Meet the Original Shipster

Born and raised around Lake Ontario, Heather was always fascinated by ships, shipwrecks, and the lives of those who go to sea. After completing her Bachelors Degree at Trent University and a Museum Management and Curatorship Post-Graduate Diploma at Fleming College, she headed to the rugged shores of St. John's, NL for an internship. One summer next to the ocean was all it took for her to fall in love with the place, and she’s been travelling, exploring, and learning about this province and Canada as a whole, ever since.

This blog is a place where all those years of stories, histories, and narratives come together. Maritime travel was an essential component in the creation of Canada, and yet remains one of the least well known aspects of our history. Heather searches for stories from every province and territory to shine a light on the ships, boats, barges, and people who helped shape this country. It’s her hope to share she learns in an accessible, fun, and interesting way to ensure that this part of Canada’s history is never forgotten. 

When she’s not looking to the past, she’s learning about the future. You can occasionally find her down in St. John’s Harbour, chatting with crew members of vessels that are new to the city and asking where they’re heading next. Since starting this blog in 2014, Heather’s been fortunate enough to interview crew members on tugs, anchor towing vessels, ice breakers, and research vessels, as well as tour the Arctic Sunrise, C3/Polar Prince, CCGS Molly Kool, and DSSV Pressure Drop.

Right now, Heather is a graduate student at Memorial University, researching how gender and professional lives intersect in maritime industries. She also presented a paper in 2019 on centring Canadian history around our waterways, rather than the terrestrial westward expansion that our narratives are built on. This focus would include Indigenous narratives of innovation and exploration, and is one step Heather is taking in decolonizing her approach to Canadian history.

If you have questions or stories to share, don't hesitate to reach out. You can find Heather on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or just send her an e-mail. She is also on InformedOpinions, whose mandate is to see gender equity in media by 2025.

Heather is also an historian for hire and is happy to discuss research contracts, fact-checking assignments, and speaking engagement opportunities.

Enjoy your stay!