Film info

Creator / Collector

Description
The train begins its journey for Prince Rupert, whistling.

The train leaves behind a river of which the water is flowing in the opposite direction and the narrow railway line continues its path through the dense vegetation with the snowy peaks as a background.

We are now moving along a river, a bridge joins the two shores and a train interrupts our view. A short stop at a station and the journey continues through steep slopes, frozen rivers and tunnels.

A small dock offers us a view in the Pacific Ocean, for the first time throughout the journey. We cross the bridge to the Cayenne Island and reach Prince Rupert.

Footage from the port as ships move around and views of the city’s buildings. The lens also captures moments of the everyday life of the locals.

Coordinates

People

Film Information

Holder
Bonar, Andrew Graham

Quality
HD (1440x1080)

Sound
Yes

Color
Yes

Duration (seconds)
195

Format
Super 8mm

Creator's description


A welcome opportunity to get out and stretch our legs after some 17 hours on the train. But now we’re getting close to Prince Rupert, so as we follow the river the last miles down to the sea let’s have a look and see what the guidebook tells us about the place. Here we are: “Prince Rupert is a thriving city of more than 17,000 people, an important fishing centre and a principle port for … mm … there are five major cold storage plants, seven canneries … seven canneries. It’s known as the ‘halibut capital of the world’… the harbour played a strategic role in the Second World War. Oh, that’s interesting!
Our first sight of the Pacific Ocean… And now we are crossing the bridge to Cayenne Island, on which Prince Rupert is situated.
Journey’s end –and it feels a bit like the end of the world –we’re practically within shouting distance of Alaska here.
It’s a Sunday today, which no doubt accounts for the emptiness of the streets. But could this place be as thriving as the guidebook says? It is a little hard to feel convinced.
Mmm … it’s interesting to see that quite a number of the inhabitants are Indians –about a quarter of the population, in fact.
More totem poles, probably illustrating the supposedly illustrious history of upper-class Indian families from one of the indigenous tribes. Totem poles, incidentally, were never worshipped, as is sometimes supposed. They do not seem to have existed before about 1785. Normally they only lasted about 50 years, and when they fell they ceased to have any meaning and were allowed to rot.
All together there is not a great deal to do in Prince Rupert, unless of course you happen to like Kung Fu.
Bonar, Andrew Graham