Returning to the fascinating 1970s migration of young people to BC’s West Coast, Gumboots in the Straits gathers more stories of the romance of the sea and the demographic and personal change of that time. As many young men made their way to Vancouver Island and the many other islands scattered throughout the Salish Sea and beyond in search of opportunity and new adventures, they discovered paths beyond the reach of roads and new horizons, both physical and metaphorical, where all seemed possible.

Packed with stories of personal transformation, breaking new ground and adapting to the changing tides of life, Gumboots in the Straits joins bestsellers Gumboot Girls, Dancing in Gumboots and Gumboot Guys in capturing the dynamic momentum of the decade and the enduring allure of the sea.

Lou Allison moved to the West Coast from Ottawa in the western migration of the 1970s. She settled in Dodge Cove after having children, working all over the North Coast, and living on boats and float houses with her partner, Jeremiah, while completing her English degree by the light of a kerosene lamp. Lou now works full time at the Prince Rupert Library and is devoted to all things related to books. She is the editor of the bestselling anthologies Gumboot Girls (2012) and Dancing in Gumboots (Caitlin Press, 2018), with Jane Wilde. With Gumboot Guys, forthcoming from Caitlin Press, Lou looks forward to another opportunity to read and share the stories of our North Coast lives.

Lou Allison's profile page

Jane Wilde moved to the West Coast in the early 1970s from Guelph, Ontario. She resided on Haida Gwaii from 1976–79 and, after attending nursing school, returned to Prince Rupert as a maternity nurse. For thirty-five years, Jane worked in health care in rural communities, living in Dodge Cove and Prince Rupert with her partner, Richard. She relocated to the Comox Valley in the fall of 2016. She compiled stories and images for the bestselling anthologies Gumboot Girls (2012) and Dancing in Gumboots (Caitlin Press, 2018), as well as the forthcoming Gumboot Guys (Caitlin Press, 2023), with editor Lou Allison.

Jane Wilde's profile page