GORE BAY—A local shipping expert and author (who was a former employee) of Purvis Marine Limited says his new book on the history of the company, which is now 50 years old, was a “labour of love.”
The book ‘Purvis Marine Limited 50th Anniversary’ was written by Buck Longhurst of Gore Bay, a Great Lakes shipping vessel expert.
“We’re flattered that Buck wrote this book and I am extremely impressed by the history he has put together and the pictures that accompany the story,” stated Jack Purvis, owner of Purvis Marine Limited, from his office in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He noted Mr. Longhurst has actually written three books over the years on the company.
“Writing this new book was a labour of love,” acknowledged Mr. Longhurst, pointing out Purvis Marine Ltd. “is the second largest Canadian flag tug operator on the Great Lakes and Canada.”
The 78 page book is on semi-glossy paper and the book is full of colour photographs. “This history of Purvis Marine starts from the company’s formation to the end of 2016,” explained Mr. Longhurst.
Mr. Longhurst pointed out he worked on the book through the fall and winter months. The book went to the printers, Artista Design and Print Inc., based in Niagara Falls, at the end of March.
The beautiful colourful cover of the book has a photograph of the ship the Rocket, which Mr. Longhurst as the captain, was sailing at the time.
The book is dedicated to the memory of four individuals who helped make Purvis Marine Limited the success it has become, those being Captain Harvey Bell, Chief Engineer Ivan Ramsey, Captain Allan “Pop” Sanderson and Captain Fred Harrison.
“Purvis Marine Limited will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its founding in July 2017,” the book’s introduction reads. “With a fleet comprising of 15 tugs and workboats, 14 barges of various types and sizes plus crane equipped bulk carrier, a 387 foot, 2,500 ton capacity floating dry dock and a 13 acre intermodal transfer warehouse combined with a highly experienced and dedicated staff can provide quality services in all aspects of the marine industry from ship towing, salvage and repair, docking facilities, diving, ship scrapping, stevedoring services.”
“The remarkable success of Purvis Marine Limited is a direct result of years of hard work and entrepreneurial expertise on the part of the owner and the dedication of a highly skilled and in many cases multi-talented staff in the operation of a fleet of second hand units that former operators considered obsolete. It also resulted from being able to tap into the vast store of knowledge and expertise of the retired mariners that made up the crews from time to time.”
“It was not always so. After buying the tug Rocket in 1967 Jack Purvis, who at that time was teaching chemistry and physics at Bawating Collegiate and Vocational School, focused primarily on diving and salvage with volunteer crews being made up of friends, family members and students,” continues the book introduction.
“In 1971 it was decided that expansion into the marine contracting field was in order and this resulted in the purchase of the dump scow CD 105.”
“In the beginning, work was carried out in the late afternoon, weekends and school holidays with crews comprising of Jack Purvis, a high school teacher as master, Buck Longhurst, a letter carrier as crane operator, Ivan Ramsay, a retired marine engineer as both chief engineer and cook and Ivan Purvis, a high school student as a deck hand and on occasion, one of Jack’s friends or fellow teacher.”
He continued, “at first Purvis Marine was looked upon as a joke by the other marine operators but over the years the hard work, innovative ideas and dedication to a job well done has proved them to be very wrong.”
“Well I didn’t think that far ahead (50 years) when we started the company,” Mr. Purvis told the Recorder. “I was teaching, and boating was a hobby at the time. But it has certainly gone on a lot longer, and been better than I had anticipated. The support of my family and friends has helped out greatly.”
The book takes a detailed look at the man and his company, Captain Jack William Purvis, The Early Years, Expansion, Into the New Millennium and PML-At Work.
