In August 2025 the Quadra Alumni Association celebrated 50 years of women at HMCS Quadra. In this episode of the podcast, it was a real pleasure hearing from Manon Mitchell and her journey of attending HMCS Quadra in 1975 and beyond. She is definitely one of the “original trailblazers” and many have called her an inspiration for younger women that followed in her footsteps. Manon talks about getting a start in the Sea Cadet world as a member of CCMRC Sioux, in Laval, Quebec. https...

Thanks to Rick MacDonald for stopping into the studio while visiting Victoria. Rick is originally from RCSCC Qu’Appelle in Winnipeg, he spent six weeks at Esquimalt Sea Cadet Camp in 1974 before attending the Quadra School of Music in 1975. Rick later experienced camp life in Whitehorse for a few years. Once he turned 19, he did enroll in the CIC through the home Corps where he met his wife JoAnn. I got a chance to chat about sports, hobbies and work life with Rick. I ...

Commander Pamela Audley served as Commanding Officer at Quadra from 2005-2008. As we celebrate 50 years of women at HMCS Quadra it seems appropriate to share this episode with all Alumni. She was the first and still is the only female to serve as XO and CO at the camp. It was a real honour to interview her and learn so much about her past Cadet career and life. Pam talks about some of her mentors, many of her favourite memories about some Quadra antics! She was also t...

On this episode, I chat with four women who all joined the Cadet Organization in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s. Female Sea Cadets started in 1975 at HMCS Quadra, a world that for many years was males only. You’ll hear from 4 guests: Karen Coles, (née Rutherford) RCSCC Falkland, Ottawa ON Practical Leadership 1980 – Top Cadet Yvette Myers RCSCC Alberni, Port Alberni BC Boatswain 1979 Chantal Webb, (née Lohr) RCSCC Crusader, Winnipeg MB Boatswain 1982 – Top Cadet Jenn...

In episode 2, season 4 of the Quadra Alumni Podcast we talk to a dedicated couple that has been involved in training Sea Cadets for much of the past 50 years. Darrell and Sandy Dudley join me for a discussion about their Sea Cadet and Officer careers and most importantly their time at HMCS Quadra. Darrell is from RCSCC Amphion and Sandy is originally from RCSCC Rainbow, they met at an OJT Reunion at the famous Big Bad John’s bar at the Strathcona Hotel in Victoria. For many ...

In the first episode of 2025, it was great to chat with Chris Allen from Powell River, BC. His training at HMCS Quadra started in the summer of 2007, however his first memory was a bit earlier when he attended a Sail Centre training session with his RCSCC Malaspina colleagues. Chris was lucky enough to work 2 summers at HMCS Quadra as a Staff Cadet training young Cadets to be boat operators. Chris later moved to Nanaimo and joined RCSCC Amphion while he was attending Vancouver Isl...

In this episode of the Quadra Alumni Podcast you’ll hear from Colin Henthorne, a former Sea Cadet from RCSCC Hampton Gray VC in Nelson, BC. Colin joined the Corps in 1966 at 12 years old and made his first trip to HMCS Quadra in the summer of 1967. Colin goes through, in detail, some of his memories from his very first day at Goose Spit. Colin later took his Boatswain Course at Naden and then attended an International Exchange to Holland (Netherlands) before returning to Qua...

We start off Season 3 of the Quadra Alumni Podcast by talking with Andrea Kucherawy, RCSCC Undaunted. Andrea has a long history at HMCS Quadra and her career at Quadra includes highlights such as Lead Stick in the Senior Band, 5 years working with the PL Course as an officer (3 summers as PLO), and 3 years as the GunsO. Andrea is a great example of how well Quadra has passed on the teachings from generation to generation. Hear who she learned from and some of the people she influe...

Lorne is from Winnipeg Manitoba and hails from RCSCC John Travers Cornwell, VC. He remembers first going to HMCS Quadra in 1971 as a two-weekie and then followed up the next summer as a PL Cadet. As an OJT Lorne, worked in the Gunnery Department (1973) his first summer and then became the Chief of Quadra the following summer. Hear how the Chief of Quadra was selected back in his day! Lorne believes the Practical Leadership course was a turning point in his life and se...

Commanding Officer - HMCS Quadra 1982-1984 Audio editing done by Todd Mason. More about the Quadra Alumni Podcast: - Join the Quadra Alumni Association at https://www.quadraalumni.com/ - Follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/QAAPodcast - Follow on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@quadraalumnipodcast6108 - Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/q_alumni_podcast/?hl=en Email us at quadraalumnipodcast@gmail.com for any inquiries or requests to be on the Quadra Alumni Po...

Ben Whiting joined RCSCC Fraser in 1969 and first attended HMCS Quadra for TWGT. Ben later attend the Boatswain Course (1972) in Esquimalt and Practical Leadership (1973) in Quadra before taking the Officer Cadet Course (1974) and working on Flotilla (1975-76). He recalls his Flotilla experiences fondly and points to old shipmates such as Red Fullerton and Wally Samson and a few others as mentors. Ben is a Professional Geo Scientist and holds a Masters of Science Degree. He ...

Dave comes on the podcast to chat about the Quadra Alumni Association 25th Anniversary Celebration that occurred 11-12 August 2023 at the 40 Knots Winery. Dave reads his speech from the final dinner which was warmly received by the 100+ Alumni Members at the event. The speech elegantly talks about why HMCS Quadra is so important to all of us. Together we took on so many challenges, we took on responsibility, we answered the call to duty, we experienced more than most youth would ever...

Travelling from Ottawa I was happy to have Bev MacKillop and Steve Murray visit the podcast studio and chat about their Quadra memories. Bev joined RCSCC Falkland in 1975 and spent many summers at Quadra; including being one of the first female cadets in 1975. Most people remember Bev in the Quadra School of Music and some may have served under her leadership as Director of Music (DMUS). Steve joined RCSCC Kootenay in 1982 and spent his summers at both Quadra and Ontario. Steve ...

Bromley Basford is from RCSCC Qu'appelle (Winnipeg, Man) and attended HMCS Quadra in the early 1970's. Bromley was a PL in 1974 and later served as an OJT for the Scuba Course. Hear him talk about the only US Exchange (USA West) that ever went to Pearl Harbor! Bromley shares that he worked 32 different jobs before he decided to become a teacher where he spent 28 years passing on some of the skills and practices he learned in the Sea Cadet world. http://rcsccquappelle.ca/ Au...

A young 17 year old boy from Winnipeg, Manitoba travelled to HMCS Quadra in 1974 to take the 9 week Practical Leadership (PL) Course. It changed his life! Bromley Basford narrates his memoir, "The Summer I Met Myself For The First Time". Audio editing done by Todd Mason. More about the Quadra Alumni Podcast: - Join the Quadra Alumni Association at https://www.quadraalumni.com/ - Follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/QAAPodcast - Follow on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@...

Dan Hurley first attended HMCS Quadra in 1985 as a Two Weekie, he later took the OpsCom Course and finished as Top Cadet getting his name on the Klingle Award. Dan worked as a Staff Cadet training future OpsCom cadets and later as the Chief of Operations. Dan enrolled to the CIC and served Quadra for several years on staff. In civilian life Dan has been politically involved in numerous campaigns and worked on Parliament Hill after obtaining his bachelor’s degree from the Universit...

http://www.quadraeducationfoundation.com/ The Quadra Education Foundation (QEF) Scholarship Program is open to all current and past cadets, officers, and civilian instructors of HMCS QUADRA Cadet Training Centre (CTC), as well as their children.​​ The program aims to provide financial support to currently enrolled students pursing post-secondary education, and recognizes and rewards both academic and non-academic qualities or performance including: Epitomizing the aims of the Canadian C...

This episode contains many memorable voices from back in 1981 that you may recognize! Special thanks to Bill Wrathall for keeping this recording safe for the past 40 years. The original recording was put together by CFMS radio in Victoria, the interviewer is Dave Armstrong (a father of Sea Cadets). The recording was titled "The Sea Cadet - HMCS Quadra" and includes a compilation of interviews done in the summer of 1981. Hope you enjoy it. I've attempted to list names of person...

My first New Year's Eve "snap episode" with Mike Trump, Tim and Lisa Dolinski broadcast live from Mayne Island, BC. Happy New Year to every Quadra Alumni Member. Audio editing done by Todd Mason. More about the Quadra Alumni Podcast: - Join the Quadra Alumni Association at https://www.quadraalumni.com/ - Follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/QAAPodcast - Follow on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@quadraalumnipodcast6108 - Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/q_alumni_p...

**Trigger Warning** This episode discusses the topic of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and some content may be distressing to the listener. This episode was done with the intention that talking about the subject could in part provide the listener with more information and potentially provide an avenue for MST survivors to come forward with any unreported events and to encourage others needing trauma support to reach out to a professional or an advocate. My guest Lori Buchart (nee Bodie) ...