Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 36

THE KID IN ALL OF US: BOAT MEMORIES
LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK
- BY JEFF EVANS, SARNIA POWER AND SAIL SQUADRON

As a kid I spent every summer hanging around our cottage
in Victoria Harbour on the south shore of Georgian Bay. Most
days were spent near, in or on the water, a world apart from
my childhood home in Toronto. There are so many memories
from that time but three stand out as bigger-than-life events
that have come full circle to revisit me as an adult.
In the 1960s, I would stand at the water's edge watching
the S.S. Keewatin and S.S. Assiniboia depart Port McNicoll
underway for Thunder Bay. A black plume would rise over
the trees signalling that the grand ships were preparing to
leave port. We would watch as they passed to the west of
Methodist Island, heading out into the gap beyond Beausoleil Island into the big water. While in port, it was always a
special treat to take our 14-foot molded plywood Chestnut
runabout over to view the ships and the hive of activity as
they prepped for the next northward voyage.
Both ships were taken out of service in 1965. A few years
later, I heard that the Keewatin was sold for scrap. I remember the feeling of loss in 1969 when the Assiniboia burned

36

CANADIAN YACHTING | MAY 2021

at the dock in New Jersey. Neither deserved such an ending.
Who would have guessed a kid could develop such an attachment to a ship?
Many decades later I learned that the Keewatin was in fact
rescued from the scrap yard and was at a museum in Michigan. More importantly, a Canadian group was making efforts
to return the grand ship to Port McNicoll and, in 2012, she
returned to her home port greeted by throngs of supporters.
I knew I had to see her. Now living in southwest Ontario with
our boat in Goderich, we cruised the 180 miles up Lake Huron
and down Georgian Bay to Port McNicoll to once again motor
past the Keewatin and greet my old friend. I commend the
DPD]LQJYROXQWHHUVDQGˉQDQFLDOVXSSRUWHUVZKREURXJKW
her home, and in the following years, brought her back to
her former glory. Every two years when we cruise Georgian
Bay, a return visit to the Keewatin is a mandatory stop on
our holiday.
***
In 1968, our neighbour Betty bought a sporty red Chrysler
Charger boat with a mighty 75 hp outboard. I'm sure I drove



Canadian Yachting May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Yachting May 2021

AT THE HELM
FEATURE: THE WET SET
SAIL REVIEW: BENETEAU OCEANIS YACHT 54
DESTINATION: AHOY BY A CENTURY!
THE PORT HOLE: MAY 2021
BOATING LIFESTYLE: A MAIN COURSE OF BOATING CONVENIENCE SERVED UP WITH A SIDE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOODNESS
TECH: ADD A SHADE - COOL COMFORT WITH CONVENIENCE
CROSSING THE LINE: DR. WINCH ANSWERS YOUR BOATING PANDEMIC QUESTIONS
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - Intro
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - Cover1
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - Cover2
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - AT THE HELM
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 4
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 5
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 6
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 7
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 8
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 9
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - FEATURE: THE WET SET
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 11
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 12
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 13
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 14
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 15
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 16
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 17
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - SAIL REVIEW: BENETEAU OCEANIS YACHT 54
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 19
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 20
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 21
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 22
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 23
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - DESTINATION: AHOY BY A CENTURY!
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 25
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 26
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 27
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 28
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 29
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 30
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - THE PORT HOLE: MAY 2021
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 32
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 33
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 34
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 35
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 36
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 37
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 38
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 39
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 40
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 41
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 42
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 43
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - BOATING LIFESTYLE: A MAIN COURSE OF BOATING CONVENIENCE SERVED UP WITH A SIDE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOODNESS
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 45
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 46
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - TECH: ADD A SHADE - COOL COMFORT WITH CONVENIENCE
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 48
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 49
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 50
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 51
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 52
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 53
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 54
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 55
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 56
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 57
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 58
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 59
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 60
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 61
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - CROSSING THE LINE: DR. WINCH ANSWERS YOUR BOATING PANDEMIC QUESTIONS
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - Cover3
Canadian Yachting May 2021 - Cover4
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