national conference
was not just another typical
event. This one represented a
cornerstone in CPS-ECP history
as we participated in steering
our organization in a new direction. Much of this is in response to new Customs and
Revenue Agency (CRA) rules for
Not-for-profit Corporations
(NFP), and recognizing that
streamlining the organization
will provide both monetary and
functional benefits that we
must take advantage of.
Much time at this Conference
was taken up with the changes
to CPS-ECP governing structure
and how this will affect the
relationship between the National and the District organizations. Since the AGM, the Governing Board was dissolved and
replaced with a Board of Directors. Under the new legislation, Directors of NFPs such as
CPS-ECP, must be elected by
members and District Commanders cannot be Directors
by virtue of their position.
Directors have got to have specific responsibilities such as
Education, Finance etc. Furthermore, District Command-
LAZO
LOG
ers will only attend the AGM
in person. All other
meetings will be held electronically and, as you know,
with the price of air fares
and hotels, this will save a
considerable amount of
money. Group “webinars”
for all District Commanders
are planned for the end of
January/early February prior
to the next National Board
meeting in April.
Headquarters purchased a
Boating Skills Virtual Trainer
that can be requested by
Districts and Squadrons for
use in demonstrations and
teaching. It was on show at
at the Conference; having
seen it in action, it will be a
fun and educational tool.
The National Educational
Officer and Executive Director has set up the policy and
availability schedule. While
it is currently booked right
through to next summer,
with priority on “Big Boat
Shows,” we have started
work to set up a visit to the
Island. The shipping costs
are such that we hope to
share between several
By: Peter Bolton,
DC VIND
squadrons or perhaps with
Vancouver Island South District .
Policy manuals for each
squadron are still a work in
progress; they need to be
finished as soon as possible
and after approval by our
Squadron Bridge, have to be
submitted to Chair of Rules,
Mr. Dave Peebles. This submission is only to confirm
that no conflict exists between national’s rules and
our’s, which are for local
interests.
CPS’ web based access system (WBAS) is being upgraded with new capabilities and
(hopefully) a more user
friendly interface; completion is planned for early next
year. If members have any
helpful comments or suggestions, please send them to
Daphne and she will pass
them on to the IT King, Mr.
Yves Dauphenais.
FALL/WINTER
EDITION
Any Excuse for a Party
PAGE
By: Diane Bolton
Christmas preparations started early
this year when Peter and I joined members of Nanaimo and Cowichan Sqns at
Thetis Island (Telegraph Harbour) in mid
-June for Nanaimo Sqns 20th Annual
Half Way to Christmas Event.
After supper, as we were returning to
the boat, someone not connected to
our group could not believe his eyes so
he insisted on a photograph of Boddington with antlers! No telling what he
would have done had he seen Santa and
his elf along with boats decorated for
the occasion.
Prize for the best decorated boat went
to Nanaimo Sqn.
Where to Find
Cruise Information
Cruise Info:
www.salishseapilot.com
Tide Info:
www.waterlevels.gc.ca
List of Lights, Buoys and Fog
Signals, Notice to Mariners
(NOTMAR) and Chart Updates: www.notmar .gc.ca
Hiking Trails for Boaters
www.cryc.ca/trails/
hiking_trails.html
Upcoming Event
2014 Fall Boating Essentials Graduation /
Christmas Party
Saturday, December 20th
Cocktails 6 p.m.; Dinner at 7 p.m.
Location: Glacier Greens Golf Course Clubhouse
Dress: Casual
Price: $25 per person (Free for Fall Boating Essentials Students)
RSVP by December 15th to Rosemarie Saunders at : 250-335-0290
5
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6
Member’s Profile: Harry Nixon
dian Mounted Police (RCMP)
and served in various posts
across Canada, including a
tour at RCMP Headquarters
in Ottawa. He spent most of
his career in the Yukon and
achieved the rank of Chief
Superintendent, with his
final post before retirement
being Commander of “M”
Division in Whitehorse.
… “They
always got
their moose!”...
I first met Harry and Hazel
Nixon many years ago when
they were neighbours of my
parents at Craigdarroch
Beach. I recall my father
talking about joining Harry
on his boat for the odd fishing excursion or short cruise.
There was always a story to
tell so it was a pleasure to
reconnect with Harry recently and to hear him reflect on
his past.
Harry’s post school life started in the Army in 1944 and
following the war, he returned to school and graduated from Fredericton Business College in 1948. He
then joined the Royal Cana-
LAZO
LOG
During his time with the
RCMP in the Yukon, he first
learned of the Canadian
Power and Sail Squadron
(CPS) when he was asked to
invigilate their exams. That
introduction in 1978
sparked his interest so he
joined immediately, became
active with CPS in Whitehorse and took the Basic
Boating Course shortly after.
He owned an 18 foot powerboat and explored a wide
range of lakes and rivers in
the North. Hunting and fishing were his primary interests with trout, grayling,
ducks, geese and moose
being the targets, and Harry
remarked in true RCMP
fashion, “They always got
their moose!”
One excursion took them to
Dawson City - a week long
boat trip on the Yukon River.
On another trip, they had to
tie up at a farm when they
threw a prop, and walked
considerable distance for
help. Breakdowns were
common on the lakes and
By:
Ian Mactaggart
rivers making a backup motor essential. They would
often boat in groups; a
friend’s boat hit a rock pile
and took off its skeg on a
lake near Whitehorse.
What should have been a
day trip turned into an allnighter only to arrive home
at 0800 hours the next
morning. Harry thought he
would be arriving home to
an anxious Hazel, but she
knew Harry’s time in the
north had prepared him for
the unexpected and she
had nothing to worry
about.
Living and boating in the
north was an adventure,
but it was different when
he and Hazel retired to the
Valley in 83. He transferred
his membership from
Whitehorse to Cape Lazo
and bought a 24 foot Campion complete with cabin
and flying bridge. He recognized the differences in
environment from what he
was used to and added to
his training by taking the
VHF radio and Seamanship
courses. He served as the
Entertainment Officer for
five years and has been the
North Port Captain for over
twenty years. He proudly
recalls flying the Canadian,
CPS, and Cape Lazo Sqn.
flags on each outing.
His excursions took him
from Horseshoe Bay to as >
FALL/WINTER
EDITION
PAGE
Harry Nixon (cont)
way, the winds became high
far north as Port Hardy, with a
and seas rough. Not far off
most memorable experience
was a cruise ship and they
associated with the Commonsteered well clear. They fueled
wealth Games in 1994 (see story
at Lund and headed across
inset). Bringing his experience
the Straight and upon apfrom the North, he learned to
proaching Flora Islet off Horncarry a spare prop and although
by Island, they were forced to
he no longer has his boat, he
negotiate the ever increasing
still has one or two props in his
rough water at a slower pace
storage locker, maybe as reand concentrate on
minders of the signifikeeping the boat
cance they once had. For
stable. The cruise
instance, he recalled the
ship, spotted earlier,
time when he hosted his
cousin from New BrunsIt passed so suddenly reappeared
bearing down on
wick. As they approached
close,
“it
scared
them giving him no
his dock space at Deep
time to manoeuvre
Bay, after a day on the
us to pieces.” to safety. It passed
water, the prop spun off
so close that it
just as he threw the en“scared us to pieces.”
gine into reverse. They
Harry figures the ship
hit the dock rather hard,
was forced to turn about due
but still managed to grab it and
to the conditions they would
tie up. The water was too deep
have faced through the narto see anything so he slapped
rows to the north, but he was
on the spare prop, to be ready
never quite sure. In any case,
for the next trip, and called it a
he came away with the conday. Some months later, he
clusion that keeping a sharp
found his lost prop in a fuel stalookout isn’t always enough
tion nearby. Someone had snoron the coast; the big vessels
keled around his boat, noticed
don’t always see the smaller
the prop and turned it in at the
ones, particularly in rough
station. Good reason to call this
seas.
one a keeper, right?
Harry continued to use his boat
for fishing on the coast, mostly
for salmon and halibut, while
enjoying cruises to such locations as Desolation Sound. Every time he went out, there was
always something new. On one
particular trip, he and his crew
followed safe boating protocol
by checking the weather regularly. When alerted to forecasted high winds, they made their
way to Lund for gas. On the
Even though Harry’s daughters convinced him to recently
donate his boat, Harry recalls
his experiences like they happened yesterday. He has
learned much about boating
over the years and has enjoyed volunteering as a member for over 36 years. In 2010
he received a Commander’s
Citation from Diane Bolton for
his contribution to Cape Lazo
Sqn. Congratulations Harry
and thank you!
One Special Memory
In 1994, Harry volunteered a week
of his vessel and time to escort 23
First Nations war canoes to Victoria
to commemorate the opening of
the XV Commonwealth Games.
The trek started in Horseshoe Bay,
headed north along the coast and
turned at Port Hardy before heading south towards the Capital. He
and two other Cape Lazo vessels
joined the fleet at Comox and continued to pick up more canoes
along the way. They spent two
nights in Duncan before the final
run around the south of the Island
to Victoria.
Harry’s boat, while being an escort,
was also a place for the canoers to
rest while en route; they needed to
take regular breaks, switching with
other paddlers (or “pullers” as they
called them), given the distance
they had to cover each day. Keeping his boat clean was a chore considering the number of people that
used his cabin daily. They were
also his crew while on board.
Each stop along the way was met
with ceremony even before they
landed. Greeters donned full native regalia and the events featured
a variety of singing, dancing and
great feasts. Canoes in some cases
held 15 pullers, so the banquets
numbered over a hundred towards
the end of the trek. Upon arriving
in Victoria, Harry and his boat escorted the flotilla right into the Inner Harbour where he was able to
witness the opening ceremony.
What an amazing memory.
7
FALL/WINTER
EDITION
PAGE
Living off the Land/Water … With a Bucket, Burner and Pop Bottles
Our Dine and Learn evenings, at the Whitespot restaurant in Courtenay, feature
great topics and speakers.
We have heard from authors,
local agencies (St. John Ambulance, Coast Guard and
RCMP), and a number of
businesses. Our latest event
highlighted our own Bridge
Commander Daphne Stuart
and her son Aidan, who
stepped up on short notice
to share their three years of
summer boating adventures
on our west coast. These
were by no means typical
outings – Daphne was asked
earlier this year to speak at
the Vancouver Boat show on
the same topic, which is a
testament to the significance
of her excursions.
author and her children followed some
years earlier. They ventured out onto Pacific
waters for several
weeks over three summers in an 18 footer
powered by a single
outboard engine, having only a small cuddy
Dine and Learn evenings are popular as depicted;
cabin as shelter
several members enjoying the meal, each other’s
(without the luxury of
company, and the guest speakers
a water tank, stove or
In addition to us enjoying
head). Many of us might ask,
Daphne and Aidan relate their
“…what was she thinking?!?”
experiences, it was uplifting to
But when we pause to reflect
hear of help so willingly given
on what our forebearers have
by strangers. There are aldone for centuries (without
ways challenges along the
the benefit of CPS courses,
way. To have a hand, in the
which Daphne and Aidan had),
middle of nowhere, with a
maybe it wasn’t such a leap
rough running motor, or to
after all. The necessities of life
receive a gift of some much
were covered in part with a
needed fuel, didn’t just rebucket, a burner with a small
Having read The Curve of
solve the moments of tensepropane tank, and “water from
Time, authored by M. Wylie
ness. It also left them with
lots of pop bottles.”
Blanchet, Daphne felt comwonderful feeling about our
pelled to step outside of her
Daphne, Aidan and Liam have
west coast people.
comfort zone and recreate
cruised as far south as Sidney
These experiences will live on
some of the journey that the
and as far north as the Broughwith Daphne and her children
ton’s, visiting every possiforever and hearing about
ble place of interest in
these experiences reminds us
between. They toured a
of the value of our CPS memlogging operation and
bership. Join us for the next
witnessed the beauty of
Dine and Learn held the third
the west coast while
Wednesday of every month
meeting some of its inexcept December. PS – don’t
teresting and engaging
try this without taking at least
inhabitants, such as authe next course beyond the
thor (and Dine & Learn
PCOC. (See you at the next
speaker) Yvonne Maximone, January 21st, 2015)
chuck and museum operLiam and Daphne Stuart relate their experiences
ator and author Bill Procfrom three summers of boating on the west coast
tor.
LAZO
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9
Local Discounts
Please show your CPS membership card for discounts
Wills Marine Supply: #103-1797 Comox Ave., Comox 250-941-7373 10%
Discount
Lazo Log
CAPE LAZO
Lordco Auto Parts: #74 – 2401 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay 250-338-6266 Discount
varies depending on part
SQUADRON
Harbour Chandler Limited: 52 Esplanade, Nanaimo 250-753-2425 10% Discount
Box 213
Ocean Pacific Marine Supply: 871A Island Highway, Campbell River 250-2861011 10% Discount
Dolphin Insurance: 1-800-460-0619 (Ask for Sean Thompson); mention CPS
member to receive Discount. The more courses taken, the bigger the discount
#3-2401 Cliffe Ave
Courtenay, BC V9N 2L5
E-mail: [email protected]
Tyee Marine: 870 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay 250-334-2942 10% Discount
Industrial Plastics & Paint: 2-2946 Kilpatrick, Courtenay 250-334-2886 10%
Discount
Eldorado Upholstery: 4877 Island Hwy North, Courtenay, 250-338-8615.
Discount applies to Materials: Members - 10%; Instructors -15%.
Please submit your stories,
adventures, lessons learned, etc.
to
[email protected]
for inclusion in
future newsletters.
LAZO
LOG
Our Website
www.capelazocps.ca