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Peter and Valerie Kingsmill started offering boat tours for birdwatchers at Redberry Lake in 1989, where for several years the tours were operated in partnership with The Redberry Pelican Project. In 1996 Peter teamed up with two Saskatchewan tourism professionals and started Shearwater Properties Ltd., the company that designed, built and operated the Saskatoon Lady on the river in Saskatoon from 1996 through 2002. Peter and Valerie bought controlling interest in the company in 2002, purchasing and re-fitting the passenger motor vessel now named Saskatoon Princess (originally named the Queen of Ottawa plying the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa).

A few words about principals and senior staff at Shearwater and the Saskatoon Princess!

Peter has been active in a variety of roles in the tourism and marine industries, both nationally and locally. He served as Editor of TOURISM magazine for the Canadian Tourism Commission between 2000 and 2008, and has been Mayor of his home community (Hafford) since 2006. He was awarded the Governor General of Canada's Conservation Award (1992) and Tourism Saskatchewan's Fred Heal Tourism Ambassador Award (2002). He is credited with bringing to fruition the designation (2000) of the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO) which includes the Town of Hafford, Redberry Lake, and the surrounding watershed.

British-born and Australia-raised, Valerie brings over thirty years of restaurant and service industry experience to Shearwater. In the 1980s she was the creative brains behind the small - but nationally recognized - tea-room franchise Emmett's Tea Room based at Ruddell, where the croissant-based full-course-meal menu was featured in Where to Eat in Canada for nine straight years. Valerie is Shearwater's "voice on the telephone" when clients call to book tours and dinner cruises, and very often can be found behind the barbecue onboard the Saskatoon Princess, cooking and serving top-quality food prepared to her exacting specifications by Emco Finer Foods of Saskatoon.

Ian joined the company this spring as Captain of the Meewasin Queen; he hails from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and has served as Master of a number of industrial ships, largely in the fishing industry. He is also an accomplished marine electrician and carpenter.

Sarah is Peter and Valerie's youngest daughter and a Director of the company. She has, to some extent, followed in the footsteps of her great grandfather Admiral Sir Charles Kingsmill, first director of the Canadian Navy; she spent 4 years as an HMCS Jervis Bay Cadet (at Saskatoon's HMCS Unicorn), finishing her last year as a staff sailing instructor at Fort Qu'Apelle and sailing as "Skip" in the Western Canada Summer Games. Sarah's specialty with Shearwater is operating the company's service boats and serving as a rigger during launch and dry-docking procedures. Her husband Calvin is the company's go-to equipment mechanic and welder; together Sarah and Calvin and their children raise cattle and grain on the third-generation LaFreniere family farm at Mayfair, northwest of Saskatoon.


	Home	Here to serve you! Peter and Valerie Kingsmill started offering boat tours for birdwatchers at Redberry Lake in 1989, where for several years the tours were operated in partnership with The Redberry Pelican Project. In 1996 Peter teamed up with two Saskatchewan tourism professionals and started Shearwater Properties Ltd., the company that designed, built and operated the *Saskatoon Lady* on the river in Saskatoon from 1996 through 2002. Peter and Valerie bought controlling interest in the company in 2002, purchasing and re-fitting the passenger motor vessel now named *Saskatoon Princess* (originally named the *Queen of Ottawa* plying the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa). A few words about principals and senior staff at Shearwater and the Saskatoon Princess! Peter Kingsmill Managing Director Captain, M.V. Saskatoon Princess Peter has been active in a variety of roles in the tourism and marine industries, both nationally and locally. He served as Editor of TOURISM magazine for the Canadian Tourism Commission between 2000 and 2008, and has been Mayor of his home community (Hafford) since 2006. He was awarded the Governor General of Canada's Conservation Award (1992) and Tourism Saskatchewan's Fred Heal Tourism Ambassador Award (2002). He is credited with bringing to fruition the designation (2000) of the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO) which includes the Town of Hafford, Redberry Lake, and the surrounding watershed. Valerie Kingsmill Manager, Catering & Sales British-born and Australia-raised, Valerie brings over thirty years of restaurant and service industry experience to Shearwater. In the 1980s she was the creative brains behind the small - but nationally recognized - tea-room franchise Emmett's Tea Room based at Ruddell, where the croissant-based full-course-meal menu was featured in Where to Eat in Canada for nine straight years. Valerie is Shearwater's "voice on the telephone" when clients call to book tours and dinner cruises, and very often can be found behind the barbecue onboard the *Saskatoon Princess, cooking and serving top-quality food prepared to her exacting specifications by Emco Finer Foods of Saskatoon. Janelle Seaborg Chief Steward Janelle hails from Central Butte, Saskatchewan, and is studying kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. She is in her second season with Shearwater, and serves as Chief Steward for both the Meewasin Queen and the Saskatoon Princess. Ian James Captain, MV Meewasin Queen Ian joined the company this spring as Captain of the Meewasin Queen; he hails from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and has served as Master of a number of industrial ships, largely in the fishing industry. He is also an accomplished marine electrician and carpenter. Calvin and Sarah LaFreniere Mechanical and Operations* Sarah is Peter and Valerie's youngest daughter and a Director of the company. She has, to some extent, followed in the footsteps of her great grandfather Admiral Sir Charles Kingsmill, first director of the Canadian Navy; she spent 4 years as an HMCS Jervis Bay Cadet (at Saskatoon's HMCS Unicorn), finishing her last year as a staff sailing instructor at Fort Qu'Apelle and sailing as "Skip" in the Western Canada Summer Games. Sarah's specialty with Shearwater is operating the company's service boats and serving as a rigger during launch and dry-docking procedures. Her husband Calvin is the company's go-to equipment mechanic and welder; together Sarah and Calvin and their children raise cattle and grain on the third-generation LaFreniere family farm at Mayfair, northwest of Saskatoon.
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