Excerpts from videos by Seabe33 and Clearcutter01 on YouTube
Turn Down Your Computer’s Volume
The video clip on the left starts LOUD. It is actually a shortened version of two excellent YouTube videos that are reminiscent of how life was in the Rayonier Canada Holberg Logging camp way back in the mid-seventies. Unfortunately, I took very few pictures or videos back in those days, so some images on this page come from other sources.
Thanks to public domains like YouTube, Flickr, etc., it is now possible for sappy sentimentalists like me to piece together pages that awaken old memories and evoke long forgotten feelings about places like Holberg. My plan is to continue adding additional videos and pictures as they become available and as time permits.
If you happen to possess any Holberg Camp images that you’d like to see posted here, send an email to holbergsurvivor@gmail.com and we’ll get started.
The Holberg Suburbs,
Dock, and Dump
(2006)
Gallery Introduction
Some time during the late sixties or early seventies, several old houses were moved from Port Alice and relocated to Holberg, where they became residences for families on 3rd & 4th Avenue. When I was a kid, I thought they were ugly. Now that I, too, have grown old, I would prefer to describe them as “picturesque heritage houses.” The images that follow the residential area include a number of images of the dock and log dump.
The Gallery
Some of the picturesque “heritage houses” from Port Alice
Some of the picturesque “heritage houses” from Port Alice
Some of the picturesque “heritage houses” from Port Alice
One of the more “modern” houses
My old house (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) during grades 11 & 12 (Kinda looks like it belongs in a trailer court, doesn’t it?)
My bedroom window with an excellent view of the rain and stray bears…
Hidden up in the woods, just above the houses on 4th Avenue, is the Holberg water tower.
The Holberg Gas Station once stood here, at the entrance to the townsite.
Holberg Dock in 2006
Holberg Dock in 1965, with the RCAF Nimpkish II tied up. The images are 40 years apart, but the contours of the distant hills are identical.
A slightly closer look at the dock in 2006
Looking across the chuck, at the Holberg log dump (2006).
Looking back from the Holberg Dock, towards the logging camp (2006).
Looking back from the Holberg Dock, towards the town site (2006).
Holberg Log Dump: I worked for about 2 months at the nearby weigh scale, as a “3rd Loader.”
3rd Loaders were expected to climb on top of loaded logging trucks and stamp the ends of the logs.
Unfortunately, I was afraid of heights & and was too weak to swing the heavy stamp hammer, so I had to quit.
I am sure that Bob Fells and Harvey Hurd were not heartbroken to see me go.
The Winter Harbour road began just under the rusty tank and went off to the left. Back in the stupid ol’ days when drinking & driving was a favourite pastime, I got to know this trail real well.
A clearer view of the old Winter Harbour road, with the rusty tank off to the right. The new one now passes by the location of the old CFS Holberg.
Logging Equipment
Some hidden photographic gems (not my own) of some heavy duty equipment, as posted by Nick Thompson, photographer
Some Great Videos, as posted elsewhere:
The first two, by Seabe33 and Clearcutter01 on YouTube, were used in the introductory clip at the top of this page.
I worked in Holburg in 1969 logging for Macmillan blodell, I believe the boss a that till was Al Clark. It was a great experience for a New Brunswick boy. There was quite a few New Brunswick lads out there.
R u Don Albert (originally fr PR NB
Holberg was Rayonier Canada logging camp. Mac Blow had no tfl cutting rifhts
Hello Gary, We lived in Rayonier logging camp from 1967-1972. We had just gotten married and it was a new adventure for us. My husband (Roy) was in training to be a heavy duty mechanic and his boss was Horace Arthurs (Master Mechanic). We lived above the shop in a trailer…our neighbors were Erickson’s, Lundy’s and glendennings! Two years later we were moved into one of the new houses that were brought in from port Alice. We were the second house on third ave….the first house was the fire Marshall Ted Maguessen and the other side was Kenny Deyer
We drove up in September it was a sad trip….most of the houses are not lived in and being claimed back to the forest. We stopped at the pub and was told that only 32 people still lived in camp and the rest of the loggers went home for the weekend….the cookhouse is gone and the men eat at the pub! The two things that remain the same is the gravel road in and of course the constant rain.
I’ve been trying to place you with your family……your last name please?
Heather & Roy Spensley
Hi Heather and Roy from Rocky and Char Lundy. We too made the trip in a few years ago and were very sad to see how the place has been let go. So sad that the armed forces and logging company could not come to some sort of arrangement to have kept the dock. Some of the names that come to mind are Kieth Watt, the accountant, Orist and Greta Warwarick, Fritz Haugland, manager when I arrived. Gabe Katona, George and Priscilla Powell, The Browns Dick Burke at the commissary (when sober) and many others. I still have pictures of the last whale being harvested at Coal Harbour- what a smell that was!
I’m back – intended to thank Gary for putting this site together, So Thanks Gary
Hi Folks
This is Sean Watts. Keith Watts’ son. I remember dad being the accountant. Mum is Bridie. Dad passed in 2011 and mum in 2019. They’d retired to mum’s hometown in Ireland in 2001. We left Holberg in 1971 and moved to Port McNeill and then to Vancouver where dad continued to be an accountant for Rayonier. We moved back to England in 1978 and returned to Vancouver in 1979 and that is when dad got his dream job as the head soccer coach at Simon Fraser University until he retired in 2001. Mum and dad loved Holberg. The 4 of us children remember going to school at the base. He loved playing broomball.
Im born in Holberg in 1966, march,23.my dad worked there and lived whit our family.They was italian and his name is Luigi( Louie) Tonon and Candida.They lives in Holberg from 1963 to 1969,after moved to Italy..
I was there in 1995 to visit my birthplace, mom and dad in 2001 to visit the area…..
We have friend who lives in Burnany and Vancouver…
Maybe someone of you remember my dad and mum…
Sorry for my bad English….
was born there in 67 so about a year or so later than you. Went back in 90 ish. am planning on heading back in the next couple of years with my wife.
Hi
My name is Tracey Iverson I lived there 69 to74
My dad John Iverson was a heavy duty mechanic for Raynier I remember all the above names and still in touch with a few people. I lived in the last house on 4 ave
Tammy Glendening was my friend.
Do you remember the Walkers? Horace moved to Jordan River we followed only staying for a year and a half. Holberg was the best childhood anyone could ask for.
Hi Tracey, my name is Susan Wilson. We went to school together. We were in the same grade. I remember going to your birthday party and we had Kraft dinner for lunch! That was a very long time ago! I really missed Holberg when we moved in 1973. I lived on the base. My Dad worked for BC Tel.
Al Clark was the woods boss. In 71-72 when I was there
Do you remember David Bradford. I lived with my husband for 1ur 1974 to 1975. I heard your name before. David spent time and worked in Holnerg since 1969 1970 and again in 1974 to 1975
My dad was Murray Solvey, and he worked for WFP as a parts manager for their vehicles back in the late 70s. I’m sorry that I can’t be more specific, but I was a bit busy with our young family down in metro Vancouver during the time that Mom and Dad were up in Holberg and I never did ask him for any details about his work there. I can tell you this – my dad was living his dream! I never did remember him happier than when he was living and working in Holberg. He loved the outdoors! He loved the bush! Living in Holberg, he could come home after work and pull his boat to the nearest launch and go fishing whenever he wanted! The one time that that my husband and I visited with our toddlers he took me out on the water with him and the memory of the huge grin on his face stays with me to this day. I had grown up with 2 brothers in Kelowna and my parents had lived there for about for about 25 years so Mom was not quite as happy about being isolated in a north island logging camp, but she settled in to her new circumstances as as best she could.
Unfortunately, we lost dad to a tragic boating accident in November of 1981. He had gone ducking hunting with 3 other men further up the island and they were traveling in two zodiacs. The story that we heard was that there was warning of a big storm and someone from Holberg contacted the hunters to tell them to either head home immediately or hunker down until the storm passed. The men made the wrong decision. Dad and his boat mate battled their way home and dad actually touched the beach at San Jose Bay but when the two men looked behind them they could not see their two friends so they launched the zodiac back into the bay to attempt a rescue. The details of the accident were described by the other man in dad’s boat because we never did see dad again. His body has never been recovered. One man in the other upturned zodiac also lost his life due to hyperthermia.
I was only 32 when my dad died and I am turning 70 now so many years have passed. I apologise for not being able to put a name to the other 3 hunters that are a part of that horrible story. I guess that information was lost in the blur that I lived through following dad’s death. My Mom had come down to North Delta for some Christmas shopping with me while dad was off hunting. I will never forget having to turn around from the telephone to tell her that dad was gone. I know that she waited for years for the call that would tell her that dad’s body had been found but after a while that fear left her and she passed on Christmas day nine years ago having lived alone for almost 30 years.
My 7 year old grandson is called Lincoln Murray and it occurred to me last night that we will have to share this story of his great grandfather with him at some point. With that idea in mind I sat down at the computer this morning and happened upon “Holberg.ca”. It felt good to share my dad’s story with you.
Anne, thank you for sharing your father’s story. I am sorry that it couldn’t have been a more positive outcome. But I am also glad that he got to spend so many happy years in the unforgettable Holberg. I hope your mother was able to heal and find some peace and happiness after his passing. And, of course, I am hoping the same for YOU now. All the best, Anne, in 2019 and the years ahead!
Gary
Anne,
I worked in Holberg as a logging chokerman in 1981 until winter shutdown and remember talk of an ill-fated November hunting trip/boating accident north of San Josef Bay. Three months before, in the calm summer weather, two couples from Holberg townsite hired three local men with zodiacs to drop them off at Cape Scott. After two weeks of camping, they hiked out by the trail. After that, others started going up to The Cape in zodiacs; that is, until that tragic November trip.
As far as my foggy old memory serves me: the duck hunters were Doug Copp (logging foreman), Grant Anderson (master mechanic), Ernie Cunningham (camp handyman, he also ran the commissary) — the others I cannot remember.
After the tragedy, Ernie Cunningham told a bunch of us, “A huge ocean wave slammed our zodiac onto the rocks. We clung to the steep jagged rocks for our very lives. Great waves came over us, one after the other. It was every man for himself. Two men came up on a huge wave. I had to choose which one to try and help. One of the men was bald-headed. I let go of the rocks with one hand, made a wild grab, and caught the other man by his hair. When the wave receded I managed to pull him up higher. I stayed there for as long as I could, hoping to see the other man, but I never saw him again. Between the big waves, we made our way off the rocks and into the scrub timber. There wasn’t much we could do in the storm. We hunkered down and tried to keep warm. I retrieved some supplies from the boat, including a bottle of rum, which we drank.”
Iknew Doug Copp now deceased. His wife was Claire 1974. They had one son Kason. Would be 49 yrs old now. He was from PR NB
Just found this website. Looks very good.Was looking for some logging dumpsite photos to build a crane for my garden railway, the Quatsino & Tashish.
I was the forester for Holberg 1976/77. Moved to Rayonier HO to become the first stumpage appraisal forester in late 1977. Left the Rayonier/WFP in 1981.
I lived in Holberg in the late 60’s. My Dad (Jim Rambo) drove logging trucks for Raynier Logging. Mr Hoagland was the “superintendent” at the time. I vaguely remember some of the family names,,,,Darlings, Mantics (or Mantles) and Dares to name a few. We went to school in Holberg. I have some old movies from our time there that my Mom had put on VHS. We were only there a couple of years and prior to that had lived in WD Moore’s camp at Winter Harbour. After Holberg we moved back to Vancouver.
You had the same room as a kid as my friend Kevin Lindback in the 80’s-90’s
I lived in the last house on the left on the top of 2nd Ave before the Ronning St hill) across from the Millers
Some of the best years of my life were in Holberg where I took my HD apprenticeship. Worked there from approximately 1974 thru 1979. I learned so much there. Some of my peers were very hard on me, but it built character and taught me a very needed work ethic. There was so much there. Returning a few years ago was very sad for me. It was like a piece of my heritage had been stripped away. The docks were gone, the dive club gone, the camp depleted, the entire base stripped off the planet. I took my elderly son up with me and described how we will hike out to San Josef Bay on a trail in which you will enter a boy and come back as a man…….They made it wheelchair accessible. Kid came away thinking we were all pussies. Then we brought our boat up and spent a summer sailing form Port Hardy around the tip and along the outside north island coast. It was magical.
Olly Bothwell….just submitted a comment this morning but can’t see it and I think I put down Gladys and Craig last name as Thompson when it is actually Tomlinson….can you correct it for me or email it back so I can?