Theodore Tugboat replica partially sinks at Ontario dock, awaits effort to refloat

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — The Theodore Tugboat replica that was long a fixture in the Halifax harbour is listing heavily with its red-capped head just above water after partially sinking Tuesday in Ontario.

A news release from the boat’s owner says the life-size version of the TV character began taking on water and as of Wednesday morning it was resting on the bottom in shallow water beside a dock in St. Catharines.

The release says the cause of the sinking is unclear, but it holds out hope that Theodore will sail again.

“A skilled and dedicated team of men and women are actively working on a comprehensive plan to safely right the tugboat and refloat him with utmost care,” it says, adding that steps are being taken to mitigate any environmental impact.

The boat’s owner Blair McKeil — who is also the CEO of Breakwater Financial — said in a social media statement that nobody was injured when the boat christened Theodore Too went down.

McKeil purchased the tug in 2021 from the Halifax-based tourism company Ambassatours Gray Line, which put the tug on the market when COVID-19 brought tourism revenues to a halt.

Since arriving in Ontario, Theodore Too has made over 20 stops along the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

The replica was built in Dayspring, N.S., and launched in 2000, delighting fans of the children’s TV show that aired on CBC TV between 1993 and 2001. Early on it spent summers on the Great Lakes and on the eastern seaboard in Canada and the United States, promoting Nova Scotia as a tourism destination. From the mid-2000s onward, the tug hosted child-themed tours of the Halifax harbour.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston took note of the nautical mishap, writing on the social media platform X that he was sad “to see our old friend in such a damaged state” but relieved that the owner plans to refloat the tugboat. “Stay strong, Theodore!” Houston wrote.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2024.

— By Cassidy McMackon in Halifax

The Canadian Press