Mention our great city and there are certain iconic images that quickly spring to mind. The Lion Heads, Stanley Park, Gassy Jack and of course those infamous rainbow ferry boats. This became obvious after viewing Travel Channel's '
Samantha Brown Vancouver'. Samantha Brown is an American host of several shows including
Great Vacation Homes, Great Hotels, Passport to Europe. She visited here to give the lowdown on preparations for the Olympics, and loved that '
..it's a big city with the great outdoors'.
When you come to Vancouver, where do you head first? Granville Island of course, and she joined 'Captain Jody' at the Aquabus to learn about '
..this gorgeous coastal city'.
Brown is typical of the many talking heads that host the multitude of niche programs on cable TV. She must be doing something right as this program was part of her tenth anniversary presenting on the Travel Channel.
Bobbling along the creek with the good Captain, she observed that '
Vancouverites are extremely fit....' As Captain Jody responded that this was due to our 'active lifestyle', Ms. Brown annoyingly cut in with
'...says he sitting down!!'
Ever the congenial host, Captain J generously guffawed her eastern pretense to humour, gently away.
Queen of the Creek
For me, the real star of this part of the travelogue, was once again seeing an old friend of the creek. The 'Rainbow Hunter' was originally built in 1950 and was one of the two original wooden boats that Aquabus owned and operated along the creek until 2009. This yellow cedar vessel was built by Vancouver Island boat builder Henry Clark, and holds very fond memories for me.
On the back bench where Ms. Brown and the Captain chatted, I would hold court giving 30 minute guided 'mini - tours' as 21 passengers traveled between GI, Yaletown and back. Every tour departing the island would be a frenzied process of getting fares while making a connection with each passenger. Frenzied because I knew I had to leave enough space, by the time we passed the cement works to announce '
....is anyone interested doing in a guided tour?'
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| Hunter by jfrank3 - flickr |
This lovely old lady, originally used to take children from the Gulf Islands to Vancouver Island, as a school bus. Her history also includes being a crew boat for miners en route to Sterna Island.
You haven't quite got it.....
Our pathes crossed, having failed to be a driver after 100 hours of training, ('
...you haven't quite got it Des') I was 'relegated' to being a lowly 'Deckhand' on the woodern boats.
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| Taken Feb. 2010 by Hub - flickr |
Yet, after seeing so many tourists (notably service oriented Americans) coming aboard with little interaction by other Deckhands, this became my inspiration to develop a guided tour of the history which makes Granville Island and the creek what it is today.
Over a typical shift, I would do up to 10 back to back tours, which increased my own confidence dealing with people to eventually work with at risk youth in my present job. As my tips went up, the loveliest compliment I received was when the very same Captain J. said '....I have never seen customers get off and
shake hands with the Deckhand!'
As a Deckhand in the summer madness, the best part of my shift was around mid afternoon, and having the fortune to have the boat to myself. Sitting on the back bench, a cool breeze counted the heat of the day and it felt like the good Captain was driving just for me.....
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| Deckhand Charlotte - 2005 |
Those fond memories soon became just that - distant memories when I returned after a hiatus to hear that my beloved boat no longer ruled the creek. The minions of Transport Canada were circling a little to much around the old lady, and an offer out of the blue proved just to tempting.....
She now resides on some lake over the border in Washington, enjoying her retirement taking her lucky owners on lazy day trips.......and with her departure a little piece of Vancouver's heart with it.....
Captain Jody + Samantha Brown
In the meantime........
peeeeaaaaaaccccceeeeee out sisters!
