Bits of Edac are floating around out there.
In 2003, the 34-foot cabin cruiser was dismantled after plying coastal waters for more than 80 years. The wheel and clock are constantly at sea aboard Bill Woodworth’s charter ketch Piraeus; fitting as his dad Noel Woodworth piloted Edac for more than 30 years — taking unsuspecting people on the boat while they crabbed, and fished, and learned.
Woodworth penned Edac, 80 years Cruising the North Coast of British Columbia, though he died five years ago, the book is now in print.
“He was very enthusiastic in wanting to record a lot of these things for family and friends,” explained Noel’s widow Alberta Woodworth. “He didn’t get it finished so it became my goal.”
Edac is in every form of Alberta’s Saanichton home: in photos, an oil rendition of the yacht club in Prince Rupert, a model so detailed it has a sliding door on the cabin, even a plate with sepia image of Edac.
“We enjoyed the experience with the boat. My husband spent an awful lot of time working on it. It was a labour of love,” she said. “We were novice boaters to start with. Noel said we took unsuspecting people on the boat while we crabbed and fished and learned.”
Some trips they got skunked — in front of company from Nova Scotia no less; others they suffered damage and took on water.
“Lots of humorous things happened and some serious,” Alberta said. “Lots of pleasant memories, that’s for sure.”
The stories tell the history of the craft itself and adventures Captain Noel, First Mate Alberta and many a guest, experienced while boating out of Prince Rupert for three decades. There’s a little bit of history, a splash of hilarity, and a boat load of mariner talk.
“Noel was a great raconteur and he always like to tell stories,” said Helen Ramani-Moore, Alberta’s niece and co-conspirator in finishing the project. “He had the gift of the gab.”
The chapters sound like Noel, Alberta’s been told, which was the intent.
They’re printed as he hand-wrote them throughout the mid-1990s. Alberta type set the stories, often more than once, and self-published the book this year. She intends to donate any profits to charity.
“I never expected to do this. I was going to do it for family and friends,” Alberta said. “Now I’m really enjoying it because I’m meeting a lot of interesting people.”
Edac, 80 years Cruising the North Coast of British Columbia is available at Tanner’s Books in Sidney, Munro’s in Victoria, and Ivy’s Bookshop in Oak Bay. Visit www3.telus.net/public/a5a66825/woodworth/ to find up-Island locations.