S.S. Keewatin
311 Talbot Street L0K 1R0 Port McNicoll, ON, Canada

Introducing the "keepkeewatinhome" Campaign to Keep S.S. Keewatin Home A new website at https://keepkeewatinhome.ca has been launched in an effort keep the 113 year old passenger steamship S.S. Keewatin in Port McNicoll. According to local resident and campaign organiser Dan Travers the website is an information hub for those interested in trying to help ensure the Keewatin stays right where she is. The website includes a link to a new House of Commons petition directed to ...the Minister of Canadian Heritage which calls for the Government of Canada to ensure S.S. Keewatin remains in Port McNicoll. It is available to residents of Simcoe County, regardless of age said Travers. Each signatory merely needs their own email address. #keepkeewatinhome is an independent public interest group in support of, but not affiliated with, the registered charity Friends of Keewatin (The RJ and Diane Peterson Keewatin Foundation). Email Us: [email protected] Follow Us: https://twitter.com/HomeKeewatin

How You Can Help S.S. Keewatin Stay in Her Home Port https://sskeewatin.com/sos

The Proud Little Fairmile Retired into a Life of Boredom Built by Midland Boat Works, Midland, Ontario, Fairmile Q 095 was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy on May 12, 1943. While not commissioned, she became a tender to HMCS Sambro, a depot ship for escorts. With a complement of 3 officers and 14 men and armament consisting of 2 20 mm guns (forward), 1 20 mm gun (aft), 2 x twin 0.303 machine guns, and 14 depth charges, she was a little fighting ship’. The fairmiles... were also called Holy Rollers’ since they easily pitched and rolled in the waves. A unique feature of the fairmile was its ability to be reconfigured within 48 hours to serve as an escort, minesweeper, mine layer, navigation leader, coastal raider, patrol boat, ambulance or rescue launch. Each was fitted with steel strips and tapped holes to ease the swap of special equipment for each mission. Q 095 participated in the 76th ML (Motor Launch) Flotilla out of Newfoundland. A flotilla consisted of six fairmiles tasked with dealing with lurking German U-boats and escorting shipping along the St. Lawrence River, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and between Newfoundland and the mainland of Canada. At the conclusion of WW 2, she was paid off on July 1, 1945 by the Royal Canadian Navy. Purchased in 1947 by the Canada Department of Transport in 1950, she was sold to Rudolphe Corbeil and re-named RODCO probably using her as a yacht. After owning her for a decade, he sold her to Kingston Excursions who owned her until 1972+. Her final service was to haul lobsters from Western Nova Scotia to Rockland, Maine. Her registry was closed in 1969 when she was scrapped. Photos: Q 095 shortly after being built in Midland in 1942-3; patrolling the coastline of Newfoundland; escorting a captured German Submarine

So Much Information Lost to the Mists of Time Recently, this postcard was found in the S.S. Keewatin archives. It had been glued into someone's photo album as evidenced by the five small patches of black album paper still stuck to the postcard. All I am left with are questions ' Who owned the album? When and where was the photo taken? What is the name of the ship being built? Who were these men? What were their life stories? So much information lost to the mists of time!

Sail with Us on the Georgian Bay Line Known also by its official name, Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit Company, the Georgian Bay Line operated from 1913 to 1967 providing transit service and cruises on the Great Lakes. The GBL began in 1913 with the launch of the 280 foot S.S. North American on January 16, 1913. After the first profitable season, the 321 foot S.S. South American was launched on February 21, 1914. They were built of steel and were also sister ships. I...n the 1940's, a third ship, S.S. Alabama was acquired. Before WW II, the ships would carry many passengers from one port to another. After the war, the business shifted more to the ships being used for longer cruises. When passenger jets became popular in the 1950's, the cruise boat industry in the Great Lakes began to suffer. This 1952 advertisement shows the ships' routes. In 1963, the S.S. North American was retired. Soon, however, the remaining fleet could not meet the modern fire safety standards and in 1967, the S.S. South American was retired. It was a sad end for all three ships. S.S. North American sank while under tow. She was to become a part of the merchant marine academy. S.S. South American was scrapped in 1992. The S.S. Alabama was cut down to become a barge in 1946 and continued in that role until she was scapped in 2005. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian_Bay_Line

It's late March, 1959! Going on a Sea Cruise This Summer? The Great Lakes have long been considered inland seas. This summer is predicted to be very hot in the city. You decide to take the train to Midland and board either the South American or North American and take a sea cruise after watching this performance by Frankie Ford on the Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5tIHtbctFQ... Photo: Personal Collection