Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in the post this week. This week, we're going outside Canada and south to the shores of the Chicago River. In 1915, the docs of Cicero, Illinois, became the site of the largest loss of life from one shipwreck on the Great Lakes. The wreck didn't happen in a storm, or even in the middle of the water out of the reach of help. Instead, it happened alongside a dock and in 6 metres of water. This is the story of the Great Lake steamer SS Eastland.
Read MoreSo, anyone who knows me will know that up until recently (as in, within the last oh, 5 years or so) I had a really severe fear of shipwrecks. Yep, the girl who had been studying ships since she could read, was terrified to dive/swim/be physically anywhere near them.It was a bit of an impediment when it came to my preferred area of study, so I decided to do something about it. In the summer of 2010 I went and visited my first shipwreck, the SS Ethie. From there, I made efforts to actually go out on the water and not get nervous. Then a couple of summers ago, I ventured out to Conception Harbour and stood within touching distance of the SS Charcot. Since then (and especially since I started this blog) I can honestly say my phobia is pretty much a non-issue.
Read MoreI've covered shipwrecks in places you wouldn't necessarily expect in this blog before, such as Saskatchewan and Nunavut. I've also already covered one shipwreck from Manitoba, the M/V Ithaka, a modern wreck that is close enough to touch (when the tide is out). This week, we're returning to Manitoba, and to the shores of Lake Winnipeg, where in 1906 one of the most elegant steamships to sail in this area was lost in a storm. We're looking at the story of the SS Princess.
Read MoreThis week, we're going straight to the other coast, to the province of British Columbia. In 1898, sternwheeler paddle boats were the most common form of transportation on Kootenay Lake. Three different boats made their way to various ports, moving people and cargo across the bay. Then, one cold day in November of that year, one of the ships was caught in a gale and sank. She wouldn't be seen again for almost a century. Today, we're looking at the story of the SS City of Ainsworth.
Read MoreAs I have mentioned before, during the winter traffic tends to slow through St. John's Harbour. We get the usual suspects going in and out, but it's rare that we have visits from ships that don't call this particular port home. This week, however, we had one such visitor, and since I haven't covered a Halifax-class ship yet, this week we are looking at the HMCS Toronto.
Read MoreTo those of you who read these every week, you know it's no secret that I enjoy writing about warships. This week - actually, today - marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of a British warship off the Irish coast. This ship took with her all hands, including 25 members of the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve. One of the largest loss of Newfoundland lives at sea during the First World War, this week we're looking at the story of the HMS Viknor.
Read MoreLast week, I received a message from Martin LeDuc, Chief Engineer on the McKeil Marine owned tug Beverly M I. The Beverly was in St. John's for some maintenance and was moored at NewDock - Martin wanted to know if I was interested in a tour of the tug. I jumped at the opportunity, so Saturday afternoon, myself and Scott Humber of Scott Humber Photography headed down to the dock and met up with Martin for a tour of the ship.
Read MoreHello everyone, and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season. As I mentioned in my last post, I was back in Ontario visiting family. It was a wonderful visit, and it came to an end far too quickly (as holidays tend to).
While I was home, I was digging through some old books and folders and I came across a newspaper clipping. When I was away at university, my mum used to go through the paper and if she came across an article she thought I'd be interested in, she would cut it out and leave it on my dresser in my bedroom for the next time I was home. This article surfaced around June 2008, and I had read it and then dutifully tucked it away in a notebook. Turns out, the article was about one of the oldest and most well preserved shipwrecks in Lake Ontario, and it fits perfectly with my 2015 Shipster plan. So, thanks Mum!
Read MoreHappy (?) Monday, everyone! When I started this blog, I initially kicked around the idea of each week of "Over the Waves" corresponding with the date that the ship sank/went out of service. Turns out, this is a lot more difficult than it sounds, so I went a different route. However, this week, I have managed to pull it off, and it was too good an opportunity to pass up, so here we go!
I've covered some of the Alphabet Fleet before. Ships such as the SS Kyle and SS Ethie that were members of the Reid Newfoundland Company's fleet of coastal steamships at the turn of the century. This week I'm covering another one, which while not as well known as say, the Kyle, or even the Ethie, this ship was considered crucial to the ports she visited along Notre Dame Bay. Called the "harbinger of spring", her visits to small coastal ports would be met with crowds of locals down at the wharf. This week, we're looking at the career of the SS Clyde.
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