Aaron Sunday, who recently retired as Captain for Beausoleil First Nation, spoke with Stephanie Reed about some of his experiences as a life-long resident of Chimnissing. 

S: I was hoping you could tell me a bit about yourself and your family’s history on the island.

A: I am a kidney transplant recipient – it has been 7 years now. My sister gave me the kidney that saved my life. I would not be here today without her or my wife, Pamela, and boys, Braedon and Connor.

My family has been here since Christian Island was first inhabited.  My grandfather’s family started in Alderville First Nation.  And my great-great-grandfather fought in the war of 1812.

S: What did your grandparents do for a living?

A: My grandfather was a farmer. And he had to look after 16 kids. He raised them all.

S: Did your dad farm at all?

A: No, actually my dad was a Captain on the ferry for more than 20 years.

S: Do you have any important messages your parents passed onto you?

A: One of the most important things you learn when living on an island is you never disrespect the water. Because you know it could take you in an instant. So we never do anything foolish. You’ve got to always be smart.

S: Did you have any nicknames growing up?

A: *Chuckles* Yeah, I broke my leg when I was 10. My dad used to call me Chester because of the old western movies. There was always a guy limping around. My one leg was about an inch shorter than the other one. But I don’t answer to that name anymore.  Everyone calls me Captain now.

S: What did you want to be when you grew up? Were you always thinking about working on the ferry?

A: No honestly, I wasn’t. I didn’t want to follow in my dad’s footsteps. I wanted to be on my own and do my own thing. But I pretty much ended up following his footsteps in my own life choices. He was a bus driver down in Toronto with the TTC. And I ended up being a school bus driver for the island for about 6 years. And then I started on the ferry to support my family and get a full-time job.

S: Do you have a favourite memory of being on the water in Georgian Bay or a memory that sticks out?

A: There are a few rescues we had to do. Some sad, some happy. I had to pull a member out  of the water who was in the water for a couple days.  We used the hovercraft that time.  When my family asks if I was ever scared – I say not really. I would want someone to get me out of the water if I was ever in there, peace of mind for the family.

S: Yeah, you put yourself in their shoes I guess.

A: Yeah, cause I lost a few of my cousins in the water when I was 19. I was haunted the entire time they were searching for them.

S: That must’ve been so difficult. I’m sorry.

A: Yeah, so that’s the issue sometimes. With the ferry, sometimes you are needed when things happen.

S: Do you have any stories from your grandparents about the island?

A: When we used to live at my great-grandparents house, that’s where we moved when we were small.  He was a Minister. And my great-great-grandfather was the first Ordained First Nations Minister in Canada.

After he fought in the war of 1812, he lived in England for 2 years. That’s where he became a Minister.   I didn’t know my mom’s father because he passed when she was four years old. My grandfather was Douglas Monague, one of the first ferry captains on the island. So I am a third generation Captain. The lake is named after him. Douglas Lake.  Then my dad became Ferry Captain, and I followed in his footsteps and I became Captain. Which is why I wore a uniform, third generation.  I took pride in my job and what I did for the community.

S: Is there something you’ve always wanted to do that you haven’t done yet?

A: I don’t know. I’ve travelled to almost every Great Lake, except for Michigan. I used to take the ferry down to Hamilton Harbour, and come from Georgian Bay all the way around with the ferry. Lake Huron, Lake Sinclair, across Erie, across Lake Ontario.  It used to take us 5 days.  I’ve never been out so far that you couldn’t see land on either side.

S: Do you have any fears?

A: *Laughs* I’m actually a little afraid of heights. And people used to ask me, “Are you afraid when the boat gets crashed with waves” and I say, “No”.   I’ve had a couple of times with one engine only. And it’s really hard because the engines are offset, so they both work simultaneously to keep the boat straight. And if you come in with one engine, it’s constantly pulling you one way. And I’ve come in on a 35 Knot wind with one engine. Got it safely back into the harbour.  I had to steer it about a mile wide to make sure I was coming in at the right angle.

S: Do you have a memory or achievement you are most proud of?

A: Yeah, just a couple of years ago, the Maiden caught on Fire. My guys were fighting the fire, while I was driving the ferry. I got all the passengers out, and managed to turn the boat around and bring it back to Christian Island. On one engine again.

S: While it was on fire?

A: While it was on fire, yes. I got the passengers onto the back deck, and they got ready to abandon ship. But we were breaking ice at the same time. So they couldn’t hop on the ice. But my guys were down there fighting the fire, and I had turned one engine off and just used the other engine. Made it back to the island.

S: What caused that?

A: There’s an oil pressure hose that goes through the gauge. The line that feeds the cage has oil in it, and it broke off. And when it broke it off, it got heated from the exhaust. And it  caught fire and started shooting fire everywhere. When that happened, the guys noticed  the smoke and used 5 extinguishers on it.  That was in March about 3 years ago now. The mechanic who came in assessed the damage and said we were really lucky. He  said when the line caught fire and it was spraying fire everywhere, said we could’ve lost the Maiden that day if I hadn’t shut one engine off because the oil pump kept pushing out and feeding the fire.

That was the only time the Indian Maiden caught on fire. But the Sandy Graham has too actually.  We had a full boat too.  Not too many people know, unless you were on the boat. But I got everyone off.  We have a lot of training. It’s not like back when my dad was the Captain. They didn’t have any licensing. Nobody bothered them because we are First Nation. But now, we have to go by the standards, which are pretty heightened.

S: Do you have a favourite place or spot on the island? To go watch the sunset or something?

A: Yup, I usually go up to Blue Point or Big Sand Bay.

S: Where’s Blue point?

A: Blue point? It’s north-west of West Beach.

S: What’s your favourite weather on the island?

A: I like it all.  I like winter because the air is so fresh and crisp.

S: Do you have any keepsakes you’ve held onto over the years?

A: My grandfather, Enuk, used to be a woodworker. He used to make axe handles and hammer handles, shovel handles, all homemade. I took his handle and I took his plow. My dad said he used to be out there all day long, in his fields, plowing.  So I got those two things.

S:  Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.

A:  Thank you.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity*