Ditchburn of Muskoka, Norm Stripp Boat Refinisher

NORM STRIPP PORTRAIT BY GEORGE MARQUIS

ANTIQUE BOATS IN MUSKOKA, AND THE GUY WHO USED TO REPAIR THEM

NORM STRIPP, THE WINDERMERE MARINA, AND THE DITCHBURN KNOWN AS THE "SHIRL-EVON"

A NOTE OF EXPLANATION:

AS HARD AND LONG AS YOU LOOK OUT THERE, IN THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY, PAST AND PRESENT, ONE THING IS FOR SURE. YOU WILL FIND VERY FEW ATTEMPTS, THAT BOAST BEING LESS THAN SERIOUS, BORDERING ON THE ANECDOTAL, AND ENTIRELY COMEDY-LADEN. BIOGRAPHIES OF ANTIQUE DEALERS? INTERESTING BUT NOT LIKELY TO MAKE YOU LAUGH. HERE THEN IS A DEVIATION FROM THE NORMAL, WEIGHTY, "LIFE'S A GOOD STORY" DIATRIBE, DECKED BENEATH A HARD COVER AND A FANCY WRAPPER.

HERE NOW, IS A BIOGRAPHY THAT IS BRUTALLY HONEST, FULL OF THE WILD AND WHACKY ADVENTURES, AN ANTIQUE DEALER / WRITER / HISTORIAN LIKE ME, CAN GET UP TO…..FRANKLY, WITHOUT TRYING VERY HARD. IF I ONLY PRESENTED THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THE BIGGEST OF THE BIG ANTIQUE DISCOVERIES, THEN YOU WOULD FIND THIS LIKE ALL THE OTHER BIOGRAPHIES…… THAT WHILE REMARKABLE, AND FULL OF CURIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WOULD BE MUCH LESS HUMOROUS, AND ENTIRELY VOID OF THE INTIMACY YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN THE FUTURE. I GUARANTEE THIS. AND I DON'T HOLD BACK, WHICH MAKES MY ULTRA CONSERVATIVE WIFE CRINGE. SHE ALWAYS REMINDS ME, "TED, MY MOTHER USED TO TELL ME, YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL EVERYTHING YOU KNOW." I FIRE BACK, THAT THIS WOULD CONFINE ME TO THE RANK AND FILE OF THE "DULL" AND "PLEASANTLY SATISFIED." I TELL HER BLUNTLY, "I CAN'T LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A REALLY GOOD STORY." SHE LOOKS AT ME, AS IF I'VE JUST HAD A STROKE. "WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING," SHE BARKS, IN THE NETHER REGION OF EITHER A STATEMENT OR A QUESTION. I JUST SMILE, LOOK LIKE I'M SMARTER THAN HER, BECAUSE I GOT IT AND SHE DIDN'T, AND RETURN TO WHAT I DO BEST…….LAY OUT THE FAMILY SECRETS FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY. "WORTS AND ALL," THEY SAY.

AS I'VE OFFERED, AS AN EXPLANATION EARLIER IN THIS BLOG COLLECTION (AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ROAM BACK IN THE FILE OF BLOGS), IN ALL MY 35 PLUS YEARS WRITING, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF REGULAR COLUMNS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, FOR SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS, I'VE NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED A BIOGRAPHICAL COLLECTION OF STORIES FOR MY FAMILY……AND THEY DESERVE AN EXPLANATION AFTER THESE MANY YEARS DEALING WITH THE MADNESS OF THE COLLECTOR. SO WHEN I WRAPPED UP MY LAST FEATURE SERIES, ON MUSKOKA ARTIST ADA FLORENCE KINTON, THAT I'D BEEN PUBLISHING OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN "CURIOUS: THE TOURIST GUIDE," (YOU CAN READ IT ONLINE EVERY MONTH), I ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS TIME TO WRITE ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES…..BETTER STATED, "ADVENTURES," IN ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, FOR THE COMING 2012 PUBLISHING SEASON. WHILE IT WASN'T ALL THAT UNUSUAL TO WRITE AN ANTIQUES RELATED COLUMN, AS I'VE HAD DOZENS OVER THE DECADES, THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF MY YEARS SPENT IN THE PROFESSION. I ANNOUNCED THAT I WOULD BACK IT UP, WITH A YEAR LONG COLLECTION OF BLOGS, ALSO BIOGRAPHICAL. THE COLUMNS ARE ALL DIFFERENT THAN WHAT APPEARS ON THIS BLOG SITE. MY PRIMARY REASON, AS THE REASON FOR MOST BIOGRAPHIES….., GEEZE, I'M GETTING OLD LIKE THE ANTIQUES I COLLECT. I STARTED TO WORRY THAT I HADN'T LEFT OUR BOYS ANYTHING TANGIBLE, AS REFERENCE MATERIAL, ABOUT HOW I BEGAN COLLECTING IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT WAS WHEN I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THEIR GRANDFATHER, NORM STRIPP, MY WIFE SUZANNE'S FATHER, THAT I FOUND MY WRITING MOJO, TO START HAMMERING THESE RECOLLECTIONS DOWN…..BEFORE THE GRIM REAPER STARTS CHASING ME AROUND BIRCH HOLLOW TO FILL OUT THE NEED FOR OLD SOULS.

THE REASON NORM STRIPP CAME TO MIND, SPECIFICALLY, IS THAT WHAT WE FEARED WOULD HAPPEN….DID SO. SUZANNE AND I HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS, BEFORE NORMAN GOT SICK. WE WANTED TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT HIS LONG-TIME WORK RESTORING THE OLD WOODEN BOATS ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES. WE WANTED HIM TO TAKE US THROUGH HIS JAMMED BOAT HOUSE, AT THE FAMILY COTTAGE ON LAKE ROSSEAU, AT WINDERMERE, AND INTO THE MYSTERIES OF HIS WORKSHOP AT HOME, JUST A FEW MILES AWAY…… A SOLID HIT WITH A ONE WOOD, (AND A COUPLE OF BOUNCES) FROM THE FIRST HOLE AT THE WINDERMERE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB. WE WANTED HIM TO EXPLAIN THE MATERIALS HE HAD IN THE GARAGE. THE TOOLS HE CUSTOMIZED TO SUIT HIS REFINISHING CHALLENGES, ON DIFFICULT WOOD WORKING PROJECTS, TO FIX SOME OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED VINTAGE WATERCRAFT IN THE AREA. HE WAS WELL KNOWN AS A HIGHLY SKILLED CRAFTSMAN, WHEN IT CAME TO REPAIRING THE OLD MAHOGANY LAUNCHES, WITH LEGENDARY NAMES LIKE DITCHBURN, MINNET-SHEILDS, GREAVETTE AND DUKE. SOMEWHERE IN THAT MAZE OF CONTRAPTIONS, BOAT PARTS, TOOLS, OUTBOARD AND INBOARD ENGINES, WAS, FOR EXAMPLE,…..(IF YOU CAN BELIEVE), PIECES OF THE 999TH FORD ENGINE (OF THE FIRST EVER PRODUCED), THAT HAD ONCE BEEN USED AS A BOAT ENGINE BY A FAMILY FRIEND. NORM HAD SCAVENGED IT, WHEN IT WAS NO LONGER NEEDED. WELL, NORMAN WAS A TAD RESISTANT TO THIS KIND OF INTERVENTION, AND I SUPPOSE, FIGURED THAT OFFERING THIS KIND OF BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SORT OF JINX……BAD KARMA, AS IF HE WOULD HAVE BEEN RELENTING TO THE RIGORS OF OLD AGE, BY LAYING OUT HIS PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE MAY HAVE THOUGHT IT UNLUCKY TO ADMIT REACHING RETIREMENT AGE. TRUTH WAS, NORMAN NEVER REALLY RETIRED, AND PASSED AWAY IN HIS LATE-EIGHTIES, NEVER ONCE SAYING "I'M RETIRED." SO THE REALITY IS, WE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO DO THAT BIOGRAPHY-THING, AND WHEN WORKING ON THE DISPERSAL OF HIS ESTATE, AFTER HE PASSED AWAY, HAD NOTHING MORE THAN A SURFACE KNOWLEDGE, OF THE ITEMS HE KEPT IN HIS UNBELIEVABLE COLLECTION……INCLUDING THE FORD ENGINE, THAT WAS NEVER IDENTIFIED AS SUCH. SOMEONE FROM THAT ESTATE AUCTION, OWNS PARTS FROM THAT ENGINE AND DOESN'T KNOW IT!

I DIDN'T WANT MY BOYS TO GO WITHOUT, YOU MIGHT SAY, SO THIS BIOGRAPHY SIMPLY HAD TO BE WRITTEN. IT INCLUDES STORIES ABOUT THEIR MOM, AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND EVEN BEYOND……WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LINK WITH A FAMILY TREE SUZANNE IS WORKING ON AT PRESENT, THROUGH ANCESTRY.CA, WHICH FILLS IN A HUGE NUMBER OF DETAILS ABOUT WHERE THE HECK WE CAME FROM……AND WHY, OH WHY, WE'RE SO WILDLY OBSESSED WITH OLD WAYS AND OLD STUFF. IT'S AS MUCH A RIGOROUS SELF EXAMINATION, TO OFFER OUR YOUNG LADS, A WEE EXPLANATION ABOUT THEIR OWN CURIOUS COLLECTING HABITS…….THAT JUST POSSIBLY MAY RUN IN THE FAMILY. THIS MATERIAL WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL POTENTIAL DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW, WHO MAY WISH TO INFORM THEMSELVES PROPERLY, ABOUT WHAT LIFE CHALLENGES THEY MAY FACE……BEING PART OF THE CLAN "CURRIE." WE'VE CHASED A FEW AWAY ALREADY, EVEN BEFORE THEY HAD ANYTHING TO READ. I'M TELLING YOU. WE'RE "THE ADAMS FAMILY," OF COLLECTING. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU, ON A HOME VISIT. OF COURSE, IF WE DON'T LIKE WHO THEY BRING HOME, I WON'T LIE TO YOU. I MAY WHIP OUT MY COLLECTION OF TRIBAL MASKS WITH HORRIBLE GRIMACES…..OR SHOW THEM MY COLLECTION OF NATIVE (STONE) SCRAPERS. NOT SCARY. JUST TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT TURNS US ON AROUND HERE. THE LAST THING YOU'LL SEE OF THEM, IS THE SOLES OF THEIR SHOES, AS THEY'RE RUNNING DOWN THE LANE AS FAST AS THEY CAN……TO GET AWAY FROM THIS STRANGE ABODE, AND STRANGER CURATOR. KEEPS OUR VISITORS TO A MINIMUM, BUT IT'S NOT HELPING OUR BOYS' SOCIAL LIFE. KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE JUST AS WHACKY IN THE COLLECTING GAME AS MOM AND DAD. THEY NEED TO FIND, AS I DID IN SUZANNE, A VERY ACCOMMODATING INDIVIDUAL, WHO THINKS OF EXCESS AS AN ADVENTURE FULFILLED.

NORM STRIPP AND HIS MUSKOKA BOATS

ONE AFTERNOON, SHORTLY AFTER SUZANNE AND I BECAME ENGAGED, HER MOTHER HARRIET, DECIDED TO ARRANGE A CELEBRATORY BARBECUE OVER AT THE COTTAGE…..SITUATED ON A CHANNEL OF LAKE ROSSEAU, OPPOSITE WELLESLEY ISLAND….NOT FAR FROM THE BEACHFRONT IN WINDERMERE. WHEN SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS LEFT THAT DAY, HARRIET TURNED TO NORMAN AND SAID, "GIVE TED THE KEYS TO THE S.S. SO HE CAN TAKE SUZANNE FOR A BOAT RIDE." WELL SIR, I THOUGHT NORMAN WAS HAVING "THE BIG ONE," AS REDD FOX USED TO SAY ON HIS TELEVISION SHOW. HE SPUTTERED, CHOKED A LITTLE, GOT RED FACED, AND LOOKED AT HARRIET, AS IF SHE HAD SAID THE MOST DRAMATICALLY SILLY THING, IN ALL THE YEARS THEY'D BEEN MARRIED. "GIVE HIM THE KEYS," HE ASKED, POINTING A SHAKING FINGER AT THIS FUTURE SON-IN-LAW….WHO HE ALWAYS SUSPECTED WAS KIND OF A KNOB. "NO, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA," HE ANSWERED. "IT HASN'T BEEN RUNNING FOR AWHILE, AND I'D BE SCARED THEY'D GET STRANDED OUT ON THE LAKE. I'LL TAKE THEM OUT IN IT MYSELF."

FIRST OF ALL, THE BOAT HARRIET HAD REFERRED TO, WAS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MAHOGANY SPEED BOAT, NORM HAD BUILT WITH HIS FATHER SAM. THE "S.S" REFERRED, WE BELIEVE, TO "SAM STRIPP." NO GREAT MYSTERY. IT WAS A POWERFUL WATERCRAFT, AND WHEN HE TOOK US OUT, I FELT AS IF I WAS SITTING IN A WIND-TUNNEL, AS BOTH MY CHEEKS WERE HITTING MY EARS. TO THINK THAT HARRIET FELT I COULD HANDLE THE "S.S." WAS EITHER A MASSIVE SHOW OF CONFIDENCE IN ME, TO LOOK AFTER HER DAUGHTER AND ANTIQUE BOAT, OR JUST THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MOMENT TO WELCOME A NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. NORM READ THE SITUATION CORRECTLY. I'D HAVE WRAPPED THAT BOAT AROUND A ROCK, AND ENDED OUR COURTSHIP. I THINK I HEARD NORM MUMBLE, SOMETHING OR OTHER THAT SOUNDED LIKE, "THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL, THAT GUY IS GOING TO DRIVE MY BOAT." FAIR ENOUGH. WELL BY GOLLY, THAT'S HOW OUR RELATIONSHIP CONTINUED FOR MANY YEARS. MY FACE PRESSED UP AGAINST THE WORKSHOP WINDOW……HIS DETERMINATION THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT HAD TO BE. ME AT ARM'S LENGTH OR FURTHER AWAY. I COULDN'T REALLY BLAME HIM, AS I WAS ABOUT AS "HANDY AS A FOOT," OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT SUZANNE HAD BEEN TELLING ME SINCE WE GOT MARRIED…….AS I TRIED TO FIX THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE CAR…..AND CONTINUALLY FAILED.

NORM WAS JUST POSSESSIVE ABOUT THE THINGS IMPORTANT TO HIS PROFESSION. I WAS THE PAIN IN THE ASS SON-IN-LAW, ALWAYS LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER. "CAN I HELP NORM," I'D OCCASIONALLY ASK, BUT KNOWING THE ANSWER BEFORE I MADE THE INQUIRY IN THE FIRST PLACE. "NO, IT'S OKAY TED. JUST SIT DOWN AND RELAX……," ALWAYS POINTING TO THE FURTHEST LOCATION IN A YARD OR A ROOM….WHICH WITH ME, HE ALWAYS FOUND A LITTLE CONFINING. I WAS OKAY WITH OUR RATHER DISTANT RELATIONSHIP. HARRIET SEEMED TO LIKE ME. WE EVEN CO-AUTHORED A LITTLE BOOK, ENTITLED "THE LEGEND OF TALL PINES." WE SOLD THEM OUT WITHIN MONTHS. NORM SEEMED HAPPY I WAS PRE-OCCUPIED WITH OTHER THINGS, AND PROJECTS, SUCH THAT I NEVER ASKED TO BORROW ONE OF HIS BOATS AGAIN.

WHETHER NORM WAS WARY OF ME CALLING MYSELF AN "ANTIQUE COLLECTOR," OR PART-TIME DEALER, OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW. BUT FROM VERY EARLY ON IN OUR MARRIAGE, SUZANNE BECAME A PARTNER IN THE PROFESSION….AT FIRST RELUCTANTLY….KICKING AND SCREAMING MIGHT DESCRIBE IT BETTER. SO FOR MOST OF THE TIME I SPENT WITH NORM, FOR YEARS AFTER MARRIAGE, "HE KNEW WHAT I KNEW, AND WHAT SUZANNE HAD KNOWN FOR YEARS AHEAD OF ME." NORMAN WAS SITTING ON THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF HIGHLY DESIRABLE, EASILY MARKETED MARINE COLLECTIBLES. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING, IT WAS A SUBJECT NOT EASILY WORKED INTO A CONVERSATION. NORM HAD A PRETTY EFFECTIVE WAY OF LETTING ME KNOW IF AND WHEN I WAS GETTING INTRUSIVE WITH MY QUESTIONING. THE NEWSPAPER WOULD GET HIGHER AND HIGHER, SUCH THAT HE NO LONGER HAD TO STARE AT ME. HARRIET WAS FAR MORE PATIENT AND INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT HISTORY, AND HER UPBRINGING ON THE FAMILY FARM IN UFFORD. IF SHE THOUGHT I WAS A PAIN IN THE BEHIND, SHE NEVER SHOWED THAT SIDE, AND WITH SUZANNE, WE HAD QUITE A FEW MEMORABLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LOTS OF THINGS. THIS GAVE NORMAN A CHANCE TO SNEAK OUT TO HIS GARAGE…..AND WORK AT SOMETHING OR OTHER, OR JUST SIT AND RELAX AWAY FROM THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, HUNKERED-DOWN IN HIS LIVING ROOM.

THE REASON FOR INCLUDING THIS BRIEF GLIMPSE INTO THE STRIPP AND SHEA FAMILY, IS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW DEEP OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA;…… FROM HAVING FAMILY MEMBERS WHO CLEARED THE PINE OFF THOSE ROCKY ACRES, ON THE FIRST CULTIVATED FARMSTEADS, TO THE CORE-HISTORY OF BOAT BUILDING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES, AND ALL THE INTRICATE WEAVING OF FAMILY ACTIVITIES IN SO MANY CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS THAT MADE UP THE SOCIAL / CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR DISTRICT. AS MY RESEARCH PARTNER, ON MANY HISTORY-RELATED PROJECTS, SUZANNE AND I STARTED AS NEWLYWEDS, IMMERSING OURSELVES EVER-DEEPER IN REGIONAL HERITAGE, AND THERE WAS NO TELLING WHAT FIELD THE NEXT BIG ADVENTURE WOULD PRE-OCCUPY, BUSYING THE PARENTS OF TWO YOUNGSTERS, WHO HAD LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO JOIN-IN. SOMETIMES IT WAS SPORTS RELATED, AS WITH THE N.H.L.'S ROGER CROZIER, AND IRVIN "ACE" BAILEY, AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS BIOGRAPHICAL, IN THE ART WORLD, SUCH AS IN THE CASE OF THE TOM THOMSON MYSTERY…….AND THE STORY OF ARTIST / MISSIONARY, ADA FLORENCE KINTON, OF HUNTSVILLE. SO IT WAS THE SAME SORT OF STUDY OF NORM STRIPP, WITHOUT HIM REALLY KNOWING ABOUT IT……CAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, HE WOULDN'T HAVE APPROVED. SO ALTHOUGH WE COULDN'T REALLY SIT DOWN AND POUND OUT A MEANINGFUL BIOGRAPHY OF THE BOAT RESTORER, SUFFICE TO SAY, THE INFORMATION HE PROVIDED US, BY SHEER ASSOCIATION AND KINSHIP, HAS HELPED US IMMEASURABLY IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE IN MUSKOKA.

WHILE WE AREN'T PUSHY ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OLD BOATS, AND THE WORK NORM USED TO GET UP TO IN ANY GIVEN WEEK, SUZANNE IS THE KEEPER OF QUITE A STORE OF INSIDER INFORMATION, THAT WE BENEFIT FROM WHENEVER WE'RE OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUSTINGS, HERE OR ANYWHERE REALLY. NOT ONLY DO WE KNOW ABOUT MUSKOKA COLLECTIBLES AND HOMEGROWN ANTIQUES, WE CAN IDENTIFY TOOLS AND BOAT HARDWARE FAIRLY QUICKLY…..AND HAUL AWAY A MARINE ARTIFACT WITHOUT CAUSING A RIPPLE IN THE WATER. CALL IT STEALTH PURCHASES. A LOT OF SECOND HAND TRADERS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE BOAT PARTS AND TOOLS LOOK LIKE, OR HOW TO SPOT AN ORNAMENT OFF A DITCHBURN, MINNET-SHIELDS, DUKE, OR SEABIRD. SUZANNE DOESN'T NEED A GUIDE BOOK. WHEN SHE WAS ALLOWED INTO THE BOAT HOUSE WORKROOM, OR IN THE GARAGE, SHE WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAIL. SHE'S GOOD AT THAT. I'M MUCH SLOWER ON THE UP-TAKE. HER KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY, FROM THE RESTORER'S POINT OF VIEW, HAS ENTITLED US TO GRAB UP A LOT OF PIECES OVER THE YEARS, FOUND AT OUT-OF-THE-WAY ESTATE SALES, FLEA MARKETS, AUCTIONS AND AT ANTIQUE SHOPS UNFAMILIAR WITH LOCAL MARINE HERITAGE.

SUZANNE GREW UP IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY. HER FATHER WAS ALWAYS WORKING ON SOME TYPE OF BOAT RESTORATION IN HIS WORKSHOP. AT A YOUNG AGE, HER FAMILY PURCHASED THE WINDERMERE MARINA, IN THE MID 1960'S, AND THE BOAT THAT CAME AS PART OF THE SALE, WAS THE LARGE, MAGNIFICENTLY APPOINTED DITCHBURN, KNOWN AS THE "SHIRL-EVON," A SLEEK MAHOGANY LAUNCH STILL CRUISING LAKE ROSSEAU. THE SHIRL-EVON WAS USED THEN, AS A LIVERY BOAT, TAKING FOLKS TO THEIR COTTAGES, MANY ON TOBIN'S ISLAND. HE ALSO USED IT AS A DELIVERY BOAT, AND ON OCCASION, IT WAS HIRED BY ONTARIO HYDRO, TO FERRY CREWS TO LOCATIONS AROUND THE LAKE NOT ACCESSIBLY BY ROAD. IT MAY HAVE SEEMED AN EXTRAVAGANT BOAT FOR THIS KIND OF SERVICE, BUT WE HAVE A SLIDE, FROM THE ESTATE OF NORM'S FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR, BILL SKINNER, SHOWING A WATER-SKIER BEING TOWED BY ONE OF THE WIGWASAN LODGE, DITCHBURNS, KNOWN AS THE "WIGGY I" (AND THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHERS IN THE LODGE FLEET). BILL SKINNER IS DRIVING THE "WIGGY" IN OUR PHOTOGRAPH. SO DITCHBURNS WERE USED AS COMMON WATERCRAFT IN THOSE YEARS, AT THE SAME TIME AS THEY WERE PRIZED LAUNCHES, STORED SAFELY IN THE BOATHOUSES OF MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COTTAGES. NOT MANY PEOPLE THINK OF THIS CONTRAST OF USES, WHEN THEY SEE THE BEAUTIFUL ARRAY OF RESTORED WOODEN BOATS, AT THE ANNUAL BOAT SHOWS IN MUSKOKA, EACH SUMMER SEASON.

SUZANNE IS QUITE AN AUTHORITY ON THE BOATS OF LAKE ROSSEAU, FROM HER TIME SPENT LIVING AND WORKING IN WINDERMERE. SHE KNEW THE NAMES OF THE BOATS, FROM THEIR LANDINGS AT THE MARINA, AND THEIR USAGE AT THIS TIME, FOR RECREATION, GENERAL USE, RESORT TOURS, AND THOSE WITH A MORE UTILITY FUNCTION, WORKING IN AND AROUND THE MARINA AND VILLAGE WHARF. THE FAMILY ALSO OWNED A LARGE HUNTER-MADE LAUNCH, WITH ENCLOSED CABIN, THAT HAD BEEN FORMERLY USED AS A REGATTA BOAT, TO START SAILING RACES, SPONSORED BY THE MUSKOKA LAKES ASSOCIATION. THERE WAS A SPECIAL BRACKET, MOUNTED ON THE WOODEN TOP OF THE BOAT, WHERE A SMALL CANON HAD BEEN PLACED, WHICH WAS FIRED TO START THE EVENTS.

SHE AND HER MOTHER HARRIET, RAN THE SNACK BAR ABOVE THE MARINA, KNOWN AS "THE SKIPPER." SHE HAD AN IDEAL VANTAGE POINT, TO WATCH THE LAKES AND THE BOAT TRAFFIC COMING INTO THE MARINA. THE TIME WASN'T WASTED. I REMEMBER HER TELLING ME THAT BOB BOYER HAD PHONED HER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AFTER WE WERE MARRIED, TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE ON A MATTER OF LAKE ROSSEAU RESORT HERITAGE, FOR SOMETHING HE WAS WRITING FOR THE MUSKOKA SUN. THIS IS FUNNY, BECAUSE I WORKED WITH BOB AT THE HERALD-GAZETTE, AT THE SAME TIME, BUT HE PREFERRED TALKING TO THE PERSON WHO INTIMATELY KNEW THE COMMUNITY'S HISTORY….WITHOUT HAVING TO FIRST CONSULT A FORMAL TEXT, OR GO SEARCHING THROUGH RECORDS. HE'D PHONE HER TO REFUTE INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN OTHER BOOKS, SUCH AS THE DEMISE OF WIGWASSAN LODGE…..WHETHER IT WAS TORN DOWN, OR BURNED IN A FIRE. BOB, AT THE TIME, WAS ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN REGIONAL HISTORIANS, AND HE WAS VERY MUCH MY TUTOR, DURING MY TENURE AS EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE. HE PREFERRED MY STRAIGHT-SHOOTING, FACT-PERSNICKETY WIFE, SUZANNE, TO CLEAR UP MISINFORMATION, BEFORE HE'D INSERT A FRESH PAPER INTO THE TYPEWRITER CARRIAGE. NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS ABOUT MY WIFE. SHE BITES HER TONGUE A LOT, AT WORK AND WHILE WE'RE ATTENDING COMMUNITY EVENTS, WHEN HEARING FALSEHOODS ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY…..AND NOT WISHING TO START THE GREAT DEBATE, WITH FOLKS WHO ARE RELATIVE NEWCOMERS TO THE REGION.

WE HAVE LIVED AND BREATHED LOCAL HISTORY FROM THE FIRST DAYS OF OUR MARRIAGE. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS IN MUSKOKA, BY READING THE BOOKS HER UNCLE BERT SHEA WROTE, ABOUT PIONEERING IN MUSKOKA…..SPECIFICALLY THE THREE MILE LAKE AREA OF THE PRESENT TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES. I'VE SPENT MANY ENJOYABLE HOURS IN HER GRANDFATHER, JOHN SHEA'S FARMSTEAD, IN UFFORD, VISITING WITH SUZANNE'S AUNT ADA, AND HUSBAND JACK, WHO INHERITED THE PROPERTY WHEN JOHN DIED. I'VE STOOD IN THE BARN THE SHEA FAMILY BUILT, AND WANDERED THE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PROPERTY WITH EYES WIDE OPEN, TO THE HARSH REALITIES OF FORESTS AND ROCKY TERRAIN THEY WERE FORCED TO CONTEND WITH, IN THOSE EARLY HOMESTEAD YEARS. I'VE SAT WITH NORM AND HARRIET, AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR EARLIER DAYS, LIVING IN THIS LITTLE PARADISE KNOWN AS WINDERMERE. I LISTENED WITH GREAT INTEREST, TO NORM DESCRIBING THE PAINTING WORK HE AND HIS FATHER DID FOR THE EATON FAMILY, REFURBISHING THEIR STEAM YACHT, "THE WANDA" NOW PART OF THE FLEET OF VESSELS ON DISPLAY, AT THE WHARF, ON GRAVENHURST'S MUSKOKA BAY. HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS COMING BACK FROM GRAVENHURST, ON LAKE MUSKOKA, AT THE TIME OF THE GREAT WIND STORM, THAT OVER-TURNED THE SMALL STEAMER "WAOME," RESULTING IN A LOSS OF LIFE. HE SAVED THE BOAT HE WAS OPERATING, AND HIMSELF, BY CAREFULLY TARPING OVER THE LAUNCH, TO MAKE IT LESS WIND RESISTANT….WHILE STILL HEADING HOME TO WINDERMERE. HE MIGHT NOT HAVE LET ME PLAY AROUND IN HIS WORKSHOP, AND DOWN AT THE COTTAGE BOAT HOUSE, BUT TRUTH IS, HE WAS ENORMOUSLY GENEROUS WITH THE STORIES HE SHARED WITH BOTH OF US….AND HIS GRANDSONS, ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES WORKING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES, IN SO MANY DIFFERENT CAPACITIES. AS ANTIQUE DEALERS, LET ME TELL YOU, WE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF EDUCATION, BECAUSE OF THESE REGULAR, COMFORTABLE LIVINGROOM TUTORIALS.

WHEN SUZANNE OCCASIONALLY INTERJECTS HER OPINION, WHEN ONE OF HER COLLEAGUES MISREPRESENTS SOME ASPECT OF MUSKOKA'S MARINE HERITAGE, SHE EXPECTS THE LOOK OF "OH SURE……OF COURSE YOU HAD A DITCHBURN….RIGHT…..I HAD FIVE OF THEM!" IT'S WHY SHE HAS A SORE TONGUE A LOT. "SOMETIMES IT'S JUST BETTER TO LET IT GO," SHE ADMITS. "THEY WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME ANYWAY."

THANKS FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN FOR SOME ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE ADVENTURES……YOU HAVEN'T READ BEFORE.