Sea Island Heritage Society takes coffee chats on the road

Sea Island Heritage Society will hold its first monthly coffee chat in Nanaimo on Sept. 18, taking the informal gathering beyond its usual online format. The sessions give members an opportunity to reflect on Sea Island’s past and the legacy that remains today.

The society has long held the chats on Zoom, allowing members in different places to stay connected during the pandemic and afterwards. Organizers say the Nanaimo event is part of a renewed effort to bring people together in person after several years of online gatherings.

Vice-president David England said the chats often uncover information that goes beyond nostalgia, including photographs, family stories and links to descendants previously unknown to the society. Those details can enrich its archives and website, he said.

The Sept. 18 discussion will focus on a 1948 De Havilland Vampire Mark III fighter jet that was once based on Sea Island and is now housed at the Canadian Forces Base in Comox. The father of one of the society’s current directors once flew the aircraft.

The Vampire became the first jet to operate from an aircraft carrier in 1945 and the first jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It later set a world altitude record of 59,500 feet in 1948, when the Canadian government bought 85 Vampires.

According to the British Columbia Aviation Council, aircraft from the first production run were primarily assigned to auxiliary squadrons for training, including 442 City of Vancouver Auxiliary Fighter Squadron, based on Sea Island. The squadron used Vampires at local air shows and summer camps at air force bases across Western Canada. The jets could reach 540 miles per hour at 20,000 feet and climb at 4,700 feet per minute.

The society is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, following a special event in May and a photo booth at Burkeville Daze in June. Its ongoing work documents Sea Island’s history, including its Chinese pioneer farming families and aviation past. Members also travelled earlier this year to the Comox Air Force Museum for the unveiling of the restored Vampire.

England said Sea Island’s history is often overlooked by people arriving at Vancouver International Airport, despite its connection to Richmond. He said that history may be part of what binds the society’s members together.

The gathering runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, in Room 1 at the Beban Park Social Centre. It is open to members and non-members. People seeking more information about the venue or timing can contact the society at [email protected].