SCOTT MISENER (3) - 23 April 1990 - Its hard to believe this classic Port Weller-built steamer has been gone for just over 25 years now.. This photo was taken as she was sailing downbound in the Welland Canal I believe on her second last voyage.. She laid up at Sorel on 10 May 1990 and never sailed again..

SCOTT MISENER was notorious though her career for being among the fastest ships on the lakes.. She was built in 1954 and was given a salvaged, refurbished WWII-built steam turbine engine which could produce 9,000 horsepower. This gave her a top speed of 18.5 knots or 21.3 miles per hour.. No doubt she could keep up with some of the Lakes' finest ships of the day - the tomato-stackers..?? CSL's "Fort" fleet..?? the T-2 conversions..?? Any memories out there..???

Her huge power plant ended up contributing to her demise in the early 1980s when fuel prices soared to record highs. She laid up in Hamilton on 19 December 1983 but was surprisingly returned to service on 1 November 1986 much to the delight of many of us back then.. Photo opportunities abounded for several years but time finally ran out for the classic steamer in May of 1990 when she sailed her last. On 31 October 1990, just over 25 years ago, she arrived off Alang, India where she was subsequently beached and quickly, reduced to scrap.. One more in a long, long string of sad endings...

Photo by Jeff Cameron..