Category: Columbia III

Several years ago a couple from the Netherlands chartered us for a wedding shower for their daughter. (Somewhere back in this blog is a gal dressed in traditional Dutch attire!). Well, Dad actually operates tour boats on the canals of Holland and Rene fell in love with the Columbia III. . . . which seems perfectly natural to me. But over the last year or so, Rene has been working hard! He utilized the plans on our website supplied by Robert Allan Limited and began his project. Over the months we have had updates and the new, new version of the Columbia III now sails in Europe! Rene seems to have not only good taste in vessels but great wood working skills as well! Thanks for the photos, Rene & Carla!








Holy!! Look at the bright work!




Now we need some miniature remote controlled killer whales!

Category: Family

We love the Columbia III, we love the BC Coast and we thrive on all the great people we meet during the summer, but after the boat has been gone from home for 41/2 to 5 months is does feel wonderful to be home again. Home, and all our guests happy, the season safely over. There are ALOT of pieces to this mothership puzzle, ordering food, preparing the boat, caring for guests and safely husbanding visitors from around the world through an adventure that many say in life-altering. When we finally tie to our home dock I can sleep all night! and not get up 2-3 times to check the anchor, to check the battery bank, to check the weather . . . Home again safely, and with thanks.

We strip the boat each fall, all the books and mattresses and bedding comes off and are stored in our home. It takes a while! The kayaks come off the roof and are stored under cover.


Lifejackets placed in dry storage, the cupboards cleared, cleaned and supplies inventoried.

the galley is scrubbed top to bottom,

The mattresses removed,

and the boat gets tidier and the house messier!

And once we got the Columbia III settled to bed, we started on preparing for our 2010 season. Even a couple of friends who happened by for dinner got pressed into service as we prepared our fall mailout to our guest list.

Category: Tours

And off the to BC Great Bear Rainforest we went again. Rounding Cape Caution is like pushing through an invisible gate to an entirely different world. Bigger spaces, less boats and people, more wildlife and the peace that wilderness allows. In no particular order, a random smatter of shots that caught my eye:

The land of waterfalls

An editor from Canoe & Kayak magazine with his potographer playing around


Stealing a quiet moment together

A rare residual snow patch that the summer can't seem to melt

Birthdays are just one more excuse to celebrate

A young biologist joined us and she just LOVES FISH!

The rainforest has many non-raining days!

Humpback whales are very numerous here


Anton and Sarena finally get their teaching schedule to cooperate and allow them to join us again, this time in the GB.



Crew shots: with a family like this of course I love my line of work!


Another tough end to a grueling day on the water . . . NOT!


And the guides tell me they had "such a hard day" on the water when they get back to the boat at the end of the paddling day!




Hey, I thought I learned in kindergarten that star fish have FIVE legs.


Fern met a young biologist from eastern Canada at a biosphere reserve in Mexico and slippered her onto a trip in the Great Bear. I think Juliette is saying, "Thank-you"!

And the BEAR in Great Bear Rianforest





Two of our kids, Lead Guide/cook/Office Manager, Miray. Skipper/Assistant guide/cook, Tavish.

We were very fortunate to have Ian McAllister back on the boat for a few trips with some of his supporters