During the Klondike gold rush, people rushed to the Yukon to try and cash in on the action. A series of prefabricated sternwheelers were constructed in San Francisco, shipped up to Alaska, and then moved across to the Yukon. They were assembled on the shores of Lake Bennett and then used to transport miners, supplies, and equipment up to Dawson City and back again. Today, only one wreck remains that showcases these unique ships. This week, we're looking at the story of the A.J. Goddard.
Read MoreBritish Columbia has a long list of shipwrecks. Many of them are more recent, including decommissioned Navy ships as artificial reefs (such as the HMCS Annapolis this year), and the sinking of the ferry M/V Queen of the North in 2006. Quite a few of them, however, stem from the turn of the century, when the expansion of the Canadian west was in full swing, and steamships were the way to get people and cargo to communities along the rushing rivers. One such ship was owned by the Hudson Bay Company, and met a quick and unfortunate demise on the Skeena River in 1907. This week, we're looking at the story of the sternwheeler Mount Royal.
Read MoreHello all! This week, I picked a much more recent ship with a story that came to an end just a month or so ago. This ship served a long career as a Great Lake freighter before being retired. Unfortunately, instead of finding her way to a scrapyard in Turkey, she was thrown up on the rocky shores of Scatarie Island, Nova Scotia. This week, we look at the story of the M/V Miner.
Read MoreThe May 24th Long Weekend is one of my favourite holidays. Over time, the focus has shifted from celebrating the birthday of Queen Victoria to celebrating the arrival of summer, but one thing has remained the same - it's a chance for people to get out and enjoy the first of the summer weather! This sentiment certainly isn't new, but not every May 24th has ended a happy one. In 1881, this holiday was marred with one of the worst tragedies that London, Ontario has ever suffered. Today, we're looking at the story of the Victoria.
Read MoreThis week I was looking for a story that would bring us back up to Northern Canada, and as I looked around I found the story of this ship. While reading up on it, I learned more about a part of Canadian History that I previously didn't know that much about. From the banks of Newcastle-on-Tyne where she was built, to a reef outside Cape Dorset where she would come to rest, this ship lead a colourful and important career for one of Canada's largest merchant groups. This is the story of the RMS Nascopie.
Read MoreHi All! I hope you're all having a great week so far. For this week's "Over the Waves" we're heading to the waters around Nova Scotia. I know I've covered Coast Guard ships before (usually ones that have been in the St. John's Harbour), but I decided to look a bit further back, to when they were considered Canadian Government Ship (or Dominion Government Steamer). And, not surprisingly, I found a ship that caught my interest. This week I bring you all the story of the CGS Aberdeen.
Read MoreHi 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.
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