POTW: Ahoy, there be pirates

Pirate Ship Jordan

June 10, 2021

Pirate Ship JordanStuart Hendrie, a pro photographer sent along this photo of the pirate ship in Jordan Ontario. Many of us have seen it from the Lake and many more have seen it from the highway.

According to the Niagara Greenbelt website:

“La Grande Hermine” (The Big Weasel) is one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Niagara stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Way. The 140-foot ship was created as a replica of the largest of 3 ships French Explorer Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River. It was originally built in Quebec in 1914 and began its life as a ferry on the St. Lawrence and later became a cargo ship, a floating restaurant, and in 1991 converted to a replica ship.

At one time the vessel was turned into a haunted pirate ship at Halloween to raise money for a hot lunch program for students. The derelict ship’s final resting place is the Jordan Harbour just off the western shore of Lake Ontario, between the cities of Hamilton and St. Catharines. This abandoned shipwreck came to the Jordan Harbour in 1997, and was the victim of an arson fire in January of 2003, causing this piece of history to go up in smoke. What’s left of the ship remains rusting, damaged and run down, but is still an interesting site to see.

Your Photo of the Week? Yes, we want it and now that boating is ramping up across the country it’s a good opportunity to share some shots.

Our email is cyonboard@kerrwil.com and please send us your photo. Just put POTW in the subject line. Thanks in advance.

Related Articles

Weather shmeather

Weather shmeather

Oct 12, 2023 One of our primary duties here at OnBoard is to chronicle the weather and its effect on the collective disposition of the boating community. It’s probably not helpful to point out that last week here in Ontario we had the AC on while this week the furnace is chugging. And haulout is…

CYOB Inbox: Proud of ORIOLE

CYOB Inbox: Proud of ORIOLE

I was pleased to see CYOB’s piece on ORIOLE, the Royal Canadian Navy’s sail training vessel (May 9 19.)  She was built as a racing yacht at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club for the Gooderham family in 1921.  She was based at RCYC for the first half of her life (or so) and was never a commercial vessel. 

POTW: Angling Action

POTW: Angling Action

Apr 25, 2024 Roger Renaud from LaSalle ON caught the Photo of the Week while the people in the boats were catching big ones. This is looking west, from Amherstburg, Ontario, at Gros Isle, Michigan, across the Detroit River. The walleye season opened at the beginning of April. It’s tough to capture a whole scene…

Video Gallery

Pursuit S268 Sport CC

By Andy Adams

The Pursuit S 268 Sport centre console is a do-it-all kind of boat with a solid sense of style. Centre console designs have been developed for the southern blue water sport fishing enthusiasts (and this boat would raise fish with the best of them) but the Pursuit S 268 Sport centre console offers far more utility and enjoyment than just fishing.

Read More

Destinations

Bayfield Marine Turns 40 with Big April Events

(l to r) Holly, Adam, Pat, Ron, Shelley

Ron and Pat Reder started out in October 1984 across the road from where they are right now on the Bayfield River in Bayfield ON. The store front was about 10 x 20 and the rest of that side of the building was a stock room, wood finishing room, then behind that was more back stock and the lunchroom. Expanding every few years for the store front, then moving over to this new building five years ago, this year with Adam, Shelley, and Holly are carrying on the business.

Read More

Lifestyle