Imagine a five-year-old boy whose father had gone overseas with the navy in World War 2. He might have become very interested in grey warships, despite his young age. If he had a chance to actually see one sliding into the water for the first time, it might have been a huge thrill. Such wasContinue reading “Boat building for War”
Category Archives: Shipping Lore
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”
Outsmarting Ottawa
The first raft of logs ever to come out from the French River for the Saginaw Lumber Co. of Saginaw, Michigan, was wrecked in the North Channel near Little Current in the late fall of 1886. The American company had secured timber limits from the Ontario government on the Wahnapitei and Spanish Rivers. After theContinue reading “Outsmarting Ottawa”
Ships of the Bay
There have been many commercial and government ships on Georgian Bay over the years. Here we look at just a few that might be of interest. Midland City By far the oldest steamer was the Midland City. Her original name was Maud when she slid down the ways at Kingston Marine Railway on Aug. 16,Continue reading “Ships of the Bay”
‘Schooner Days’ man
One hot and humid summer day in 1969 at Nancy Island, Wasaga Beach, an elderly man sat in a wheelchair in the shade off to the side of a growing crowd of people. Occasionally someone would go up to him, shake his hand, and chat for a few moments. This was the man who, followingContinue reading “‘Schooner Days’ man”
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”
The quaint old steamers
The photo says it all: coal smoke belching from a hard working freighter steaming into the sun. (“Steaming Down The Sun” © Ritchie With.) When I photographed her in 1964 the era of these ships was coming to a close. In fact, that was one reason I was able to take the picture – myContinue reading “The quaint old steamers”
Captain Nickerson
A familiar name around Georgian Bay ports over a century ago was Nickerson. Capt. Charles J. Nickerson was one of them. His story might have been typical of how a young man of that period carved out his maritime career. He was featured in The Globe newspaper of Toronto’s series “Prominent Men of the GreatContinue reading “Captain Nickerson”
