The Year 2003
Jan. 3rd, 2003. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling and Bob Trelford worked in the Boathouse sanding the Tilbury. Total hours 5.
January 7th, 2003. Gord Webb, Bob Trelford, Mike Sterling & Bob Chatterton work on Peerless and the Tilbury in the Boathouse. Total hours 12
January 7th, 2003. Gord Webb, Bob Trelford, Lloyd Walker, John MacKay and Mike Sterling all worked today. Lloyd brought us some scaffold for the Town Hall and John was there reviewing the buoyancy plans for the Peerless. Total hours 15.
January 8th, 2003. Gord Webb, John MacKay, Mike Sterling and Bob Trelford work in the Boat House on plans for the Peerless. Total hours 15
January 9th, 2003. Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb, Bob Trelford, Mike Sterling and Lorne work on the Peerless and Tilbury. Pete McGuire comes to get an idea of the quote for welding on floatation. Marine Heritage meeting in the evening. John McArthur, Jim McLay, Gord Webb, Bob Trelford, John McKay, Vicki Tomori, Mike Sterling and Jane Kramer. Total hours 30.
Jan. 10th, 2003. Gord Webb put in a 240 Volt plug for a heater in the Boat House. Bob Chatterton and Lorne worked on painting the Tilbury and the outdrive of the Peerless. Mike Sterling worked on buoyancy calculations. Total hours 12
Jan 13th, 2003. Bob Chatterton, Bob Trelford, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling work in the Boat House. Bob C. put anti-fouling paint on the Tilbury and then we all removed the deck from the Peerless. Total hours 12
Jan 14th, 2003. Terrific snow last night.... at least a foot. No work today, everyone is digging out!
Jan. 15th, 2003. Worked in the Boat House, but snow continues to fall. Gord Webb, Bob Chatterton and Mike Sterling. Total hours 12
Jan. 16th, 2003. Bob Chatterton painted some details on the Tilbury. Lorne Shantz did some chores. Mike Sterling and Gord Webb worked on grinding off some steel on the Peerless that held wires for the main control on/off switch. The wires were running thru holes in the steel and over time would rub and expose the conductor. This will be replaced with wood blocks. Total hours 10.
Jan 17th to Jan 28th, 2003. Bob Chatterton, Lorne Shantz and Gord Webb worked on items in the Boat House and on both the Tilbury and the Peerless. Pet McGuire prepared his quote on the welding on the Peerless. Mike Sterling worked on some calculations for buoyancy. Total hours 40.
Jan. 29th, 2003. Gord Webb worked on installing a hour meter on the Peerless. Bob Chatterton and Mike Sterling painted the inside of the Tilbury "Peerless Grey" Total hours 12.
Jan 30th, 30st, 2003. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling, Bob Chatterton and Lorne Shantz work on the Peerless. Pete McGuire came in also with steel for the new sponsons. Total hours 18.
Feb. 1 to Feb 4, 2003. We continue to work in the Boat House on Peerless both electrical problems and today white-washing the ceiling. Pete McGuire started today the 3rd on the welding of the sponsons on the port and starboard sides of the Peerless. Total hours 30.
Feb 5th, 2003. The whitewashing of the ceiling of the Boat House continues. Gord Webb worked on a fan for the ceiling. Lorne Shantz worked on the Peerless engine cover. Total hours 12.
Feb 6th, 2003. Bob Chatterton & Gord Webb worked on putting a fan in the ceiling in the Boat House. Mike Sterling and Lorne Shantz worked on whitewashing the ceiling. Mike and Ian Evans planned the sponson design as it approaches the the bow, rising out of the water and diminishing. In the afternoon Bob Trelford, Mike and Gord planned with Giles Roy the design of the walkway at the Island. Total hours 20.
Feb. 7th, 2003 Mike Sterling, Gord Webb & Bob Chatterton worked in the Boat House. Mike continued to white wash the ceiling while Gord worked on the electrical connections on Peerless. Total hours 12.
Feb 8th to Feb 18th, 2003. We have been working every day in the boat house. Carly Crymble, Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb, Mike Sterling, Lorne Shantz and Ian Evans. Pete McGuire has started in earnest on the Peerless sponsons and they look fine so far. Lots of work on the electrical circuits and also the steering too. Bob Trelford has had a major shoulder operation. Total hours 48.
Feb 19th, 2003. Bob Chatterton, Lorne Shantz, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling work in the Boat House on Peerless tasks. John Trelford died in Saugeen Memorial hospital after a long illness. Bob Trelford is in Grey-Bruce Health Centre after shoulder reconstruction. Bob is very sick with an infection. All our prayers are directed toward his return to health.
Feb 22nd, 2003. John Trelford's funeral. Lot's of Propeller Club members turn out.
John Knows the Secrets
John and I shared a love of mystery. No it was not the Maltese Falcon that intrigued him, but he liked that too. It was the mystery of spies and code breaking. We would pass books back and fourth. One day he asked me if I was interested in the U2 spy plane and its successor the SR71 Blackbird. I said yes and he loaned me a book about the history of that kind of surveillance. Opening the jacket, I noted that the author Col. Richard Graham, a former US military intelligence man had written a personal note to John. Paraphrasing the note, it said: “John, good to hear from you again. I hope you enjoy the book and I hope that the SR71 helped you in your work?” John loved secrets.
John did top secret work for Canadian Intelligence and this peek into that part of his life was about all I ever got out of him about it. I saw John almost everyday over the last few years either on the golf course or with his brother Bob as they tipped a beer or two at the Walker House. I enjoyed every conversation with him. He loved a story and he loved to just listen too and feel at home in the village of his birth. I loaned him a book about the solving of Fermat’s Last Theorem, which was before its solution the most famous unsolved mathematical problem in the world. John enjoyed the book and that told me volumes about the way he thought. John loved secrets.
He was a very good man. He loved golf and could be seen almost every day on the links of Saugeen Golf Club wending his way around on his antique 3-wheeled golf cart. He played with everybody and was fun to play with because he loved the game and never got discouraged about how he played. He searched for the secret of the perfect golf swing Sometimes he played very well. He knew the rules too. He knew that there could be no fairway without some rough. That was what he knew best of all. John loved that secret.
When he became sick, I would sneak in to see him in the hospital like the spies that he loved and as he grew weaker, it amazed me how powerful a handshake he had. How could that frail body grip so well? It came from his inner strength of character. A real man shakes hands no matter how sick he is. John knew the secret of being a man.
When we started our restoration project, John bought us 3 tapes on how to raise money. I took the time to watch them and he appreciated that. When it came time to get lumber John and Bob were right there and donated 31 giant hemlock trees on their farm. He loved to be in the woods watching the trees fall for use on the Island. He was there to watch the milling of the family trees, some 220 years old. John knew the secret of helping others.
My favorite image of John comes from watching him out in the old maple sugar shack with the sap boiling and a makeshift old eaves trough feeding the new sap into the boiling sweet mixture. He loved to be out there. He was living then. He had an old cap on and looked like a man who could row a boat or tend a horse. John knew the secret of enjoying the forest.
Everybody loved John and I know he’s playing golf now and getting some tips from past champions. God has a great book on His lap. It contains all the secrets and John is peering over His shoulder and smiling. John now knows all the secrets.
Feb. 25th, 2002. Bob Chapman, Gord Webb, Lorne Shantz, Mike Sterling and Peter McGuire worked in the Boat House on the Peerless. Electrical work was done and a seat put together for the Tilbury. Peter continued to do welding for the sponsons. Total hours 15.
Feb. 26th, 2002. Bob Chapman, Gord Webb, Mike Sterling and Peter McGuire work on the Peerless and the Tilbury. Pete welded a seat base onto the rear seat of the Tilbury. Bob and Gord worked on some electrical issues and also the steering. Pete continued to weld the Peerless sponsons. The representative cross section of the sponsons indicates that we will get about 817 lbs of lift due to them. This takes into account 12 feet port and starboard, but ignores the additional lift that we will get with the gradual "diamond like" portions that constitute the nose of the sponsons. 817lbs of lift is the net figure. We have approx. 532 lbs of steel so that the gross figure is 1351 lbs. The sponsons are designed to give us lift and stability port to starboard. We will also add a small keel once the Peerless is off the trailer and up on blocks. This will reduce any side slipping in winds.
Bob Trelford is home now from his shoulder reconstruction, but now has phlebitis in his other arm due to improper procedures giving him injections.
Total hours 20.
Feb. 27th, 2003. Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb, Mike Sterling and Lorne Shantz worked on Peerless and Pete McGuire did more welding. Total hours 12 hours.
Feb. 28th, 2003. Lots of work at the Boat House. Testing of the water tight compartment on the port side of the Peerless by Lorne Shantz. The entire port and starboard side are almost complete, but much of it is tack welded so far. The first four feet on the port side was tested after being sealed with high pressure air and soap bubbles.
We also moved a lot of heavy blocks from Tom Shillinglaw's to the Boat House for use on raising the Peerless. Mike Sterling and Carl Crymble put together two 12 foot sections to place on the rail of the Peerless trailer. They are made of three 2x8x12 pieces of pressure treated lumber held together with carriage bolts for strength. The Peerless will sit on these evetually.
Gord Webb formed some rails for the aft end of the Peerless near the new seat. The rails are for safety.
Bob Trelford is feeling better after his shoulder reconstruction operation.
Total hours 24.
March 1st to March 10th. Lots of work on the Peerless. Gord Webb, Carl Crymble, Bob Chatterton and Tom Shillinglaw put the Peerless on blocks and moved the trailer out from under it so that it could be sandblasted. Also, this makes it better for Peter McGuire and his welding. Pete is progressing down the port side, sealing the sponsons. It's quite difficult to do and has to be checked under pressure for each chamber. A compressor is hooked up and then about 20PSI is pumped into the chamber. Leaks are checked using soap sprayed on the seams. If it is leaking, it will blow beautiful multi-coloured bubbles that we could do without. Sometimes the hull burns thru and has to be done again.... interesting work. We've added about 900 lbs of lift, but I doubt that the water line will change by over 3/4 of an inch. I'd like to go over the calculations for a Battleship at design time to see what they do when they add a huge 16" gun turret. All that stuff is crucial and the ship's resistance to the weight vector at various stages of down pressure has to be known dead nuts. Very neat indee! Total hours 50.
March 12th & 13th, 2003. Pete McQuire continues to work on the sponsons on the Peerless. Some welding on the trailer for the Peerless. Gord Webb and Mike Sterling go to see Giles Roy to monitor the work on the walkways that will be used on the island. They are in 12 foot sections and weigh about 450 lbs. Total hours 16.
March 14th, 2003. Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling put a tarp on the Tilbury. We will now move it to Bob's farm to make room for the ramps that need painting. Gord Webb and Mike Sterling went to review the ramps at Giles Roy's just before lunch. We helped him bend some pipe for the ramp. Pete McGuire is almost done with the sponsons and will start Monday on the keel. Everything looks good. In the evening we had a Marine Heritage meeting. Attending: John McAruthur, Vicki Tomori, Bob Trelford, Jim McLay, Juhn McKay, John Rigby, Gord Webb, Jane Kramer and Mike Sterling. Total hours 32.
March 15th, 2003. More work in the Boathouse. Bob Chapman, John MacKay, Bob Trelford, Gord Webb, Bob Chatterton and Mike Sterling. Bob Chapman and John worked on lighting the cabin and the running lights. Gord worked on testing the welds on the sponsons. We all hashed over details of anchoring the new walkways at the Island. Mike suggested using the Big Foot idea. It can be easily transported, it is variable with steel sleeved posts in the middle and can be handled by us.
March 16th & 17th, 2003. Lots of work in the Boathouse again. Pete McGuire is finished with the sponsons. We pressure tested them with air again. All seems well. Pete started on the new keel. This was added to avoid slide in a strong wind.
We also came to a final design on the way to secure the new walkways out at the Island. We will use the plastic forms called BIGFOOT which is a conical shaped plastic form. We'll put steel posts in them that are adjustable up and down. Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling designed this and Bob Trelford likes the idea. It allows us to pour all the forms on the dock in Southampton and take them out there on our docks. This will allow us to place them with the Saugeen Queen barge. This will save a lot of money. We also moved two of the completed 12 foot walkway sections to Boat House for painting. Total hours 30
March 18th, 2003. Pete McGuire finished the keel and some details on the Peerless like moving the amidships mooring posts to the stern two feet so they won't interfere with boarding or disembarking procedures. Bob Chatterton and Mike Sterling painted one of the 12 foot sections of walkway with red oxide primer. Because of the metal mesh walkway, the painting went slowly. We are moving along on schedule for all the Boat House work. This has been our biggest year for work in the Boat House and all has gone well so far.
March 19th, 2003. Pete finished his welding. Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling worked to cover everything up for the sand blasting that will be done Thursday. Very neat indeed.... Total hours 12.
March 20th thru 23rd Bob Chatterton, Donna Savoy, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling paint every day using special paint on the hull to seal it. About 20 hours.
March 24 and 25th, 2003. We have continued to paint the Peerless hull with the very expensive paint. We have put 5 coats on as required and then we will put a anti-fouling coat on too. We have also continued to work on painting the 12 foot walkway sections with red oxide and silver anti-rust paint. Donna Savoy, Gord Webb, Bob Chatterton, Joe Scholzes and Mike Sterling. Both Bob Chapman and Bruce Chapman have worked very hard to help clean the Boat House. It is covered in dust and sand from the sand blasting. Total hours 32.
March 26th, 2003. More painting in the Boat House with Bruce Chapman, Bob Chatterton, Donna Savoy and Mike Sterling. We were painting the walking ramps and also the portions of the Peerless hull which were used for support on the wooden blocks. The blocks were moved by Tom Shillinglaw so we could complete our work. Pete McGuire also brought in the hardware to refit the Peerless trailer. Total hours 15.
March 27th, 2003. We moved painted ramps to Giles Roy's place and ramps to be painted to the Boat House. Bruce Chapman, Bob Chatterton, Larry Bower, Bob Trelford, Bob's son-in-law and also Doug Johnson and Mike Sterling. We then continued painting with Donna Savoy involved too. Total Hours 20
March 28th, 2003. More painting.... Lorne Shantz, Larry Bowers, Bob Chatterton, Donna Savoy and Mike Sterling. Total hours 15.
March 31-April 1, 2003. More painting of the walkways in the Boathouse. First coat is red oxide and second rust resistant silver. Gord Webb and Bob Chapman worked on putting in the new steering cable and the hour meter. Donna Savoy, Mike Sterling and Bob Chatterton continue to paint. Total hours 30.
April 2nd, 2003. Gord Webb, Bob Chapman worked on the steering again. Donna Savoy and Bob Chatterton started painting the hull with anti-fouling paint. Mike Sterling and Larry Bowers continued painting the walkways. Joe Scholzes helped us move walkways 3 and 4 to Giles Roy and 5 and 6 back to the Boathouse. Total hours 24
April 3rd and 4th, 2003. More painting of the hull and the walkways while Gord Webb and John McKay worked on other items like zinc on the keel Bob Chatterton, Mike Sterling, Bob Trelford and Donna Savoy painted. Total hours 30.
April 5th, 2003. Mike Sterling & Andrew Champion did some more painting of the walkways. Total hours 4.
April 7th, 2003. Bob Chapman & Gord Webb worked on the Peerless and Bob Chatterton did some painting on it. Mike Sterling, Donna Savoy, Ken Rothenberg and Bob Trelford again worked on painting the walkways. Tom Shillinglaw came in and looked at the trailer. Total hours 20
April 8th and 9th, 2003. We have worked tremendously on the Peerless. We took the two remaining walkways back to Giles Roy's after painting and then concentrated on the Peerless. On the 9th Tom Shillinglaw came in and we moved the Peerless back on the trailer and then Pete McQuire came in to weld teh braces on the boards to hold it. When that is done, we will lower the Peerless onto the Trailer and then repaint the hull above the waterline. Tom Shillinglaw, Bob Trelford, Bob Chapman, Bob Chatterton, Mike Sterling, Donna Savoy and Gord Webb were involved. Total hours 35
April 10th & 11th, 2003. Work on the Peerless continues. We moved the gas tank in order to clean, scrape and paint under it. Donna Savoy continues to paint the hull. Others involved Gord Webb, Bob Chatterton, Mike Sterling, Bob Chapman and John McKay. On the 10th we had a Marine Heritage Society meeting with Vicki Tomori, Gord Webb, Jim McLay, Jane Kramer, Mike Sterling, John McArthur and John Rigby. Total hours 38
April 14-15, 2003. Flurry of work in the Boathouse. Donna Savoy paints the blue hull and grey trim. Mike Sterling works on the red oxide in the bilge. Lots of work on the trailer to fit it to the hull by Gord Webb, John McKay, Bob Chapman and Pete McQuire. Bob Trelford works along with all of us using his one good arm after his shoulder operation. Total hours 30.
April 16th to 19th, 2003. Peter McQuire put guiding bars on the Peerless so that it will float onto the trailer in an easier manner. Donna Savvoy continued to paint as did Mike Sterling. Carl Crymble, Mike Sterling and Bob Trelford worked on a copper venturi to exhaust heat from the Peerless cabin. Very neat! Total hours 40.
April 17th, 2003 to May 1st, 2003. Lots of work on the Peerless and a docking system for the Saugeen mooring. Mike Sterling went to Nova Scotia to a Lighthouse meeting. Bob Trelford, Gord Webb, Bob Chapman, Donna Savoy, John McKay and Bob Chatterton worked on the following things: Compass Light, Painting, Deck, Lettering.... etc. The Peerless is ready to go. Total hours 240.
May 1st & 2nd 2003. John McKay, Bob Chapman, Bob Trelford, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling worked in the Boathouse on the bumper for the Saugeen River mouth for the Peerless. Total hours 30.
May 3rd, 2003. Mike Sterling gave a talk at McGregor Park. Total hours 3.
May 5th, 2003. Bob Trelford, Art Knectel, Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb, Doug Johnson, Bob Trelford and Mike Sterling finished the dock bumpers and took them to the river. They installed easily. Mike Sterling mounted the copper venturi on top of the Peerless. Total hours 21
May 6th, 2003. Lots of final preparations for putting the Peerless in the water. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling, Bob Chatterton, Bob Chapman, Bob Trelford and John McKay. Total hours 20.
May 7th, 2003. The Peerless with the new sponsons is launched! Archimedes can sleep peacefully. Tom Shillinglaw, Bob Chatterton, John McKay, Donna Savoy, Mike Sterling, Bob Chapman and Gord Webb all work on the launch. Total hours 20.
May 8th, 2003. Gord Webb, Bob Chatterton, Mike Sterling and Bob Chapman do some cleanup work in the Boathouse and put carpet on the trailer. In the afternoon we worked on the Chantry Island Institute. Margo King, Mike Sterling, Jane Kramer and Ken Rothenberg made presentation to B&B owners at the Museum. We had a Marine Heritage meeting in the evening with John MacArthur, Mike Sterling, Vicki Tomori, John MacKay, Jim McLay and John Rigby. Total hours 32.
May 9th, 2003. Mike Sterling worked on the fish fry.
May 10th, 2003. Gord Webb and Mike Sterling went to Collingwood to visit the Watts Skiff project. Total hours 8.
May 11th, 2003. Mike Sterling checked the Venturi on the Peerless after the heavy rains. No problems with leaking into the cabin. The Venturi uses Bernoulli principal. The large cone catches the wind due to the sail on the back of it and directs the air toward a small cylinder. The velocity is greatest where the cross sectional area is smallest and this causes a pressure decrease on the walls of the cylinder which draws air up an corresponding cylinder that is 90 degrees to the first cylinder.
May 13th-14th. Lots of work on anchors. On the 14th, we poured 14 Big Foot anchors in the harbour. Also a big showing in the boat house of the returned cannon which was attended by at least 100 people mostly from the Propeller Club Kristen Janke started as our student. Total hours 35.
May 15th & 16th. The Tour Base opens for business. On the 16th we poured the "Big Foot" forms on the dock at the Saugeen river. There were 17 of them. Vounteers: Bob Trelford, Gord Webb, Doug Johnson, Mike Sterling, Pat Marcotte. Krista Janke also started work with us for the summer. Total hours 30.
May 17 thur 21. Lorne Shantz put a new door on the Boathouse. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling and Bob Trelford put new hardware on the third dock for the Island. Bob did a lot of work on shelving at the Tour Base. Mike Sterling bought an operating system Windows XP for the Tour Base and installed it. K. Janke worked at the Tour Base as did Pat Marcotte. They worked the weekend too. On the 21st Kristen stained the Lighthouse in front of the Town Hall. Vicki Tomori had a training session at the Tour Base on Tuesday night. Total hours 70
May 22nd, 2003 We had a big day. We took all the walkways down to Port Elgin harbour. We loaded all the docks into the water at the Southampton Harbour. We then loaded all 14 Big Foots onto the docks. Kristen Janke painted the Town Hall little Range Light white and red. Volunteers Tom Marcotte, Gord Webb Bob Trelford, Curtis Buckton, Gord Webb, Mike Sterling, Giles Roy, Doug Welsch and Michael Goodwin and Bob Trelford's nephew. Total hours 26.
May 23rd, 2003. We took the Peerless out at Chesley Street and Tom Shillinglaw replaced the Impeller. Kristen Janke, Bog Trelford and Gord Webb. Mike Sterling did some more installation at the Tour Base of a computer system. Pat Marcotte volunteered. Total hours 16.
May 24th to 27th, 2003. We took the walkways to Port Elgin and loaded them on a double dock and took them to the Island. We also set the docks in place preparing for the placement of the walkways. Volunteers John MacKay, Bob Chapman, Mike Sterling, Gord Webb, Bob Trelford. Students Curtis Buckton and Kristen Janke. Mike Sterling also finalized the computer system at the Tour Base. Pat Marcotte has been working there daily. Total hours 60.
May 28th, 2003. Very big day putting in walkways and securing docks. Tom Marcotte, John MacKay, Gord Webb, Bob Chatterton. Curtis Buckton, Kristen Janke, Mike Sterling and Joe Scholzes worked from 8:30 until 5:30. Pat Marcotte was in the tour base. We got 3 of the walkways in place. Total hours 64
May 29th and 31st. We continued to work on the Island walkways and docks. Joan Rigby brought out a group of 8 volunteers for the cleaning of the Keeper's House and Lighthouse. They included Margo King, Diane Huber and Barb LePage. Pat Marcotte continued to work in the Tour Base. Donna Savoy and Sandy Lee Lindsay worked on the gardens. Mike Sterling, Donna Savoy, Sandy Lee Lindsay and Mike Sterling worked on the walkway installation as did Ken Cassavoy. Gord Webb and Bob Chatterton worked on the pump system and other details. John Mackay did a lot of work on the docks. Total hours 70.
June 1st, 2003. Sandy Lee Lindsay and Mike Sterling filled 30 bags of wood chips for the Island. In the afternoon we took 2 tour trips to the Island, our first of the new year. Joan Rigby, John Mackay, Bob Trelford and Mike Sterling were with the tours. John set markers and Mike spread the wood chips. Vicki Tomori worked in the Tour Base Total hours 30.
June 2nd thru June 5th, 2003. We put in lots of work on the walkways. Tom Marcotte, Mike Sterling, Joe Scholzes, John MacKay, Donna Savoy, Barb LePage and others were on the Island. Students Kristen Janke and Curtis Buckton were active in the Tour Base and at the Island. Kristen did a lot of chip bags for the gardens. Donna Savoy did work in the gardens. Mike Sterling, Kristen Janke and Sandy Lee Lindsay and Mike Sterling did an experiment with a Fresnel lens to magnify the existing light. The present lens gets in the way. We will have to perform the experiment again. Bob Trelford also did shore work. Total hours 80.
June 6th and 7th. We did more garden work at the Island and also put on a fitting for the first walkway. Had a lot of fun doing it. We loaded a lot of chips and took them to the Island. Saturday we ran a tour. Volunteers Bob Trelford, Donna Savoy, Mrs. Urstadt, Barb LePage (did some painting in the house), Gord Webb and students Curtis Buckton and Kristen Janke. Total hours 30.
June 8th, 2003. Kristen Janke and Mike Sterling spread some more chips at the Island. In the afternoon we had 2 tours scheduled, but a vicious thunder storm cancelled them. Volunteers Barb LaPage, Bob Chapman, Mike Sterling. Total hours 8
June 9th, 2003. Gord Webb, Joe Scholzes, Mike Sterling and Tom Marcotte moved on walkway to the Boat House (#7) and Kristen and Curtis painted it. Gord, Joe, Mike and Tom then poured cement into 3 Big Foots at the dock. Total hours 25.
June 10th, 2003. Joe, Tom and Mike moved walkway #8 to the Boat House and Kristen and Curtis painted it. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling and Tom Marcotte moved the Saugeen Queen to the river and fixed the breast line tire. Total hours 30.
June 11th and 12th, 2003. Tremendous progress made on the walkways. We finally eliminated the old groyne walkway and "hooked up" the new walkways. We took the final two out with big feet and put them in place. Volunteers: Kevin Champion, Tom Marcotte, Mike Sterling, Gord Webb, Angelo Feriollo, Lillian ??, Barb LePage, Pat Marcotte, Kristen Janke, Curtis Buckton. Total hours 40.
June 13th, 2003. More general work on the Island. Some gardening. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling.... total hours 12.
June 14th, 2003. Mike Sterling and Sandy Lee Lindsay put in the vegetable garden. There is a terrific fog, but we make it and work until noon. Total hours 7.
June 15th, 2003. Donna Savoy and Hannalore Fulford bring 5 additional volunteers to work on the gardens. Other volunteers are Mike Sterling and Bob Chapman. Two tours run. In the morning Mike Sterling and Kristen Janke took chips to the Island. Total hours 20.
June 16th, 2003. Ken Rothenberg, Margo King and Mike Sterling took two geologists to the Island and then we went to Inverhuron to study the rocks that were mined for the Lighthouse. Gord Webb and Curtis Bucton did chores and in the afternoon a tour was run with Hannalore and Bob Chapman with Kristine as tour guide. Total hours 20.
June 17-19. Bob Trelford worked on the stairway for the Tour Base with John Rigby. Lots of work on the plants at the Island with Donna and Hannalore and Lillian. Mike Sterling, Gord Webb, Joe Scholzes and Carl Crymble worked on the walkway again. Now we are on the wooden part west of the bridge. Total hours 50.
June 18-22. More garden work and lots of activity on the fish fry. Did more chip work with all the usual volunteers. Hannalore, Donna Savoy, Gord Webb, Mike Sterling etc. Total hours 35
June 23rd, 2003. Gord Webb, Kristen Janke, Mike Sterling, Donna Savoy went to the Island. Donna planted more flowers and herbs. Mike and Gord worked on the docks to make them move off the groyne. We had a visitor, David Harrington, from Burlington Lighthouse who is trying to restore one of John Brown's classic lighthouses. He helped us too. Bob Trelford and other volunteers worked on shore on the new stairway from the Tour Base. Mike got things done for the Fish Fry and somebody hung the new Pioneer Park sign Total hours 22
June 24th-26th. We did a lot of work at the Island while John Rigby and Bob Trelford worked on the stariway at the Tour Base. At the Island Gord Webb installed a new solar panel for the 2nd floor light that we got from the Coast Guard. Mike Sterling and other volunteers worked on the path to the new privy. Tours were almost full. Total hours 64
June 28th & 29th. Huge amount of work done on preparing for the Fish Fry. We use over 40 volunteers and helpers to setup and deliver the Fish. Bill Jackson's fish is prepared by the Seaman's Lakeside Mafia. It is served by Vicki Tomori's family and friends and Jane Kramer organizes all volunteers. Tours continue to run full. Total hours 350.
June 30 until July 4th, 2003. Lots of work on the Island building anchor chain fences for decoration. Gord Webb, Mike Sterling, Christine Janke and others worked on the gardens too. The Tour Base continues to be run by volunteers. Total hours 45.
July 5th, 2003. Kristen Janke, Sandy Lindsay and Mike Sterling go to the Island. The Art School had a class there. The captain was Bob Chapman with Eric Luce the Instructor. They stayed from 7:30 am until 3 pm. Mike dug some cedar post holes, Ms. Lindsay worked on the gardens and Kristen started painting ivy leaves on the pole we use for mounting the solar panel. Total hours 12.
July 5th to 8th. We dug post holes for holding heavy chains that outline another one of the gardens. Kristen Janke finished work on the pole that holds the solar panel. She put ivy leaves around it in the Golden Ratio. They rise using a helix. Our new summer student J.D. MacDonald, Kristen and Mike Sterling dug out under the bridge. Lillian, Honalore Fulford and Donna Savoy did a lot of work in the gardens. The tour base was very busy. Joan Evans was on duty as was Vicki Tomori. Total hours 32.
July 9th and 10th, 2003. We had a giant pot luck for some of the volunteers in Pioneer Park. Gave them a list of tasks to be done. That day Kristen and Mike Sterling worked on the Gypsy Stone marker. It will be 3 chamfered railroad ties on end of varying heights with a notice on one or more of them. On the 10th we took John McArthur and his son to the Island because John had not been there yet. John MacKay, Gord Webb, Kristen and Mike Sterling worked on various projects like cleaning the water intake to the sink near the privy and weeding. Donna Savoy brought some more plants. John and Joan Holman did lots of work around the hours. We had a Marine Heritage meeting on the night of the 10th. Jane Kramer, John MacKay, Bob Trelford, Gord Webb, John Rigby, Vicki Tomori and Mike Sterling attended Total hours 150
July 11th and 12th 2003. We've had very bad weather so we worked in the Boat House painting two picnic tables and the final connection of the walkways to the bridge. Tours were cancelled on the 12th due to high winds and one tour turned back on the 11th. Total hours 20.
July 13th to July 22nd, 2003. I've been very busy and have not kept the log active for the last few days. We've moved tons of rock to the groyne from the bridge onto the shore. Lots of volunteers have been available most notably Mr. Shuler and young James Shuler who come every year to help us. Mr. Shuler works like mad. Also, Kristin and Mike Sterling put in 3 railroad ties marking the Gypsy Stone and Kristen also did a glass garden showing our environmental cleanup. Total hours 115
July 23rd to July 28th. I've been a little lax keeping this up, but the work has been moving ahead. The tours are going well with bookings stretching a week in advance. Every tour has 3 volunteers on it, that I never mention. We finally got a good hoist for the ramp done at the Island and it should work for everybody. Lots of garden work and the walkway from the bridge inward is now stable after moving tons of rock and gravel to it by hand. Total hours 220.
July 29th to August 13th, 2003. Tremendous amount of work at the Island. Whitewashing the house again with a group of 16 volunteers was done on August 12th and 13th. Lots of garden work by Sandy Lee Lindsay, Donna Savoy and Hannalore Fulford. The tours are full and booked a week ahead. Total hours 300.
August 14th to September 4th. I've been not keeping up with the rapid pace of developments. We had the kick-off concert of the Chantry Island Institute at the Museum and the opening session on Rocks and Quarries with great success. We also had an annual Chantry Island Golf Tourney on the 22nd of August. Wayne MacDonald has almost completed the Range Light painting of the light across highway 21. We have had full tours all the way thru Labour Day. Lots of work has been done on the Island and the flowers and veg. look wonderful. We also bought a barge in Collingwood that we will be fixing up soon. Total hours at least 500
September 5th to Sept. 14th. Lots of work in the Boat House on our new barge. We stripped it entirely and will put catwalk metal on the deck for easy drainage. The Chantry Island Institute finished its first successful season with Ken Cassavoy's wonderful course on Marine Archeology. It was greeted by an overflow of students. Nice job Ken and of course the dual deans of the Institute Ken Rothenberg and Margo King for their untiring work.
On the 13th we again took the Chantry Island Chambettes to the Island for their overnight sleepover. Attending were Vicki Tomori, Barb Mulholland, Carol Ann Menzies, Martha Bennett, Christine Champion, Sandy Borland, Cheri Duhamie, Diane Huber, Donna ? and Sue Martin. Thanks for all the help. Total hours 350.
Sept. 15 to Sept 23rd. Tours continue and we are working on the barge almost full time. Bob Trelford, John McKay, Gord Webb and Mike Sterling... also Ken Cassavoy. As of Sept. 22nd it is at Giles Roy for welding. Total hours 200.
Sept. 24th to October 7th. Well, we finally got our barge launched and it floated! We put in over 200 hours on it in the Boat House using a lot of volunteers. John McKay, Gord Webb, Bill Moulton, Bill Price, Tom Marcotte, Bob Chapman, Joe Scholzes, Brandon Lindsay, Bob Trelford, Donna Savoy, Bob Chatterton, George Greutzner, Ken Cassavoy, Ken Rothenberg and others. We towed it to Chantry On October 7th after a launch at Port Elgin Harbour. We made a makeshift ramp to get the walkways up and out of the way of the ice. We will remove them tomorrow. Total hours 200.
Oct. 8th to Oct. 12th, 2003. We took the walkways off using the barge and brought them into shore on the Island. We also brought the docks into the Saugeen River for the winter. A lot of cleanup was done on the Island too. Lots of volunteers.... Joan Rigby, Donna Savoy, Barb LePage, Gord Webb, Kevin Champion, Bob Trelford, Tom Marcotte, Bill Price, Bill Moulton, Bob Chapman and Mike Sterling. Total hours 220.
Oct. 13th, 2003 to Nov. 24th, 2003. Lots of work in the Boathouse involving the Peerless and the Barge. Peerless was painted and set up for winter by Tom Shillinglaw. We painted Tilbury too and moved it out to Bob Trelford's farm.
Here is some "stuff" that came up this year.
Read Dick Newman's account of how Chantry Island became a bird sanctuary.
The Privy last year and this year 2002 by George Greutzner
The Lighthouse in 1948.
The last Lighthouse Keeper Ronnie Spencer tips one.
The tour boat Peerless approaches Chantry Island. Please note that item #8 in the contents to your left contains pictures by George Plant from 160 to 171 that depict a tour run by the Peerless.
Go to "A list of all pictures" for John Veber's wonderful photographs of the wreck of the Erie Stewart at the "Gap"
Fantastic Discovery Click here to see the story. We now have James Mickle's Senior Thesis at Waterloo University in Adobe Acrobat format. You may have to download a free version to read and see his pictures.
Check out the picture of the grand Imperial Tower on Griffith Island taken by the Greutzners. The old house is starting to go like ours once was.
See views of the house close up (picture 1 & picture 2)
Total hours 125.
