The Union Steamship Marina in Snug Cove on Bowen Island has long been a favorite destination among boaters. The cozy village feel is so inviting that boaters come back every year to experience the friendly “bygone” atmosphere. It was Rondy and Dorothy Dike who created this bygone village appeal that makes the marina what it is today.
In the Beginning. Rondy Dike grew up in San Francisco Bay and went to Cal Poly State University, earning degrees in Fine Arts and Architectural Engineering. After graduation, he went to work for Boeing on the Minute Man Missel Silos in Wyoming, where he met his wife to be, Dorothy. They married within a year, moved to Seattle, and lived on a houseboat on Lake Union. They purchased a cub sailboat and spent their spare time sailing the greater Seattle area. Dorothy worked as a pharmacist and Rondy traveled the world to help build hotels, including the Shangri-La in Singapore and The Bay Shore in Vancouver, BC.
The Sailing Years. With an active family of three children, it was time to purchase a bigger sailboat. In 1970, Rondy chose one of the first Fisher motor sailors to come off the production line in Lymington, England. In 1972 Dorothy and Rondy took a sabbatical from work and packed up their three kids – Ren 16yrs. old, Oydis 5yrs old, and Jennifer 3yrs old – and moved into a Bed & Breakfast where they lived for five months while their new 37-foot Fisher yacht was being completed. Rondy oversaw the work and added his own personal touches to the vessel he named Dorothy D. Once completed, the family sailed the Dorothy D across the English Channel, transited the French Canals into the Mediterranean, and on to the Canary Islands.
After arriving at Gibraltar on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain, Dorothy and the girls flew to Wyoming to be with Dorothy’s mother Odis (Norwegian spelling), while Rondy and Ren along with a crew member crossed the Atlantic to Barbados. Dorothy, with daughters Oydis and Jennifer, rejoined the Dorothy D in Barbados to enjoy sailing the Caribbean and transiting the Panama Canal. Now in the Pacific, they sailed the West Coast back to Seattle and back to work. Rondy entered the business of real estate investments and Dorothy continued as a pharmacist.
Once again, the sea was calling the Dike family; and in 1980, they purchased the last built 47-foot Fisher. She had been a check boat in the Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Ocean Globe Race) held every 3-4 years. The Dike family named her Griffyn and took possession in Cowes, England. After some refitting, they set sail around Ireland and through the Caledonia Canal in Scotland, then crossed the North Sea to Norway and Denmark. The family discovered many amazing places and made new friends. These adventures were completed over several summers while Oydis and Jennifer were on school holidays.
Marina Purchase. With an accumulated wealth of experience and know-how, Rondy decided he wanted to own a marina. He began his search up and down the West Coast in the early 80s and settled on a little marina on Bowen Island in Snug Cove. The marina was situated on large tidal flats, where raw sewage from homes and businesses emptied into the cove, but Rondy saw its potential. He could dredge the cove to enlarge the marina footprint and create an attractive resort-style marina. Rondy was eager to become an active member of the Bowen Island community and help make a difference. He went forward with the purchase in 1985 to make his dream a reality. The marina came with two historic Union Steamship Cottages of the 1920s. Included in the purchase was the original cabin of Doc Morgan, a barber from Vancouver, and the company store used by Rondy and Dorthy as a residence. Rondy set to work, making extensive renovations to the buildings and added a boardwalk to create a cohesive village setting.
What’s In the Name? The family marina opened for business in 1990 under the name Union Steamship Co. Marina, which Rondy purchased for a $1 for the named rights. It seemed fitting to harken back to the “old days” when Bowen Island served as a retreat for ‘Vancoverites.’ Bowen Island began as a resort destination about 100 years ago, with cottages and a hotel. Captain John Cates brought hundreds of passengers aboard the Union Steamship Company’s flagship, Lady Alexander, to dance the night away at the Dance Pavilion. Rondy and Dorothy wanted to preserve this historic character for Bowen Island.
Oydis became general manager of the marina and Doc Morgans Restaurant & Pub when she and her family moved to Bowen in 2014. Yes, the name Oydis comes from her grandmother, who left Norway during World War I. The name carries the Norse meaning of “island goddess.”
The Marina Today. Union Steamship Co. Marina continues to be an attractive and inviting destination to get away from it all, while still offering all the important amenities. You’ll find boutiques, a chandlery, the company store, Doc Morgan’s restaurant & pub, and a beautiful boaters’ lounge above the marina office. Accommodations are available on shore in addition to boat moorage, all surrounded by the 600-acre Crippen Regional Park. Visitors can hike the many trails that lead to lakes and mountain view tops.
It’s not surprising that boaters return each year to this island paradise and the family-owned-and-operated Union Steamship Co. Marina.
Waggoner extends a warm thank you to Oydis for providing the family background information.
