Former Paddlewheel captain pens book commemorating 44 years on the Red River
From Pierre Elliott Trudeau to Colonel Sanders to thousands of Manitoba grads, Captain Steve Hawchuk welcomed people from all walks of life aboard during his 44-year career at the helm of the M.S. Paddlewheel Queen and other vessels.
It’s a career at sea that Hawchuk has turned into a new book, recounting the romance and glamour of the riverboats that once sailed the Red River.
“It was a Winnipeg tradition,” Hawchuk recalled. “People enjoyed it because it was something different in Winnipeg. You can go on the boat, sit beside the window, have a beautiful dinner, and watch the picturesque shoreline go by, and you always see something different.”
Hawchuk came to his career at the wheel after working as a bookkeeper.
When a number of boats came up for sale in 1969, his half-brother Joe thought they should get into the boat business together.
“I said, ‘well, I'm really tired of being a bookkeeper.’ So we bought the boats, and I dove in cold feet. July 26 1969, that's when we started to operate,” he recalled.
For 44 years, Captain Steve Hawchuk sailed the Red River at the helm of the M.S. Paddlewheel Queen and other ships. (Image Source: Steve Hawchuk)
From there, Hawchuk set sail into a decades-long career on the Red that included hosting royalty, Jets and Bombers, rock and roll cruises, fisticuffs and couples making lasting memories.
The highlights and memories have been turned into a new book, recounting plenty of tales from Hawchuk’s career on the river alongside a series of glossy photos taken aboard the Paddlewheel.
Hawchuk hopes the new book will bring back fond memories for the many passengers who had the pleasure of taking a ride on his riverboat.
“We've had close to three-million passengers over those years, and thousands and thousands of school kids, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, you name it, we've had it on the boat,” he said.
- With files from CTV's Rachel Lagacé
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.