Vancouver Maritime Museum: St. Roch National Historic Site

  • Vancouver Maritime Museum: St. Roch National Historic Site
  • British Columbia

The Vancouver Maritime Museum was build in for Canada’s centenniel to house the St. Roch, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police schooner that was the first ship to cross the Northwest Passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It was also the first ship to complete the hazardous journey in both directions.  Captained by Henry Larson, a Norwegian immigrant to Canada, the St. Roch was able to visit remote Inuit camps and to operate in waters where there had never been a Canadian presence.   It survived 12 winters stuck in the ice for 10 months at a time. As the Arctic became more accessible by airplane, St Roch was no longer needed and was retired after 20 years of active service.