The Christmas Social and Awards Nights held in Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria are always special events and this year was no exception.  A total of 31 members were recognized for their achievements: five in Calgary,  twelve in Vancouver and fourteen on VI.  Past Commodore Boudewijn Neijens did the honours in Calgary and Victoria, and the outgoing Commodore, Jennifer Handley, presided over the presentations in Vancouver.

Highlights of the three celebrations included one Circumnavigation award, presented to Cathy and Bill Norrie (Calgary) and one Cape Horn award, presented for only the fourth time since the inception of the award in 1995, to Geoff Goodall and Linda Erdman (Vancouver).  Cathy and Bill left Victoria in 2011 and completed their circumnavigation in four legs, visiting 22 countries enroute, before arriving back in Victoria in June 2016.  Linda and Geoff left Bamfield in 2007.  Over the next six years they made their way south via Central America, Galapagos and Easter Island and rounded the Horn in February 2013.  They then headed to the Falkland Islands and Uruguay and gradually made their way north to Nova Scotia in 2016 before turning south to overwinter in in Chesapeake Bay.  Congratulations on your respective achievements; what a great demonstration of the BCA value “adventure”!

Myrna Webster receiving her Service award and Ted Long Award from Commodore Jennifer Handley

There was also great delight in honouring Myrna Webster (Vancouver) for her many years of outstanding personal service to the BCA Board of Directors and prior to that, the Vancouver Executive and Chapter Watches.  Myrna is also responsible for the creation of BCA’s Governance Manual;  she was presented with the Ted Long Award, which automatically comes with lifetime membership.

Needless to say, all three evenings were festive and fun;  cruising awards were presented to 22 members, perpetual awards to eight, and five were recognized for their combined 56+ years of service to BCA!

Congratulations to all award recipients – you are a great inspiration to us all!

Coastal 999 presentations (clockwise from upper left): Past Commodore Boudewijn Neijens, Jim and Trish Bowen; Peggy and Neil Beswick; Caroline Miller; Jean-Guy and Fran Nadeau

Coastal 999

For members who complete a coastal (harbour-hopping) voyage outside Canadian territorial waters, where the shortest straight-line charted distance between the starting and ending ports  is a minimum of 999nm.

Vancouver Island – Trish and Jim Bowen, Falcon VII; Fran and Jean-Guy Nadeau, Gosling; Peggy and Neil Beswick Night Sky

Vancouver – Caroline Miller, Gary Miller, Late Starter

Receiving Offshore Crew awards from Past Commodore Boudewijn Neijens (clockwise from upper left): Ted Burgoin; Agathe Gaulin and Georgette Duhaime; Barbara Erickson; Terry Reid

Offshore Crew

For members who complete an offshore passage outside Canadian territorial waters as crew aboard a non-commercial vessel, where the shortest straight-line charted distance between the starting and ending ports  is a minimum of 999nm without putting into port prior to the completion of the 999 miles.

Calgary – Ted Burgoin, Terry Reid,

Vancouver – Jean Baillargeon, Ron Barr, Dan Miller

Vancouver Island – Georgette Duhaime, Barbara Erickson, Agathe Gaulin

Offshore Owner and Skipper presentations (clockwise from upper left): Stephen Miller (Offshore Owner); Daragh Nagle (Offshore Owner); Geoff Goodall and Linda Erdmann (Offshore Owner); Chris Read (Offshore Owner); Rick Wunderlich (Offshore Skipper)

Offshore Skipper

For members who skipper or co-skipper someone else’s non-commercial vessel on an offshore passage outside Canadian territorial waters, where the shortest straight-line charted distance between the starting and ending ports  is a minimum of 999nm without putting into port prior to the completion of the 999 miles.

Vancouver Island – Rick Wunderlich

Offshore Owners

For members who complete an offshore passage outside Canadian territorial waters on their own non-commercial vessel, where the shortest straight-line charted distance between the starting and ending ports  is a minimum of 999nm without putting into port prior to the completion of the 999 miles.

Calgary – Chris Read, Amiskwi

Vancouver Island – Daragh Nagle, Chantey V

Vancouver – Linda Erdman and Geoff Goodall, Curare, Stephen Miller, Late Starter

Offshore and Cape Horn awards presented to Geoff Goodall and Linda Erdman

Cape Horn

For members who have qualified for an Offshore Award and have rounded Cape Horn on their own boat.

Vancouver – Linda Erdman and Geoff Goodall, Curare

Cathy and Bill Norrie receiving their Circumnavigation Award from Past Commodore Boudewijn Neijens

Circumnavigation

For members who have qualified for an Offshore Award and have successfully circumnavigated on their own boat.

Calgary – Cathy and Bill Norrie, Terrwyn

Service awards were presented by Past Commodore Boudewijn Neijens and Commodore Jennifer Handley (clockwise from upper left): Norm Cooper; Boudewijn Neijens; Donna Sassaman; Glenora Doherty; and Myrna Webster (see photo above)

Service Awards

Service awards recognize Watchkeepers who have served three or more years on the Watch or Board of Directors since BCA’s inception in 1978.  The five award recipients recognized in 2016 have, between them, volunteered in excess of 56 years as Watchkeepers and Board members!

• Norm  Cooper: 6 yrs, Vancouver Education Watchkeeper, BCA Advertising Watchkeeper
• Boudewijn Neijens: 9 yrs, Vancouver Communications Watchkeeper, Chapter Vice Commodore, BCA Commodore, Past Commodore
• Myrna Webster: 9+ yrs, Vancouver Bosun, Executive Watch Secretary, BOD Secretary
• Donna Sassaman:  13 yrs, Currents Managing Editor, Directory Coordinator, BOD Secretary (this is Donna’s second Service Award!)
• Glenora Doherty: 19+ yrs, Currents Managing Editor, VI Membership Watchkeeper and Treasurer, Vancouver Archivist, Chapter Vice Commodore, BCA Commodore, Past Commodore

From left: Commodore’s Bell; Ted Long Award; Hill-Padwick Bent Mast; Peterson Cup and Antares Pacific High Finders

Perpetual Awards

In addition to the cruising and service awards,  BCA has a number of special or perpetual awards for significant achievements and/or contributions to BCA.  These are not necessarily awarded annually, but only as “earned”.

The Antares Pacific High Finders’ Award is presented annually to the member who logs the longest time Hawaii – Victoria passage, in either direction.  In 2016, this award was won by Daragh Nagle,  Chantey V, whose passage from Hawaii was 2800nm (longer than the rhumb line) and took 20.5 days, due to “the pesky Pacific Northern High”.

The Hill-Padwick “Bent Mast” Award is awarded by popular vote, as determined by the most raucous applause and laughter from the raconteur’s nomination.  There were a number of worthy nominations for this award, the ultimate winners being Don and Heather Cudmore, Buenaventura I, for their direct, unforeseen encounter with a channel marker on the approach to Guaymas.  Don started off by saying they “don’t normally travel with the dinghy on the foredeck”;  having heard his tale of woe, we don’t think he and Heather will do that again!

Although determined at the August Rendezvous, it was also appropriate to recognize Feather Mills and Simon Brissenden, Freya A, winners of the 2016 Peterson Cup.

The Ted Long Award is presented ……  Myrna is the 13th BCA member to be recognized in this way.  It was first awarded in 1991 to Ted Long himself who was a founding member and, according to many, a “watchkeeper extraordinaire”.  A list of previous recipients can be found in the BCA Member Directory, along with a more detailed history of the award itself.

This year, the newly named Rudi Seifert Keeper of the Light Award was presented to Rob Dodge for his exemplary contribution and service in the spirit of BCA.  Rob is perhaps best known for being the “light” and creative force behind the creation of MIST (Mid-Island Sailing Training), which provides members with an on-the-water weekend educational experience at little or no cost.

Lastly, to signify the change in  BCA Commodores, the Commodore’s Bell saw the addition of a new plaque recognizing Jennifer Handley’s three years of service as BCA Commodore.  The bell was ceremonially rung in Vancouver and again in Victoria to signal the changing of the watch.

More information about BCA’s offshore or perpetual awards can be found in the Members’ Directory and on our website;  cruising and service award recipients dating back to 2002 can be found here.  If you qualify for an award or know another BCA members who does, please contact Past Commodore, Jennifer Handley.

And more photos from the AGM and the Christmas socials can be found by clicking here.

Rob Dodge (and Jennifer) with the Rudi Seifert Keeper of the Light Award

With thanks to this year’s photographers Ian Cameron (Vancouver, Peter McMartin (Victoria) and Christine McGregor (Calgary).