Exhibit recalls sinking of Princess Sophia
Normally in this space, I’d be writing about a new, modern cruise to some far-off place.
Today I want to write about a ship that hasn’t sailed for more than a century, and what the Maritime Museum of British Columbia in Victoria is doing to commemorate its legacy.
This October marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Canadian Pacific steamer Princess Sophia in Alaska’s Lynn Canal. Returning from Skagway and bound for Vancouver on the last run of the season, she ran aground on Vanderbilt Reef and sank with all aboard. It is still considered the worst maritime disaster in the Pacific Northwest.
Earlier this month, the Maritime Museum of British Columbia (MMBC) launched a commemorative exhibit on the ship, its passengers and its crew.
Running at the museum’s Humboldt Street location until March 11, the exhibit assembles artifacts from the wreckage that have been graciously loaned from various collections around the world, bringing pieces of the ship that was once a staple of the Inside Passage together again after a century.
There are also interactive components to the exhibit, including digital profiles of all of the Princess Sophia passengers and crew; a virtual reality tour of the ship; and a documentary on the ship, produced expressly for the museum.
As the author of a book on the sinking of this little-known ship (Stranded, 2015, Dundurn Press), I attended the inauguration events Jan. 11 at the museum and was struck by just how much work the entire team has put into this event. It once again brings to life not just the Princess Sophia, but also shines a light on just how important these coastal steamers were to British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska.
Perhaps more importantly, it does so for an entire generation of folks who have never heard of the Princess Sophia, and aren’t aware of British Columbia’s rich maritime heritage that dates back to the very beginnings of this province.
It’s well worth a day trip to Victoria to see, particularly as the museum is steps away from the waterfront, the parliament buildings and the famous Fairmont Empress Hotel.
After Victoria, the exhibit will travel to the Vancouver Maritime Museum before heading to the State Museum in Juneau, Alaska, and the Yukon Arts Centre in Whitehorse.
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