SS Prince Rupert

Marine Atlantic, its predecessor CN Marine, and pre-confederation Newfoundland coastal boats have a strong and proud history serving the people of Atlantic Canada through ferry terminals, passenger vessels and rail service.

In this week’s blog posting we highlight the SS Prince Rupert which serviced the Digby-Saint John route from 1885-1913.

A direct ancestor of the modern day Bay of Fundy Service, the SS Prince Rupert was the last of the paddlewheelers used between Saint John and Digby. With the ability to travel at an impressive 21 knots, the 260 foot vessel helped consolidate the Fundy service by forcing its competition out of business and becoming the main link between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the late 1800s.