The big flood tide that accompanies the full moon is a pivotal event for those who make a living from the sea. Salmon returning to their natal rivers and streams always come in on the full moon tide, so this is the best time for fishing. And since the full moon ebb tide retreats farther than usual, it's also the best time to gather shellfish.

Bill Proctor has lived and worked by the full moon flood tides for all his life. A natural storyteller, he points the way to hidden waterfalls and abandoned Native village sites, knows the best coves for shelter in a sou'easter and shares the compelling and often funny stories of the Natives and settlers who loved this place. People like Fritz Salem, who made the best moonshine on the coast; Joe Jack, who knew the secrets of fishing for spring salmon in winter; and Dad McKay, who lived on eggs and bannock in a hollow cedar stump. Some of Proctor's stories will raise goosebumps around a campfire--like the sad fate of the Maid of Orleans, a former slave ship, or strange encounters with a giant sleeper shark and the ghost of Kingcome Inlet.

Full Moon, Flood Tide is no conventional cruising guide, but an indispensable companion for travellers around northern Vancouver Island, Fife Sound, Wells Passage, Blackfish Sound and Tribune Channel. Maps illustrate the places Proctor describes, in an order suitable for visiting by boat. Brimming with coastal lore and sprinkled liberally with Yvonne Maximchuk's line drawings, this fascinating volume pays tribute to pioneers who wrested a livelihood from forest and sea even as it makes a passionate plea to preserve the wilderness.

Most residents of northern Vancouver Island and the Central Coast are familiar with Bill Proctor, who has lived in the area for more than 60 years. After spending most of his life fishing, trapping and logging, Proctor has in the last 10 years become a passionate environmental activist.

Bill Proctor's profile page

Yvonne Maximchuk was raised in the Lower Mainland where she graduated from Douglas College with an Associate of Arts degree. She now lives with her husband, Albert Munro, and their new kitty, in the home, studio and art retreat they built on the shore of Gilford Island near Echo Bay. When she is not painting or working with clay she explores the beauty and mystery of the islands and inlets in her 16-foot speedboat the Sea Rose. She often ties her boat to bull kelp to hold it in position while she paints on location. Yvonne co-wrote Full Moon, Flood Tide, published by Harbour Publishing in 2003.

Yvonne Maximchuk's profile page

"[Bill Proctor] recounts spellbinding, often hilarious tales of the characters in this part of the world. Brimming with coastal lore, maps and co-author Yvonne Maximchuk's delightful line drawings, this must have travel companion pays tribute to Bill's contemporaries who wrested a livelihood from forest and sea, while making passionate pleas to preserve his beloved wilderness."
-Pacific Yachting

Pacific Yachting

"A personal history by fisherman, conservationist and raconteur, Bill Proctor. An engaging read, filled with anecdotes on everything from hand logging to tubesnouts and a first-class tour of Bill's stomping grounds on the Mainland. Plenty of photos, plus excellent line drawings by friend and neighbour Maxine Maximchuck. Highly recommended!"
-Western Mariner

Western Mariner

"The authors' approach to their material is fresh and original. Reading Full Moon, Flood Tide is like having a new type of chart, one that a team of elders has spent years annotating and adorning for you. If you're familiar with this part of B.C., you'll be enriched by the layer of cultural, historical, and personal references that Proctor projects across the landscape, for he understands this world as well as anyone. If you don't know the area, the book still works fine as a collection of lively tales and intimate reports--a reverent, sympathetic introduction to a well-loved place."
-Andrew Scott, Georgia Straight

Georgia Straight

"A wonderful addition to the library of coastal sailors, or armchair travellers and historians, with these tales of cruising our coastlines, and meeting the characters who live there. Illustrated with photographs and Maximchuk's excellent drawings and illustrations."
-Annie Boulanger, Royal City Record, New Westminster

Royal City Record