B C FERRY COLLISION IN ACTIVE PASS AUGUST 2, 1970 - MY MEMORY

This week I came across a video I had never seen before which was on YouTube.  It was an event that happened 55 years ago.  I remember it because I was in the area at the time.

The event was the collision on August 2, 1970, of the BC ferry 'Queen of Victoria' with a Soviet freighter 'Sergey Yesenin' in Active Pass, the narrow straight with a bend in it. This pass is about the halfway position in the ferry's route between  Vancouver on the mainland the south end of Vancouver Island. There were 3 fatalities.

Ferry collision August 2, 1970   

The video was taken by a lad on a fishing boat who captured the moment.

Only now, all these years later have I ever thought about it (!).  It seems the pilot on the Soviet vessel radioed ahead to check for vessels that might be on his course but due to a mismatch of radio frequencies, he did not receive an answer (so did not alter course.)

Where was I in all of this?  It was a Sunday. I had driven to Victoria to visit my grandmother for the weekend and was on my way back to Vancouver.  I headed to the Swartz Bay (south end of Vancouver Island) ferry terminus to catch the ferry to the Tsawwassen ferry terminus on the mainland. 

I assume it was mid-afternoon.  All was well and fairly uneventful until we approached Active Pass.  I gradually became aware that everything went quiet in the passenger lounge area and people were slowly moving to the windows looking out.  "What's going on?"  "Did you not know? There was a terrible accident with the earlier ferry!"

I recall arriving in Tsawwassen terminus and seeing the ship (which had been heading to Victoria and had been towed back to Tsawwassen). She was tied up with her port side open showing mangled steel, and looking like a big giant had put an axe into her side.

Apparently this accident lead to (a) passengers not being allowed to remain in their cars below decks and (b) safety drills prior to sailing.

JULY ROUND-UP

John and Debbie visited us in May.  Here is John's photo of us in the garden. (Mairi, Ellie aged 10, Alastair 17, Harriet 12, and me.  Below that is John's selfie taken on Costa Clyde which includes Ishbel 18, in the photo.  

* * * * * * Garden and Yard Work * * * * * 

The garden is flourishing mainly due to the very hot weather we have been having. 

Ishbel gave me a morning's labour where we glued linoleum to the garage floor.  lI am quite pleased with our efforts.  It was definitely one of those jobs where you need another person.

XXXX

JUNE SUMMARY: SCOTTISH DICTIONARIES NOW CATALOGUED

It's the last day of June.  When the weather is fine I am outside...see photos in second half below.  When it is wet I catalogue books.

[1] Iseabail's Books from her library.  I have now catalogued them all.  They are dictionaries: mainly related to the Scots language.  They are big, they are heavy and are sitting in my living room while we find a home for them. (I have the list available as a pdf file but I don't know how to put it here!)

[2] A thing of beauty is a new handle on a garden fork.  Mr Fraser Robb, Drymen, who sells agriculatural products did a magnificent job keeping my Clyde-built handle and giving it is new wooden handle one metre long.  

It's a 'ladies fork' and is irreplaceable.  (Thank you, but 'No' I do not want to buy an new one even if it is cheaper.)

[3] I have now grouted the front steps of the house.  It has taken me 2 years and 2 hours (after going on UTube) to do the job. The reason I was spurred into action was that a knight in shining armour called Iain Stewart and his mate arrived to clean the sides of the house and, while they were at it, they cleaned the front horizontal 'porch' plus the steps. Two fellows with the right kit (chemicals plus hot water and detergent) did a magnificant job. So I have decided: no more scrubbing with the deck brush!  (I got his name from Mairi and wish I had got moving on this sooner!)

[4] Happiness is a neatly stacked woodpile.  Job done.  Lomond Logs, Croftamie, delivered a 'bulk bag' (one metre cubed) of birch. Birch!...you never see it in this part of the world.  And it is all kiln dried.  

Two neighbourhold lads with a Can-Do attitude carried the split logs from the front driveway up to the back of the garage and I stacked it.  Done and dusted in less than an hour...and all ready for winter.  (What am I saying?!  I can just as often light a fire in July as January!)

 

EXISTENTIAL ANGST

The Peace Arch at Blaine Washington, i.e. the border between British Columbia and Washington state.

As a student of Canadian history I am watching the news every day as events unfold in USA.  Each day brings a new bizarre turn of events whether it be related to global trade, the money market or how people are feeling about movement in and out of the country.

As someone who lives in Europe I watch how people who either themselves as children or their parents moved, or were barred from moving, out of countries that were curtailing their life in one form or another.  If history does not repeat itself it certainly resonates in this part of the world!

What comes to mind is summed up in a poem from another age. It is by the German pastor Martin Niemoeller's famous mea culpa statement (in various forms over a period 1940-1970s) expressing the fact that he, as member of the human race, did not stand up and show solidarity sooner, when it might have made a difference.

The historical context happens to be European mid-20th century but it is about when good people do nothing:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

However I reckon it could be any period; just fill in the blanks:

First they came for the xxxxxx
And I did not speak out
.....
Then they came for the immigrants...universities... scientists... lawyers...press

And I did not speak out.

 * * * * * * 

How to make sense of what we are watching day by day?

Alastair put me on to Heather Cox-Richardson who is an American academic. She talks about the situation in her country on various platforms on the internet.  She is a historian and sets events in historical context and is very good at looking at the bigger cultural picture e.g. factors driving events.

So what are some of my cultural observations from this side of the pond?

Consequences?  The damage has been done. You throw a rock in a pool and watch to see where the ripples go. It's very unsettling at all levels: individually, locally, nationally and internationally.  

    M-m-m-m .... maybe throw a lifebuoy?!