Vancouver Island

 Next stop, across to Vancouver Island.  Let me introduce Duncan and Nora.  Joyce and I met Duncan in Washington, DC in October, 2002 while boarding a C130 Air Force Transport plane headed directly to Bishkek, Uzbekistan.  I mean non-stop.  I mean in-flight refueling!

We had both responded to a call for Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) course instructors by the American Academy of Family Practice to accompany a "Physicians with Heart" mission trip to central Asia in the former Soviet Union with medical supplies.  I had seen such announcements about week-long trips over the previous few years and was dubious about the value of such short-term 'missions.' 

This time was different.  The AAFP was planning to present the ALSO Course to seasoned Obstetricians and to train a cadre of them to carry on this vital emergency obstetrics training in the country.  We would 'train the trainers' in 3 bourses: Give them the 2 day ALSO Course.  Select a group to take the 1 day ALSO Instructor Course. Then assist and observe and certify them as instructors as they taught a second wave of participants.  All in 7 days!  In Uzbek with translators.  I was in!

So was Duncan, who is one of the most gifted teachers I have met and who wrote one of the most important chapters of the very first ALSO Course on Post Partum Hemorrhage. Duncan was a Family Physician from Vancouver, an intrepid traveler and renaissance man with many talents and interests including knowledge of botany, astronomy, geology, history and just about anything else.  We quickly became friends over the intense work of this course and subsequently taught the ALSO Course all over the world using this train-the-trainer model in Kenya, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan the very next year, followed later by Republic of Georgia, Tajikistan, St. Lucia, Rwanda.  We met Nora, his wife and also a Family Physician and visited each other's home and even did a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim Grand Canyon hike together.  (Duncan had a hard time saying no to anything I guess!)  

Duncan and Nora were two of the 'must see' stops on this trip.  Of course Duncan said, 'yes' once again! I mentioned we would be going to Vancouver Island and to visit friends on Read Island.  Duncan said, "Great!  I can bring my boat to take you over there!"  Now THIS was going to be fun!

Tim and Natalie and I awoke early and caravanned south from Whistler to Horseshoe bay where we got on the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver island.  Amazing set-up to drive onto this huge Ferry with F150 towing a 28 ft trailer!  We had coffee and food on board and wandered about the boat.  It was extremely windy up front but pleasant and comfortable on deck behind the fore cabin.  We spotted a humpback whale just off the port side!  

From Nanaimo, we stopped to allow Nala to run about, then headed up the east coast of Vancouver Island to Miracle Beach Campsite.  Duncan, Nora, Joyce and the boat would arrive a couple hours later since they had tickets on the later ferry.  We were able to set up camp and get ready for them.  

Miracle Beach had lots of young families, an estuary, surprisingly warm water this far north on account of southern currents, tons of Sand Dollars, bicycle paths, and lovely forest.  It was great to reunite with Joyce and we introduced the two couples to each other and had happy hour, dinner, and great conversation.  

The next morning we had a nice big breakfast and Duncan, Nora, Tim and I took the boat out, dropped crab pots over the side, and motored out to adjacent Quadra Island/ Heriot Bay.  We identified tons of birds (did I mention Duncan is also an avid birder?!) and saw pods of porpoises.  Duncan showed me the nautical maps and pointed out how the buoys and lighthouses mark shallow areas.  Returning, we went to collect our crab 'pots' (2 foot cages with a bag of bait) and found the first relatively easily (even though I failed to mark the spot on google maps).  We were just about to give up on the second when sharp-eyed Tim spotted something.  The tide had come in and the float was just below the surface.  A small miracle we found it!  I was a bit crabby that both pots were empty of crabs!  We hauled the boat back up and had ice cream at the dock.  

Launching the boat

Day on the water

Nora