A documentary series is in production in the Campbell River exploring the stories of a diverse group of mariners and their experiences working on the water off northern Vancouver Island, and is looking to showcase local artists.
Where the Wind Meets the Tide is set to showcase local mariners living and working in the waters around the north Island. It is being produced by Suzanne Jolly as part of the Telus Storyhive Voices program. Jolly discovered a love for the salty tales of people who work on the water through her stepfather, who was a tugboat captain. She was inspired to make a documentary after spending several years meeting mariners from all over Vancouver Island, in her role coordinating marine safety training at North Island College.
“People who work on the water have wonderful stories: from fishing boats to ferries. It’s wild and dangerous at times, but also these folks have a connection to their crew and the ocean in a way that is really awe-inspiring,” said Jolly. “These mariners and their work are also an important part of our history on the coast. There’s been significant changes to marine work in recent decades and I wanted to capture the stories of those who witnessed and worked through that evolution– it’s taken a huge amount of resilience.”
Jolly wanted to make sure the people featured in the series were a diverse set of perspectives. She made sure to include women and Indigenous people to make sure the show had an accurate representation of the many and varied people who make their living on the water. These include:
- Esther Allen, the first female BC Ferries captain
- Tim Hobbs, owner and operator of marine equipment stores, Redden Net, in Port Hardy and Campbell River, and one of founding board members of the Fisherman’s Wharf Harbour Authority
- Chad and Kai White, owners/operators of Wildlife Charters as well as son and grandson of famous angler, Charlie White
- John Duncan and Zach Everson, fish technicians with the A-Tlegay Society
- Clive Quigley, marine safety training instructor with North Island College
- Jenefer Smalley, owner and operator of Wild Waterways Adventures
- George Cuthbert, owner and operator of the King Pacific Lodge
Now Jolly is looking for local artists to help out with the project. She is inviting marine-inspired local artists to contact her for opportunities to have their work incorporated into the documentary. Artists interested in being featured can email examples of work and/or a website that showcases the work to suzanne.e.jolly@gmail.com by April 8, 2022.
A variety of mediums will be considered, including paintings, glasswork, sculpture and even music.
“We hope to weave in images, sound or video to help showcase the many artists who are inspired by the sea, and promote their work as part of our series,” explained Jolly. “We plan to embed the artwork into the stories, wherever appropriate, and obviously give credit to the artists and links on our website and in the TV series wherever possible.”
Learn more about Where the Wind Meets the Tide at www.wherethewindmeetsthetide.com.
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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