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Did you know?
Cat out of the Bag

The cat 'o nine tails was normally kept in a cloth bag, and was only pulled out immediately prior to flogging, hence the phrase signifying that one has crossed some bright line of misconduct, etc. Also possibly the bag was sometimes brandished in front of a potential miscreant to warn him, somewhat like brandishing the mace before an unruly member of a legislature. 

Another explanation: A suckling pig would be sold to someone, presenting them with a squirming sack, or "poke". The unfortunate would then have bought a pig in a poke. When the poke was opened, he would find not a nice edible pig, but a cat; thus, letting the cat out of the bag reveals the deception. This seems to jibe with usage a little better but who knows!

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Historian's Report
Silva Bay History     
As most of you know I have a history with Silva Bay. My family came here in 1945 where my father built and ran the Shipyard and Marina for the next 30 years. I grew up here, went to elementary school on the Island and later to high school in Nanaimo. Other than the year we spent in the USA, my childhood and early adulthood was spent on Gabriola. In 1966 I moved to Prince George where I spent the next 31 years before retiring back to the Island with my wife Carol in 1997. Although we lived 500 miles away we traveled most summers, back to the Island for vacation time. During that time I saw the population grow from about 500 to the present 4,000 to 5,000 we now have.

Previous to our moving back and because we had our boat down here, we decided to joint the SBYC in 1993. Although we were only here part time during the summers, we didn’t get much of a chance to partake in many of the club activities, especially since the club was practically dormant in the summer months (unlike the activities we have now).
A couple of times over the last 7 or 8 years I’ve given a presentation to our club on the history of Silva Bay and on my family’s involvement in it. Copies of this presentation were requested by the Gabriola Museum. A couple of months ago Jenni Gehibach who writes for the “Shale Magazine” which is the journal of the Gabriola Historical & Museum Society phoned and asked to interview me on a story she was doing on my family for that publication. I agreed and we spent a number of hours goingthrough pictures, papers and my mother’s personal journal. She also spent considerable time researching the provincial archives and interviewing some of our senior residents.

The end result is a 22 page, extremely accurate account of the life of my dad centered on his life at Silva Bay. The article is interesting reading for any of you who are interested in the history of this area. It comes complete with a number of pictures of times gone by. The magazine can be purchased at Art Works or at Pages.

Fred Withey   (Club Historian)

 

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Power Squadron News
Hi all,
Our AGM is on May 1st at the Gabriola golf course.  The cash bar opens at 6pm and we will have dinner at 7pm.  After dinner, we will honor our new boating course graduates and conduct what I think is the shortest, and easiest agm, for any organization.  Mostly we will engage in good conversation, eat tasty food and give away great door prizes.  Most of you know the program, but just to be clear here is the set up:  I need to know if you are coming and the number of people in your party.  I need to know if you are not coming, please humour me as I like to know this detail.  The squadron will provide turkey and ham with all the trimmings and the members bring side dishes.  The categories of side dishes are:  appetizers, salad, bread/butter, potato dishes, veggies and dessert.  The sooner you reply, the better the chance that your first choice of side dish will still be open-we don't want all desserts!  Cost of the dinner is $5.  If you don't want to eat dinner, but would like to attend the agm, just show up after 8pm.
See you there, Walter

GRADUATION CRUISE
Hello to you all.
Our spring boating class training cruise has come and gone. A big thank you to Ralph Hagen for being the skipper/instructor on Owikeno. If any of you have any photos from that cruise please pass them onto me.
Please mark your calendars for our next cruise on May 8. It is our annual "Graduation Cruise" when we celebrate the success of the students from the boating class. Our destination is Dinghy Dock Pub in Nanaimo Harbour.
All Power squadron members are welcome, as are your guests and friends.
The currents at Gabriola Passage are as follows:
1100 hours 3.5 knots flood  Tide 8'
1500 hours 2.5 knots ebb Tide 11'
We do not have the tides with us in either direction but the currents should not present problems and there will be ample water in False Narrows in both directions.
I have booked Dinghy Dock for 1230 hours. Dinghy Dock reserves tables for us and we order from the regular menu.
Please let me know if you plan to attend. If you are a skipper and would like a guest or two please let me know and if you are boatless and would like a ride, please let me know. You can also attend via the MV Quinsam and the protection Island ferry.
Looking ahead, July 3 is our annual Corn and Strawberry shortcake "cruise", and we will be having a wine tour/cullinary cruise on June 18, 19 & 20 in Cowichan Bay. Information on those cruises to follow shortly.
I look forward to seeing you all on the cruises,
Safe boating,
Ian Waymark
Cruise Master
Gabriola Power Squadron

STRAWBERRY & CORN CRUISE
The annual Strawberry cake and corn cruise will be held on July 3 at Newcastle Island. We were "blown" out last year and had our picnic at Pages Marina.  I have secured the day use picnic site on the water at Newcastle Island and there should be ample dock space to take our boats. At 1030 hours we will have an ebbing tide of about 2 knots in Gabriola Passage and10+ feet of water in False Narrows. On our return we will have a flooding current at Gabriola Passage of 4+ knots and 8 feet of water in False Narrows. If the winds are calm we can easily go on the outside of Gabriola.
To get an idea of where we are going look at the following website <http://www.newcastleisland.ca/.> Paddy and I will be staying overnight and invite other boaters to join us. Newcastle Island has some lovely hikes so mark your calendar, let me know your coming, invite family and friends and join us as we nosh on fresh corn on the cob and finish up with strawberry flan and whipped cream.
You can join us by boat or by ferry. As with our graduation cruise, if you are a skipper and woulds like a passenger or two please let me know. If you wish to attend and do not have a boat let me know and I will try to secure a "ride" for you.
I will send more information as each of you sign on.
This cruise is replacing "Little Italy", originally planned for July 3 but turning out to be a little on the expensive side.
While you are marking your calendar, also mark the weekend of June 18, 19 and 20 for our annual wine cruise to the Cowichan Valley with the addition of a culinary cruise to Fairburn Farms for those of you who wish to expand your cooking skills in your boat galley. Information on that cruise to follow tomorrow.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Ian Waymark
Cruise Master
Gabriola Power Squadron

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