"It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from here"

By Andy MacDougall

One of my fellow passengers, a young mother on vacation from Brussels,
described the vista from our cozy seats on the aft deck of the coastal
freighter M.V. Uchuck III as 'the end of the world.' "It's not the end
of the world," I corrected her as we looked past the last of the islets
on the tip of Nootka Island, 'but I think you can see it from here!"

We were gazing across the rolling Pacific Ocean towards Japan, having
just left the historic village of Yuquot ('where winds blow all
directions') more commonly known as Friendly Cove. The Uchuck III, a
converted WWII minesweeper, takes adventuresome tourists to the
birthplace of 'British' Columbia every Wednesday and Saturday. English
explorer James Cook first made landfall here in 1778. The friendly
moniker still fits. The crew of the freighter, and local members of the
Mowachaht tribe who proudly show off their rebuilding program and
exhibits at the national historic site are
cheerful and full of great stories about their history in the region,
which goes back over 4500 years! We made our way past beaches and river
mouths that hadn't changed much in the 220 years since Chief Maquinna
welcomed the British and Spanish explorers to North America. My fellow
passengers, who managed to discover one of the most unique marine tours
on the west coast of Canada, all had a ball on this exciting day trip
out of Gold River.

What makes the Uchuck III a true original is that it's one of the last
working coastal freighters in the whole of the Pacific Northwest. Up to
the 1940's similar ships carried passengers and freight to hundreds of
small harbors from California to Alaska. With the coming of paved roads
and seaplanes and the decline of the fisheries, these working boats have
disappeared into history. The owners preserved and upgraded the Uchuck,
kept hauling freight to inaccessible ports, and incorporated seating and
services to accommodate passengers. They provide access to both the
spectacular scenery and wildlife on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, and
the chance to visit historic sites important to both First Nations and
European settlers. It doesn't hurt their popularity that the various
ports they visit on their scheduled trips also provide jumping off
points for kayakers, hikers, campers, and fishermen looking for the
ultimate outdoor adventure on Canada's Pacific Coast.

Sometimes on the Uchuck III, adventure comes looking for you. Co-owner
Alberto Girotto relates the tale of a mysterious passenger who came on
board late one evening while the boat was docked at its home port of
Gold River. Capt. Fred Mather, who was asleep in the wheelhouse, heard a
commotion below in the galley and went down to investigate. It's hard to
say who was more surprised, the Captain or the hungry visitor, a black
bear, who had wandered up the gangplank following the smell of the home
cooked muffins that get passengers' mouths watering every morning. They
scared each other, and took off running in opposite directions.

Bears, sea otters, whales, eagles, sea lions, and other animals are
common sights from the deck of the freighter. Killer and grey whales
have been known to circle the boat, and it was apparent to us the crew
gets just as excited as the passengers when this happens, shutting the
engines for safety, and drifting with these majestic creatures. On the
overnight run to Kyuquot, the boat travels close inshore near many river
mouths; wild animals are sighted regularly in summer and fall as they
come to feed on berries and the migrating salmon entering the rivers to
spawn. The vessel can get in close for safe viewing, with little chance
of meeting a bear face to face in the galley while waiting for a yummy
bowl of homemade soup!

Going below for a visit with engineer Kris Oetter, one gets a clear
picture of what makes this vessel and its daily trips so unique. Like
something out of an old adventure movie, the engineer takes orders from
the wheelhouse via turn of the century cable telegraphs, and directly
controls the massive twin diesels that drive the boat. Instead of being
in a maritime museum, the crew lovingly maintains the 60 year old Uchuck
and keeps her hauling freight and
passengers on a daily basis.

Alongside the dock an incredible assortment of cargo awaits loading,
everything from food and fuel for remote fishing and logging camps, to
trucks and construction supplies. Moving it is an art, and fascinating
to watch. On our trip, first mate Sean Mather used the derrick crane to
delicately lift kayaks in and out of the water.

The Uchuck III makes regularly scheduled day trips through Nootka Sound,
with an overnight trip to Kyuquot on Thursdays. It leaves from the Gov't
dock in Gold River, which is about an hour's drive from Campbell River
on Vancouver Island. Reservations are required. For more information
call (250) 283-2325 or 283-2515. e-mail: info@mvuchuck.com

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