HIDDEN TALENTS

BRITISH COLUMBIA IS FAMED FOR ITS LANDSCAPES, BUT JULIEN GIRARDOT DISCOVERED A RICH COMMUNITY OF CRAFTSMEN BOATBUILDERS DOTTING ITS CREEKS

British Columbia is famed for its landscapes, but there’s a rich community of boatbuilders dotting its creeks too

At first glance, Gabriola Island does not seem to be much a haven for sailors. Sails appear on the water for just a few months of the year, as the winters are long and harsh. Dense forest covers this British Columbian rock hidden in the Salish Sea, but in the shade of the pines boats are maintained with love. Gabriola Island’s bays shelter craftsmen who work humbly and quietly on their projects.

Here, sailors don’t chase after wins. Gabriola Island is not a nursery for future racing champions. The sailing community takes its time. Boat lovers ponder, dream, learn, and share their understanding of boats and life on the sea with one another. And they take pride in the task of building and maintaining beautiful boats for their own enjoyment.

That the people of Gabriola Island possess a relaxed attitude toward sailing is no accident. In the 1960s, the island became home to many hippies who were seeking a simple rural life. Today’s residents are a little more realistic, but a lineage of communal values and living according to nature’s rhythms has undoubtedly left its mark on the island’s inhabitants.