Adapted for the web from personal correspondence by Laval Desbiens - October 2008

 

Jim was born in Alberta in 1927 and he grew up on farms and ranches.

 

Learning about ships radio from reading his Grandparents Encyclopedia Britannica, he resolved to go to sea as soon as possible and that's what he did. Got the training at SAIT Calgary and off to sea he went as 3rd R/O on SS Connaught Park, a ship built in North Vancouver in 1944. In those  years , radio watch was 24 hours.

 

He remained seagoing until 1956, and then,  joined the Department of Transport Coast Guard and went to Bull Harbour/VAG, married Cathy in 1953, they had 2 children (boy and girl) born 1959 and 1962.

 

While he was OIC of VAG, he found interest in Radio Regs and in 1966,  became a Radio Inspector in Kelowna . 

 

The Cloverdale Monitoring station was his next post as Manager in 1974 ( did he have an ear for those ships breaking the silence period on 500 kHz ? )  only to return to Kelowna District Office as Director in 1980 from where he retired in 1990.

 

Not wanting to see those 888 forms, 5 year-plans etc, the fun began with back to sea again. Invited to join M/V  Stena Apache/C6IE3 as R/O  Electronics.

 

This ship came out from the UK to lay the gas pipeline system from the mainland to Vancouver Island. Loaded with some delicious electronic equipment, this ship was a wonderful experience.

 

Jim was then offered job as R/O on M/V Arctic/VCLM. This ship is unique,  an ice-class OBO (oil or bulk/ore carrier) built in St.Catherines in 1979, her main area of operation was in Arctic waters, lifting cargoes of oil and ore in the North and delivering to mainly European ports. For him, this too was a grand experience, he got as far north as 97 West 76 North.

 

Quit the sea and returned ashore when Cathy became ill and  passed away in 1996.

 

He got a new lease on life in 1997, married Norma and moved to Sechelt right on the beach looking south to Nanaimo.  The ships sail right by in front of the patio but he is at anchor now. 

 

Norma and Jim have space in two local stores, he makes weird woodworks and Norma sells them. 

 

He writes that it has been a grand life for him as he looks back and remembers many good friends still dear to him from the ships, the Coastguard and Radio Regs.