BOATING ACCIDENT

This police boat patrols the harbour here on a regular basis, and goes up and down the Gorge Waterway. Last night just after dark it (and the Coast Guard Auxiliary inflatable) went flying by our marina with lights flashing and siren blaring, so I knew something was going on up the Gorge.

This morning the story is in the paper ... www.timescolonist.com/rescued+found+dead+boating+accident+Gorge+Waterway/2273330/story.html .

Don't know for sure, but I have a hunch these folks were occupants of a live-aboard boat anchored off Bamfield Park -- we saw them lots in the summer when we were going by there in our dinghy. They were in their dinghy last night when this accident happened, so I can't help but think they were probably returning to their anchored boat when they capsized.

This kind of thing happens here on the Island once or twice a year, and it's always so sad -- first of all, because it's a terrible tragedy no matter what the circumstances, but also because live-aboards all get painted with the same brush when there's news like this. The only difference, sometimes, between 'us' and 'them' is that we're lucky enough to live tied up to a nice dock in a marina. Lots of folks who choose the live-aboard lifestyle can't afford the dock fees (or the insurance that most marinas require now), so they choose to anchor out instead. It's always riskier, especially if there's alcohol involved -- but, like I said, a tragedy nonetheless. I'll post again if I hear any more news about it...

Meanwhile, I'm reading an old hardback book I found in a second-hand store earlier this week:

What a find this was! It was published in 1990 (I regret to add that that was 20 years ago, now, folks...) and it's a delightful history that I never knew existed, with illustrations (in black and white). The author is Shirley Scott, who now lives in St. John's, Newfoundland. From anecdotes about the first knitters in Canada (think: 1000A.D.) to the story of Mary Maxim to an overview of Canadian commercial yarn producers, this book is a great read -- and I paid $3.99 for what appears to be a collector's edition!