Bennie, Robert A.

Captain Robert Bennie reports in his own words that "I started working for BC Ferries in the summer of 1973 as a deckhand for summer staffing crews. Once I finished university I returned thinking I would stay around until I made up my mind what I wanted to do for a career. 38 years later I retired. During that time I worked as Launch Operator/Master of the Dogwood Princess from 1974 to 1979. Then I was master/senior master of the Dogwood Princess II from 1979 until 2003. Since the vessel was over 5 T the operators were required to obtain 40 Ton Master Certificates as well as hold Engineering Certificates (it was a dual role). Later the 40 Ton Certificate was upgraded to a 60 Ton Limited Masters Certificate. The route was administered from Little River on Vancouver Island so we generally were left alone so I did all the budgetting, refitting, scheduling, public liaison work with the local Ferry Advisory Committee, etc.

In 2003 the route was privatized so I went to work briefly on the Horseshoe Bay Langdale run until a 3rd Mate position opened up in Prince Rupert. I then worked as Third Mate from 2004 to 2007 and after that worked as 2nd Mate/relief Chief Mate until I retired in 2011. I work occasionally for Malibu Yacht Charters working on the Malibu Princess and the Papoose so have maintained my Chief Mate, Near Coastal & Master 500T Certificate even though I am retired from BC Ferries. As well as working on the Route 13 vessels, I worked as Mate on Langdale to Horseshoe Bay run on the Queen of Surrey as well as up north on the Queen of Prince Rupert, the Queen of the North (was on days off when it sank - fortunately), the Northern Adventure and the Northern Expedition. In regards to the latter, I was one of the BC Ferries representatives sent to Germany and lived in Flensburg for a month while we finished the final fitting out and inspections before bringing the ship to Canada. I sailed with the vessel from Flensburg through the Panama Canal before flying back to Canada. After retirement I worked briefly for Goundar Shipping in Fiji when that company purchased the old Queen of Prince Rupert and renamed her Lomaiviti Princess. I trained the crews in the operation of all the ship board safety equipment and trained the bridge and deck crew in the operation of the vessel. An interesting career given it was supposed to be a summer job until I figured out what I wanted to really do!! " In 2005-2008 he served as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Nanaimo Port Authority, Nanaimo BC.