As another member of the quartet that canoed down the Coppermine River in 2016 and the Blackstone and Peel Rivers in 2018, I must echo everything that Jay said about Pete.
I first met Pete in 1998 when he, Ray and I decided that we were going to plunge into junior oil and gas startups. Pete was our engineer and he was involved in every detail of our drilling, production, and engineering operations. I quickly learned that Pete was capable of not only doing everything but of doing everything meticulously well. And I mean everything. Over a period of eight years, I was privileged to work with Pete out in the field all over Southern Alberta and it was one heck of an eight years.
But my fondest memories of Pete will always be the two canoe trips in the far north that we did with Jay and Blake. Pete was my paddling partner on both trips and in such harsh environments with every kind of weather imaginable, one has to put one’s complete trust in the skill and judgement of one’s paddling partner – and I know of no other friend that I would have been so completely at ease in placing my trust than Pete. On portages, Pete was always quick to carry the heaviest loads and on those frosty mornings, Pete was always the first to emerge quietly from his tent to start the fire and get the pot of coffee brewing. His resourcefulness, his calm demeanor, his wry sense of humour, and his stubborn determination made him the perfect wilderness companion.
Liz and I send our very deepest condolences to TJ, Cody, Ewa and all the Sider family. Pete will be forever missed and remembered by all of us.
Alan & Liz Breakey,
Bragg Creek
