Beachcombing: A 1970’s flashback

The day’s work started a couple of hours before dawn with making coffee and starting the “chase boat”. It was tied next to the sailboat I was building and living on. Drank the coffee running slowly up the middle arm of the Fraser River past marinas and industries. At the junction with the north arm log salvage became legal from an hour before dawn till an hour after dark. The next 2-3 hrs were spent at full speed (50 km) going down the river, searchlight blazing, looking for sawlogs that had escaped the booms tied up at the river’s edge. Those you caught were “dogged up” and secured.

Once a week they were gathered and towed to market. Next was breakfast at the nearby 24 hr reserved “beachcombers” table at a local Hotel. The day was done by noon.

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