Nothing says Muskoka like discovery. Hop aboard the amazing Segwun, North America's oldest operating steamship. Launch your curiosity on Wenonah II with all its modern conveniences. Celebrate milestones aboard the intimate Wanda III. It's the one-of-a-kind way to experience Muskoka.


The History of

THE MUSKOKA LAKES NAVIGATION COMPANY

General Background:
The Muskoka Lakes Navigation Company (a.k.a. NAVCO), from its founding in 1866 until its demise as a common carrier in September 1958, operated the largest and finest fleet of inland lake steamships in North America.  Its only rivals on inland waterways (that is not including the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and the British Columbia and Atlantic Coasts) were the Canadian Pacific Railway fleet on four inland lakes in British Columbia and the British Yukon Navigation fleet on the Yukon River in the Yukon Territory. These latter fleets, of shallow draft sternwheel steamers with overnight passenger accommodation, provided a quite different service from NAVCO on the Muskoka Lakes.   

The Company has operated under several corporate names since starting service in 1886.
• 1866: Small, primitive steamer Wenonah, built and owned by J.P. Cockburn, commenced service on the Muskoka Lakes. As far as is known, this early operation was not incorporated.
• 1881: Company incorporated as “Muskoka and Nipissing Navigation Company” and built steamer Inter-Ocean for service on Lake Nipissing. (See Tatley, Volume I, page 103)
• 1889:  following withdrawal of Lake Nipissing service account railway competition, Company started service between Midland and Parry Sound and was renamed “The Muskoka and Georgian Bay Navigation Company” (See Tatley, Volume I, page 149)
• 1903: following withdrawal of the Georgian Bay service, Company built the Royal Muskoka Hotel on Lake Rosseau. It then became “The Muskoka Lakes Navigation and Hotel Company Limited”. This Company dissolved in the 1950’s, following the burning of the Royal Muskoka Hotel and after selling the remaining steamers. (See Tatley, Volume I, page 265) 
• 1981: The name and charter of the Muskoka Lakes Navigation and Hotel Company Limited was revived to operate the restored steamer Segwun.

Thus, there are two distinct NAVCO histories. The first is the traditional steam era history where the Company served as a common carrier extension of the steam railways. It started with the one pioneer steamboat serving the earliest Muskoka settlers, grew as the territory developed as a prime tourist area and then declined after 1930 as both freight and passengers moved to the highways. This story ends with the withdrawal of the last steamers, Sagamo and Segwun, in September 1958, with the expectation that neither would run again.  
The second NAVCO story starts with the idea of refurbishing R.M.S. Segwun in 1969 and its resuming service in June 1981. This re-born NAVCO is a story in itself with the Segwun restoration being the only successful steamboat restoration in North America. This success story continues with the Company taking on the operation of the heritage steam yacht Wanda III in 1993 and the entirely new cruise vessel, Wenonah II in 2002.  The Company is now wholly owned by the Muskoka Steamship & Historical Society, a registered charity and the owner of the three ships.  As such, this revived NAVCO is not a common carrier but operates public cruises to preserve knowledge of the steam era and to let the public experience “the fun, romance and history” of the Muskoka Lakes.

With thanks to Dr. Gordon Shaw


Take a virtual Steamship Tour!Use the navigation below for more information about Real Muskoka!

Did you know?

  • The R.M.S. Segwun continues to be recognized by Canada Post as a "Royal Mail Ship" and that mail can be hand-franked or cancelled from the ship as they did more than 100 years ago.
  • In 1974, the Segwun was recommissioned by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
  • In 1996, the Wanda III Steam Yacht was recommissioned by Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
  • The Segwun's coal comes all the way from Kentucky.
  • Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre opened in 2006 and celebrates Muskoka's steamship era, grand resorts and hotels and the region's rich boat-building history.
  • Wenonah II is Canada's newest passenger vessel combining turn-of-the-century charm with modern conveniences such as air-conditioning and an on board elevator.
  • The Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre is home to North America's largest in-water display of antique and classic boats.
  • The ship's private label wine is one of the few given permission by the LCBO to be sold in stores throughout Ontario.
  • In 2001 and 2002, the Segwun won the award of "Best Large Attraction" by Attractions Canada.
  • In 1988, the Segwun won the prestigious "Phoenix Award" presented by the Society of American Travel Writers.  Recipients are chosen for their outstanding efforts in preservation and conservation.
  • In years past, a steamship purser used to take tickets as passengers boarded.  Today, our Purser is responsible for all guest services on board including your dining experience.
  • The Segwun used to carry passengers, freight and mail to a variety of ports on the Muskoka lakes before the days of the automobile.
  • Each year, the Segwun and Wenonah II host upwards of 30 memorable wedding ceremonies and receptions.
  • In recent years the shift to air transport for mail has left only three ships with the right to the prefix; RMS Segwun, which serves as a passenger vessel in Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada, RMS St Helena, which serves the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic,[9] and RMS Queen Mary 2. QM2 was conferred "RMS" by Royal Mail when she entered service in 2004 on the Southampton to New York route as a gesture to Cunard's history – The RMS Segwun is the oldest Royal Mail Ship in the world.