Halifax: August 27, 1912 <<< >>> Victoria: October 17, 1912
| Today's Statistics: | Travelling from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to Swift Current, Saskatchewan | |||
| Distance: 222 km | Driving Hours: 4 h | Fuel: 41 l | Weather: Sunny | Temperature: Min. 8 Max. 20 |
Before leaving Moose Jaw the Reo stopped in at the Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum. The village contains an interesting collection of restored buildings which have been brought to this site. The most unusual artifact, however, is the Sukanen Ship.
Tom Sukanen was a Finnish immigrant who came to Saskatchewan in the 1911 by walking 600 miles from Minnesota. After many years as a farmer, he still longed to return to his native Finland. In the 1930's, when drought made farming extremely difficult, he began the planning and contruction of a ship in which he could sail home via the Saskatchewan River and Hudson Bay.
The ship was completely manufactured by Tom. The large keel was detachable for river travel, but necessary for ocean travel. He worked for almost 10 years, preparing every aspect of the ship and the voyage. Unfortunately, he was never able to get it moved the short distance to the river and he died in 1943 without ever seeing "The Dontianen" sail.
After leaving the Pioneer Village, the Reo passed through Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, the home of the famous Snowbirds aerobatic squadron.
The Reo stopped for lunch alongside Lake Chaplin. The lake is large and shallow, and has a very high mineral content. Salt is found by building dikes to block off a portion of the lake, then scraping the salt from the lake bed. The salt is used for industrial purposes.
The day concluded in Swift Current, where the Findlays and John Nicol were greeted by Mayor Paul Elder and members of the Swift Current Chamber of Commerce. Members of the Frontier City Antique Car Club had met the Reo and escorted it into town. Also on hand were members of the Swan family, including two nephews of Jack Haney, one of the original pathfinders.
Mac the Moose stands 10 metres tall, outside Moose Jaw
... Snow? No, salt at Chaplin Lake, Saskatchewan
On this day in 1912 ...