Paris, 1867
World Fair
Regatta
Canada was
only a few days old when a lighthouse keeper and three fishermen
from Saint John, New Brunswick, dared to challenge the French and
British world champions at their own sport.
In their
"absurd" caps and leather braces, using what was defined by the
English newspapers as "a curious old-fashioned outrigger" weighing
100 pounds more than their opponents' modern boats, few had given
them a chance.
To the
astonishment of the crowd, they took the first event with ease and
won the second event by a full three lengths.
Champion
oarsmen of the world: Ross, Hutton, Fulton and Price became known
thereafter as the "Paris Crew."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The town of
Renforth was named in honour of the famous Tyne oarsman James
Renforth, who collapsed here during the Great Race against the
Paris Crew on the Kennebecasis River. I encourage you to visit the
nearby Great Race Monument at the following coordinates:
N 45° 22.257
W 066° 00.604
Watch the
Historica Minute about the crew here!
Cache is a
medium sized coffee tin with a log book and small trade items. FTF
certificate amongst original contents. A little bushwhacking may be
required.