Miss Pembroke

The Miss Pembroke was a WWII motor boat that was built in 1942 in Midland, Ontario; double planked mahogany construction on black oak keel and riveted with copper. No steel was used in this 47 foot launch as it was often used in mine fields. After the war this boat was used as a cargo and passenger vessel on the lakes system of the Trent Canal. Later it was the boat used at the lift lock cruise line in Peterborough, Ontario.

I purchased it along with its sister vessel and took them to the Ottawa River in Pembroke. A family boat but also a community boat. During the years it plied the Ottawa my ships log recorded thousands of names. Many of the people who came aboard were seeing the river for the first time and never realized the beauty of the natural surroundings in our beautiful valley.

Our family became a closer unit because of this boat. No one was denied a trip on this old friend and our children would invite as many as they wished to come along. All the family became good sailors and my son became a registered captain at age 16. Our trips lasted from a few hours to days. The passengers numbered from one to 50. We were registered for 55.

To mention the good times we had would be impossible and to assign the value to us as a family, priceless. I can safely say that many of our happiest moments as a family were on or because of this boat. We had many important people take a trip on this boat but the ones who meant the most were our family and friends. Looking through pictures of our trips is a microcosm of our lives in those days.

The boat saw better days and when it was time to let her go I donated her to the City to be used as a tourist booth. They changed the name and put vinyl siding over the mahogany and I don't care to see it. There is no plaque to show what it was and that probably is good as you could never describe what the Miss Pembroke was to me .