I confess to knowing little of the history of our cabin save how it came into our family.

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I first visited Buccaneer Bay in the summer of 1955 at the age of 2. Good friends of our family, the Humes, had rented the original Ingley cabin for two weeks and invited us up for a day visit. Mother and Dad fell in love with the place and the next summer, through my Dad's friendship with Bill Cornwall, we were able to rent Frank Cornwall's cabin on the site where Marilyn McClaren's cabin is today. The next several summers were spent immediately adjacent to the Cornwall's and then we rented the cabin that was previously on the Shankel site.  (I hope it's not significant that every cabin we have lived in has since  been demolished.)

 

When BBH was formed, Mother and Dad were not sure that they would purchase a site. The money was a factor and they wondered about the wisdom of purchasing on an island when lots in Secret Cove could be bought for a similar price and have year round access. They decided to go in if we could get a cabin with a view of the water. When all the decisions had been made by potential shareholders, there were three sites to choose from. The first was in the woods near McLaughlin's, the second was the Carter cabin and the third was currently being rented by Walker's who had decided not to purchase. The smallest of the three by far, the Walker cabin was sound and had potential so that was the choice. I was a little worried about moving so far away from my best summer buddy, Jane Macdonald, but we managed.

 

Mother and Joe Dunn proceeded to uncover the potential. This was in the days when we came on the last day of school and didn't leave until Labor Day. Dad came on weekends and for three weeks in August. Dad would leave on Sunday and when he returned on Friday another wall would have disappeared, a piece of porch would have been incorporated or a tool shed would have been built. He kept buying lumber and Joe kept build­ing under Mom's direction. Joe last roofed it in the early 1970's and that is the roof that is on the cabin today.

 

I shall be forever grateful that Mom and Dad found the resolve to join this fledgling company. It is the only place associated with my childhood summers. It represents that which is unchanging and dependable. One can count on coming around the reef each spring and the biggest change will be that the trees are a little taller, the Gap is a little more filled in and perhaps a cabin has a new roof. One can relax in a community of friends and leave the tensions and demands of the outside world behind as one can only on an island. I would sell our home in North Vancouver in a minute before I ever con­sidering parting of our piece of this magical island.