Memories of 50 Years Ago‌
The 1964 Tsunami
Alberni Clayoquot Regional District Supplement to
March 2014
2 • Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI
Thursday, March 27, 2014
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Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
Thursday, March 27, 2014
3
City of Port Alberni was changed by 1964 tsunami
I
n the early hours of March 28, 1964, Port Alberni was forever changed by the tsunami generated from one of the largest earthquakes of the century. The Great Alaskan Earthquake sent a series of seismic waves along the West Coast of Vancouver Island and further to Oregon and California. The waves that hit Port Alberni that night left an indelible mark on the memories of those who experienced it and forever changed our understanding of the local dangers posed by tsunamis. In true Port Alberni fashion, citizens acted with courage and compassion, alerting their neighbours and assisting with evacuations before the onset of the much larger second wave. These heroic actions prevented the loss of life and greatly assisted emergency response efforts. Fifty years later, this event is still deeply connected to our culture and landscape, driving efforts to proactively consider hazards and ensure we are fully prepared for any future events. The City of Port Alberni and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District are working closely with government agencies, emergency service providers, universities and many others to be a world leader in the field of emergency preparedness. I encourage you and your family to participate in the upcoming public forum on March 27 on this historic event. Then discuss your own family emergency plan to ensure you know what to do before, during and after an emergency. Sincerely, John Douglas Mayor, City of Port Alberni
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4 • Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Rowing their way to safety when tidal wave hit River Road area KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Lea and Joe Gardner lived on River Road and were right in the middle of the action during the tidal wave as it washed up the neighbourhood in 1964. They, along with their neighbours, experienced surviving the frightening event, but also saw how it brought people together to help salvage damaged homes and properties. The Gardners were playing cards at their home that evening with neighbours Herb and Murial Porter, as well as the Porter’s parents from Saskatchewan. After the visit, they had just gone to bed and received a phone call from Herb. “He said there had just been a tidal wave in Alaska, and it was going to hit here,” Lea said. “He and Joe went for a drive to see what they could see and had gotten partway down River Road near the bridge. They could already see logs and debris across the road and the police told them to head home.” The plan was to head for higher ground, and they attempted to do that by boat. Joe brought their 14-foot pleasure boat to the back door and Lea piled their children and blankets into it. Taken out of their beds, the young children, Mitch, 2, Linda, 6 and Karen, 8, were told to sit still and did not appear too upset by the activity. After one last scan of the home, Joe placed their brand new vacuum on top of the bed. “It ended up being a clear night, and I can remember hearing the rumbling of the water as it came towards the house,” Lea said. Joe rowed to the woodpile to pick up the family dog and soon water was filling the lower areas of the home. Before leaving, Lea saw the neighbour’s garage, with the car inside it, move slowly to the back of the yard. “Our neighbours called out to ask us to turn off their huge 200 gallon propane tank,” Lea said. “Then we picked up the Porter’s daughter who was about eight
years old and their elderly grandparents.” A somewhat surreal experience, the crew rowed up Pybus Street, down Brown Road and to the end of Mary Street, where they stopped at Carl and Dorothy Buckner’s house. Joe turned around to see if he could find anyone needing help. By that time, the water had receded and he had to leave the boat in a ditch. Their nephew was able to drive his car along the back roads and picked up the family near Gill School. They stayed that night at Joe’s sister’s house before heading home to survey the damage the next day. Although their home was affected by the destructive tidal wave and significant damage was done, it was with the help of family and friends that they were able to quickly restore life back to normal. “We came home to quite a mess,” Lea said. “Water had come up to 14 inches. All of the clothes in the bottom drawers were wet, so friends all took some home to wash. Our floors were not complete, and we didn’t have carpet, so we took a garden hose and cleaned up that way.” After the worst of it, the provincial government sent workers to the neighbourhoods to access damages and provide monetary compensation. “We only got about $300 because my husband was good
at saving things,” Lea said. “He and his friends cleaned all of his tools and equipment, and he changed the oil in the car right away. We didn’t lose much, except a movie camera, because of the help of friends and family.” Even their clothes dryer kept running up until the couple moved from their River Road home one-and-ahalf years ago. And the vacuum that was saved after Joe’s quick thinking to move it on top of the bed, it was still working at when they moved as well. Thankful for the recovery of most of their belongings and that everyone remained safe, Lea said it was still a scary experience at the time.
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(Top) Houses drifted into fields behind what is now Colyn’s Nursery on Beaver Creek Road, looking to River Road. (Above) After the waters receeded, the task of recovering possessions began. [TOP PHOTO BY GARNET REYNOLDS, ABOVE BY KEN HOFFMAN]
Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
Thursday, March 27, 2014
5
Called in to help in experience that was impossible to forget Earth Quake at Anchorage Alaska – 28 March 1964, Good Friday, 9.2 on the Richter scale, very large I was called out at 11:30 p.m. to meet at the rescue hall, and told that we might get a tidal wave in our area. I was first posted at the junction of Beaver Creek Road and Compton Road. It was a nice clear night, so we made a fire to keep warm and had grandparents bring their kids at the corner with sleeping bags. We parked the truck across Beaver Creek Road, not to let anyone go down road to River Road. At about five in the morning, people were starting to come to town to go to work, we told them that we had a tidal wave early in the morning and to turn their car radio’s on to CJAV and listen to Keith Rogers, who stayed up all night to tell people what had happened and where they travel. These people were sleeping when this all happened. They had to go down Compton Street to Margaret Street, cross over the bridge and try their luck if they could go to work. Everything was knocked out. At around 8 or 9 a.m., people started to gather at our point to see if they could go and see what happened to their houses. Some people had cameras and wanted to take pictures. They could only walk. We stayed until lunchtime and went home to sleep after a long night. There was lots of damage around River Road area, but all lowlying areas were hit very hard. Frederick Boyko Jr. Member of the Alberni Search and Rescue Squad
The Canadian Army set up an engineer’s camp at the Alberni Athletic Hall, then began to break down houses where the marina’s exit driveway is now. [PHOTO BY JAN JANSMA]
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6 • Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Families come together to make it through disaster My name is Linda Karaim, it was Rinvold at that time of the tsunami in 1964. My mom and dad were Jerry and Dolly Rinvold. I was 10 years old when the tidal wave struck Port Alberni. I was living in what they called Alberni on Margaret Street 513. There wasn’t a dike then and the water from the creek and tidal wave came fast across the road. The lady (Mrs. Kolstad) living next door was banging on our door, and by the time my parents answered the door the water was not far from the house. I had an eight-year-old brother Fred and a two-year-old brother Brian. We had no time to get dressed, only wearing our pyjamas when we left by the back door. My dad was holding my two-year-old brother. I was up to my neck in water. My brother Fred was beside me, and we were heading toward higher ground behind the house with water already spreading to Gertrude Street. At one point, I lost my footing and fell in the water and my brother Fred grabbed onto me. He could swim, but I could not. We moved up Arrowsmith Street toward Alberni Elementary School. Some people that lived on Arrowsmith, Mr. and Mrs. Laughin took us all in for the night. My dad had left the back door open when he left our house, so the next day we had more damage than most, we left for a week and stayed at relatives, while my dad stayed behind and cleaned up the mess. I am still in contact with one of the families that lives on Margaret Street and her two daughters, Mrs. Alice Mould, Ruby and Sharon. They remember that night also. They stayed behind in their home because it was a lot higher up than our house but still across from the river and that made it worse than most houses. They remembered an awful smell from the water out of the river. Their dad Jim was afraid the propane tank would explode. Something else I remember is that there was a relief fund, probably funded through the government or Simpson Sears, because we could order things that were ruined in the flood. We all got new shoes and the Mould family got a new washer and dryer. One of the Mould girls’ husband, John Whipp, was in the Sea Cadets, and he remembers the cadets helping families clean up. (Right photos) Alberni’s Kitsuksis area, around Margaret Steet, was hit hard by the tsunami in 1964. [PHOTO BY JAN JANSMA] with Funeral Director
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(Above) Port Auto Sales was just one of the companies to find cars in unusual parking spots following the tidal wave. [PHOTO BY A. WAVERYN AND M. STEFANI]
Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Homes empty, churches floating – none of it will ever be forgotten I worked for the highway department in Port Alberni, and I got a call at 4:20 a.m. from Percy Thrill to come to work, to check out the houses on River Road. I, being a grater operator, blocked the roads while Bob Anderson and I scouted all the houses on River Road. We found people’s houses all empty. The tide, the ocean, was starting to come back in, and a small church was floating from River Road to Pineo Road. It was floating without capsizing – amazing. Albert Veresh Age 81 Lundbreck, Alberta
(Insert) The Reform Church was carried into Stirling Field, and came to a stop up against the Boy Scout Hall. (Above) Houses and cottages ended up on top of vehicles at the Riverside Auto Court. [PHOTOS BY JAN JANSMA]
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Thursday, March 27, 2014
The high tide marker at Fisherman’s Wharf is marked at 16 feet, but the tsunami line can be seen well above that. [PHOTO BY HORACE DRAPER]
(Top to bottom) Fences and garages were hard hit by the tidal wave, more so than houses. At the Port Texaco, now Tar’s Car Sales, on Third Avenue had cars stacked up and pumps out of commission. The E&N train yard was damaged as a result of the wave that hit in 1964. [PHOTOS BY LILLIAN GEIGL, A. WAVERYN AND M. STEFANI]
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Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
Thursday, March 27, 2014
9
Rescuing Port Alberni’s Lady Rose from rough seas BY JOE MONRUFET
With the 50-year anniversary of our tsunami event coming up this spring, I have recounted my experiences in the event more, lately, than I have done in the last decade. Even after telling about my own experience many times (and without exaggerations I hope), this is the first time I have tried to write about it. First I will say, remember, I was a 14-year-old boy (go ahead do the math) and most of my bigger impressions involve my father, who not only took me into the tsunami, but was also the reason I had the experience I did. We lived at Sproat Lake and Dad was one of the owners and skippers of the Lady Rose. My recollection of my participation begins at about 10 p.m. when I returned home from some forgotten outing and Mom and Dad were both up and, perhaps, waiting for me. As soon as I showed up Dad said, “We have to get down to the ship,” and we left for town. I don’t recall any anxiety or making an extra fast run along Faber Road and taking the usual route towards Port. To this day, I do not know who actually called my father and gave him the heads up of any possible disaster. Perhaps with all the current talk about Port Alberni’s tsunami I will learn who in Port actually had some alert to the possible disaster. I believe Jock MacKay, who was the old waterfront watchman, made the call to my father and his partner Dick McMinn We followed River Road and onto Stamp Avenue. It was between the old grinding wheel monument and the railway tracks that we met with a car headed our way and, with eyes like saucers, they stopped and yelled to dad that the “ocean was coming in.” As we did a U-turn, the water was coming up the slight grade of the road and we had water under the wheels of the Volkswagen van by the time we were turned back. I can vividly recall the sense of excitement and anxiety at that time. We returned to Roger Street and went up to Tenth Avenue, along to Argyle, then headed back down to the harbour. I am surprised that I can’t recount any fear or dialogue with Dad about what was and might be going on. I do recall him saying, “Don’t expect anything to be normal from now on.” I remember that somewhere after seeing the water rising at Argyle Street we passed a backyard with a yellow boat in it and dad saying, as we drove by, to remember where it is in case we needed it. In 1964, the Argyle Street Dock was a wooden pier with vehicle access straight down Argyle Street. When we went down Argyle as far as the Katila Motors car lot, we parked there and ran to the jetty. By this time, there was no water on the street but the damage to the road end of the pier was obvious as it had floated up and was jammed. When we got to the end of the pier the Lady Rose was not tied as she should have been at the end, but instead was swinging on one line from the bow to the dock cleat and the stern pointing towards the pulp mill. The water was surging and the line was singing tight as the ship pulled away. When we first arrived, the bow was actually lower than the bull rail of the dock and Dad got aboard by going down the line. (For months afterwards my mother used to say that because that line was the first polypropylene ever used on the Lady Rose it was a good advertisement opportunity missed.) The ship surged forward and
From above the plywood plant, the Lady Rose can be seen circling the Alberni Inlet riding out the tidal waves. [PHOTO BY JAN JASMA] against the dock, and I scrambled aboard. Dad opened the wheelhouse to go below and start the generator and main engine. When the generator was on, we had the big spotlight on and I recall swinging the beam over the dock. In those days, the business also included Long Beach Transport, and on the end of the jetty was the only semi-trailer unit. There was concern about being tied the way we were to the dock with one line and swinging wildly. More lines were put on and, at some point, two or three men showed up (I think from the pub where they heard about the excitement). One of the fellows was a driver, and he drove the rig up the dock, damaging it at the drop-off to the street. The water was rising super fast, and it was obvious the ship would get into difficulty at the pier, so we untied and headed out into the harbour. With the big spotlight shining over the water with debris and logs everywhere, it looked like we were hardly away from shore. The water was swirling and logs were continually bumping us. At one point, I headed down the ladder to the engine room and cargo hold and my father looked me in the eyes and said, “Make sure you can get out of there if this thing is upside down.” I think for myself, those are the most memorable words from the whole tsunami event. We stayed in the harbour for some time and there were more and more headlights and flashing lights on shore so we went back to the dock and after some attempts got secured. Because the water was at such a high level, the men started moving freight from the warehouse and passing it through the side doors of the ship’s hold. I remember the level of the ship was such that we were able to roll large truck tires right onboard. With the ship getting dangerously close to being pushed onto the dock with all the turbulence, and the unknown as to just how high it might get, we cast off and again went into the harbour.
We must have circled around the inner harbour for some time, as I recall it was coming daylight when we went back to the dock and there were lots of people around. I remember someone saying he was able to phone our families from the office phone on the dock and the water had come to just below the phone on the wall. For years after we had a red line on the wall to show tourists the high water mark. When word started to go around town, dozens of people came down Argyle Street to look and the police turned them back and used loud speakers to warn of rumours that there were possibly more waves. There was a lot of anxiety and rumours, and Dad and I, with several others, stayed on the ship throughout the day and following night. During my life on the water, I have had other tsunami experiences. In March of 1979, my wife and I were sailing our cutter Daedalus at night off the coast of Mexico when we felt a shock hit us and heard the next day of the destruction caused by a wave. When the alert of a wave hitting Port Alberni in 1985 came, I was running the crew boat Seaway Express and took it to the end of Alberni Inlet with the expectation of another 1964 event. (The disaster in Japan has made me think I would not do that again.) The day after Japan’s disaster I was working on a jetty in Barkley Sound, and as we worked above the water we watched as the ocean level rose and fell several inches many times, even after the warning, so any dangers of a tsunami had been lifted. All of the events are history now. Those of us who have clear recollections of the magnitude of what nature’s little shake-up did to Port Alberni are still amazed there was no loss of life or serious injury. For myself, the lesson of “don’t expect anything to be normal” has stayed with me.
10 • Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Hoping to never experience another disaster like 1964 I was 12 years old at the time of the tidal wave. I went with my dad to the site of the sea cadet hall (by the Harbour Quay) to see the expected next wave to come up the Inlet. It never materialized, which was a good thing. My dad and uncle (Ken and Art Toms) were the owners of Toms Brothers Ltd., at the time. I remember the aftermath and helping with the cleanup for the people who were hit by the wave. There was a lot of mud and silt left in the homes, which made removing the furniture from the homes a difficult task. I remember a lot of people helping with the cleanup, which for me says a lot about this community and the people who live here. Let’s hope we don’t have to go through it again. Harry Toms (Right) The Somass lumberyard was a mess following the tsunami, as seen here at the trainyard. (Bottom left) Port Alberni Auto Sales, on Fourth Avenue and Bute Street. Stacked up vehicles were a common sight, as seen here at Port Alberni Auto Sales. [RIGHT PHOTO BY JAN JANSMA, BOTTOM LEFT BY LESLIE BONNAR, BOTTOM RIGHT KEN HOFFMAN]
Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Unbelievable sight for a young boy We were playing hockey late at night at the Port Alberni arena, and then we went home. We were a bunch of “hockey nuts” who had rented the ice. I was asleep when my dad, John Madokoro, got a phone call telling him about the “tidal wave” from Alaska. He wanted to check on his boat, Challenger II, so I went down to the wharf with him. I was very skeptical about this “tidal wave” from Alaska. I couldn’t believe how high the water rose at the wharf. The wharf rose up about 20 feet and then fell down. This kept happening. My dad pointed out where a tugboat lay at the foot of Argyle Street and the Somass Hotel. We didn’t see the real damage to Port or Alberni until a few days later. Unbelievable. This disaster happened 50 years ago, but it’s still clear to me. Buddy Madokoro Mississauga, Ontario
This man shows the water line on the Somass Hotel, where Buddy and his father spotted the tugboat. [PHOTO BY HORACE DRAPER]
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The Port Alberni Port Authority shares the community’s memories of the 1964 Tsunami. Let this occasion remind us all to be prepared
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12 • Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Watching from window as wave washes away neighbourhood KRISTI DOBSON FOR THE TIMES
Jane McMillan was only 12 years old when the tsunami hit her family home, but she remembers the devastation. Living on Pineo Road, with parents Rusty and Lucy Allan and her older sister, Dianne, in the dangerous induction zone, the home was hit by the wave and suffered damage from the water, dirt and debris. It was Good Friday, so earlier in the day, McMillan went roller skating at the former community arena on the 10th Avenue dip. When she walked home along Third Avenue, she did not know it would be the last time she would see the area the same way for quite some time. “The first thing that comes to my mind is that we had a black lab dog,” McMillan said from her home in Alberta. “He stayed in the back, but kept going to the front of the house and would start barking. There was nothing there so I can only attribute it to him hearing [the tsunami] come.” Rusty was working at the plywood plant at the time, and while McMillan and her sister were in bed, he called home to warn his wife of what was happening. He told her there were workers standing on top of the conveyor belt and that he would try to be home as soon as possible. When he was able to return home, he parked the car on a hill behind Pineo Road, which was a gravel road at the time. The road had recently been cleared, but there still remained a large Douglas Fir stump lying on the shoulder. “One wave hit the basement and my dad must have thought the second wave was the last one, so he got the car and put it in the garage,” McMillan said. “The third wave hit and lifted the tree trunk. It came across and hit the garage door and then receded with the water. The car was sideways in the garage.” McMillan said they were all dressed and ready to go if they needed to leave the house, but they were one of few families in the area that was able to stay. She remembers the eerie feeling of looking out the window into the quiet, dark night. She was looking outside the picture window eating a cinnamon bun. Lucky to be in a two-story house, the main living area upstairs was saved of damage, but the basement took a beating. More than just water damage, the wave ran up the river and across the sewage treatment plant, carrying with it contaminated mud, silt and debris, which ended up in the flooded basement. “I just remember it being a mess for a
really long time,” McMillan said. Not all homes in the area fared as well. Some were moving off of their foundations while families bundled up their children and drove to higher ground. “The neighbours were out to see if they could help each other,” McMillan said. “My dad went out with his chest waders on. He was the captain of the militia, so later when the military came in, he took over managing the troops.” The rest of the family made due by walking to the stores for groceries and essential items and staying home as much as possible. Nearby buildings were completely gone, including Joy’s Store and Durants Store. McMillan remembers seeing all of the neighbours’ belongings strewn about. “There was so much stuff on the roads,” she said. “We walked in the middle, so I’m not sure if anyone could have driven on them.” After the week off for Easter break, McMillan returned to Gill School, which was not affected, but heard stories of classmates who were allowed to walk the backroads to survey the damage. There were subsequent earthquake warnings and a fear of recurrent events. “After I left Port Alberni, I was able to share the stories of it at various classrooms I worked in,” she said. “It is not something you ever forget.”
(Top) Arrowsmith Engineering, which later became the Clutesi Haven Marina office, and Joy’s Store, with a boat pushed up under the porch (also bottom photo). [TOP PHOTO BY GARNET REYNOLDS, BOTTOM BY JAN JANSMA]
Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Warning from Ontario puts family on high alert I was 10 years old when the tidal wave hit Port Alberni. It was Easter weekend, and I recall my mom and dad (Mary and John Madokoro) receiving a call from Ontario. The caller frantically asked “Are you guys alright?” My parents replied, “Yes, what’s the matter?” My relatives in Ontario were concerned about the tidal wave hitting our town. My Dad raced down to the boat dock off of Argyle Street to check his 38-foot commercial fishing troller Challenger II. He said he saw it riding up and down on the waves, but still tied to the dock. Thankfully, the Challenger II did not sustain any damage. As I was only 10, I wasn’t free to check out what had happened myself. I do remember seeing all the pictures in the newspaper (probably the Alberni Valley Times). I saw up-ended cars and debris. I was glad that not a single life had been taken. Through the years, I have heard other stories about the event now referred to as a tsunami. One story is that of a night guard at the pulp and paper mill. He was to have said that all of a sudden the water receded up the Inlet, and he saw the dark bottom of the inlet. Then the tsunami roared into the Inlet and flooded the low-lying areas, especially River Road, which has now been built up. Another couple told me about a wedding that had been planned for that weekend. I hear it still took place, but under much different circumstances. Also, a family I know, used to live upstairs in the old Joy’s Clothing Store in the old Clutesi Marina area. It must have been frightening for them. This map shows the areas affected by the 1964 tsunami, including the lower areas along the Somass River and beside Kitsuksis Creek, as well as the airport. [PHOTO BY GARNET REYNOLDS]
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Thursday, March 27, 2014
Captain Jack Reynolds and his crew ride out tidal wave Tidal Wave in the Alberni Inlet, March 28, 1964 – As told by Captain Jack Reynolds, who was 29 years old at the time I was captain on a 45-foot tugboat, P.F. Stone. This was a four man crew – Capt. Jack Reynolds, mate Jack Cullon, deckhand Wayne Harvey and cook Charley Wong. We departed Port Alberni March 27, a day before the tidal wave. We picked up a log tow from a logging camp at Sarita River that afternoon, approximately 25 miles down the Alberni Inlet near the open ocean. It would take about 20 to 24 hours for a return trip to Port Alberni with tow. I had just changed wheel watch with the mate at midnight and gone to my room when the mate called me to the wheel house to inform me that a tidal wave was to hit Alberni Inlet in about 20 minutes. We got the rest of the crew up and secured all the hatches, prepared the lifeboat for launching and lifejackets at hand. I pulled our tow into midchannel as we did not know what
would happen. We thought there would be a big wave. It was a clear bright night with the moon. We were watching for the wave, when the mate said look at us go. We were moving fairly fast, when you normally travel very slowly with a log tow (1.5 knots). It was a frightening experience that night. It was only due to the good seamanship and the expeditiousness of my crew that we did not lose our tow. Our cook, an elderly Chinese man, said if he was going to die he wanted to die in his bed. I told him nobody was going to die, but he still wanted to prepare himself for death. During the night there were large whirlpools and strong back eddies in the Inlet. At one time, our tow was in a back eddy and was passing us. I was unable to stay in front of the tow, and it was pulling us over. My crew were ready to let the tow line go when I gave the signal, but we managed to hang on. During the night, we saw a house float by. There was no sign of life. I don’t know what happened to it after that. Come daylight, there was a lot of deb-
ris and dead bottom fish. There was no radio contact with the home office as they were flooded out. My father, who also was a tugboat captain but at home at the time the tidal wave hit, thought we were lost. It was the skills that my father had passed on to me that contributed to our survival. These skills have also contributed to a very successful career with my wife and family by my side. Fortunately, my father was able to contact us later that morning from a harbour tug radio. It was a great relief to our wives and family to hear we were OK. It was 17 days later when we arrived home due to all the salvage of broken log booms. There were many other tugs involved in the cleanup. Two of my brothers were skippers on these other tugs. The tugboat P.F. Stone makes its way down the Alberni Inlet with a long boom of logs, as it did the day the tsunami hit. [PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM (PN12410), PHOTO BY KEVAN VAN HERD]
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Thursday, March 27, 2014
Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI •
15
(Clockwise from top left) A house drifted almost to the Co-op on Beaver Creek Road. The Greenwood Hotel (now the Howard Johnson) sheltered people and pets, even though it had homes floating right up to it. The airport, then located on the west side of the Somass River, was littered with logs following the tsunami. Third Avenue, with A&W visible, was one of the hardest hit areas. Lumber was strewn all over the Somass Sawmill yard. Crews work to remove a cabin cruiser that had sat on River Road for three days following the tsunami. [PHOTOS BY GARNET REYNOLDS, TOM HERTEL, LESLIE BONNAR, A. WAVERYN AND M. STEFANI]
The Alberni Valley Times would like to thank all of the people who contributed photos, stories and images for this supplement. A special thanks goes to Frank Holm who gathered and shared close to 100 photos of the tsunami, which enabled us to make this a true keepsake and helped us commemorate the 1964 tsunami and the aftermath in the Alberni Valley.
16 • Alberni Valley Times TSUNAMI
Commemorating the 1964 Tsunami
EARTHQUAKE and TSUNAMI
COMMUNITY EDUCATION FORUM Thursday, March 27
Hear our “real” tsunami warning siren
7 - 9 pm · ADSS Auditorium 4000 Roger Street
6 pm - Display Disp by Oceans Network Canada
.. the newest science and technology of tsunami modeling ..
Natural Resources Canada, Emergency Management BC, Environment Canada Weather Services, Alberni Valley Emergency Program Speakers from
earthquake and tsunami science, notification systems and local planning
Information covering
Learn why we are so vulnerable to tsunamis in the Alberni and how we plan to survive and recover
Valley, y,
Lucky audience members could win one of several weather radios to be given away
Thursday, March 27, 2014