harging the families of fost hikers for costs in- curred while searching for loved ones lost: on focal mountains might be logical accarding to B.C. Health Minister Peter Dueck, but it is far from sensible and even fess practical. Using Dueck’s logic, which springs from a need to cul soaring B.C. health costs, cigarette smokers could and should be chareed for the plague of iHnesses they inflict upon themselves from a habit that has far more well-documented health hazards than hiking. Proceeding along the same logical route, the list of those who could be held financially responsible for their own ills becomes staggering. Most pursuits beyond the boundaries of work-a-day present risks and dangers accepted by those who undertake them. Beyond a simple cash-for-search policy, the provin- cial government would have to cross the minefield of such accompanying problems as bow to justify charg- ing search fees for hikers who are not lost but merely overdue, and ciaim they neither requested nor needed the government’s helping hand. Search and rescue would become a luxury service for those who could afford it, rather than a necessity for those who could i!l afford to be without it. Though hikers who wander into local mountains and backwood areas armed with careless attitudes and in- sufficient precaution deserve verbal reprimand and the embarrassment of glaring publicity over their stupidity, the horror of being lost surely is payment enough for their oversights and shortcomings. YHE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER SUNDAY + WEONFSDAW « ffiDAY 1139 Lonsdate Ave. North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 58.489 ote fest Vancouver all at sea this Sunday ing race from Ambleside ‘o Dun- MARINE DAY, celebrating West Van's maritime heritage, was a late starter in the municipality's 75th Anniversary program-planning. But with coordinator Don Youngson running for the past several weeks like an Olympic champion to bring together all the final details, it's shaping up to be one of the big fun events of Tid- diycove's year-long birthday bash. Ty The place where you watch it all on Sunday, Sept.27, is Dundarave pier and beach. From 12 noon to around 4 p.m. Don and his fellow workers are promising this seaward-looking community much to watch, beginning with the cere- monial noon sailpast of commer- cial, Coast Guard, Fisheries, police and lifeboat vessels. After that will be a lifeboat row- Ria ais, NEWS photo Nei! Lucente PROUDLY DISPLAYING their prize-winning entries in West Van Me- morial Library's historical art contest...) to oc) Ross Penhall, Unity Bainbridge, Dawn Garrett, Norma Sorensen. darave, hovercraft tours and demonstrations galore, including Red Cross water safety, lifeboat- manning, the power squadron in action, scuba diving, oil spill con- trol, ultra deepsea diving and sports fishing. Antique wooden vessels and a boat used in TV's Beachcomber series are among the displays, and spectators will be entertained by the ‘‘Captain’s Ladies Morris Dancers’? (which captain, one wonders, and how many ladies has he conquered?). At press time Don had one re- maining problem. He still needs more marshals to get the sailpast lined up at its West Bay starting point between Tl a.m. and 12 noon. Members of West Van Yacht Club, Capilano Power Squadron, Eagle Harbour Yacht Club and Hollyburn Sailing Club who can spare a couple of hours or so to help with that part of the fun should call Don today at 922-121], local 289, or 926-8855 this evening and Saturday. See you all at sea Sunday! oe MORE WATER SPORT the same day at North Van's Burrard Yacht Club which is hosting the annual Big Brothers fishing derby. Over 25 boats with more than 100 BBs and their little brothers aboard will scour the harbor, Indian Arm and English Bay for four hours in search of the biggies, returning by 3 p.m. for the weigh-in and awards. These include a trophy to be presented by Commodore Walter Lee for the largest fish, a prize for the weirdest fish and another for telling the biggest fish story in a contest judged by an ex- pert on fishy stories, Vancouver top cop Bob Stewart. With food. refreshments and extra prizes for every little brother thrown in, the kids should have a great day. oe Display Advertising 980-0511 Classified Advertising 986-6222 Newsroom 985.2131 Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions 986-1337 North Shar News Publisher Managing Editor Associate Editor Advertising Director 2 bhoe Abagtit J bd Steet SR'6 Noel Wright @ friday focus COMPUTER LITERACY being the name of the game today, three bright North Van students have no regrets about devoting their sum- mer weeks to a structured con)- puter programming workshop ai SFU. High school grads Pat Quin (Handsworth), Stephen Mak (Sutherland) and Jalal Sadr (Car- son Graham) reckon that swapping the beach for bytes has given them a head start on the university engineering courses all three are embarking on this fall — Pat and Jalal at SFU, Stephen at UBC. POSTSCRIPTS: Music theatre teacher Gillian Hunt and Christ Church director of music Rupert Lang, both of West Van, present a novel and highly entertaining con- cert tonight and Saturday (Sept. 25-26) at 8 p.m. in Christ Church Cathedral. ‘‘Voiceworks’? — sung by Gillian to Rupert’s instruments on the theme of love — ranges all the way from an Elizabethan mad- rigal played on a synthesizer to a pop love song in Elizabethan mode, from mediaeval plainsong to a ballad from the Broadway hit Les Misrables. Tickets ($7, seniors $5, chiidren $4) available at the door... Happy birthday today (Sepr.25) to North Van's Wally Mulligan ... Start fighting the can- dles for Cedarview Lodge resident Gertrude Walker who tomorrow (Sept.26) completes her first cen- tury ... And tomorrow's also the day for an anniversary toast to West Van's Dave and = Beth Bakewell on their 41st. ad WRIGHT OR WRONG: If you're determined to accomplish the im- possible, the best way ta begin is by refusing to believe it. GERTRUDE WALKER...100- candle salute. photo submitted JALAL SADR...bytes instead of the beach pay off.