Farah Chihadeh & Omar Filipe gave the Shellback Club a picture of the history of the Broad Reach Canada programme and its current status. We heard of the experiences of a few of those who have benefited from the efforts of this charity under the direction of Executive Director Marguerite Pyron. Broadreach celebrates its 25th year at the Boulevard Club on November 18th 2023. Charles Waterman, Broad Reach Chair of the Board and Officer joined the presenters. About Farah Chihadeh, Youth Program Coordinator
Farah Chihadeh has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly eleven years. Among her favorite moments was helping a young person access an opportunity, whether it was a scholarship or a training program. A newcomer herself, Farah strives to give back to the Canadian community by helping youth realize their potential in spite of the challenges they may face. She joined Broad Reach Canada last spring to support the Ships2Shores project, and now serves as a program manager at BRC. About Omar Felipe, Program Coordinator Omar Felipe is a sailor/artist living the dream. He was born in the Valley of Cauca Colombia. An immigrant to Canada, he graduated from the Marilyn I Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University. Deciding that becoming a sailor was his next move. And so he completed all training and certifications to become an Intermediate Sail Instructor. Omar accumulated over 6000 miles at sea, as he sailed through the Intercoastal Waterway, the Caribbean Sea, Erie, Trent-Severn and Welland Canals, and the frozen Canadian waters in the St. Lawrence Seaway. He brings his experience and expertise to a team of like-minded individuals with a common goal: to provide opportunities to underprivileged youth like himself, to engage in sailing, developing knowledge, skills and social belonging.
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Lawrence Rennie & Phil Dawson - Behind the Scenes on Cruise Ships - P&O and Princess Lines10/26/2023 Laurie & Phil share their experiences while sailing as crew on P&O and Princess Lines. They relate the history of the two companies in this Part 1. In Part 2 they will take us behind the scenes on the TSS Canberra. About Lawrence Rennie
After graduating from high school, Lawrence followed in his father’s footsteps and served a five year apprenticeship in a shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland. He attended Technical College during that time and then joined P&O Lines as an Assistant Engineer Officer. He served on a freighter for two years. In 1966 he moved to P&O – the Orient Passenger Division. From there he moved to the Princess Lines, where he served for nine years, moving through the ranks to Chief Engineer. During this time, he served on a number of ships and so, travelled the world. Latterly, he was with Princess Cruises on the Alaskan Cruise voyages. Lawrence left Princess in 1973. He then joined Aviva Insurance, in Toronto, as an engineer/surveyor. That position took him to Northern Ontario, the Dominican Republic and Norway. Moving from Aviva, he joined an engineering risk management firm where he was retained by Lloyd’s of London to inspect the Avostal Shipyard in Mariupol, Ukraine and Reliance Petroleum Company in India. The past 15 years, Lawrence has returned to Marine Surveying, where he still works in season for Crawford Marine Services. About Phil Dawson Phil Dawson was born post WWII of Anglo-German ancestry. He first became interested in ships during his early childhood in the city of Bahia, Brazil, through his father’s work there as an exporter and, as a passenger on several long ocean voyages with his parents and siblings. Moving first to England and then to Canada, he completed his schooling in Winnipeg, studying computer science at the University of Manitoba. While working with large mainframe computer systems in Canada and Europe, he also continued to follow developments in merchant ships and shipping. He started writing about these interests on a part-time basis. Leaving the computer field altogether shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, Phil opted to pursue his life-long love of architecture and design. He embarked on an entirely new photographic and literary career specializing in the design, operation and supporting infrastructural aspects of world-wide sea and air transport. On the strength of his success in these ventures, he later became an associate member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in London. Phil Dawson has written extensively for various international shipping, aviation and architectural publications. He has also written and co-authored a number of significant books on ships and ship design. The first of these books, British Superliners of the Sixties, presented an in-depth design study of Britain’s significantly modern ORIANA, CANBERRA, and QE2. He later wrote the commemorative book, Canberra: In the Wake of Legend, at the end of her service career, and co-authored QE2: Britain’s Greatest Liner with Bruce Peter and Ian Johnstone, at the time of her decommissioning. Shellback members meet informally on Wednesdays at noon at the Mimico Cruising Club for lunch and conversation. Feel free to drop in any week; Club membership is not necessary.
On June 6, the Shellback Club visited the Art Gallery of Ontario and viewed the Thomson Collection of Ship Models. This impressive collection includes models hundreds of years old, up to the twentieth century. ago.ca/agoinsider/ahoy-there After viewing the models, the Shellbacks convened in the AGO Bistro for a delicious lunch. Thanks to Skipper Dianne Leggatt for her organizational skills. Jamie Hunter spoke to the Shellback Club on the History of the S.S. Waubuno, Legend and Lore, 1865-1879. The sidewheel steamer S.S. Waubuno plied mainly Georgian Bay for most of her 14-year history. The vessel and all her crew and passengers disappeared on November 22nd, 1879 near the Haystack Reefs near Sans Souci Ontario. Jamie delved into all aspects of the wreck often referred to as the most mysterious wreck of the 19th Century on the Great Lakes waters because no one survived to tell the story of this ill-fated steamer and her last trip of the season from Collingwood Ontario to Parry Sound Ontario. Jamie Hunter and Eric McIntyre have also produced a 170 page book on all aspects of the S.S. Waubuno. About Jamie Hunter
Jamie has spent most his life studying the Indigenous people who once lived in what is now known as Huronia. He has worked on the archaeological excavation of many Wendat sites and has published his research on the contact period when French Jesuits came to live in the region. Jamie was the Director/Curator of Huronia Museum for 26 years. He recently co-authored a book on the sinking of the historic steamship Waubuno in Georgian Bay. He has welcomed and guided many cruise guests to Midland with passion and a wealth of knowledge. In 2012 James gave a presentation to the Parry Sound community on the Waubuno. Eric McIntyre, who attended the event, asked for all his sources which he was hesitant to provide. So, they went into partnership and between 2018 and 2021 produced a 170-page book on all aspects of the S.S. Waubuno. Sally and Noel Lien returned to the Shellback Club to describe their 2022 travels from Chatham in the UK, up to Stornoway in anticipation, then their return south to New Ross, where their boat Kalinka 1 has now spent the winter. About Sally and Noel Lien
Sally was born in Winchester Ontario. She is a multi-talented lady and generous to a fault. She is a skilled sailor, a Lieutenant of the Sea Cadets, volunteers with disabled children teaching them to ski. She has a grand sense of humour. Noel is also multi-talented. He was a carpenter when the TD Tower was built. He was a ‘copper’ for many years. That career led to his becoming a paralegal. He is a skilled sailor with all things boating. And he joins Sally in teaching disabled children to ski. Both Sally and Noel work hard in the winter so they can sail somewhere in the summer. This summer they . . . no specific plans yet, although the Baltic may feature. John Rakos of Ottawa Canada spoke to the Shellback Club over Zoom, describing his experiences sailing in Wollongong Australia. About John Rakos
John is a retired Professor at the University of Ottawa in the field of Project Management at the MBA and Undergraduate levels. He is also founder and President of Rakos & Associates Consultants Ltd. He has consulted with such organizations as Health Canada, the RCMP, and the Federal Government. John has been sailing for 60 years. He has been sailing since he was 16 when he built his first dinghy. He and his cousin, Peter Falus, converted a 36’ dory in Halifax, where they sailed those waters. He has experience in many different sailboats in many parts of the world, as his habit was to walk into the nearest marina and offer his skills as a sailor. Able Sail Toronto offers sailing experiences Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on Martin16 sailboats to adults, youth and children with disabilities. Their goal is to enable a sense of independence and self-sufficiency that can truly be felt on the water. They welcome volunteers and will train any who do. Karen-Ann Xavier spoke to the Shellback Club on their program and future plans. Anna Sagulenko visited the Shellback Club to describe her development in top tier windsurfing and foiling racing, and her plans for Olympic competition in 2024. About Anna Sagulenko
The first IFCA Foil World Champion is Luuc Van Opzeeland NED-55 and Anna Sagulenko, UKR-8, was crowned IFCA Foil Female Champion in Switzerland. A special mention for Anna Sagulenko UKR-8: she has been racing with the guys all week and takes home the IFCA Event title in the Women’s fleet. The 2019 IFCA Foil World Championship came to an end after 11 Races in light to medium winds, 3 discards and only 2 general recalls which was pretty smooth for the BIGGEST Start line – so far – of 71 Foil competitors during the Vanora Engadinwind by Dakine 2019. Thanks to all the brave flying competitors, the race committee, volunteers, the cool media crew in general and all the sponsors involved. The Polson Iron Works was a large and productive shipbuilding enterprise in the late 18th and early 19th century, operating near what is today the foot of Sherbourne Street. While most of its 150+ vessel output no longer exists, some is still in use today and the nature of the Toronto Waterfront his directly affected to this day by its presence 100 years ago. About Ron Jenkins
Ron is a long-time member of the National Yacht Club. His father, Alf (past Purser Shellbacks, Class A Dinghy Sailor and an active keel boat owner) and his grandfather, Herb (NYC treasurer for decades, and active keel boat sailor) carries the Jenkins’ name well back in NYC history. Ron is an active nature and sailing photographer; when hobbies do not interfere, he works in technology marketing. He is an active participant in Waterfront for All, a coalition of groups protecting the Toronto waterfront |
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