Liv Kennedy passed away in February 2018; she was in her late 80’s. Liv Kennedy’s parents were pioneers on Quadra Island, and she was born aboard the Coast Mission ship Columbia. She grew up in logging camps and fishing villages along the coast, spending much of her time in boats.

Liv was a founding member of Bluewater Cruising Association in 1978, she spearheaded and proposed the name ‘Currents’ (after the ocean currents of the world) for the BCA newsletter. First published in the fall of 1978, Currents not only advised members of coming events and technical information but also became the forum for members’ cruising yarns to help inspire those still dreaming. Liv wrote the first issues which were put out four times a year for the first couple of years and was the editor for the magazine for a number of years after that.

Liv Kennedy was a regular contributor to Pacific Yachting and for 20 years ran a monthly feature called ‘Offshore People’. She also had a side column that she called ‘Spyline’ which gave locations of Canadian cruising boats around the world.

Liv also started the Ocean Cruising Adventure (OCA) series in 1976 at the Vancouver Maritime Museum. At the time, the series was called Bluewater Cruising in Small Boats, and showcased 8 presentations. It was during one of the Ocean Cruising presentations, in 1978 that Liv invited those interested in forming a bluewater sailing club to sign up and come to a party, where BCA was started.

Liv Kennedy was a Doner, who, along with husband Charlie and their son Curtis were the first family from B.C. to circumnavigate the globe. They returned from their four year circumnavigation aboard Kelea in 1969.

Liv was also the author of ‘Coastal Villages’, a gorgeous book of photographs, history and anecdotes about 24 picturesque B.C. villages, including Lund, Campbell River, Quadra Island, Owen Bay, Hardwicke Island, Telegraph Cove, Alert Bay and Port Hardy.

Blake Williams, a Past Commodore of BCA, shared this about Liv:

“Liv was an intrepid sailor and through her writings and “offshore cruising series” provided leadership, education, and support for many ‘Dreamers’!”