Dozens of people lined a fence at St. Catharines’ Charles Ansell Park Wednesday morning to take photos and video of the partially submerged tug Theodore Too across the Welland Canal at Ontario Shipyards.
The unmistakable tug with a large hat, big eyes and smiling face from the popular children’s TV show “Theodore Tugboat” took on water Tuesday afternoon and was resting on the bottom, said owner Blair McKeil, chief executive officer and president of Burlington-based Breakwater Investments, in an email to the Tribune.
The vessel was moored in Port Weller for the season and was to leave at the end of the week to spend the winter in Port Maitland, he said.
McKeil, whose family founded McKeil Marine in 1956, said it was an unfortunate situation and added there were no people involved and no injuries.
Ship photographer Barry Anderson said it was rather sad to see Theodore Too submerged at the dry dock.
From the Bunting Road park, near the Lakeshore Road Bridge, he took photos as efforts were underway to refloat the 19.8-metre-long tug with a crane.
A boom was in place on the water to prevent any spills from going into the canal and people were seen throwing absorbent sheets beside the tug, as well.
With lines affixed to its port (left) side, the tug was listing to its starboard side. The stern was underwater up to its smokestack. The port bow was out of the water.
“I’ve seen her a few times in the canal,” said Anderson, who has been photographing vessels in the canal for more than five decades.
The St. Catharines resident said he heard the news about Theodore Too at about midnight Tuesday.
Paul Spence said he and his wife saw what had happened on the news Wednesday morning. The couple were among dozens who stopped throughout the morning to look at the tug.
“I watched it going upbound (on the canal) … heading to Port Maitland,” Spence said. “I think it’s more than partially submerged. It’s sad to see her like that.”
Gary Ketler of St. Catharines said it was sad to see Theodore Too resting on the bottom by the dry dock, not so much for himself, but more so for children.
“I’ve seen the tug go through the canal and saw it at Port Dalhousie. For me, it’s somewhat of an interesting story,” said Ketler as he took photos.
Launched on April 19, 2000, Theodore Too was handcrafted at Snyder’s Shipyard near Lunenburg, N.S., by craftspeople who devoted 20,515 hours using traditional boat-building methods.
McKeil purchased Theodore Too, powered by a 400-horsepower motor and weighing 105 tonnes, in 2020 and moved it from Halifax to Hamilton in 2021.
He partnered with Swim Drink Fish, and the beloved tugboat became an ambassador for the agency, which promotes swimmable, drinkable, fishable water. The tug also championed the marine industry as a career choice.
Theodore Too was listed on Airbnb in 2002 as a unique tug that “joins 30,000-plus of the craziest listings around the world in Airbnb’s new OMG! category.” It’s unknown if the tug was still offering stays over the past two years.
On its X account, the ASI Group said it joined the effort to get the iconic tug righted, and that it was “proud to step in as the official salvage crew for this delicate operation.”
Stoney Creek-based ASI offers underwater inspection, maintenance and repair, and has a commercial dive unit.
Also spotted at the salvage effort was the Canadian Coast Guard Environmental Response unit.
An additional barrier was added around the submerged vessel as well.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada media relations specialist Chris Krepski said the independent agency, that investigates air, marine, pipeline and rail transportation occurrences, did not receive a notification about the Theodore Too by those responsible for the vessel.
“Furthermore, as the vessel was not being operated, this would not be considered a reportable marine occurrence as per the Transportation Safety Board Regulations,” he said in an email.
