Re: Articles about the Vikings & logs

[DJHSMFS@aol.com]

Dear Laurel,
                  During my ten years in British Columbia. I spent almost a 
year with the Straits Towing Company on a tug boat called the Fury Straits.  
We would leave Vancouver B.C. and in about thirtysix hours arrive at a spot 
called West Bay on Vancouver Island.  It was nearby Santula on an island 
across from it,  We would spend a few days putting together flat booms of 72 
sections of logs.  This was done by walking across the various rafts which 
had been made up by the loggers.  They brought down logs from the forests on 
the island and dumping them in the water.  Then they would put logs at the 
sides called Side sticks, logs at each end, called head sticks and tail 
sticks then logs were laid across the top, cant remember what we called 
them... these were all drilled with holes to allow wires to join them 
together.   When we had them all lined up we would attach a towing bridal 
with a yoke which was gradually let out from the stern of the tugboat as we 
started on our way back to Vancouver.  Our return jouney would take from 5 to 
6 weeks account a speed of only one or two knots and having to tie up when 
the tide changed and going through several narrows where you had to wait your 
turn to get through account very strong tides and many other tugs waiting 
also.  Thought it might be interesting for you to know that a Sinclair was 
involved at this late date in such an endevour.  

Remember that Scotland and Ireland were all covered with forests in those 
early years as was Finland and Sweden, so there were plenty of places to go 
for logs. Of course there was always the problem of not being received in a 
friendly fashion but the Vikings never worried about that.   All the best, 
Donald J.H.
[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html