Vessels

Foreword

Steamship Crew

The history of ownership of DAR vessels is a convoluted trail of acquisition and conquest. These were fast times and the stakes were high as companies jockeyed to be the carrier of choice for the burgeoning business travel and tourism market.

The steamship lines to the United States were particularly lucrative considering the superb tourism branding of the Land Of Evangeline the DAR management, primarily the brain child of Percy Gifkins the general manager, had pushed into the New England area. Everyone wanted an Evangeline vacation and Annapolis Valley apples and the steamships brought them to and from New York and Boston in droves.

As a result, ownership changed hands rapidly until the steamship business consolidated in the teens and twenties of the 20th century.

-Steve Meredith-

Modern Day Operations

On September 1, 1976, Canadian National took over operation of the Saint John, N.B. - Digby, N.S. ferry. This move followed a review of federal assistance to the water transport industry and completed Canadian Pacific's withdrawl from the service. After suffering heavy losses for many years, the "Princess of Acadia"(II) and docking facilies were sold to the Federal Government in December 1974. Canadian Pacific continued to operate the service under a contract which expired August 31, 1976.(1) With the creation of Marine Atlantic in 1986, the Crown Corporation inherited the Saint John, N.B. - Digby, N.S. route. from CN Marine. The service has been operated by Bay Ferries since 1997. (Wikipedia)

References and Footnotes

1. Scotian Railroad Society newsletter. August 1976.

External Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Atlantic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Ferries_Limited