Sat, Jan 4, 1986
It's a dark and stormy night. John's expectation to play Clue with his friends ends up being a bust due to miscommunication and other issues arising. Jack, Molly and Sal are heading off to play bingo for the evening, Jesse is taking Sara to the movies, and Nick has a last minute work issue in cleaning up a log boom. Alone at the Reach with his beloved board game, playing it which he believes makes him a better policeman, John quickly falls asleep and begins to dream. His dream is that he is an Inspector with more under his hat than usual, he who has been called by an anonymous person to solve the Clue-like suspected murder of Captain Chutney. There is, however, yet no body. He heads to the home of Professor Orange, where all the suspects happen to be for the evening. Each of the suspects has motive, access to a murder weapon, and access to a secluded room in Professor Orange's house to commit the murder. Will the brilliant Inspector's keen sense of deduction lead him to the killer, if indeed there is one?
Fri, Jan 17, 1986
Whenever it suits his schedule and as long as he can make money, Relic has been providing boat tours showing Gibsons from the water. His tour guide descriptions are filled with half and exaggerated truths, as well as downright lies. He thinks he has the potential to make a bundle when a British couple, Lord Roger and Lady Pamela, want him to provide an extended tour for them. To do so, he "borrows" old Stewart's ferry as it's he only vessel big enough, and he coerces Sal to come along as a classy companion who will be able to speak the Lord and Lady's language. Relic won't say where they're going, calling it a mystery tour, but Nick thinks that's a bad idea as Stewart's ferry may get into problems if it hits rough waters. Relic may have regretted his decision not to tell anyone where they were going as he may need someone to save him from the hell that the trip ends up being for him. John may provide that salvation, he who is looking for Relic for his own ulterior motives.
Sat, Feb 1, 1986
The latest letter the gang receives from Molly states among other things that someone local has placed a bid on The Reach, who that someone is she does not know. Relic deduces that the only person besides him who has that sort of money is Sal. Relic is able to wrangle out of Sal that she is indeed the bidder, and plans to bulldoze the café and build high end condos in its place. As she won't cut him in on the action, Relic decides to start a rumor that the new owners, whoever they may be, are planning on tearing down the café. John comes up with an idea of getting the town council to declare The Reach a heritage building. Council in turn agrees to the proposal only if the café still can generate revenue by picking up more business than it currently has. As such, Relic switches allegiances back to Sal, telling her he will drive away business from The Reach if she cuts him in as full partner. Sal relents and agrees to Relic's proposal. Relic's plan is to work at The Reach, with people who won't be able to see what he's up to. He will be rude and lie about food and service to customers. Relic is able to carry out his plan to onlooker Sal's satisfaction, but will it have its intended result?
Sat, Feb 8, 1986
Jesse is painting his deck and dock. On Nick's advice, Jesse contemplates buying a paint sprayer to make the job easier, but he doesn't have enough money. That's why Jesse can't pass up Relic's offer, he who is willing to sell some old paint he has lying around at reduced price, which will allow Jesse to buy the paint sprayer. Jesse immediate regrets doing so as Relic's paint is causing him more problems than it was worth. Regardless, Jesse contemplates asking Tommy to help him, if solely to keep Tommy's mind off of missing his best friend Jason, who has just moved away. But Tommy has a much needed other distraction in the form of a stray dog, who he's named Harry. Frankie at the animal shelter allows Tommy to keep the dog as she's pretty sure it has no owner. Sooner thereafter, Jesse shows signs of having an allergic reaction to something, that something determined to be Harry after allergy tests are conducted. Jesse is heartbroken to have to tell Tommy that he can no longer keep Harry. But Tommy may have other thoughts to Jesse's news.
Sat, Feb 15, 1986
Married for forty years, Saskatchewanians Frank and Bess Irvine are visiting Gibsons for the first time. Bess does not seem happy to be there, while Frank does whatever he can to rent a boat for a salvage mission. As Frank won't divulge the nature of what he's looking for, Nick won't rent him his boat. But Relic, with Pat by his side, has no problems doing so for the right price. Frank, with Relic and Pat as his dive support, and Bess part company on angry terms. While inexperienced diver Frank goes underwater, Bess, who vowed secrecy, does end up telling Nick and Laurel the reason for their trip to Gibsons, why she is so upset with Frank, and what "dreamer" Frank is looking for, that cache which Frank is hoping will change their lives. While Nick and Laurel seem to be more enthralled with the story than with what Frank is looking for, Bess becomes worried for Frank's safety for good reason. Meanwhile, it's tax season, and Jesse, as usual, is abandoning Nick to do the company's taxes on his own.
Sat, Mar 1, 1986
Gibsons' Sea Cavalcade is upcoming. While Laurel, Sara and Tommy prepare Molly's Reach's float for the parade, John, Nick, Jesse and Pat practice for the cavalcade's centerpiece this year, the water soccer game between the volunteer fire department and the team led by John. Laurel has some problems as the theme of the float requires John, Nick, Jesse and Pat to be on the float which they refuse to do since they need to practice for the water soccer game. Laurel think she's got an innovative solution. And John's team may not require all that extra practice if only because the firemen's team is down one man, and they ask the only person they know to fill in, Relic, who does so only on one condition. After all is said done, real life may make who wins the game a moot point.
Sat, Mar 8, 1986
Pat is working several jobs. What he doesn't initially tell anyone, but what he eventually tells Nick, is that he plans on using the money to refurbish what was designed as a work boat into a racing boat. For Pat, the boat represents his transition into manhood, as he feels the adults still treat him like a kid. The word of Pat's plan does eventually get out, which doesn't sit well with Relic, as Pat already owes him $100. As a result, Relic and Pat make a wager on a race of their two boats. If Pat wins, Relic will forgo the $100. If Relic wins, Pat still has to pay, but he will also turn over the boat to Relic. The race becomes more to Pat than just the money and the sign that he truly is a man, as he tries to impress a pretty girl. But with a little help from Nick, Pat learns there is more to being a man than just having a fast boat.
Sat, Sep 27, 1986
Searching for approaches to benefit from Gibsons' traveler exchange, Pat sets up a pedicab business yet soon ends up in rivalry with his companion Graham Blake. Scratch backs Pat; Relic is Graham's noiseless accomplice; and a charge war follows. At last, a challenge is arranged to decide the best "pedal pusher" and Nick and Relic end up in a neck-in-neck race to the end goal. Visitors: Sheila Moore, Jonathon Pallone, Greg Bennett, Laurie O'Byrne.
Sat, Oct 4, 1986
While on patrol in his car, John hears the cries of babies. He is surprised to find that the sound is coming from the back seat, where he finds two newborn baby girls. According to the note left with the babies, their names are Amanda and Amy. The note further states that the unnamed mother, who met John briefly a few times and who he remembers but does not really know, is entrusting the babies to his care until she can land her feet, since her deadbeat husband abandoned them. As John doesn't consider the babies to be abandoned, he plans on taking care of them until she reclaims them. Based on the information, Laurel believes the mother is a young woman who works as a cook at the summer camp. Upon Nick and Jesse investigating, Laurel's assumption is correct: she is Wendy Turner, who is trying to earn money to raise the kids properly. Meanwhile, Wendy's husband, Roddy Turner, comes through town looking for his wife and kids. He states that he was a scared kid himself when the babies came, but now is ready to be the responsible husband and father. Only Wendy can surmise whether or not Roddy has indeed turned over a new leaf. While Wendy contemplates getting back with Roddy, Joe contemplates rekindling an old romance with a woman named Sparkles who he has not seen or heard from in thirty years. What may stop him from meeting her again is that he is afraid that she may have lost her sparkle. And John, who is supposed to be looking after his mother's prized cat Puss Puss, may have a problem in that Nick kicked Puss Puss out of the house because of the babies, Puss Puss who is now running loose.
Sat, Oct 11, 1986
In the wake of anguish a heart assault and recovering in healing center, Nick tries to come back to his typical exercises just to discover every one of his companions endeavoring to do excessively for him. To demonstrate he has recuperated, Nick puts on a show of quality and nearly destroys himself. Visitors: David Glyn-Jones, Donna Peerless.
Mon, Oct 13, 1986
A young woman by the name of Carla Maloff is visiting Gibsons for the first time. When she meets Nick, she is up front with him that meeting him was the reason for her trip, as her mother, Sonia Maloff, speaks often about him, the two who met and last saw each other over twenty years ago when Nick was passing through Sonia's home town of Hazel Ridge, Manitoba. Carla implies that she'd like to stay in Gibsons for as long as her meager funds will allow, which leads to Laurel offering her a short term position and board at The Reach. Nick isn't concerned about what seems to be Carla's obsession with him, until Carla's true motive for the visit eventually comes to light. Nick has to help her come to grips with her misunderstanding about his personal connection to her, and help her deal with an issue in her personal life about which she is in denial. Meanwhile, Pat has developed a computer program as a matchmaking service which he is trying to market to potential lonelyhearts, such as John and Sara.
Sat, Nov 1, 1986
Now that Jesse and Laurel have moved into The Reach, their houseboat is sitting empty. Jesse doesn't want to sell it, but feels uncomfortable about renting it out to strangers. On Nick's advice, Jesse decides to speak to Pat to see if he and Jack would like to rent it at more than a fair price as he would rather have people he trusts in the houseboat than make a fortune from the rental. Pat loves the idea, especially as it is a much nicer place at a lower cost than their current rental. However, when Pat talks to Jack, Jack refuses to move, in part as he sees Jesse's offer as charity. So Pat takes some actions which he feels will force Jack to move with him, including forging Jack's signature on the rental agreement with Jesse. Once Jack gets wind of what Pat has been doing, they get into a stalemate. Neither can afford to live on their own and each brings a specific skill set to their living arrangement together. Although Nick and Jesse intervene as mediators between Pat and Jack, what Pat and Jack end up doing in terms of their living situation may depend on who can outmaneuver the other.
Sat, Nov 8, 1986
A young penniless Greek man with an easy-going charm named Alekos Mykonos has come to Gibsons looking for his grandfather, and asks Nick, as the resident Greek, about his grandfather's whereabouts. What little Nick knows is that Alekos' grandfather used to live in Gibsons but moved away about five years ago to parts unknown. Alekos uses his Greek sensibilities to earn a little money while he's in Gibsons, such as doing odd jobs for Nick and those at The Reach, but it's one of his side ventures that could cause a problem for his new friends. Beyond this issue, Nick eventually learns that Alekos is in the country illegally, he being a ship jumper. He and Sara have to convince Alekos that the best way to locate his grandfather is through legal means, as if immigration catches up with him before he returns to the ship, he will be deported and probably never allowed back into the country, which means he will never be able to reconnect with his grandfather, wherever he may be in Canada.
Sat, Nov 22, 1986
While out gathering logs from a log spill on his own, Nick runs into a boat in seeming distress. The three man crew - Phil, Richard and Clare - are all right but their rented boat is having engine problems. While Nick tries to help them fix their engine, he sees their cargo and understands why they didn't call for help: they're drug smugglers. Nick is able to radio in a partial cryptic message before Phil realizes what Nick is up to, and holds him hostage. As the smugglers see an approaching boat - Relic - they warn Nick to get rid of him or else. Nick tries to relay a coded message to Relic and hopes that Relic understands before he heads off. With their rented boat still inoperable, Phil decides to drop Nick off on a deserted island so that they can escape. Meanwhile, Jesse and John, worried about Nick after receiving his partial message, go out looking for him. Will they or Relic find him, and will the smugglers get away with their stash and Nick's boat?
Sat, Dec 6, 1986
While out on the water, Nick and Jesse come across a Chinese junk. The four man crew - who Nick and Jesse later learn are Captain Chong Ling, his two adult nephews Ming and Wah, and his adult niece Lin - are suffering from dehydration and exposure. Their story: they are part of a Chinese fishing expedition that got separated from the rest of the fleet in a storm. Both Nick and Relic do not fully buy the story as there is no sign of fishing equipment on board the junk, but there is diving equipment. Relic believes the worst: that they are modern day pirates. With John and Coast Guard official Danny Lee on the case, Nick is not overly concerned whatever their true motive for being in the area. But when the Chinese take off unexpectedly, John, Danny, Nick and Jesse try to locate them so that they can get the true story, while Relic does whatever he can to raid them of whatever loot he believes they may have or will pilfer. Their true mission is a search for family history and restoring family name, but one that could be hindered by international red tape.
Sat, Dec 27, 1986
Donna-Lee Douglas is another child around the local area and she enrolls the guide of local people to open a teenager club. Sal is passionately restricted, especially when she finds the Roberts Creek bikers are anticipating showing up. Visitors: William B. Davis as Dave Douglas; Gordon McIntosh as Biker; Sheila Moore as Mayor Tingsley; Elena Kirschner.