A Dry Land Sailor Comes of Age - If you have ever spent any time in or around Vancouver you most likely have heard of an unique settlement called Point Roberts. What is unique about this small location is that it is at the end of a split of land protruding into the State of Washington & there is no way to get there by road other than through Canada. Point Roberts is also a large body of water called Boundary Bay. There was an RCAF station at Boundary Bay during the war where Mitchell (B25) and Liberator (B24) bomber crews were trained.Point Roberts was approximately 8-10 miles from the RCAF Station and a good number of RCAF personnel had rented and or built small homes there.
I was stationed at Boundary Bay in the summer of 1945 when the Fire Department was called upon to assist in combating a moderately large grass and bush fire that was threatening a good number of homes in that area. We proceeded to Point Roberts in our 1940 International (no cab) pumper and on arriving noted bull dozers putting fire guards around homes. we were directed to lay hose from the shore out into the Bay until the suction hose was sufficiently covered that we could draft water and propel it through the hose to the shore. This was soon accomplished and the fire truck was positioned about 500 yards out into the Bay. Other fire departments arrived and had connected to our lines until they able to wet down the burning area. I was the delegated pumper operator sitting in the truck with all going smoothly. It was a little monotonous with the whine of the motor but I soon got used to it and all was well. I must have dozed off. I don't know how long I was out of it but when I awoke every thing was going fine except for one thing. The water was lapping at the running boards of the fire truck!! Old timers may recall the truck battery was just a shade above the running boards near the step to the drivers seat. I knew what would happen if the battery got covered. Panic set in as I hadn't a clue where the hell the water was coming from. After all we never used to have any problem like this in or around Winnipeg where I was born & raised. Needless to say I got my cool back, disconnected the hose,. I would soon drive to shore and get out of this mess! I put the truck in gear (bull low) and prepared to move. It stalled. A repeat got the same response. I WAS STUCK!!!
I looked around the dual rear wheels and could only see half of them. The vibration of the vehicle had sealed them down in the sand. To hell with the water. I jumped in and started for the shore waving and flailing my arms crazily. Luckily the dozer operator noticed me and pulled up. I explained my dilemma and he said he could fix me up right away. All he had to do was give the truck a little bunt and it would come out of the sand and I would be on my way. It didn't quite happen that way! He gave me a little bunt all right, but it was on the tail board and it folded up like an accordion. Lord help me, what would the Fire Chief say when he saw his truck? Anyway the dozer moved me a foot or so and I was soon racing for shore as fast as reasonable. I was saved and so was the truck but the rear of the truck was a site for sore eyes. It was a very quiet drive back to Boundary Bay station and blessedly I heard no further on the subject except for the next day when the Fire Chief (a west coast man) explained the word "TIDES" to me. No homes or cottages were lost at Point Roberts But it is a place that I shall never forget.

By Ron Rockey, Master Warrant Officer, MMM CD,  Retired