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Page 119 the vessel's Master, Capt. Ken Lowes, who received the Harbormaster's Top Hat. A year later, on December 31, Nipigon Bay was the last ship of the season passing down in the Welland Canal. She was taking ore to Hamilton on that trip. The economic slump of the early eighties claimed many vessels. Some failed to fit out for 1980 and others tied up after that year or 1981. The good times had come to an end for the inland fleet and before long entire companies were in jeopardy. The surprising swiftness of these events can be evidenced in the fact that Canada Steamship Lines sent Nipigon Bay to Thunder Bay from January to March, 1981 to receive a new trunk deck. This allowed the vessel to handle a greater payload, but I doubt if the expense was recovered as the ship only carried thirty cargoes in the next two years. Most, twenty-four, were grain. Sadly, Nipigon Bay seems to be at the end of the line. Yet, to mid-1988, she has eluded the scrappers. The vessel spent 1983 tied up at Montreal. On April 27, 1984, Salvage Monarch and Helen M. McAllister took the vessel to Kingston to repose beside Hochelaga to the west of the grain elevator. She was later joined by the T.R. McLagan. There, on September 21, 1986, vandals set fire to the mate's cabin and caused some smoke and water damage. With the old elevator slated for demolition, the lay-up fleet was moved to Toronto. Nipigon Bay's turn came and Glenside, Glenevis and Glenbrook towed her there. They arrived on November 4, 1987. Can Nipigon Bay really be through? One can hope not. She remains a sound ship and, despite the neglect of inactivity, a refit, even with the fire, would not be prohibitive. But a better economic climate must exist for a return to her old runs or a new specialized service must be developed. Nipigon Bay is too good a ship to be scrapped just yet, but then the same could have been said about the Arthur B. Homer, Wm. Clay Ford and Frank Sherman . . . □ NIPIGON BAY laid-up next to the HOCHELAGA at Kingston on September 21, 1986. Courtesy of Kingston Whig Standard