Author to honour 50th anniversary of Chi-Cheemaun
This marks the 50th season of the Chi-Cheemaun ferry bring passengers from the Bruce Peninsula to Manitoulin Island. Ian Campbell reports.
This marks the 50th season of the Chi-Cheemaun ferry bring passengers from the Bruce Peninsula to Manitoulin Island. Ian Campbell reports.
It's an iconic symbol of summer, the Chi-Cheemaun, and it's about to be memorialized in a book for all to see as it sets sail for its 50th year.
Historian and author Richard Thomas has been busy working on the project, in coordination with the Owen Sound Transportation Company, and is looking for help from those who have memorable stories involving the Chi-Cheemaun.
'It's a great story and I ride Chi-Cheemaun probably about a dozen times every summer myself,' said Thomas. 'So it's a subject that's near and dear to my heart.'
For decades now, Chi-Cheemaun (otherwise known as *Big Canoe*) has been making the trek to Manitoulin Island and back ferrying summer lovers across the Georgian Bay and cutting hours off car trips.
'Chi-Cheemaun really is an iconic symbol of Great Lakes travel. For many people, it's the biggest ship they'll ever be on in their lives and so it's a special trip,' he said.
According to Thomas, the biggest issues with Chi-Cheemaun's predecessors was the line-ups. They couldn't keep up with demand which led to it's creation at a Collingwood shipyard.
'I've heard lots of great stories so far, people are very generous with reaching out. I'm up to three couples who were married on Chi-Cheemaun who have shared photos and stories with me so I'll be including some of those,' he said. 'There have been a number of people talking about the iconic nature of Chi-Cheemaun, they remember as little kids travelling on Chi-Cheemaun with grandma to go over to the cottage and now as adults they take their own children on board. It's a real generational story.'
Thomas says he's hoping to gather information about special trips they've had on the ferry, whether it was the good or worst passage ever along with any other interesting tidbits.
'I've gotten up to the point where Chi-Cheemaun is being built and I've actually interviewed about a dozen men form the shipyards who worked on Chi-Cheemaun back in 73 and 74 and I've got some great stories about them and the one thing I'll say that came through loud and clear from the shipyard workers was the sense of pride that they all have that Chi-Cheemaun is still sailing,' he added.
No word yet on when the ferry plans to launch for the summer season.
To reach Richard Thomas or to contribute to his work, he can be reached at chicheemaun50@gmail.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Ivory Coast's Elephants look forward to facing Canada, New Zealand in Toronto
Ivory Coast 's coach Emerse Fae gives instructions to his players during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) TORONTO — Ask Ivory Coast soccer coach Emerse Fae about Canada and he is quick to praise — and reel off names. 'I like this team because the Canada team has very good players — good players like Jonathan David, like (Cyle) Larin, a good striker. Alphonso Davies, (Derek) Cornelius, (Moise) Bombito from Nice. (Ismael) Kone from Rennes,' Fae said from France. 'So it will be a good team with good organization, a good attacking team. A good challenge for Ivory Coast to play and to see how the team is one year before the World Cup.' Fae is bringing firepower of his own to the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament, where the 41st-ranked Ivorians face No. 86 New Zealand on Saturday after No. 30 Canada plays No. 25 Ukraine in the early game at Toronto's BMO Field. Ivory Coast and Canada, which will be without the injured Davies, then meet June 10 after New Zealand plays Ukraine. Canada has never faced Ivory Coast before and has played Ukraine just once, a 2-2 draw in Kyiv in an October 2010 friendly. The Ivory Coast roster draws on players from clubs in Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. Fae's squad includes winger Amad Diallo, who joined Manchester United in January 2021 at the age of 18 in a package worth 37.2 million pounds ($69 million) from Italy's Atalanta. Midfielder Franck Kessié, formerly of AC Milan and Barcelona, plays for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro league while defender Odilon Kossounou is currently with Atalanta, on loan from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, and forward Nicolas Pépé, formerly with England's Arsenal, plays for Spain's Villarreal. Diallo made headlines recently after a photo showing him apparently making an obscene gesture to fans during a Manchester United tour to Asia. He later said he was reacting to 'insulting words directed at my mother.' At 5-0-1, the Ivorians lead their 2026 World Cup qualifying group by one point over Gabon (5-1-0). Group F also includes Burundi, Kenya, Gambia and the Seychelles. The group winner qualifies for the World Cup with the runner-up moving to the second round of qualifying. 'I'm happy with the way that we are winning,' said Fae. 'Even if I expect more quality from the team. Because we have many good players who play in the best clubs in Europe … Even when we didn't play well, we won. It's a good thing to be able to win the game, but we have to improve the way we play.' After Toronto, Ivory Coast plays its four remaining World Cup qualifiers — against No. 140 Burundi, No. 79 Gabon, the 203rd-ranked Seychelles and No. 111 Kenya — in September-October. The team then shifts its focus to defending its African Cup of Nations title in December in Morocco, where Ivory Coast has been drawn with No. 50 Cameroon, Gabon and No. 96 Mozambique in Group F. The Ivorians posted a pair of 1-0 wins in March, defeating No. 126 Gambia and Burundi in World Cup qualifying play. Ivory Coast appeared at the World Cup in 2006, 2010 and 2014, failing to advance to the knockout round after finishing third in its group each time. It missed out on the 2018 tournament in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. Fae expects Ivory Coast to build on it 2023 Africa Cup of Nations title by qualifying for the World Cup while also pointing to the expanded 48-team FIFA field. Nine African teams take part in the 2026 soccer showcase, with a shot at a 10th side via the FIFA Playoff Tournament. 'It would be a shame for our country not to be qualifying for the next World Cup,' said Fae. Football is huge back home, so there is pressure to succeed. Fae also knows that winning will help more Ivory Coast players earn contracts to further their development abroad. Ivory Coast is ranked fifth in Africa, behind No. 12 Morocco, No. 19 Senegal, No. 32 Egypt and No. 36 Algeria — after jumping five places in the latest FIFA numbers. It reached No. 12 in early 2013. Born in Nantes, Fae was a French youth international and won the Under-17 World Championship in 2001 — beating Nigeria in the final. He played for his hometown club before switching his international allegiance to Ivory Coast, the land of his parents, in 2005. He went on to play for Reading, then in England's Premier League, and Nice before he retiring in 2012. Fae coached Nice's youth teams and the reserve side of French Ligue 1 club Clermont before being appointed as Jean-Louis Gasset's assistant with Ivory Coast in May 2022. Gasset was fired midway through the 2023 Africa Cup, after a record 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, with Fae named interim head coach. The Ivorians advanced as the last of the four best third-placed teams and Fae rallied the team to wins over defending champion Senegal, Mali, DR Congo and Nigeria, in the final. That earned Fae Confederation of African Football (CAF) Coach of the Year honours in 2024. Fae was given the permanent coaching job in February 2024. The trip to World Cup co-host Canada marks his first visit to the country. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Historic Grand Banks schooner's future being assessed at Lunenburg, N.S., shipyard
The schooner Theresa E. Connor, a floating exhibit at Nova Scotia's Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg, is shown in this handout image while being moved to the Lunenburg Shipyard in February 2025. The vessel is being assessed to see what it will cost to safely return her to the water. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Lunenburg Shipyard *MANDATORY CREDIT* HALIFAX — An assessment has been ordered to determine the options for a historic schooner that's been berthed at the site of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg, N.S. The 85-year-old Theresa E. Connor is being described by the province's Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage as 'showing signs of wear,' and having 'some structural concerns.' Department spokesman Rob Maguire said Monday the vessel was moved from its spot by the waterfront museum and taken to the Lunenburg Shipyard and hoisted onto a dry dock in February. The vessel -- which has been part of the museum since 1967 -- has undergone regular repairs every three to four years, but the spokesman says on this occasion it will 'be undergoing a full assessment' to help determine its options. 'This will help us better understand the vessel's condition and what work may be required,' he wrote in an email. 'We know how important the Theresa E. Connor is to the Lunenburg community and to the many Nova Scotians and visitors who've experienced the vessel as part of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. That's why we're working closely with our colleagues at the museum and with the Department of Public Works to ensure the schooner is preserved in a way that honours its cultural and historical significance,' he said. According to museum records, Theresa E. Connor is one of Canada's oldest schooners, and the last to dory fish the Grand Banks out of the port of Lunenburg. Built in 1938 at Smith and Rhuland Shipyard, it is one of only two remaining fishing schooners constructed by the shipbuilding firm, which constructed Bluenose and the majority of Lunenburg's early 20th century fishing fleet. The only other remaining vessel from this fleet is Sherman Zwicker, which was built in 1942 and is now a floating restaurant situated on the Hudson River in New York City. Bradison Boutilier, the owner of Lunenburg Shipyard, said in an interview Monday that the vessel was among a generation of 'knockabout' schooners that had an engine installed and the height of its masts reduced -- as it continued to be used as the age of sail faded. 'Like all schooners and wooden vessels over the years, they just start to deteriorate and ... now it's just a matter of deciding what to do. It's really up to them (the province),' he said. 'They've definitely done things over the years to preserve it and now I would guess there's going to be a bigger decision being made.' Paul Baskett, a shipwright and owner of the Old Town Boatworks in Lunenburg said if a major refit of the schooner is needed to keep the vessel safely afloat, it will likely be costly. He said there are aspects of the vessel that have been fascinating for the public to see over the years, such as the portion of the boat where the crew of about 24 fishers used to sleep and work. 'It's absolutely amazing, it gives you goosebumps if you're into that sort of thing,' he said. However, he said it may be possible to take that space and attach it to the museum, without having to spend millions of dollars retrofitting the vessel to allow it to remain in the water. 'It would be an amazing exhibit, and it would cost a lot less than building a new schooner,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. By Michael Tutton
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Stowaway porcupine travels nearly 1,000 kilometres across B.C.
A porcupine was rescued from the wreckage of a plane after a days-long trip across B.C. (Image credit: Eva Hartmann, Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society.) A young porcupine that crawled into the wreckage of a small plane recovered in northern B.C. was discovered days later and nearly a thousand kilometres away – and work is underway to get the animal back home. The Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society was contacted by the company that transported the plane from the crash site near Mackenzie to a salvage yard in Kelowna after the stowaway was found hiding under one of the plane's two seats and attempts to lure it out with food were unsuccessful. 'I was very surprised by that request. This definitely has not happened before,' said Eva Hartmann, the society's founder and executive director. The volunteer-run organization takes in roughly 100 animals a year, always with the goal of re-releasing them to within 10 kilometres of where they came from. In almost every case, an injured, orphaned or lost animal is delivered to the centre, which isn't set up dispatch people to do rescues. But in this case, Hartmann made an exception and gathered a crew to help extract the porcupine with the help of a veterinarian who could sedate the rodent. The long journey would have left the animal hungry, parched and disoriented, Hartmann said. 'It hadn't had any food or water and it's also really hot right now in the Okanagan. It was obviously scared, and it didn't make any moves of trying to come out by itself. It was probably exposed to a lot of noise and moving around,' she told CTV News, explaining why she decided to intervene. 'It was likely to just crawl into another plane part or any kind of machine at that industrial yard, and we certainly wanted to avoid that. A small porcupine has lots of places it can hide in. And certainly that wouldn't have been good if it then would have got lost again somewhere else,' she continued. rescued porcupine Image credit: Eva Hartmann, Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society The rescue was a delicate operation due to the tight space and the porcupine's prickly exterior but it went off without any quills being lost. 'We didn't want it to lose a lot of quills,' Hartmann said. 'That would be bad for the animal, because then it doesn't have its proper defense mechanism anymore. And also, I don't like to have quills in my fingers.' Some animals – marmots, in particular, are known to end up far from home after inadvertently hitching a ride on the underside of a vehicle, according to Hartmann. Porcupines, however, 'are not a common species to hitch rides,' she said. They are drawn to salt which Hartmann thinks explains why this one ended up in the plane's seat. 'The seats and seat belts are most likely to have been sweaty, so there (were) traces of salt … and they were all chewed up,' Hartmann said. Porcupine patients are not uncommon at the rehabilitation centre but returning them to where they belong is not usually as complicated as it is in this case. The effort to get the porcupine back to where the plane went down involves getting the exact location of the crash site, working with local and provincial governments to get authorization and finding pit stops at other animal welfare organizations to help the animal along the way. 'We would like to release her as soon as possible,' Hartmann said. 'The goal of everything that we do is to release the animals again. Same with this one.'
