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The End of the Ferry Crisis…


This story first appeared in the Kingston Whig-Standard as: “1946: End of the ferry crises” on November 17, 2006. The trilogy helped celebrate the former ferry Wolfe Islander 60th anniversary, held at the Community Hall on Wolfe Island. The event, hosted by the Wolfe Island Historical Society, also honoured long serving Captain RF Fawcett and the late Captain Elwyn ‘Buck’ Mullin. Captain Fawcett remarked that “...there are more folks in here tonight than 60 years ago, at the formal dinner and dance at the original christening!” This is the last story in a trilogy called: the Wolfe Island Ferry Crises of 1946

Posted in: History, Places
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Comments

Bob Graham
Comment by: Bob Graham ( )
Left at: 8:35 AM Tuesday, November 15, 2011
I rode the Wolfe Islander a number of times in the '70s, and was drawn to her "shippiness." Once, Capt. "Buck" Mullin invited me to spend a round-trip in the wheelhouse with him. While the current Wolfe Islander III far exceeds her in utility, I was saddened when I learned that later, nobody had wanted the old ferry, and that she had been scuttled for use as a dive site.

Again, thanks, Brian. And thanks, Susie Smith for this wonderful monthly internet journal.

Bob
Joan Russell, PhD
Comment by: Joan Russell, PhD ( )
Left at: 8:58 AM Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Thank you Brian & Susie for making this background information about the Wolfe Island ferry available via the internet. In the 1950's I arrived one Christmas to visit my grandparents - Craig and Sadie Russell - and experienced sliding down the ramp, and proceeding to shore by way of an open-platform sleigh, pulled by a horse (one or two?). Dad warned me not to tuck my feet under the sleigh lest it go through the ice. Later in that day on the return trip to Kingston the sleigh did go through the ice, but all passengers were saved. Although I never lived on Wolfe Island and only visited 2 or 3 times each year until my teens, my memory of adults' conversations reminiscing about events, exchanging gossip, tracing family connections and the contributions of their ancestors to the development of the Island community continue to shape my identity, and my connection to this unique part of Canada. Your research & publications help keep this in our consciousness.
Irene Montgomery
Comment by: Irene Montgomery
Left at: 3:29 PM Tuesday, August 30, 2016
A friend of mine who was on a tour with Captain Brian Johnson is very interested in purchasing his book, "Ferry Tales from Wolfe Island" but was not able to get it through any bookstore here.

Would anyone be able to tell me where it can be purchased?

Thank you