...Have Made Shipwreck

On this day in history, one year ago, BC Ferries' Queen of the North left the port of Prince Rupert for the run to Vancouver. It was evening on the 21st of March, and there were 101 people on board, including crew. She was following a course she had taken many times before, with the waterways well charted and planned.

But several hours later, just after midnight on the 22nd of March, the Queen of the North crashed into underwater rocks in Douglas Channel, just off Gil Island, going to the ocean floor just an hour later. 99 people were rescued in lifeboats - two perished.

There is no official conclusion regarding the cause of the sinking, but sufficient is apparent at this point to draw upon the current knowledge. An autopilot aberration coupled with human error combined brought the 125 metre (385 foot) ship, according to some reports, about a kilometre off course.

'It was a dark and stormy night' with choppy 1-2 metre waves, 80 km/h winds, and lashing rain. Most passengers were awakened by the collision, and many were hustled into open lifeboats wearing only pajamas in the wind and rain. Remember this is March in northern BC, and not likely many degrees above freezing.

The nearest civilization was Hartley Bay, a mostly aboriginal fishing community of about 200 residents. Accessible only by sea or air, no grocery stores, nothing but unofficial people.

They heard the mayday over their VHF radios, and they sent their boats, they opened their homes, cooked hot meals, supplied blankets and clothing and all manner of hospitality to the cold, wet, and stranded survivors.
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Shipwreck is not something we're accustomed to in this day of modern technology. Most Canadians were astounded that such a thing could happen to us. This is not Indonesia, or India, or Bangladesh, where they use every manner of floating device for ferries, and overload them. This was a sophisticated, proven vessel, and had a very small load. Why should she sink?

The answer in this case is very simple: She strayed off course.

I think we should make a fundamental note of this principle today. We may have education. We may have money. We may have experience. But if we become careless, and depart from the charted course of safety, rocks of destruction await that will respect no ignorance or imagined sincerity.


This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck. (1Timothy 1:18-19)

We may watch for leaks, we may press for education, we may achieve success and experience, but if we haven't kept the course... -we've made shipwreck.

Staying afloat is about staying on course. On this day, let's pause and remember, and engrave in our character the remembrance of the importance of keeping the faith.