We really know nothing about our subject, this seemingly abandoned boat but we thought the photos were so nice we just had to share them. You mean we’re not going to blab on endlessly? Just photos? How unlike you! Nowhere close to water and going by the name of Pricess Hummingbird (good spelling there guys), it’d be safe to say this was someone’s pet project never finished. Across the country, there’s a million garages with a million classic cars in various stages of completion and never to run again and here it’s a sailing craft with perhaps a similar story. And where did they plan to use it?
We spoke with an adjacent homeowner and came back knowing no more than when we started, so the five Ws will remain unsatisfied. They weren’t all that chatty anyway, but it really doesn’t matter. More impressive is that together with the back drop, that stunning sunset, it’s something photographically compelling. You get skies like this in Saskatchewan all the time, but here not so often and that it all fell into place seems like a blessing. There we were driving past at the right time, saw it out of the corner of our eye and on chatting with the guy tending the property out front, here’s the result. A few minutes later and it would have never happened. We’re lucky that way.
There’s a bit more photos here than the typical short story posting, but we’ll make an exception. Please enjoy this silly little post.
Short Subjects: reports that are short and sweet in nature. This is stuff that’s interesting enough in itself, but not deserved of the full on BIGDoer.com treatment. It’s silly little snippets, vignettes and likewise things of that sort. You’ll be in and out in no time.
I’ve driven past this thing more times than I care to remember and even stopped and took a picture of it one day. I wonder about the wisdom of building a 40 foot sailboat in landlocked Alberta.
Beer Parlour Project Friday🍺: The Thorsby Hotel, built in 1929 & a photo by the manager's 7 years old daughter. More below 👇
Agreema politely asked if she could shoot a few photos & we obliged. A dark environment like this is very unforgiving & the camera she used quite temperamental, so she did an amazing job. We're out of work as photographers! Great food at this place, BTW!
Beer Parlour Project Friday🍺: The Tofield Hotel, built in 1912 & patron Lana, shot on Rob's vintage view camera. More below 👇
She's a sweetie & met her late husband at the hotel. The building from the alley side hasn't changed much since being built but the front brickwork is now covered by siding.
Crossley slides (unrestored), an unnamed fellow snacking on Sun-Maid Raisins - mountains of BC - 1950s. More below 👇
The distinctive red box is instantly recognizable! The location is listed as the Whitewater Valley & we think it's in the Sandon area close to Retallack. Perhaps some of our friends out that way can confirm. Sandon B.C., would Hal know? Crossley frequented Sandon so the location makes sense. Note the (mine?) road cutting across the slope in back. The slide is dated 1955 in the catalogue but 1956 on the frame.
Shout out to: Jason Sailer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
An old section of Highway #6 (BC) in the 1970s & 2021 - it's the second most shared post in our entire history! More below 👇
The original photo shows the road about the time it was decommissioned. This was always a troublesome section & so it got replaced by a new route further up the hill. While it hasn’t seen a car in eons, it remains overall in reasonable shape, save for some rockfall in places like this. These came down about ten years ago.
Happy Holidays from Off the Beaten Path w' Chris & Connie. Thanks for your continued support & encouragement. More 👇
🎄 🎄 🎄
CPKC's Holiday Train from a few nights ago. Rather than fight the crowds to see it, we wanted something a little more intimate. A bit of hike, but we brought mulled wine to help us keep warm while waiting. It's not a great shot & originally we had no intent to share it here, but what the heck.
Trainspotting is like fishing. It's not about the catch but rather getting out. If a train comes by, great, but if not, we had each other & a chance to get away from the day's problems. That's a BIG win in our books...even if we did freeze our bottoms off. _______
Out exploring with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
A strange curiosity, this seemingly abandoned boat.[/caption]
Let’s sail away!
“I’m sailing away
Set an open course for the Virgin Sea
‘Cause I’ve got to be free
Free to face the life that’s ahead of me…”
A boat on the prairies – is like a bicycle on the oceans!
Ding-ding-ding, we have a winner! So true.
I’ve driven past this thing more times than I care to remember and even stopped and took a picture of it one day. I wonder about the wisdom of building a 40 foot sailboat in landlocked Alberta.
I know…what’s the story?
Must have been a houseboat in the making.
You might be right.
Is it a big boat?
Not really, but by prairie standards it’s a monster. We’re curious the plans they had for it as it’s not really suitable for lakes of the area.
A retirement project maybe? Never finished? The family not sure what to do with it maybe. Beautiful pictures, but a bit sad too.
Something like that we suspect. Either way, it’s a sad unfinished broken dream perhaps.
Ferro-Cement?
It looked to be fibreglass.
Beautiful!
Call us weird, but we love ugly subjects shot like this. Thanks!
Somebody just hauled it there and dumped it.
Oh, do tell?
Very odd – someone knows the story – here is hoping that posting the picture reveals the mystery.
It’s just so interesting and it’s too bad we couldn’t dig up more (it’s a resources thing). Still, maybe someone will see this and come forward.