Daniel Mason Lind

DANIEL MASON LIND

September 17, 1942 Vulcan, Alberta

November 3, 2025 Abbotsford, BC

Eight bells have tolled for Captain Dan. He completed his final watch in the early hours of November 3rd, 2025.

Dan spent all of his early life in Nanton, Alberta, attending local schools with the same class mates grades one through twelve. As a result, Nanton’s Composite High School “Class of 1960” was always important to Dan no matter where he was in the world or what he was doing in life. His prairie roots and early friendships were a steadfast anchor throughout his life.

Although born into a successful farming family, Dan realized early that he wanted to see the world and farming would not be in the cards. After high school he enrolled in the International Radio Operators course offered at SAIT (Calgary) at a time when Morse Code was still king. In short order he soon found himself in the UK working as a Radio Officer for the British Merchant Marine. See the world he did, as he estimates he crossed the Atlantic a dozen times or more. There are colourful stories about his blue jeans being stolen while taking a dip in the Black Sea off the coast of Georgia (USSR) as well as trips to post revolutionary Cuba at a time when westerners were forbidden. The Persian Gulf, the Suez, the Balkans and the Baltic Sea all figured in his early maritime adventures.

Dan eventually altered course, returned to Calgary and enrolled in the SAIT electronic engineering program. After graduation he held brief stints with AGT and Westinghouse before finally landing his dream job with the federal government in the Department of External Affairs and more importantly a chance for foreign travel. His early postings were considered “D” postings and largely reserved for single males. He was posted to Viet Nam while the country was still at war with the US and subsequently a shorter posting to India during a war between India and Pakistan, He recalls arriving in Bombay during a total blackout with a courier diplomatic bag attached to his wrist. Many adventures, misadventures and lifelong friendships arose from these early postings.

These early travels inspired Dan to alter course yet again, this time pursuing a public service degree at Carelton University in Ottawa. It was time to settle down and if there was to be more travel he hoped it would be within the diplomatic corp. His short stint with Westinghouse had introduced him to his future partner Sylvia who was training as a medical radiographer at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. They were married in Jasper in 1973 and son, Kristopher, was born in l978. Their first five years were spent in cottage country in Aylmer, Quebec where they quickly found their first little sailboat. And the rest is history as simply messing about in boats became an all consuming lifetime passion.

In 1978 Dan and Sylvia returned to the west, second sailboat in tow. Dan was offered an administrative job in the newly minted Kent Institution in Agassiz, BC as Assistant Warden Technical Services and later as Regional Manager for Technical Services for the Pacific Region in Abbotsford, BC. Dan admits that the CSC was not the best career fit but it allowed his family to stay in BC and enjoy some of the best cruising grounds in the world. Seven boats in total were restored, enhanced, sailed and motored throughout the Gulf and San Juan Islands and beyond.

Dan will be missed by Admiral Sylvia, partner of 52 years, son, Kris, and grandson, Daniel, as well as a large extended family and lifelong loyal friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Ray and Dorothy Lind, and younger sister, Randie Rae Lind. No service by request, a small family send off will take place at a later date and will undoubtedly involve a boat.

Crossing the Bar

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no mourning of the bar, When I put out to sea.

But such a tide as moving seems asleep. Too full for sound and foam When that which drew from the boundless deep Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark.

For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Parkinson Society of BC at https://parkinson.bc.ca/ways-to-give or to the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/canadian-coast-guard-auxiliary-national-inc/ in Dan's honour.