Ship arrives at Queens Quay, collects booty ($100) luckily no pirates to be seen

Saw this press release move through earlier today. Shipping season arrives at our harbour.

The Toronto Port Authority is pleased to announce the arrival of this year's first ocean-going vessel into port via the
St. Lawrence Seaway this week.
It's another sure sign that Spring is here, and the TPA will mark the occasion by honouring Captain Yang Sibing of the MV Wigeon with a beaver hat
in a traditional ceremony that dates back 148 years. The Wigeon, a 22,790 metric tonne vessel operated by Montreal's Canfornav Inc., is bringing a cargo
of sugar to the Redpath Sugar facility from Colombia.
The storied hat used in the ceremony originally belonged to Captain John Hooper Meade, who immigrated to Canada from England in 1828. Capt. Meade
became a successful Toronto merchant and landowner with holdings on Centre Island as well as a hotel and two steamer vessels. Made by Christies Hats of
London from silk and beaver pelt, Capt. Meade donated the hat to mark the occasion in 1861. His grandson, Captain John Allen, was Toronto's Harbour
Master from 1925-30.
The ship's captain will be "crowned" with the antique hat by TPA Harbour Master Angus Armstrong in a photo opportunity. Earlier in its history, the hat could be worn by the captain of the first spring "saltie" in port for 24 hours, but this tradition was discontinued after several mishaps in which the custodians of the hat felt the need to celebrate by overindulging in downtown taverns.
The captain will also receive the traditional $100 cheque (the amount has not changed in approximately 80 years) and a commemorative briefcase.

Friday, May 1, 2009
10 a.m.