My family and I moved to Prince George two years ago because of a good job opportunity.
At the time P.G. had the nation's worst rating for crime and municipal road conditions.
Not to mention some politician claimed people were burning crosses up here.
Despite this we were only slightly apprehensive and remained optimistic.
Shortly after our move. I met up with some like-minded outdoorsmen at a backyard firepit.
My wife and I made fast friends with some really great people and soon felt like the area
was home. It seems people up here are not shy to make new friends.
Moving to P.G. meant selling our lake boat and buying a more rugged river boat if we wanted to get out and explore. After buying a new boat with new engine, I ended up stranded alone on the Fraser river near the Huble Farm due to an engine failure.
With only one bar on my phone, I texted a new friend who happened to be working way up North. This friend phoned one of his P.G. friends who was working in the Yukon. Yukon guy phoned up a third party who was luckily in Prince George and just sitting down to a steak and lobster dinner with his wife.
Lobster guy went to Yukon guy's house to borrow his jet boat and come and get me.
A total of three men and a boy were on their way.
I'm still amazed. The people who came to my rescue were removed by three degrees of separation. They did not know me. They did not even know the guy who I called. But they quickly put aside everything they were doing at 8 p.m. and drove out to the Shelley launch and drove one hour upriver to help out a complete stranger at the request of another complete stranger.
I learned my lesson about boating alone on the Fraser during high water and made yet more friends. I hope the situation never occurs that they need my help. But I'm certainly there to pay it forward.
Thanks again to you all gentlemen.
Peter Kuhlmann
Prince George
