Wanda II logbook tells a story of Edwardian elegance

Wanda III is housed in a custom-built boathouse and will soon resume cruising on the lakes. But before there was a III, there was Wanda II.

Wanda II was a 94-foot steam yacht owned by Timothy and Margaret Eaton from 1905 to 1914. She was built by Polson Iron Works in Toronto and was kept in their boathouse at Ravenscraig, the summer home of the Eatons, which was located across from Windermere House on Lake Rosseau. Margaret Eaton became Wanda II’s registered owner after Timothy died in 1907.

Equipped with a large steam engine, Wanda II was able to travel at a speed of 21 mph, which was faster than her predecessor, Wanda I. This was important to the family, because it meant that on trips from Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst to their cottage on Lake Rosseau, she would be the first boat to approach the locks at Port Carling so that she would not have to wait in line to get through the locks.

The Muskoka Discovery Centre was fortunate to have received a copy of Wanda II’s log from 1909. It was donated by Dave Dunlop, a relative of Captain Albert Campbell who skippered Wanda II. This log was written by people from the Eaton family. From this document, we were able to discern that the Eaton family used the Wanda II to frequently ferry family and guests to and from Barnesdale Station and sometimes from the Bala Station to meet the train to and from Toronto. They also took her to Port Carling where passengers were able to transfer to or from Sagamo, Cherokee or the Medora ships, which would then take them to meet the train at Gravenhurst. Wanda II sometimes made the complete  trip from Lake Rosseau to Muskoka Wharf at Gravenhurst to pick up passengers.

Many family and friends enjoyed countless cruises around the lakes, visiting at resorts like Elgin House, Windermere House and Clevelands House. They also visited at various friends’ cottages such as Llanlar, the summer home of the Massey family.  Wanda II made many trips to vist Margaret and Timothy’s son and daughter-in law, Sir John and Lady Flora Eaton, while they were staying at their summer home, Kawandag, in Rosseau. On many occasions, they served tea on board and the occasional lunch. As they cruised, they often enjoyed reading books out loud for their entertainment. One such book was titled “Fair Moon of Bath”, published in 1908. The passengers also played guessing games as they cruised along.  The log stated that on some occasions the passengers would disembark to “climb up the rocks and through the delightful woods and to see Slide Lake.” They would have their tea up there as a picnic. One entry claimed that they stopped off and “did a little mission work.” The passengers also were taken to play tennis with friends and to regattas like the ones held at Woodington House.

According to this 1909 log, Wanda II was sometimes used as a utility vessel. She cruised to the village of Rosseau to buy “some fine vegetables.” A lamb was once transferred from the RMS Medora to Wanda II. Once she was held up for an hour due to log jams. It was noted that Wanda II stopped at Port Carling to have her valves checked.

Unfortunately, Wanda II met her fate when, on August 6, 1914, she was completely destroyed by fire in the Ravenscraig boathouse. Lightning struck the boathouse that was full of firewood, used for fuel for the steam engine which added to the inferno. She was replaced in 1915 by Wanda III, which will soon resume sailing from the Muskoka Discovery Centre boathouse.

 

Eileen Godfrey, Archives Volunteer