Sea Explorer (II)

Robert Critchley (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 21/04/2017) stated that "when Bendicksons were logging on Village Island, at the mouth of Knights Inlet in the 40's George picked some nice logs and had the lumber cut at Walden's mill on Craycroft Island,then had Conrad Stokkeland build the boat (which had a hemlock keel) for $ 4.600, and 1048.00 for a new Chrysler Crown.then as Eric mentioned,in 1955 bank robber William Babcock, broke out of Oakalla prison, stole a speedboat and made it up to Hardwicke Island.At night he stole the Sea Explorer and headed north in a desperate attempt to head to Alaska.with a man hunt on, and reward,this vessel was reported by Simon Walkus , of Takush Harbour, Smiths Inlet.R.C.M.P. flew in , there was a chase with gun shots into the back of the wheelhouse, ending with Babcock running the boat onto the rocks.At which time he was arrested, and George ran the boat back to Hardwicke. when I bought her off George,I found the news paper front page story in the cupboard. I did a bunch of work on her,had Buford Haines put some planks on. ironically , I sold her to one of the Walkus family thirty years after the Takush incident.

They gill netted with her for a while, then this vessel went through a few owners,getting fibre glassed,with a aft cabin,and looking pretty bad,last time i saw her was at Port Alberni , and heard this vessel went on the beach there. A sad end to a nice little boat." Bill Murphy (British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group 22/04/2017) states that "The Bank robber who stole the Sea Explorer, he had cut the mast off to change the appearance of the Boat. when stopped at Minstrel Island for fuel, Big Jim McKay was at the head of the fuel dock and said to the Fellow " isn't that George Bendicksons boat?" The fellow replied " I bought it".the fellow left the dock heading for Knight Inlet. Big Jim knew better he came into the Store and said someting is wrong George would never sell that boat. as it happend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Patrol boat pulled in lokking for the robber which led to the Gunfire and Capture across the Inlet I believe by Busters Island."