Eighty-three-year-old John Lambert was an avid sailor for most of his life – but hadn’t been out on the water in 25 years. That was until the opportunity finally presented itself on June 15.
“I read about sailing in Arthur Ransome books and figured it was easy enough to do,” Lambert said.
Those classic 1930s adventure novels inspired him to acquire a 27 foot sloop yacht. Lambert would sail to the Gulf Islands and even down to the San Juan Islands in the United States.
“I used to always look for crew to go out with me but no one ever wanted to go,” Lambert explained. “They’d say ‘I can’t swim’ or ‘what if there is a storm’?”
Time and a lack of crew members to set sail with ultimately made Lambert hang up his captain’s hat in the early 1990s.
After moving from Burnaby to the Langley Chartwell Renaissance Retirement Residence last September, Lambert would meet program manager Emily Unger.
“John told me how much he loved the ocean and that ever since he saw it, he couldn’t stay away from it,” Unger explained.“Chartwell Renaissance is partnered with Wish of a Lifetime. They look for people to help who volunteer in their community and John [Lambert] volunteers with his church.”
Wish of a Lifetime Canada is a charity that helps organize and fulfill desires for senior citizens that are unable to take charge of opportunities on their own. From skydiving to horse-riding – even family reunions, the organization selects recipients based on a nomination process.
After Unger submitted the wish, Lambert was invited to once again hop aboard at 27 foot sloop yacht and feel the ocean breeze from behind the wheel.
“I had two friends come along as crew including a longtime friend from Abbotsford who had never been sailing before,” recalled Lambert. “We took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Snug Cove on Bowen Island where the sloop was waiting.”
Owners Rob and Shelly Sarr volunteered to lend their boat to the cause. The plan was to set sail to Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast and dock at Molly’s Reach.
“We wanted to have lunch at the restaurant from the TV show The Beachcombers, but the marina was full. There was nowhere for us to drop anchor,” Lambert said.
Lambert turned back, setting course for Bowen Island where they enjoyed an on-board picnic provided by the Sarrs – which included what he called “the best potato salad I’ve ever had.”
Though it had been years since Lambert captained a vessel, he said it didn’t take any time at all for everything to come back to him.
”There hasn’t been any changes. Life jackets are compulsory now. You used to be able to keep them just on the boat but now you have to have them on, but that was it,” Lambert said.
Lambert acknowledged this may be the last time he finds himself aboard a boat, but he said this opportunity gave him great satisfaction to know he can still do something he loves.
“When you are at sea, the problems you had onshore disappear,” Lambert said. “Anything occupying your mind is the sail.”
“He was just so thankful,” Unger said when Lambert learned about the granted wish. “And he came back so happy that day with a big smile on his face.”
The organization is open to applications to help seniors make a wish come true at www.wishofalifetime.ca.
Read more: Chilliwack senior’s wish comes true above Cheam
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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