Latest news with #maritimeheritage
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Lasting impact': Remembering the former Paddlewheel captain
Passengers boarding the Paddlewheel Queen, with Col. Sanders enjoying the view from B deck. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) A captain who operated vessels on Winnipeg's waters for decades is being remembered for his impact on the lives of millions and his contribution to the province's maritime heritage. Captain Steve Hawchuk, owner of Paddlewheel Riverboats, passed away earlier this month at the age of 87 after a 44-year career operating the Paddlewheel Queen and the Paddlewheel Princess. From carrying celebrities such as former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, Col. Sanders and Burton Cummings, Hawchuk carried approximately 2.7 million passengers over 10,475 cruises, according to his wife, Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk. Captain Steve Hawchuk steering the Paddlewheel Queen. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) Captain Steve Hawchuk steering the Paddlewheel Queen. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) 'Graduations, weddings to corporate functions … and then we had royalty, special bookings and we even had all-star wrestling on the top deck,' said Nagtegaal-Hawchuk. 'Total leap of faith' Hawchuk's first experience with the riverboat business began in 1969, when he and his half-brother Joe Slogan—a dentist and former MP for the now abolished riding of Springfield—partnered up and purchased the Paddlewheel Queen and the Paddlewheel Princess. Both knew nothing about the boating or restaurant business, according to Nagtegaal-Hawchuk, adding that 'they just loved the boats' and were raised in the Interlake region. 'Total leap of faith,' said Nagtegaal-Hawchuk. 'And the rest, as they say, is history.' Hawchuk told CTV News in 2022 that he 'was tired of being a bookkeeper' and began boating operations on July 26, 1969. Commissioned by businessman Ray Senft, the Paddlewheel Queen and the Paddlewheel Princess were imitation sternwheelers equipped with a rear paddlewheel, with room for up to 400 and 200 passengers, respectively. The Paddlewheel Queen going through the Bergen Cut-Off Bridge in Winnipeg. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) The Paddlewheel Queen going through the Bergen Cut-Off Bridge in Winnipeg. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) Hawchuk ran Paddlewheel Riverboats seven days a week, with cruises on the Red River and Assiniboine River from about May to October, according to Nagtegaal-Hawchuk. 'In the beginning, Steve would work like 18 hours a day. That was the norm for six months.' Nagtegaal-Hawchuk, who was originally a captain for Paddlewheel Riverboats' competition, said the vessels offered dinner cruises, sightseeing, live music and dancing. 'He would hire at least 60 [staff members], at least every season,' she said. 'And he always used to joke he must have put, I don't know how many people through university.' Passengers aboard the Paddlewheel Princess. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) Passengers aboard the Paddlewheel Princess. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) Throughout the decades, the riverboats would take various routes and operate from several docks, including the Redwood Dock, the Kildonan Park Dock and the Forks and Alexander Dock. A stop at the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site also allowed passengers to tour the former fur trade post. Read more: Former Paddlewheel captain pens book commemorating 44 years on the Red River 'He would bring in captains from the East Coast, West Coast, and then of course, the homegrown captains were the best, and most of them all came from Lake Winnipeg,' said Nagtegaal-Hawchuk. By 1989, the third deck of the Paddlewheel Queen was removed to fit under more bridges in the city. Passengers boarding the Paddlewheel Queen. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) Passengers walking up to the third deck on the Paddlewheel Queen. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) A joint operation with River Rouge Tours—once the competition—also saw Paddlewheel Riverboats operate the River Rouge ship during the 1990s and early 2000s. During the winter months, the vessels were brought to rest in the Selkirk Slough—a protected inlet off the Red River—though Nagtegaal-Hawchuk said there were still full-time staff during the winter to assist with bookings. By 2013, Hawchuk officially retired, having carried just over 7,000 passengers that season—down from the peak of around 80,000 passengers a year during the 1970s. Col. Sanders (left) and Captain Steve Hawchuk Col. Sanders (left) and Captain Steve Hawchuk aboard the Paddlewheel Queen. Col. Sanders was in Winnipeg then to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first KFC restaurant in the city. Uploaded July 25, 2025. (Esther Nagtegaal-Hawchuk) In 2017, the Paddlewheel Princess was damaged beyond repair after vandals set the vessel on fire. Two years later, the Paddlewheel Queen was cut up for scrap metal after a plan to convert it into a barge fell through. 'Captain Hawchuk made a lasting impact on Manitoba's maritime heritage through his years operating the Paddlewheel Queen and Paddlewheel Princess,' reads a statement from the Marine Museum of Manitoba made to Facebook earlier this month. 'His commitment to river navigation and tourism helped keep the legacy of Manitoba's inland waterways alive for future generations.' Nagtegaal-Hawchuk said after hanging up his captain's hat, he retired to their West St. Paul home, which backs right onto the Red River. 'As long as the Red River flows into Lake Winnipeg, I hope he's remembered.'
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Man plans to row from New England to New Scotland
Dories are a part of Nova Scotia's maritime heritage. They're also a part of the cultural fabric of New England. A man rowing from Massachusetts to Lunenburg, N.S., is exploring that connection. Moira Donovan has the story.
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Now or never' to save €26m replica of historic French ship, campaigners say
French maritime enthusiasts are battling to save a replica of an 18th-century warship that became a symbol of the country's historic relationship with America. The copy of L'Hermione, a three-mast, 32-gun frigate that carried the Marquis de Lafayette across the Atlantic to announce France's support for American independence from Great Britain in the revolutionary war, has been in dry dock at Anglet, near Bayonne, since its oak hull was found to be riddled with fungus four years ago. Campaigners have raised €5m (£4.3m) to replace part of the rotted structure but say they need another €5m to make the vessel seaworthy again. Despite launching an appeal two years ago, the funds have not been found. A fresh plea for the remaining funds comes as relations between France and the US enter a stormy period after Donald Trump's threat to impose a 30% tariff on goods from the European Union. Emilie Beau, the executive director of the Hermione-La Fayette Association, told the Guardian: 'We need a generous patron and we now have very little time to find one. It has been three years in dry dock and its 1,200 tonnes of wood needs to be in sea water and not dry. 'We have been dampening the hull, but this could lead to the development of even more fungus. We're hoping that if someone comes forward with the funds, we could restart work to repair the hull in September, with a view to sailing again in 2027.' The replica of L'Hermione, which took 17 years to build and cost €26m, was launched in 2015 and sailed to New York where it was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. In 1780, the original ship made the voyage to America to help the revolutionaries led by George Washington in the war of independence. Onboard was Lafayette, Louis XVI's personal envoy to the man who would later become the first US president. Lafayette disembarked in Boston and rode to Washington's headquarters to deliver his message of French aid to the rebels. L'Hermione – nicknamed the 'Ship of Liberty' – spent two years battling the British naval blockade before returning to France. In 1793, she ran aground off western France and sank. The wreck was discovered in 1984. In 1992 a group of maritime history enthusiasts set up the Hermione-La Fayette Association to oversee the construction of a replica of the 66-metre-long ship at the former royal shipyard at Rochefort, using historic techniques but to modern standards to enable the ship to be certified to sail. The plans for L'Hermione had been lost, but her sister ship the Concorde had been captured by the British navy in the 1790s, and detailed drawings and measurements of the vessel, a jigsaw of more than 400,000 pieces of wood and iron, were found at the Admiralty in London. Unlike the original, the replica has modern navigation equipment and electric motors for manoeuvring in and out of ports. It was also fitted with showers and toilets, as opposed to a plank of wood with holes in it near the prow that the original crew would have used. The replica cannon are fake; otherwise, it would be classed as a warship and come under the control of the French navy. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion In 2021, L'Hermione was due to visit the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK, including sailing up the Thames, but after going into dry dock for maintenance before setting sail, workers discovered that the wood at the bow and stern was infested with lenzites and cellar polypore, both wood-decaying fungi. 'What we know about these fungi is that they existed in the 18th century, but back then it took six months to build a ship, and if one didn't come back or rotted, they just built another. Obviously, we cannot do that,' Beau said. 'We want to build a ship that lasts longer than they did at the time.' The association has issued a new international appeal for funds, saying it is 'now or never' to save the ship. 'About 10% of the hull wood was damaged; we have replaced the wood in the rear part but now we urgently need €5m to complete the work,' Beau said. 'L'Hermione is a symbolic, historical ship. It is not only a chef-d'oeuvre of technical achievement but it was called the frigate of liberty and carried the values of freedom and solidarity between peoples. 'Today it is a symbol of peace and humanity, and in the current difficult period our countries are going through, it represents diplomatic relations and common values. We don't want to lose that.'
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Your new banknote ideas - from British Bulldogs to Fawlty Towers
While cash might not be as popular as it once was, the opportunity to fashion the next series of banknotes has got brains whirring and tails a day of reporting on the Bank of England's public invitation to influence a major redesign of banknotes, there were more than 2,000 responses to Your Voice, Your BBC on the the British Bulldog, pictured on Cawsand Beach in Cornwall, will be one of the least likely contenders, despite being described as a "national treasure" by his owner Julie, from animals and nature, as well as railways and TV nostalgia have featured strongly among the ideas. Images of historical characters, starting with William Shakespeare, have featured on Bank of England notes since the Bank's chief cashier Victoria Cleland has suggested images on the next set of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes could stick with notable figures of the past or move on to a new theme, as is seen on banknotes issued in Scotland, Nothern Ireland and around the Bank is giving people a month to select from certain themes, such as architecture, innovation or the arts, or suggest their own Bank has not commented on the number of entries so far, but - if responses to the BBC are anything to go by - they are likely to be inundated. Great ships Among the themes to be suggested was a celebration of the UK's maritime Mary Rose, HMS Belfast, HMS Trincomalee, HMS Victory, Cutty Sark, and the SS Great Britain are all worthy of a place on a banknote, according to Hilary in from Bristol goes further. "I don't just mean the spectacularly beautiful clipper ships, and instantly recognisable liners, but perhaps some of the lesser known vessels trading with Commonwealth countries, or oil rig support vessels working hard in the North Sea," he wrote. Famous landmarks There are appeals for the themes and choices to represent the whole of the Angel of the North is a regular suggestion, and areas of natural beauty such as the Yorkshire in Salisbury thinks using tourist sites on banknotes could bring benefits."Tourists come to England to see the main sites such as Stonehenge, Buckingham Palace, the Queen Elizabeth Tower etc," he says."If the banknotes showed these pictures then they would be more likely to visit the site, hold one up when taking a photo, and maybe even taking the note home as a souvenir." Classic TV characters Nostalgia features heavily, bringing a more recent historical outlook to notes that have carried images of people from the past for more than 50 years."Some classic British children's TV characters like Willow The Wisp, Bagpuss, or even a collection of them would make me smile," says Steve in Cardiff. "Likewise I think some classic British TV could be represented, like The Bill - no pun intended - or Casualty, soap operas or even comedies like Fawlty Towers. Television has been a large part of life for many people growing up and I'm sure, people would appreciate a bit of nostalgia on the notes." Vintage trains Nostalgia for the railways and "local and meaningful" stations also features in responses."With the 200 years of the railway in Britain being celebrated, it seems a shame not to celebrate that considering we gave railways to the world," says Ian in Derby. A mobile phone? Despite the wide range of options, some people are keen to stick to the way key figures in history are honoured on banknotes."Having looked at all the options I really do think that historical figures should still be number one choice. Might it be possible to include Diana Princess of Wales somewhere?" asks Elizabeth, from with cash used in only 12% of transactions, some say the time and effort involved in a huge overhaul of notes is unnecessary. "We are sadly faced with the prospect of a cashless society, with so many places refusing to accept my cash, so I have to wonder, why bother changing the design?" says Dawn in in Leighton Buzzard is much more blunt. "I would suggest that the new banknotes look like a mobile phone because that is how people are used to paying," he says. People can submit their views via an online form on the Bank's website, or by post, by the end of final decision on what exactly features on a banknote lies with the Bank's governor. Additional reporting by Bernadette McCague
CBC
08-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Volunteers face headwinds with Nova Scotia's historic schooners in peril
Nova Scotia's iconic wooden schooners, once the pride of coastal communities and a powerful symbol of the province's maritime heritage, are now at grave risk of vanishing forever. Jim Carwardine, president of the Nova Scotia Heritage Schooner Rescue Society, warns that these vessels — many over a century old — need urgent care. Without it, they could be lost to a perfect storm of aging caretakers, dwindling expertise and a critical lack of funding. The numbers reveal a stark heritage crisis: only five original Tancook Island schooners remain from a fleet that once numbered in the hundreds. These unique vessels, built between 1905 and 1945, represent a distinct Nova Scotian design, originally crafted for fishing and coastal trade before roads connected many isolated communities. "We're losing the technology, we're losing the ability," Carwardine said. "The younger generations, they don't have the time, they don't have the experience, and they don't have the money to put into the preservation of an old wooden boat." He said the current owners of vessels are these classic vessels "aging out," leaving nowhere for the schooners to go. Among the most endangered are the Wind Hawk, a 1964 schooner designed by the famed Gerald Stevens, which faces imminent destruction. Another, a "Bluenose Junior" built in the 1950s by William Roué, the designer of the original Bluenose, has been rotting out of the water at Porters Lake for 40 years. More than just old boats Carwardine said that restoring these vessels is about preserving engineering art and history, not just sentimentality. Unlike modern fibreglass boats, schooners were built with specialized wood and techniques that are nearly extinct today. The preservation of these schooners, Carwardine says, also offers tangible benefits, particularly for tourism. He points to the storied history of schooners, including the original Bluenose winning races in the 1920s and 1930s, as integral to Nova Scotia's attraction as a destination. Emma Lang, a public heritage professional, echoes the importance of saving these boats. "These vessels are not just about the fishing communities that they sailed from or were built [there]," she said. "They're also about the history of Nova Scotia, a place that was very connected to the world and part of a global economic system." Lang advocates for more funding to preserve a vital aspect of Nova Scotia's history. A race against time The Nova Scotia Heritage Schooner Rescue Society, a volunteer-run group, is working to restore the Elsie, a 1967 gaff-rigged schooner, at the East River Shipyard. However, with most of its members over 70, the society faces significant challenges in attracting younger volunteers and securing the necessary funds. "We need a living museum — not just static displays, but vessels that sail and teach," Carwardine says.
