The Shellback Club viewed the TVO travelogue "Tripping the Rideau", documenting a trip on the Rideau Canal from Manotick Mill to the Ottawa River. Several Shellback Club members also recounted their own experiences travelling the canal. The video can be seen on the TVO web site: https://www.tvo.org/video/documentaries/tripping-the-rideau-canal.
1 Comment
The Shellback Club met in Hamilton to have a short sail on the brigantine "Playfair", followed by a lunch at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club. Our sail in Hamilton Harbour took us past the Tribal-class destroyer HMCS Haida, past some huge ships in dry dock, and over to visit the Playfair's sister ship "Pathfinder", soon reaching the completion of a major refitting. The weather cooperated, with good wind and the sailing was framed with a small rain shower before setting out, and a deluge of rain in a thunderstorm, fortunately only starting after we were safely settled for lunch at RHYC. Photos from Ron Jenkins Photos from Henk Wond Shaymus Stokes introduced the Shellback Club to the video "World's Greatest Ships: The SS Great Britain" describing the remarkable and difficult history of this groundbreaking ship. Dianne Leggatt led a viewing of a selection of YouTube videos on the events of September 11, 2001, focusing on the reception of travellers at Gander, Newfoundland, and the boat lift of people from the Manhattan downtown after the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. Ten Years Later: Air Traffic Controllers Remember 9/11 https://youtu.be/i7vWcQZjEwM The tiny town that became a beacon of hope on 9/11 | 60 Minutes Australia https://youtu.be/8GXmplRrwgA Rescue at Water's Edge: The U.S. Merchant Marine Response to 9/11 https://youtu.be/yc66PsnXPoA BOATLIFT - An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience (HD Version) https://youtu.be/18lsxFcDrjo The voyaging Polynesian sea canoe "Hokulea" made a three-year circumnavigation. as shown in a documentary viewed by the Shellback Club. Julia Morton-Marr is involved with the activities of the Polynesian Voyaging Society through the International Holistic Tourism Education Centre - High School Peace Garden Team. Here are her comments on the connection. Navigation, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and Hawaiian Charter Schools Comments by Dame Julia Morton-Marr B.Ed., Dip.T. Vice-President Education, Council on Global Issues As part of young people in Hawaii finding the United States education system complex, Charter Schools were established. In these schools, Hawaii students are taught their native traditions as well as the national US educational curriculum. This means that they have to work twice as hard as English speaking students. UNESCO Canada developed an international year for encouraging the use of a nation's mother-tongue. On the big island of Hawaii, I saw three evolutions of Hawaiian traditions. All of the schools would sing us in Hawaiian. There was no bad behavior in any of their schools that we saw. Peace and sustainability exists on the Hawaiian islands. One school had an Island laboratory, and an Ocean laboratory. As well as those two areas, they had a brand new school with shared facilities, that was totally technological, solar panels on all roofs, and open space learning. The land laboratory students learned how to grow their foods including pineapples, taro, and coconuts. Taro is prepared in many different ways. They also were propagating native plants and trees. The tech school permitted only electric or hybrid vehicles on their land. The Arts and Science Secondary School taught fish farming, and canoe carving from a full tree, which they slid down the mountain into the ocean when it was finished. They were learning all the traditional arts; basket weaving, thatching roofs, growing macadamia nuts, and traditional Hawaiian dances and languages. All of this was taught in addition to the US curriculum. Julia Morton-Marr was brought in by Phi Delta Kappa International to teach global sustainability education and peace education through her International School Peace Gardens. The charter schools connected interested students with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, with Jenna Ishii, Miki Tomita, and Nainoa Thompson, who with the Master Navigator Mau Piailug, reinvigorated navigation as one of the Hawaii educational tools. They built the Hokulea, a seaworthy double-hulled canoe. Hence the documentary "The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific". The film was restored and remastered in 2013. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. 24 March 2022 Useful links on the Hokulea, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the International Holistic Tourism Education Centre, and the videos shown at this Shellback Club meeting. International Holistic Tourism Education Centre - High School Peace Garden Team (Miki Tomita and Nainoa Thompson, Jenii Ishii) http://www.ihtec.org/ISPGPages/ISPGHawaii.html Polynesian Voyaging Society | Home Page https://www.hokulea.com/ Polynesian Voyaging Society | Hōkūleʻa Returns Home https://www.hokulea.com/hokulea-returns-home/ Polynesian Voyaging Society | Worldwide Voyage Highlight Video https://www.hokulea.com/worldwide-voyage-highlights/ Worldwide Voyage | Hōkūleʻa Worldwide Voyage Recap Video https://youtu.be/s_5SL1sDXWU He Wa`a, He Honua – The Earth is Our Canoe https://youtu.be/E8dZnyxdgFw 'The Shellback Club watched "The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific" (1983) [Sandor Low, Director & Producer], a documentary that explores the ancient navigational heritage of the Pacific people. Thanks to Julia Morton-Marr for this viewing recommendation. The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uxgUjyqN7FUyoutu.be/uxgUjyqN7FU. Mau Piailug, the last navigator to be ceremonially initiated on Satawal and one of the few men who still practiced the once-essential art of navigation, is interviewed. In a dramatic demonstration, Mau Piailug sails the Hokule'a, a replica of an original Polynesian canoe, from Hawai'i to Tahiti, using traditional navigation techniques. Another documentary also on this topic is: https://youtu.be/9IF8jCLxyAA. Shellback Club member Victor Wejer hosted the viewing of two videos, and answered questions afterwards. The Voyage of the Gjoa Roald Amundsen through the Northwest Passage (1903-1906) [The Fram Museum] https://youtu.be/R4nZMW6KmJY The Gjoa was the first ship to navigate the Northwest Passage, with Roald Amundsen as captain. The Voyage of the St. Roch Through the North-West Passage 1940-1942 [Vancouver Maritime Museum] https://youtu.be/r-vn0-xjMDI The RCMP schooner was the first ship to completely circumnavigate North America, and the second vessel to transit the Northwest Passage. Noel Lien presented a video showing the rescue of the passengers and crew of the Olaf Bergh, among which was his father. Olaf Bergh [O.C. Life-Saving Station Museum] https://youtu.be/ysizvOc6VRQ Ocean City Coast Guard rescuing the crew of the Norwegian freighter Olaf Bergh by breeches buoy in 1941. Gord Laco visited the Shellback Club to describe his career in rigging, starting with work with Tom Taylor Limited in Toronto, gradually specializing in rigging using traditional and historic systems and materials. From rigging historical sailing vessels, to rigging reproductions, to consulting in the film industry, Gord owns this specialized nautical niche. About Gord Laco
Gordon Laco served on the Board of Directors of Tall Ships America 2015 to 2021, and currently sits on the Board of Tall Ships Canada. He supports the operations of sail training ships and maintenance of classic yachts in every way he can. He began his career in the marine industry in 1979 after studying history at the University of Western Ontario when he joined the staff of Toronto’s Tom Taylor Company, following in the footsteps of his late uncle, Con Costas. Gord has long-held respect for seamanship and an appreciation for traditional rigging. He began importing gear for sail training and museum ships in 1999 when he was Captain of HMS BEE, the reproduction gunboat schooner operated by the Ontario Government on the Upper Great Lakes. He began distributing rope and rigging across North America on a full-time basis in 2003 after returning from 18 months as Lead Technical Adviser to the production of the feature film ‘Master and Commander, the Far Side of the World’. He has served as historical advisor to over 60 film and television productions, recently working with Tom Hanks on the production of the WW2 drama GREYHOUND. Gord was co-founder of Atlantic Challenge Canada, served as Executive Director of Toronto Brigantine and has sat on the boards of Huronia Museum and Midland Public Library. Even though, as a professional mariner he dislikes shipwrecks, he also sits on the board of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. Gord is a frequent public speaker on issues involving seamanship, nautical history and youth development. He served eleven years an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy and was, at the time of his commissioning, the oldest person to complete the RCN’s tough Basic Officer’s Training Course. Core to his operations is his company G. H. Laco & Son Ltd, which specializes in traditional gear for ships and yachts. He is proud that his son, Robert, has joined him in the business. When he has time, he races and cruises on the waters of Georgian Bay. This is the third time Gord has spoken to Shellbacks, but it has been ten years since he has joined us as a speaker. The Shellback Club viewed the documentary "The Mysterious Disappearance of a Sea Pioneer" about Joshua Slocum's life and sailing career. Patrick O'Brien introduced and showed his copy of Gary Jobson's documentary "The History of the America's Cup (1851-2007)" to the Shellback Club. Gary had mentioned to Patrick that he would be making a video of the AC history so Patrick asked him to be on the waiting list for it. Happily, a video arrived from Gary, at no charge, about a year later. Here it is, with the unmistakable voice of Walter Cronkite narrating. Patrick O’Brien kindly contacted Gary to gain permission to show it to Shellback’s today. Patrick joins us regularly, as you probably know. He may answer a few questions after the viewing. About Patrick O'Brien Patrick was educated at boarding school in the UK both during the war and for eight years after. Following two years National Service in the Army, partly in Sierra Leone, he returned to the UK and took up a career in sales for various companies. In 1968, he started his own business, The Point of Sale Centre and in 1981 opened a subsidiary in Canada, where he lived until 2018. He owned a C&C 27 for five years and in 1996 joined MCC with his beloved C&C 35 which he enjoyed for over 20 years. In 1958, in the UK he was invited to join the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, near Southampton and happily crewed for other members, mainly on SCODs (South Coast One Designs). They were designed by Charles Nicholson, who was a Club member. In 1960, he was invited to join the crew of Flica 2, a pre-war built 12 metre. That year had seven 12 metres racing in the Solent (a narrow stretch of water that lies between Southern England, SW of Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight). Late Summer Patrick went on to the West Country to race in Torbay Week. Sceptre, which had been defeated by Columbia in 1958 was in the fleet too. After racing in 12’s for two years, Patrick became very interested in the America’s Cup and tried to fundraise for a UK challenger. In 2007, he cruised on Silversea’s Silver Whisper, the only cruise ship with permission to be on the racecourse in Valencia. Gary Jobson was on board doing a commentary from the bridge. Additionally, he did an analysis of each race afterwards in the theatre. Also on board was John Rousmaniere, the official historian of the America's Cup, from the New York Yacht Club. Patrick dined with him several evenings and swapped yarns about the 60’s. About Gary Jobson
Raised in Toms River, New Jersey, Jobson graduated from Toms River High School (now Toms River High School South) in 1969 and was inducted into the school district's hall of fame in 1990. In college, at SUNY Maritime, he won the Men's Singlehanded National Championship in 1972 and 1973 and the Sloop National Championship in 1973; was an All American sailor three times; and was twice named College Sailor of the Year. Jobson covered the 34th America's Cup for NBC. He won an A.C.E. (Award for Cable Excellence) for the 1987 America's Cup on ESPN. In 1988 Jobson won an Emmy for his production of sailing at the Olympic Games in South Korea, and won an Emmy for the 2005–06 Volvo Ocean Race on PBS. His newest book is Chasing Roosters: A Century of Sailing on Barnegat Bay. In 2013 Jobson was presented a Telly Award (Recognition of distinction in creative work in broadcast/non-broadcast video productions) for Unfurling the World: The Voyages of Irving and Electa Johnson. He has won many championships in one design classes, the America's Cup with Ted Turner, the famous Fastnet Race and many of the world's ocean races. Gary is also an active cruising sailor. He has led ambitious expeditions to the Arctic, Antarctica and Cape Horn. He was tactician for Ted Turner on Courageous during the 1977 America's Cup and during the 1980 defender trials. In 1983, he was founder and tactician of the Courageous/Defender syndicate. Jobson was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame (2011) and the America's Cup Hall of Fame (2003) by the Herreshoff Marine Museum. In 1999 Jobson won the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, US SAILING's most prestigious award. Gary has been the National Chairman of The Leukemia Cup Regatta program since 1994. These events have raised over $50 million to date. In 2012 the University of Maryland Medical School established The Gary Jobson Professorship in Medical Oncology. Jobson was awarded a Doctor of Letters from the State University of New York Maritime College in 2005 and a Doctor of Human Letters from Lakeland College in 2013. Over the past 40 years Gary has given over 2500 lectures throughout the world. He started his career as a sailing coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. He is a Past President of US Sailing (2009-2012). In 2021, Gary served as NBC's official commentator for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Sailing events. Gary and his wife, Janice, have three grown daughters, Kristi, Ashleigh and Brooke and two grandsons, Declan and Franklin. |
AuthorThe Shellback Club will make occasional posts on this blog. If you want something added in a blog post. let us know. Categories
All
|