Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20



This is the first of a series of articles profiling the members your Auxiliary.  We think it is important that the Community see us as more than just rescuers who speed around on the water in orange floatation suits.  This month’s profile is of Elizabeth (Bunny) Wilkes who is the Station Leader for Unit 20.
Elizabeth has lived on Pender Island for six years, having relocated with her husband Keith, from the Thunder Bay area on the north shore of Lake Sup...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20
The man ran his skilled eye down the board he had been planing and could see that it needed more work.  As he adjusted the plane for the final fine cut he could feel the warmth radiating from the wood stove that made it a real joy to spend this stormy day in his woodshop.  He paused from his work and looked out at the wind driven tableau of trees bent to the breaking and beyond the bay a veritable cauldron of wind whipped foam.  Instead of his ipod to kee...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20
They didn’t normally venture out in their boat after dark but the weather was fine and they were having a great time at Ganges so the day wore on unnoticed.  The result was a more risky night voyage back to home to Browning Harbour.  The man and the women had both taken the Power Squadron basic boating course and so were comfortable reading charts both paper and electronic.  In addition to their GPS chart plotter, they had local knowledge having been on...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20:

When people think about the Auxiliary and the missions we support, normally marine incidents come to mind.  Typically a vessel calls in a distress call on Channel 16 and depending on the location and severity of the incident Victoria Coast Guard Radio will page our crew.  When we attend these incidents it is commonly in association with the Coast Guard from Ganges or with other Auxiliaries.
There is however a whole other set of missions that are inter-ag...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20

The man looked up and saw the low dark clouds scudding across a leaden sky.  He scanned out over Browning Harbour, and saw the wind driven rain pelting into the grey waves of the bay.  As he took all this in, one thought entered his head like a lightening bolt, what was he doing here?  His brother had challenged him to take part in the Lions sponsored Polar Bear swim on Pender Island on New Years Day and he had agreed without thinking what was involved.  ...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20

By now you will no doubt have heard about the tragic float plane crash at Lyall Harbour on November 29th that claimed the lives of six of the eight people aboard.   You may have seen, heard or read reports of the incident but most likely there was little if any mention of your local Coast Guard Auxiliary involvement.  We did have a major role in this incident particularly as we were the first resource on scene and I am told our quick response may well hav...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20

The man was cold and hungry and he had been waving his flashlight in the dark at any vessel that came anywhere near the steep hillside on which he was standing.  Several ships slipped by quietly but unseeing far out in the passage, likely too far away to notice his small light.  Suddenly off in the distance he saw the navigation lights of some sort of vessel that seemed to be approaching.  He thought it was perhaps a good sign that it had a blue flashing ...
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September 2009 Pender Post article:

Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20

What better way for a teen aged boy to spend a summer holiday than camping on an island in the Salish Sea.  The campground was situated on a thickly wooded bluff about 200 feet above the sparkling waters of the cove.  The boy was part of a group of 11 children who were planning to spend a week on this wilderness paradise.  The day started well and after lunch the boy along with a small group of other campers decided to s...
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Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 20

            Last month we provided and overview of the statistics for 2008.  There was however some data that was not included.

            When reports are input into the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Search and Rescue system we categorize the missions by type, required actions and by causes.

            In 2008 38% of the type of missions were for vessels that had either grounded or gone adrift.  Neither circumstance is a happy one for mariners ...

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