Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Kidding aside - the ship actually has a rather interesting history. Its called 'La Grande Hermine' (The Big Ermine) - named after the ship that French explorer Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence in 1535.

The ship was built in 1914 in Lauzon, Quebec and originally named 'Le Progress'. It began life as a ferry on the St. Lawrence at Trois-Rivieres. It later became a cargo ship, a floating restaurant and finally in 1991, converted to a replica ship.

Later it is said she was a floating casino. Then she's supposed to have gotten tangled up in a cigarette smuggling operation. The RCMP seized her and she came to be anchored next to the Beacon Hotel in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Arsonists subsequently set fire to her in the marina in January/2003.

I grabbed the shots earlier this morning while passing by on the highway. Buried somewhere in my archives are shots I got of it years ago before it burned.