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Goderich honours first ship with Top Hat Ceremony
Just five days shy of the vernal equinox, spring unofficially sprung in Goderich By Dominique Milburn
Friday March 28, 2008 Just five days shy of the vernal equinox, spring unofficially sprung in Goderich as it welcomed its first ship of the season just past midnight on March 15.
The arrival not only kicked off the annual Top Hat ceremony tradition in the Port of Goderich, it also marked the earliest arrival since the ceremony was first recorded in 1932.
“Nowadays it’s the middle of March that ships are arriving; it used to be the middle of April,” Cpt. Jim Leaney of the CSL Niagara said of the shipping season’s earliest arrival. “We used to get three months off, it’s really cutting back our vacation!”
Goderich’s 2007 Shipping season officially ended in February 2008, according to Goderich Mayor Deb Shewfelt. In earlier years, the season would end in its own calendar year, but due to warmer winters and less ice time, the off-season has been cut back– sometimes to just one month.
But that didn’t stop Cpt. Leaney from donning his formal duds and heading up to Goderich Town Council Chambers to receive the status symbol indicative of wealth and power and steeped in tradition. Cpt. Leaney made his second signing to the ceremonial Top Hat just past noon on March 17. He was the first vessel captain to the port in on March 16, 2006– the previous recorded early arrival.
“The Top Hat Ceremony is pretty unique and [one of] the last of our oldest traditions,” Cpt. Leaney said.
During his career, Leaney has taken part in more than 10 such ceremonies in places like Toronto and Windsor.
[The ceremony is] hanging on, we’ve lost so many,” he added. “Years ago it was a big to-do, a race to get into port first, it was quite a thing.”
It’s good news for Goderich, said Shewfelt, indicating that the appearance of the Top Hat is more reliable than any groundhog’s shadow.
“First its Young Canada Week, then the Top Hat– that means its spring in Goderich.” said a jubilant Shewfelt, who has overseen about 15 Top Hat ceremonies throughout his career.
“A lot of places don’t do it anymore, but we’ve been going on since 1932, probably even before that.”
During its own 76 years in service the Top Hat itself has welcomed all 76 signatures and dates on its inner rim, but it seems to be awaiting its pension so it can sail into retirement.
“There’s not a lot of room left in it,” said Shewfelt. “In the next few years we may need to think about a replacement hat and send this one to the museum.”
After a whirlwind affair with the illustrious Top Hat, Cpt Leaney returned to the CSL Niagara, which was in the midst of loading more than 30,000 tones of salt headed for Milwaukee. Cpt. Leaney speculated that the vessel would set sail from the Port of Goderich just after 1 a.m on March 18. |
