Friday, July 24, 2020
The End of an Era
It was purely chance that I caught the next ship but it turns out that it was a moment.
This was the Daldean of Chatham Ferry which was the larger of two ferries that was used to connect Marine City, Michigan with Sombra, Ontario. It was sold to a group that runs a ferry between Amherstburg, Ontario and what used to be Boblo Island.
Two years ago the docks in Sombra, Ontario were damaged by an ice floe. The owner of that dock claims the damage was from one of the icebreakers that was operating at the time. It was estimated that the dock would cost $4 million to repair.
After raising the money, it was uncertain whether the border station in Marine City would be manned, so efforts to repair the dock were halted. I think they still hope to repair the dock someday but that depends on whether the customs office in Marine City gets occupied.
It's a shame that service may not re-open as it was a nice place to cross the border into Canada. It didn't have the long lines of the bridges and the guards seemed much friendlier.
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Good morning;
I grew up in Clarkston, Michigan.
My relatives lived in Shedden, Ontario.
We would take the Daldean of Chatam across the river.
It was a fun, welcome break from the car ride.
In very late 1976 my Mother told her aunt, the Shedden resident, that I had joined the US Navy.
My aunt, was concerned and asked, what if you get seasick, you've never been on a ship.
I replied, yes I have, many times.
Thinking they caught me in a lie both Mom and my aunt, what ship have you been on.
I said, The Daldean of Chatam.
We all laughed.
I just wanted to say thanks for posting the pictures.
They bring back some very special memories.
Thank you very much.
Robert Jackson
Clarkston High School 1977
US Navy 1977-1981
Michigan State 1986
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