Camira (I)

Professor Trudy Cameron stated "Camira, launched 1975, was built by my father, William S. Cameron (July 29, 1924-Sept 11, 2006).

He lived aboard Camira at the Spruce Harbour Marina in False Creek in Vancouver until the early 1990s, when she was sold because an old motorcycle injury finally confined him to using crutches and it became too hard for him to get around on the boat, let alone to sail her. The boat stayed on for several years at the same marina, but I have not seen her in years now. The specifics of the boat under 371167 (Canada) are correct, as far as I can tell, but William S. Cameron ceased to own her long before 2012, as he died in 2006 and had lived in Mission BC for at least a decade before that. I’m sorry that I do not know whether she was subsequently owned by a Vincent W.L Bellerose in Edmonton Alberta, or by David & Margaux Blake, Victoria BC Canada. The Blakes, however, seem more likely, because it is highly doubtful that anybody would have moved the ferrocement Camira inland.

She was 32 tons of concrete, and not exactly trailerable." Trudy Ann Cameron reports that "Camira was constructed on Granville Island, just prior to its urban redevelopment phase. Construction began at Clay's Wharf, which was for many decades located west of the entry to Granville Island, in the southern part of the little bay that holds Fishermen's Wharf. Access to Clay's Wharf was under the south end of the Granville Bridge. The hull was then moved to the east end of Granville Island, next to the big crane (which may still be there). When first launched, Camira was moored temporarily at a pier, roughly where Bridges restaurant is now located, very close to the old railway bridge between Granville Bridge and Burrard Bridge. This vessel was then moved to the brand new Spruce Harbour Marina on the south side of False Creek, where this vesseloccupied a liveaboard berth (the outer spot at the end of the northwest float). Camira was occupied continuously by her builder until this vessel was sold in about 1993-1994. Her name was changed, and this vessel was moved to a different float in the same marina. Her builder, William S. Cameron, passed away on September 11, 2006, at age 82."