Even Scrooge knows that a goose is essential to celebrate Christmas.
And that rings just as true for the people who live and work on British Columbia’s rugged Central Coast, who also depend on a goose for the holiday spirit.
Like Santa’s sleigh, and sporting the same signature red and white color scheme, a “flock” of Grumman Goose planes brave rain, sleet and snow to bring people and gifts home for the holidays. parties.
From Port Hardy in the north of Vancouver Island, Wilderness Seaplanes operates the last commercial fleet of the historic aircraft, which flies year-round and acts as a lifeline for more than 50 towns, resorts and labor camps throughout the West Coast.
Nicknamed the amphibious seaplane, the grumman goose it was produced between 1937 and 1944. Only 345 were built, originally intended as “flying yachts” for wealthy business executives on the US East Coast. But the dependable aircraft has been used extensively in BC by aviation companies and the military. during decades.
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The Goose has been serving British Columbia’s coastal communities under the banners of different companies for more than 50 years, said Vince Crooks, operations manager for Wilderness Seaplanes.
“They were perfectly built for this job. They are versatile and just the right size,” Crooks said.
“They haven’t really built a plane that’s better for it, and that’s why it has survived.”
“I love those planes because, to me, the sound of those engines is the sound of coming home,” says Bella Bella resident Josh Carpenter of flying the historic #GrummanGoose to his remote coastal community for the holidays. #ChristmasGoose
The Goose can carry a small set of passengers and cargo and can land at a commercial airport, on water, or on a gravel runway equally well. She can even land in the water and go up a boat ramp if there’s no dock to connect to.
The company operates three geese, the oldest of which is 83 years old. But given its long-term use in the region, the Central Coast has become a hotspot for aircraft maintenance and flying experience, Crooks said.
And it’s a good thing, because geese are supposed to be flying at full speed during the holiday season.
“We have to practically double the flights in the run-up to Christmas,” Crooks said, adding that the extra runs are more to accommodate cargo than passengers.
“We move a lot of boxes this time of year, as you can imagine, especially in the last couple of years with everyone shopping online now.”
People traveling in and out of communities don’t have many other options for getting home to the wilder winter weather, Crooks said. BC Ferries service is infrequent, has limited space, and books up months in advance, while traveling any distance by boat in the cold and windy weather can be risky.
Many people who travel to remote First Nations communities, such as Klemtu, Bella Bella, or Knight Inlet, often return home after a long absence.
“A lot of young people leave the villages, and it’s always fun to see when there’s a big gathering at the docks,” he said.
And half the boxes unloaded from the plane are often already covered in festive Christmas wrapping.
“When Goose shows up, there are usually a dozen people waiting for all their packages and gifts and you can tell they are very happy to receive them.”
‘The sound of coming home’
Josh Carpenter, manager of the Bella Bella airport, said the community, which has about 1,200 residents, is relatively small. But it still acts as a larger hub for people who bring the Goose to even smaller First Nations villages in the surrounding area.
Flying on the Goose itself isn’t really considered a special occasion because it’s such a regular part of life for people on the Central Coast, he said.
“For us, it’s like getting on the bus and getting off at the next stop,” he said.
“It is a necessary tool to get you where you want to go.”
But the Grumman Goose is woven into the fabric of coastal communities, tying together family, place and personal memories, especially during vacations, he said.
“I’ve been flying the Goose since the mid ’70s,” Carpenter said.
“I love those planes because for me, the sound of those engines is the sound of coming home.”
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / National Observer of Canada