On Thursday, August 24 Corporal Waruk, Constable Prevett and Reservist Morton were conducting a routine marine patrol along Lake Superior in the Thunder Bay area. Little did they expect how extraordinary their patrol would turn out to be.
After patrolling the area of Silver Islet, the Members decided to docked and check in on the Silver Islet General Store. The store is a wonderful bit of local heritage, originally dating back to 1871.
Now, Alabama USA is 2,250 km from Thunder Bay, Ontario, so the last thing they expected to find in the store was a family from Alabama. But Rob Starz and his two young boys, Isaac and Samuel, had made the long drive up to Canada from Alabama for their summer vacation.
The boys planned their trip to the region earlier this year based on their interest in "Paddle to the Sea" a National Film Board movie from 1966. The boys were fascinated by the film, and have even read all the associated books that followed the film. They were inspired by the tiny wooden canoe in the movie and wanted to see the museum in Nipigon, Ontario. The boys took time to carve their own canoes with the intention of placing them in Lake Superior and seeing where they end up. Each of the canoes included an inscribed plaque with the boys' email and asked for whoever finds the canoes to contact the boys and update them on where the canoes had been located.
The boys' father, Rob Starzl, asked our Members if they could launch these canoes into Lake Superior for the boys. They agreed and brought the boys on board the Titan vessel and took some photos of the family with their canoes.
Members took the carved boats out on Lake Superior and launched all three in different locations. One by Trowbridge Lighthouse, the second close to the foot of the Sleeping Giant and another in the open bay.
Our Members had a great time with Rob Starzl and his boys. It's incredible to think that a little National Film Board movie from 1966 is still touching hearts and minds over 50 years later. They hope that the carved boats find their own way across the Great Lakes into the hands of people who share their stories with Isaac and Samuel. The Members sent an email to the Starzl family with copies of the photos from that day, along with a summary of where the boats were launched. Mr. Starzl was very grateful for the memorable interaction with our Members and responded back with thanks from him and his boys.