Being a coastal city, much of Vancouver’s culture stems from its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, including its large and lively boating community. The Vancouver Archives is home to a plethora of historic boating photos, including images of locals sailing, shipping boats being loaded, fishing boats, shots of the Vancouver coast and skyline from the ships, as well as monumental ventures such as the first trans-pacific trips from Vancouver to destinations such as the Charolette Islands in Hawaii and Japan. In this gallery, we showcase some of the most fascinating photographs of boating in Vancouver between 1920 and 1960.
1924 – A group posing on the dock next to a boat1925 – Boat moored at Terminal Dock Company docks1929 – Boat1929 – Boat1930 – Boat1935 – A capsized boat (Ballena) at the Union Steamship dock1935 – Boeing Aircraft Co. of Canada, sail boat Mavourneen leaving for California1936 – A boat decorated as a Viking ship1936 – A boat decorated as a Viking ship1936 – Boeing Aircraft Co. of Canada, fish boat San Juan No. I1938 – A boy rowing a boat1938 – A fishing boat and a freighter1938 – Fishing boat in the harbour, city in the background1941 – Fishing boat [at dock] Prince Rupert B.C.1943 – A.R.P. at North Vancouver Shipyards – fire boat
1944 – Boat [arriving at] Pacific Mills1945 – [Boat approaching] Pacific Mills [dock on the] Queen Charlotte Islands1945 – [Boat approaching] Pacific Mills [dock on the] Queen Charlotte Islands
1947 – Canadian Liaison Mission to Japan, Japanese ferry boat on the Inland Sea1948 – [Boat being loaded with paper products at the Westminster Paper Company dock]1948 – Boat ‘Marabell’ – Miss Ballard1948 – Boat docked at Commercial Chemicals Ltd.1948 – Boat leaving a dock in Vancouver as the North Vancouver ferry is pulling in1950 – Boat – last run of Sudburg1950 – Boat – last run of Sudburg1950 – Boat ‘Lions Gate’ under Lions Gate Bridge1950 – Boat ‘Lions Gate’ under Lions Gate Bridge1951 – B.C. Packers ship – shots of deep sea boat and dock1953 – Bowen Island scene from boat trip1958 – Boat Pier, Bowen Island, B.C.
Please visit the Vancouver Archives to find more amazing old photographs from the city’s past.
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