Conglomeration
Time warp back to 2004, and a sudden cold snap breaks the Ward’s dock hydraulics, trapping the Ongiara in place for several hours. The legendary ingenuity of the Island community came to the fore, assuming that having everyone run from one end of the boat to the other might shift it enough to get free […]
Airport Waiting
Sarah waits in the passenger cabin of the old Maple City ferry back in 2001, in the good ol’ days of going through the Airport when the Ongiara was out of commission.
Porthole
Freezing snow clings to the wonderful (yet inaccessible) old wooden doors on the Ongiara in 2007.
Ongiara Gapping
An odd view of the Cove from the deck of the Ongiara, as some captain in 2001 takes her out the Eastern gap to open up an ice blockage.
Ice Dancing (timelapse)
Ice dances in the eastern gap in this roughly 1 hour timelapse, as the wind can’t make up its mind which way to blow.
Crossings
Ice sailing under winter clouds on the frozen inner harbour, as the Ongiara sails past. Click image to view larger.
Dangerous Love
HMCS Montréal, a Halifax-class frigate, passes through the eastern gap after Labour Day weekend and the Toronto International Air Show.
Lyons & Ducks
The Wm. Lyon Mackenzie plows through February ice, as ducks swim in a small lead of open water steaming in the -20°C air.
Rope
Doug Guildford’s Rope adorns the eastern gap for Rogue Wave 2005, framing the now-defunct catamaran ferry that ran from Toronto to Rochester. Incidentally, The Cat has been rechristened the HSC Tanger Jet II, and runs between Morocco and Spain.
Strengthsfinder
An early panoramic self-portrait, kayaking on a delightful ice shelf formed during ice-out in March of 2004 as the Ongiara rumbles past. Click image to view larger.
William Inglis Sunset
Ah, the good old days: the sun sets in July 2005, back when we could actually sit at the bow and stern on the upper deck of the William Inglis. Hopefully the Coast Guard restrictions will be dealt with soon, and the current cattle barriers can be removed post haste. (Click image to view larger.)
Cpt. Tom
A gem from the archives: it’s January 2004, and the temperature has just plummeted by over 20°C. Plastic shatters, pipes burst, and hydraulic lines fail. Without hydraulic pressure, the crew of the Ongiara are unable to raise the Ward’s Island dock, effectively trapping the ferry Island-side. For two hours everything was tried, including something enterprising […]
1830 to the City
The Ongiara streaks to the city at 6:30 P.M., punching through the January ice in this two-minute exposure.
Rocky Exercises
City of Toronto preparations for the G20 meeting of 2010 brought us some strange scenes. Here, the William Lyon Mackenzie (the city’s fireboat) practices dingy drills in the still-frigid water just off of the Ward’s Beach breakwall.
Shipsands
Islanders line up to catch the 7:45am boat, temporarily replaced with the valiant Shipsands and crew during the Toronto civic strike of 2009.
Miss Kim Simpson
The lovely panoramic glass windows of the Miss Kim Simpson, our temporary transportation during the Strike of ’09.
Steamy Ongiara
The Ongiara makes her way through thick steam thrown up by an almost 30°C temperature drop.