St. Roch (ship)

The St. Roch, prior to her extensive refit in Halifax, during World War II.

The RCMP St. Roch is a sailing ship, which was the second vessel to transit the Northwest Passage.

She was especially designed for work in the Canadian Arctic, and was launched in 1928. For most of her first twenty years afloat she was commanded by Henry Larsen.

During World War II Canada cooperated with her American allies, including allowing American Construction battalions to build the Alaska Highway. Prior to the construction of the Alaska Highway the only way to ship cargo and personnel to and from Alaska was by sea. Shortly after America's entry into the war Japanese forces captured several islands in the Aleutian chain, demonstrating the risk the Japanese Navy could cut off Alaska -- unless a road or rail connection could be built.

Unfortunately local American commanders treated their isolated bases as if they were occupied territory, placing the few local Canadian citizens under Martial Law. Some commentators assert that the real trigger for the St. Roch to try to transit the Northwest Passage was to further establish Canada's claim to the Arctic, in case the USA was tempted to annex the lands where it already held bases.

The St. Roch's first transit, the first from East to West, mainly followed Road Amundsen's route, and took 28 months. When she arrived in Halifax her refit included replacing her original small engine, which was only intended for emergencies, with a more powerful engine. She was re-rigged with her original main-mast removed, and a much smaller mast installed close to her stern, changing her from a schooner to a ketch.

Her return voyage, from Halifax to Vancouver, was completed in 86 days, and followed a different deep-water route, one practical for full-size vessels.

The St Roch would later transit the Panama Canal, on another voyage to Halifax. While American historians claim the nuclear submarine USS Nautilus was the first vessel to circumnavigate North America, it was actually the St Roch.

After she was retired from active service the Vancouver Maritime Museum built a pavillion to display her.