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FOCUS-JUNE201231riverboatfromitsslipatKeyLargoFloridatoPortPerrytotakepartinthetownx19sx1cSteamboatsofScugogFesti-valx1d.ThefestivalwasstartedasawaytolaunchauthorPaulArculusx19newbookcalledSteamboatsonScugog.SomeonesuggestedtheycouldshowthemovieAfricanQueenduringthefestivalsoPaulrecallsscouringtheinternetforideasforthefestival.x1cIcameacrossastoryabouttheAfricanQueenwhichwaslocatedinFloridaandownedbyalawyerJimHendrickssocontactedhimtoseeiftherewasanychancethatwecouldgettheboattoLakeScugogtobepartofthefestivalx1dPaulrecalls.x1cHewasextremelyenthusiasticabouttheideaandagreedtotowitallthewaytoPortPerryonanopentrailerbehindhisbigdualwheeledpickuptruck.x1dPaulrecountsthatJimcompletelyenjoyedhimselfwhileenroutetoPortPerryandalsoduringhisstayintown.ButwhatheenjoyedmostwastakingvisitorsoutforarideonLakeScugogintheAfricanQueen.Itwasnx19tcompletelysmoothsailingaftertheboatarrived.Thex18SteamboatFestivalx19organizershadtogetMinistryapprovalforJimtotakepassengersoutontheboatsinceitwasregisteredasaUSAvesselandhadtobeinspectedforCanadianwaters.Paulsaidx1cIphonedtheauthoritiesandtheinspec-torwasquiteskepticalwhenItoldhimitwastherealAfricanQueen.Hecameandinspectedtheboatandofcourseitpassedwithnoproblem.x1dTheywerealsofacedwithhavingtoscourthelocallumberyardsforoakscrapsto4retheAfricanQueenx19sboiler.x1cJiminsistedthatoakwasthebestfuelforthesteamenginex1dhesaid.TheSteamboatFestivalprovedtobeahugesuc-cess.JeffHutchesonofCTVbroadcasteditsmorningshowlivefromthelakefron.Morethan3000peopleattendedtheeventovertheweekend.Unfortunatelythefestivalneverdid5oatpastthe4rstyearasweedsinthelakediscouragedothersteam-boatownerswhoweretakingpart.x1cTheirownersspentmoretimeinthewaterremov-ingweedsfromthepropsthanactuallydrivingtheirboats.Unfortunatelytheownersallsaidthattheywouldnotbringtheirboatsbacktothislakebecauseoftheweedsx1dPaulsaid.AfterthePortPerryfestivaltheAfricanQueenre-turnedtoitsberthinFlorida.JimHendricksdiedafewyearslaterandforadecadeafterhisdeaththefamouslittlecraftsatdecayinginitsslipneartheHolidayInnonKeyLargo.LastDecemberSuzanneandLanceHolmquiststruckadealwithHendricksx19sontoleasetheboatandrestoreitascloselyaspossibletoitsoriginalcondition.Followinga60000retro4ttheAfricanQueenreturnedtothewaterinAprilthisyear.Therestorationincluded4ttingtheoldgirloutwithanewsteelhullboilerandrecondition-ingoftheblackAfricanmahoganywood.Itwasa4ttingrestorationforthis100yearoldsteel-hulledsteamshipbuiltatEnglandx19sLythamshipyardin1912.Itwasknownasthex18Living-stonex19whentheBritishEastAfricaRailCompanyusedittocarrycargoandpassengersontheRukiRiverinwhatisnowtheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongountil1968.Yearsafterthe1951movieAfricanQueentheboatwasfoundinCairoEgyptpurchasedandshippedtotheUnitedStateswhereitsatdeteriorat-inguntilJimHendrickspurchaseditintheearly1980sforareported65000.CaptainHendricksashecametobeknownrestoredthevesselandrantouristtripsaboarditfromhisHolidayInnHotelintheFloridaKeys.ItwasalsoloanedoutforhistoriccelebrationsasfarawayasEngland...andyesPortPerry.AndnowyouknowthestoryofthefamousmovieriverboatthatmadeamemorablevisittoLakeScugognotsolongago.ByJ.PeterHvidstenFocusonScugogThelateCaptainJimHendricksisseenherewiththeplaquewhichproclaimedhimanhonouraryresidentofScugogTownship.ItwaspresentedtohimbyMayorDougMoffattinJune2000.TheAfricanQueenmadehermaidenjourneyafterrestorationonaKeyLargoFloridacanalThursdayApril122012.ThevesselissteeredbySteveBogartsecondfromrightsonofactorHumphreyBogartwhostarredintheflmwithKatharineHepburn.PhotocourtesyAndyNewmanFloridaKeysNews