Discover, Discuss & Connect: Adult Programming for Curious Minds

2025-2026 Schedule

The Wreck of the Waubano

In the early morning of November 22, 1879, the paddle steamer Waubuno departed Collingwood for Parry Sound, sailing in defiance of the November storms common to the Great Lakes. She never arrived. With no survivors and only scattered fragments recovered in the days and decades that followed, the tragedy fixed itself in the collective memory of Georgian Bay, becoming one of the region’s most retold maritime losses. This enduring story is rendered vividly in Collingwood artist Ernest “Ernie” Taylor’s monumental mural Wreck of the Waubuno. Join us as we explore the disaster through the expressive lens of Taylor’s iconic painting.

Great White Hurricane of 1913

No storm on the Great Lakes has been as deadly as the Great White Hurricane of 1913. For three days, high winds and heavy seas arose seemingly out of nowhere to claim over 30 ships and the lives of over 250 sailors. Through the stories of sailors who experienced the storm and the wrecks of ships claimed by this freshwater fury, we will examine the cause of the storm, its devastating impact on Canadian and American ports, and lasting changes to maritime safety made in its wake. Discover how this unprecedented storm reshaped weather forecasting and our understanding of the power contained within the Great Lakes.

The Edmund Fitzgerald

Fifty years ago this month, the Edmund Fitzgerald became the largest shipwreck in the Great Lakes when she sank under mysterious circumstances. Within a month of her sinking, Canadian folk artist Gordon Lightfoot had immortalized the ship, her crew, and the tragedy that befell them with the famous ballad, ”Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Together, we will retrace the steps of her final voyage as told in the iconic song to discuss what factors led to the sinking of the Fitzgerald and what information we have learned since the song was recorded.