Wolfe Islander

noun, the Wolfe Island Ferry; there have been three different ferries referred to as “Wolfe Islander” (Wolfe Islander I, 1904-1946; Wolfe Islander II, 1946-1976; Wolfe Islander III, 1976- ); the numbers are sometimes specified when referring to past boats or drawing a comparison, but otherwise “Wolfe Islander” may refer to any of the boats and is usually used when discussing the current ferry; see also the boat

“When I first started on the Wolfe Islander, of course, if it got foggy, we tied up because they didn’t have no radar.”

“I worked at the Bell Telephone, and he worked on the Wolfe Islander.”

“He was the purser on the ferry, on the old Wolfe Islander. He used to collect your money for your fare across on it.”

“I drive the boat for a living now, the Wolfe Islander.”

“I’ve been fascinated with stories and things of the Island my whole life. I was privileged to hear most of them in the wheelhouse of the old Wolfe Islander, the previous boat to this one. Ever since I was able to walk, I’ve been a guest in the wheelhouse. I’d sit on the stool beside the binnacle, and I was privy to a lot of gossip, a lot of talk, and I learned what Wolfe Island was all about from that day on.”

“What I remember was the old steamboat Wolfe Islander. Like, she carried at one point five cars, and then they done a few alterations to it, got it to carry seven cars. And then in 1947, the Wolfe Islander II come along. And, well, it carried around 20 cars upwards to 25. Everybody said when I come here, ‘What in the world did you ever get a boat so big for? It’ll never be loaded.’ And well, it wasn’t long ’til it was loaded. I guess it’s a case you build it and they’ll come.”

“I worked on a deck for six months and then went to work in the engine room as an oiler, and I got a engineer’s license, and then I was on the Wolfe Islander II … Once they made it a free ferry, the traffic increased dramatically.”

“The next reeve painted ‘Wolfe Islander’ on it. That’s how the succession started, because now the ferry that’s there is Wolfe Islander III.”

“What was the captain’s favourite line? Ah, ‘Any babies born on this boat?’ ‘No, but we’ve had them conceived’. Oh, well, yeah, not so much on Wolfe Islander III, but the old boat had all her little nooks and crannies and cabins, so you know, who knows?”

“The boiler accident on the old Wolfe Islander. Not the one I remembered but the paddlewheeler. Here on the dock, two men were scalded to death. And shortly after that, she was condemned. She was 42 years in service. The ferry, Wolfe Islander III is 35 years now. It’s got a few years yet to beat the record. I think it might. I think it will.”