Please join us on MV Pairadice : GILFORD ISLAND / PIERRIE'S ECHO BAY

Thursday, July 21st (day 114) PIERRE’S ECHO BAY (Gilford Island)

The Cliffside, across the Bay.

A little history: Echo Bay has been a gathering place for thousands of years and for more than 100 years it has been a center for loggers, fishermen and now summertime boaters. In 2008 Peirre and Tove Landry bought Echo Bay Resort and moved Pierre's Bay Marina from nearby Scott Cove to Echo Bay.

The Echo Bay Resort docks were scrapped and new docks , with upgraded power, were built and installed. The store was refurbished and restocked. A new fuel dock was built. In a span of about 3 months the resort was transformed - a remarkable achievement in a remote location where help is scarce and everything must be barged in.

Since then Pierre has continued expanding and improving the facilities. The events building, on the concrete breakwater, is the first sight upon entering. Meal events at Echo Bay are now inside this building instead of under the old tent (which he has offered up to George over at Port Harvey when his restaurant float “The Red Shoe” sank last year). What used to be called Windsong Sea Village, under the cliff across the bay is now part of Peirre’s, known as The Cliffside. This facility was acquired in 2013 and offers overflow moorage. Peirre’s lastest addition are the cedar bench swings and fire pit up the hill.

We had the good fortune to get reservations with “the in crowd” as they called it, for a 3 day stay during an art show. Arriving on Thursday, the crews of Pairadice and Alaskan Sea-Duction were able to enjoy the prime rib dinner event. We were joined the following day by Endless Tymes for the Saturday Pig Roast, as well. WE HAD A BLAST!

We also enjoyed a dingy ride over to Billy Proctor’s place, where he has a museum, the Echo Bay School house and replica of an early hand logger’s cabin he built from a SINGLE cedar log. We met Billy... that is a story in itself!

We were welcomed with a great moorage on the first finger, Tom with a port tie, us with a starboard tie, so our cockpits were butt up against each other :-) Kay and I wasted no time checking out the market, grounds and art show, meeting people everywhere we turn. The owner’s, Pierre and Tove are a hoot! She informed us, we were in the ”in crowd”. The prime rib roasts went on the grill at 3pm and the place became alive. The husband and wife, art show was at the dining hall, where the huge barbecue rotisserie was smelling amazing and the spectacular carved wall pieces, as well as the water color art were on display. We found people were already staking their claim to seating assignment, so we brought our place settings up right away. Time to let the pictures tell the story :-)

Kay reserving our seats by laying out our place settings.
Look at all those visiting yacht club flags decorating the events hall.

The events center being set up for the prime rib dinner. Service at 6pm for 88 guests.

Tim Motchman, woodcarver, works on display.

Tim's wife, also an artist, showed her watercolor pieces, as well.

Echo Bay halibut rod.

Mighty fine looking prime rib!

Preparing to serve up prime rib for a crowd!

Hanging out after dinner.

At 9:30 pm across the bay at this home on Cliffside, we were seated at the fire pit,,
this couple came out on the veranda where he played
"What a Wonderful World" and Taps" on his trumpet!
We could hear it loud and clear, it was VERY moving!
Now we know why it is called Echo Bay :-)

View from the swings.

One of many dinner parties on the dock.
Kay, Chris, Brigette, Tom at our Echo Bay moorage.

Brigette and Chris... still in love after all those years!

Friday night hanging out at the campfire.
Real nice kid, who works at Peirre's Marina entertained us at the camp fire.

Saturday July 23rd (day 116) ECHO BAY & SHOAL HARBOR

Today was the duck race and Pig Roast Dinner event. We bought 7 quackers, 5 smackers each. Winner takes all. The race commenced at 4pm as promised, with dinner service promptly at 6pm. But first, the girls got together at 11am to take the hike over to Shoal Harbor to meet the legendary Billy Proctor and see his museum.

Billy, as he likes to be called has logged, trapped and fished on the coast all of his 80 years. Over a lifetime he has collected a treasure of Chinese opium bottles, Chinese and Japanese beer bottles, engine plates, tools, arrowheads, bone fish hooks, a 1910 mimmoegraph machine, crank telephone and thousands of other artifacts of the coasts past. He built replica of an old hand logger’s cabin, from a single cedar log (he found floating) which he milled himself. The contents of the cabin display more collectables from circa 1900. He has also built a small gift shop / book store. He maintains his old fishing trawler, Ocean Dawn on his dock, which is also used for visitors.

The hike was great and it was very special meeting Billy. He even signed our books.

Shoal Harbor

The girls on a "Passer by bench" on the hiking trail to Billy Proctor's place.

Billy chatted and posed for a picture with us. The photo is on Kay's camera.

Inside Billy's Museum

Echo Bay school house on the left, the loggers cabin replica on the right.

The school house was bright over to Shoal Harbor for display.

Inside the Echo Bay School house.

Billy's workshop, now part of the museum.

Billy's highly respected fishing boat.

I'm posing with Tim the artist and Pierre. Tim was whittling away at a work in progress.

Tove, providing the entertainment while we waited for the duck race to start.

Pierre collected everyone's duck and dumped it over the side.

There were 65 ducks in the race, making the prize $325.

Even John sported his yellow shirt.

The quackers weren't budging until Pierre showed up in his skiff and cranked the engine.
The winner was announced at dinner...
it was someones grandson, the kid in the yellow cape.

One of the boaters, in yellow of course, was assigned to be the judge.
He had to crawl on that log which was the finish line.
The guy in the kayak is marina staff... keeping every honest.

The clock above the buffet table. Each boat brought a side or dessert.

One of many tables of boaters attending the famous Pig Roast.

The proud owners and hosts, Tove and Pierre Landry.

The owner, Tove made the rounds to our table, while Pierre carved the pig.
Once the buffet was set up and everyone was seated, she visited each table
where you would draw numbers to learn with table would go up next.
It was a very efficient system and the meal was great!