John Turner:  

Life Work took me overseas for many years after Kits - I actually did graduate in '64. By 1976 I had bought a house in Kitsilano which was home for the next ten years. With a growing family (sons born in '83 and '85) we moved out to the White Rock area but stayed only two years. By the summer of 1990 my then ex-wife, while on vacation with our sons in her native Germany, decided not to return. This was very dificult for all at first - the boys didn't speak a word of German and I was a continent away! But as one door closes in our lives it would seem that an other will always open. By this time I had been in command of many ships, latterly on the BC Coast. Since school, with the exception of two years during which I lectured at the Nautical Institute, I have been a sailor. This lead up to my joinning the BC Coast Pilots Ltd in 1991 and I have been piloting ships ever since. From that time onwards I was able to Fly over to spend time with my sons atleast three times a year - We marine pilots get every fourth month free from work. In addition I was able to fly them back to Vancouver once or twice a year as well. We were now spending more than a 100 days of 'Quallity' time a year together. That would probably be more than any father and sons could hope for! It was in these years I learned just how wonderful and loyal my friends were. Everyone both in Europe and here gave me nothing but their upmost support! I bought a motorhome over in Germany and eventural...Expand for more