‘Theodore Too’ refloated after partial sinking in St. Catharines

The life-size replica of Theodore Tugboat, Theodore TOO, is upright again after suffering a partial sinking Tuesday.

Theodore’s owner, Blair McKeil, says the famous boat was safely righted and refloated on Thursday afternoon.

“We still have a lot of work to do, but we want to thank Olous Boag and his team from Ontario Shipyards for their immediate assistance and expertise,” an updated statement from McKeil read.

He also thanked the Urgent Response Team at the Canadian Coast Guard for providing the equipment used to mitigate any potential environmental concerns while refloating the tugboat.

McKeil said Theodore TOO had taken on water Tuesday while docked at the Ontario Shipyard in Port Weller, which left the tugboat partially submerged and resting on its “belly” in the mud.

The incident led to messages of concern from across Canada, including from Nova Scotia’s premier who wrote on X, “Theodore is a true Nova Scotia icon. It’s sad to see our old friend in such a damaged state.”

Theodore TOO had previously been docked in Halifax Harbour for 21 years before moving to Hamilton in 2021.

Since arriving in Ontario, the tugboat has visited more than 20 ports along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario to promote the marine industry and water conservation.