The Asia — Georgian Bay’s worst marine tragedy

“Go where you will on Georgian Bay and let the talk turn to vessels wrecked or lost, the name of the Asia will soon be heard.” Those words were penned by Fred Landon in his book “Lake Huron”, published in 1944 as part of The American Lakes Series. Landon had sailed on the lakes forContinue reading “The Asia — Georgian Bay’s worst marine tragedy”

Early years at Hope Island Light

Charles Tizard was the first lighthouse keeper at Hope Island, between Collingwood and Midland. He started the light on Oct. 27, 1884, and closed it down Dec. 15 at the end of the navigation season on the Great Lakes. The Celtic was the government supply ship at that time. On Jan. 4, 1886, Tizard sailedContinue reading “Early years at Hope Island Light”

Keewatin memories, and a plea to keep her here

Alan Howard, a friendly and loquatious marine enthusiast of Toronto, knew all about the Canadian Pacific white fleet that steamed weekly between Port McNicoll and the Lakehead. In the early Sixties, he and other steam buffs had taken the trip on the almost-twins Keewatin and Assiniboia, as they correctly guessed that the service would soonContinue reading “Keewatin memories, and a plea to keep her here”

Remembering the Midland City

Anyone familiar with Georgian Bay likely has heard of the inter-island steamer Midland City. When I first wrote this around 2004 for the Midland Free Press there might even have been a few people still living who had worked on the beloved old boat or who, like me, at least had a ride on her.Continue reading “Remembering the Midland City”

Searching for the Waubuno

Midway through September, 1957, my friend Peter Saunderson and I organized ourselves to head up the Inside Passage to find the remains of an old paddlewheel steamer wrecked in a wild November storm in 1879. The Waubuno first captured my imagination as a boy after World War 2 when I read the account of herContinue reading “Searching for the Waubuno”