Buccaneer Bay Holdings was formed in 1964. Those that had cabins were considered to be squatters as we paid $5.00 per year. A holding Co. would enable us to purchase the land. Joe Simson owned the properties and he either likes you or not.  Naturally as owner he had all the responsibilities and decision making in order to cope with petty quarrels, boat moving, logging, and improvements. He welcomed the idea of self ownership and was more than willing to sell. He was financially comfortable and owned his own camp, thus the wheels were set in motion.

 

I purchased lot #49 in 1965 as it was next to our old camp #48. We hired Bob McCombrie who had his own cottage at Vaucroft to build our new cottage. Bob had built 10 cottages at Vaucroft and he and Dorothy drew plans, and made the list of lumber and fixtures.

 

I manufactured and hauled the first 2 loads to Stones marina at Secret Cove, bundled and dumped them in the water and towed them to Buccaneer Bay by Mr. Stone's boat, "The Wilmar". I think Tag Nygard hauled them to the building site with his front end loader. Wilf Wilshire delivered the smaller material.

 

Len and I cleared the site (which was Ma Nickolson's old garden). We then stripped and piled 8000 ft of 2x6" and 8" tongue and grooved cedar, covered it carefully and left it to dry over the winter. We even managed to save 2 rose bushes from the Nikolson garden.

 

We commenced building in the Spring of 1964. I hired Wilf Wilshire and Peter, the Vaucroft watchman. Dorothy and I lived in the old cabin and Dorothy was kept busy cooking a hearty lunch for the five of us every day. After living in the old cabin we demanded the new one be built mouse-proof.

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Subsequent trips I hauled doors, windows and brick. In my absence troubles cropped up and on my return had to do a little arbitration as Bob McCombie had a row and his two men had quit. I managed to get Wilfback and Alf Hailey, Jr.  The bricklayer complained about using beach sand for mortar (rightly so) but everyone came through and the project was completed.

 

The big move arrived, we had lots of help: John and Wilma Visona, their children Edwon, age 3 and Stephen, at one year. John and Barbara with Denis, age 4 and Danny, age 2. Together we set up the stove, refrigerator, lighting and propane stove. The well and water pipes had already been set up. Weary but happy, ten of us slept in that cabin the first night.

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Added in 2023...

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Denis sold the DeBeck site to Andrew and Michael de Jong in 2005.  In 2006, Andrew and Michael transferred half of their share to their siblings, Richard de Jong and Michelle Keller, who’ve had the luck of staying next door at the MacDonald cabin since childhood.

 

Since the purchase, and under the stern but gentle direction of the cabin’s caretaker, family patriarch Adriaan de Jong, a few things have changed around the cabin; the outer paint color was changed, the side deck has been widened, and solar has been added.  Additionally, a solar shower has been added out back, and there have been numerous minor, mostly cosmetic updates in the interior, though I am confident Denis would still recognize the cabin he lovingly built. 

 

Rick and Michelle’s kids have been coming up to the bay for many years, and Andy just recently had children, so there is a new set of de Jong’s about to enjoy everything that Buccaneer Bay provides!

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