My first posting in the Coast Guard was on a tiny Island a thirty minute boat ride off the most remote tip of Vancouver Island. I awoke in the middle of our first night on the island to the smell of fresh coffee. So I went down stairs and asked my wife whats up Hon? She said I can't sleep " That damm train whistle is keeping me awake." Sure enough I heard a deep whooo haaaa coming from just West of our small island. Knowing that the nearest train to us would be about 300 miles distant across a 10,000 foot mountain range. I realized that she was listening to the Gasp and Whistle bouy marking the reef just off our west coast. A gasp and whistle bouy is a very large bouy which is anchored near a marine hazzard to warn ships of its presence. The bouy has a large cavity in its center and when a wave passes it the air is forced rapidly out the top giving a loud Haaaaa sound . As the wave passes and the bouy is in the trough the air is sucked rapidly back into the cavity giving out a very loud Whoooo sound. Sort of like a distant train whistle. My mom and I both knew this and we began to laugh uncontrolably , the madder my wife got the harder we laughed. It was a quite while before I could stop laughing and explain to her what it was that Mom and I found so funny , it was also quite a bit longer before she would even speak to me again. 4 1/2 years later waiting on the dock to go to our new posting I could hear the bouy and asked Her , Hey hon do you hear the bouy? She listened and said Yes I do. We both agreed that after 4 1/2 years of constantly hearing it that we really no longer noticed it. Our first night inland She woke me up with the smell of fresh coffee. I went downstairs and said , Whats up Hon? She simply said I miss the bouy. Both of us laughed. Amazing what brings back old memories.
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