16 — Sunday, June 20, 1999 — North Shore News St. Roch trip took two years THE St. Roch left Vancouver in June 1940 and was supposed to complete its journey around the Northwest Passage in 90 days. More than two years later and two winters stuck in ice, the wooden-hulled schooner arrived off Haiifax harbor on Oct. 11, 1942. The St. Roch’s veteran Capt. Henry Larsen and his crew had accomplished a nearly impos- sible fear. Next summer, the RCMP reinforced alu- minum hull patrol boat Nadon will craverse the Northwest Passage from west to cast as the Sr. Roch did. The Nadon will take 2 different route, avoid all ice and make planned stops at small West Coast, Alaskan Inuit and Innu com- munities. The catamaran will also visit Diomedc Island in Siberia. The Nadon is slated to take a month to tra- It’s about troubled waters verse the Northwest Passage with the help of a supply ship and high-tech navigation equip- ment. The Nadon’s planned stops include Tuktoyakruk, Sachs Harbour, Coppermine, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, King William Island, Spence Bay, Paistey Bay, Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet, Clyde River and Iqaluit. The Nadon, unlike the St. Roch, will travel on the St. Lawrence River with stops at Sept Hes, Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec, Trois Rivieres, Montreal and Prescott, Ontario en route to Halifax and a short refit. The Nadon will then circumnavigate North America through the Panama Canal with plans to join the Christmas carol ships off Vancouver around Dec. 20, 2000. The St. Roch travelled the Northwest Passage a second time in 1944 for east to west taking 86 days. and the compass that guides you... About the human spirit and the will to keep moving ahead. About the challenges of life and facing them together. It's about getting on with _the business of living. Trip to fund restoration From page 3 historical records. “When anyone sees it, it is f Voyage of the oy St Roch ---- referred to as doughnuts, but it closer to a hardrack biscuit,” said Burton. The St. Roch was built in North Vancouver for — the RCMP in 1928. The schooner was probably the most famous vessel built by Burrard Dry Dock, although Greenland Forward thinking since 1710" Royal & Sun Alliarce insurance Company of Canada and Roya! & Sun Alliance Life insurance Company of Canada are part of the, worldwide Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group pic. www.royalsunalliance.ca 1-888-877-3710 Archibald, Clark & Defieux (North) insurance 1196 Marine Drive, North Vancouver 985-0581 Baker, Russell & 1211 West 16 St., North Vancouver 984-0231 . Defieux Irwin & 1900 Lonsdalz Avenue, North Vancouver 988-1 148 Rate Kae insurance #105, 200 West Esplanade, North Van. ore North and West Vancouver Brokers Lid. Inc -.. 986-5265 Qin nas ge eh a tess GMO BPE LI HE th ATI Syl LAN ONE aA A ies Ltd. Insurance Agenc McPherson . 140C East 14th Street, North Vancouver 985-3185 North Shore insurance Services Ltd. 101-1112 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver 983-4592 Barry Hicklenton Insurance Agencies Lid. 230-15 Street, West Vancouver 903-3899 Lee & Porter Inc. - 505 Park Royal South, West Vancouver, 925-1201 no one realized it at the time. It’s skipper, Henry Larsen, described the ship as not being “exactly a beauty, but she was solidly built.” St. Roch got its name from the East Quebec Parish of St. Roch which was in the con- stituency of the then federal Justice = Minister = Ernest Lapointe. Norwegian-born — Larsen came to the RCMP with some Arctic training and navigation experience. Larsen received many hon- ours during his career in the RCMP including the Polar Medal awarded by King George in 1942. Larsen retired in 1961 and moved to Nova Scotia with his wife, Mary. He dicd in 1964 at age 65. Unlike the St. Roch, the Nadon will have a supply ship. “Aluminum catamarans cannot stand any ice pressure at all,” said Burton. The route the Nadow is fol- lowing had no ice in 1998. Burton said this is the seventh year of a warming trend in the Arctic. Burton said the Nadon will not be renamed as that is bad luck. Nadon is named after for- mer RCMP Commissioner Maurice Nadon. . . The Nadon’s hull, must be. reinforced for the journcy and the sea trials to be conducted. *-New communications and nav- igation equipment will also be - “The crew knew that life.in the “. Arctic was tough. ' but they had faith in Henry Larsen.”. “installed. Fuel capacity is going : Nadon on the to be increased on the: vessel. The largest span between fuel” ts is 900 kilometres (500 or 0 miles). The. Nadon will also get gas from a Coast Guard supply vessel on the journey. . “I am sure they (St. Roch’s crew) would look at it as pretty comfortable compared to what they endured,” said Burton. He said this voyage togeth- er with the March West Mountie horseback ride touch- ¢s every province and territory in Canada . March West covers Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The Nadon voyage covers B.C., the North and cane hope the Nadon Organizers trip ‘will raise $3 million to to a legacy fund to preserve the St. Roch. : St. Roch has never received money from the RCMP since it was decommissioned in the 1950s. Burton emphasized that the RCMP is not spending money for Nadon’s journey except to pay crew members salaries. The rest is paid by corporate spon- sors and government millenni- um grants. Burton said about 45 boats have made it through the Northwest Passage. After tic Northwest Passage, the Nadon will intentionally circumnavi- gate North America through the Panama canal marking another ...first- navigational effort. et The St. Roch journcy. Web page is «. Burton said that digital down- loads of pictures from the Northwest Passage journcy will be placed . on the Web page. The Web . au. ear . ee A i et ee RO es page is slated to be active next month. : 7 The Vancouver Maritime . Museum is located at 1905 Ogden Ave., cast of Kitsilano beach. a . eos