| Author |
Message |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 337
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 10:48 am: | 
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I'm attempting to pull together a list of the boats owned by Ontario Northland Boat Lines and operated on Lake Temagami at any time during the operation's tenure from 1944 to 1965.
Anyone see any missing (or should be removed)? Or misspellings?
Aubrey Cosens VC
Modello
Naiad
Vedette
Iona
Ramona
Gull Lake (crash boat)
Sesikinika (crash boat)
Wakimika (crash boat)
Metagama
Grey Owl
Ojibway
Marco
Kokoko
Wendigo
Kaniki
Gracie
Chico
Aletis
Anzac
Kokomis
Joyce
Sharp Rock (wooden barge)
Cross Lake (wooden barge)
Cross Lake II (barge)
The crash boats were surplus military rescue boats from WWII. |
jgr3rd
Member
Post Number: 8
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 10:11 pm: |
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Brian: I believe the actual name was Aubrey Cousens VC. It was named after a T&NO (Ontario Northland) employee who had been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 1945. One of the original boats was the Belle of Temagami. Another was the Aletis. It was sent to James Bay where it served as a floating hunting lodge for a few years and was then moved to Lake Nipissing. It was the only ONBL boat that served on three different bodies of water. |
jgr3rd
Member
Post Number: 9
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 10:28 pm: |
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Brian: On checking another Ontario Northland book I found the same spelling of Cosens as in your post. The Veteran Affairs Canada website confirms the spelling as Cosens. |
boater
Member
Post Number: 7
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, February 12, 2005 - 5:12 pm: |
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For info on Aubrey Cosens ( the person ) check out the little museum up the road in Latchford. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 339
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 13, 2005 - 2:12 pm: |
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I am going to be publishing soon on Ottertooth the excellent Aubrey story by Angus Scully.
Jgr, I had heard that the Aletis went to James Bay but haven't found a second source to confirm. I hadn't heard about it then going to Lake Nipissing. Is all this in the Ship Registry? |
jgr3rd
Member
Post Number: 10
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 13, 2005 - 8:25 pm: |
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Brian; My source is a book by Douglas N. W. Smith, "A Century of Travel on the Ontario Northland Railway", Trackside Canada ttawa, 2004. The Aletis was used as a floating hunting lodge from 1946 to 1948. The ONTC then built a permanent hunting camp at Hannah Bay about 45 miles east of Moosonee. The Hannah Bay Goose Camp was used by customers of the railway as well as members of the public. I hunted there a number of times in the 60's and 70's. We would take the train from Toronto to Moosonee. I recall one year a private car was added to the rear of the train for some executives from one of the steel plants in Hamilton (customers of the ONR). They invited our group to join them for cocktails throughout the trip up and back and at the camp. I guess I have never publically thanked the ONR for their hospitality until now. Back to your enquiry; the Ship Registry records matters related to title and ownership and not location. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 342
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 3:45 pm: |
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This is not an Ontario Northland boat, but the Esso boat, 1940s or early 1950s. It is blownup as far as it will go, hence the grain. Can almost, but not quite make out the name.
 |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 344
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 11:12 am: |
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The Aubrey story by Angus Scully has been published at http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/History/aubrey. htm
It was well researched and dispells some old myths like the fact that Ted Guppy was the only captain that ever served on the Aubrey Cosens. That Aubrey, the man, was born in Latchford and that he died in Holland.
It also does a good job of illuminating the birth of the Ontario Northland Boat Lines on the lake. Recommended reading for boat buffs. |
purser
Member
Post Number: 36
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 21, 2005 - 9:14 pm: |
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I'm fairly certain the Esso boat above is the same one I saw at various points on the lake. The one time I remember for certain was at Camp Mettagami (formerly Camp Accouchiching). It pulled in to the dock while the Naiad was there.As purser of the Naiad, I remember exchanging greetings with the Esso boat pilot, Alf Guppy. Alf was my nextdoor neighbour in Temagami for a few years. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 345
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 10:20 am: |
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What years were you purser on the Naiad?
I presume this Esso boat had no onboard tank but just delivered drums of oil and gas? |
purser
Member
Post Number: 37
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 3:46 pm: |
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I believe you're right as to the Esso supplying drums of fuel around the lake. I was purser on the Naiad in the late 1950's. The Naiad is no more, but, how I wish I had the little brass cannon that adorned its bow. It was a beaut. As far as fuel deliveries on Lake Temagami, the Naiad, as well as other boats of the ONBL delivered the large propane tanks to various places. They were brutes to load and unload, weighing somewhere in the range of 160 pounds. Once you had the technique down, they were more easily managed. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 346
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 10:26 am: |
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purser, you also served as purser on the Aubrey. What years? |
boater
Member
Post Number: 8
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 25, 2005 - 7:33 pm: |
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In the late 60's Esso switched to the steel barge-type vessel that I beleive is still in use for gas deliveries. Prior to that a large wooden boat, probably the one shown in Brian's pic delivered gas. Fuel was pumped from a large tank on-board to the holding tanks of the customer. At that time the delivery person was a very jovial Willis Laronde ( Lalonde? ) I remember him well. |
dan_carpenter
Moderator
Post Number: 23
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 8:12 am: |
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The ESSO barge was most recently operated by Mike Woods, who delivered gas and diesel from bulk tanks and other products in 45-gal drums. He closed down the business about 4 or 5 years ago and now lives in North Bay. |
angus_scully
Member
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 4:52 pm: |
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The last ESSO barge, was named the Bee (hence sob). When I last saw the boat, a few years ago at Boat Line Bay, the names were painted over. I am told it can no longer be used to deliver fuel as it has only a single hull. Environmental regs require a twin hull for bulk fuel hauling. |
Temagami general