Montreal Port Open House

The Montreal Port had an open house today. I couldn't actually make it in time to do their wonderful inside tours, but I did get to see this exhibit.

Every year, the port makes a brand new one of these Gold Headed Canes to give the captain of the the first ship of the year that makes it all the way in to the harbour without stopping. Yes it is real 14kt gold (in Sri Lanka 14kt gold is *not* real gold!!! It is the 22kt one that is the "real" one!!). It used to be about April or May when the first ship would make it, without stopping, but technology has allowed for quick ice removal that now a days, within hours of dawn of the new year, this cane is awarded to some captain.

It takes so many other people who work at the harbour to have a ship make it through the icy waters; in reality the captain seems like the one who should be least credited with this feat; but like so many things in life, it is the brass that gets credit!!