Ship's Crew (2012) and owners - The Prairie Lily - from the top, left to right:
Steward Kara Kindrachuk and Purser/First Officer Megan Dukart
Stewards Mel Savill and Rachel Bueckert
Engineer/First Officer Meghan Ruedger
Chief Engineer/First Officer Todd Linsley and Captain Tamara Sowellu
Owners Joan Steckhan, Captain Mike Steckhan, Valerie Kingsmill and Captain Peter Kingsmill
Photo by Louis Christ, taken at ship's christening ceremony June 13, 2012. The champagne was extra (the ship stayed alongside the dock that day!)
LAUNCH DAY INTO THE RIVER WAS MAY 31, 2012. CLICK TO SEE PHOTOS !!
A few words about the principals at Shearwater:
Captain Mike Steckhan
Senior Captain and Director of Shipboard Operations
Saskatchewan-born and raised, Mike spent 25 years with the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, from which he retired in 2011 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He earned a commendation for his work during the Manitoba floods (1997) and was a qualified chief engineer for minor warships as well as Senior NCO of Naval Port Security units. He is Senior Captain of The Prairie Lily and also serves as president of Shearwater Marine Services Ltd.
Joan Steckhan
CFO and Director of Marketing
A Certified Management Accountant, Joan has been a leader with industry and business development organizations in Saskatoon as well as the Kinsmen Foundation/Telemiracle. In addition, she is the business manager for three businesses and spent a number of seasons engaged in tourism promotion in her home community of Whitehorse, Yukon..
In addition to business interests, Joan contributes to the community, volunteering time to a variety of causes. Co-chairing a tremendously successful 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy reunion in Saskatoon, volunteering as a member of the local volunteer fire department and heritage church organization, and picking up select volunteer opportunities along the way, keep Joan engaged and connected. And being the bass player for the 17 piece Stone Frigate Big Band provides a creative outlet.
Valerie
Kingsmill
Director of 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"which first opened at Ruddell east of North Battleford (her croissant-based
full-course menus were featured in Where to Eat in Canada for nine
straight years). She was officially designated as The Prairie Lily'sDirector of Catering & Sales
"Godmother" at her June 2012 christening.
Peter Kingsmill
Port Captain
Peter serves as Port Captain for Shearwater River Cruises Ltd. He has been active in a variety of roles in the tourism and marine industries; Peter was one of the founders of the original Shearwater boat tours and marine services in Saskatoon, and worked extensively with the Canadian Tourism Commission between 2000 and 2008. He is a founder (and currently vice-chair) of the Redberry Lake (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve, and recently completed two terms as Mayor of his home community of Hafford . He received the Governor General of Canada's Conservation Award in 1992. Peter is also vice president for planning and support at Shearwater Marine Services Ltd.