The ongoing pandemic has sunk the Chinese junk boat tour business in Charlottetown.
Monte Gisborne, 57, and his family were preparing to enter their fourth summer at Peakes Quay Marina until the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) struck and turned the world upside down.
Gisborne and his wife, Luo Dan Ni (Daniela), just made it to the break-even point at the end of the 2019 season. But with no cruise ship passengers coming into port this year, which accounts for half their revenue, they have decided to leave the boat in dry dock.
Monte has resided in Three Rivers for years but the family has been living in Coquitlam, B.C., since January.
“The plan was to return to P.E.I. this summer and do our usual thing and operate the tour ... (but) the tides of change have changed us,’’ he said.
“We have no business to come home to, so what do you do?’’
Monte isn’t ready to say whether the state of the world right now means the boat will never sail again. The bank has given them a bit of debt relief but his insurance provider says it will cost more to insure the boat this season, despite the fact there are no tourists to bring in revenue. And, the marina isn’t offering any discounts this year either.
The red Chinese junk boat was a distinctive attraction at the marina. It is, or was, the only junk ship in Canada and it is believed to be only one of seven in North America. The boat was built in 1968 out of authentic Burmese teak wood. Junk boats are an ancient form of Chinese boats that were used as early as the second century.
Did you know?
- The term junk boat has no relation to garbage. It is based on the Chinese terms Zhong and chuan (which means boat) and was gradually changed to “junk’’ after Southeast Asia was colonized by the French and later the English.
- Junks are an ancient style of ship that have evolved through the years and are believed to be the first to use stern-mounted rudders.
- Junks were used by Admiral Zheng He during his expeditions from 1405-1433, commanding a fleet of more than 300 ships and about 30,000 sailors.
- Junks can still be found today throughout Southeast Asia although modern recreational boats customized to look like junk boats are more common.
Monte has had a passion for Asian culture since growing up in a heavily Chinese area of B.C.
The couple’s daughter, nine-year-old Dominica, was also heavily involved in the tour business, which ran the past three years usually well into November.
“She was the star attraction on our boat,’’ Monte said.
“The American tourists loved giving her tips and she became sort of like a babysitter on the boat for tourists’ kids. She spent three to four months on the water with us.’’
Despite the obvious business challenges the family is facing, they still thought about coming home to P.E.I. They are permanent residents of the Island.
“We don’t want to leave the Island permanently and close that chapter of our life,’’ Monte said. “That wasn’t the reason why we came out here.’’
Daniela said she considers the boat family and she misses life on P.E.I. However, Daniela admitted to having mixed feelings about travelling anywhere. She doesn’t want anyone in the family contracting the virus but that’s not all.
Daniela is from Wuhan, China, where the virus originated. She and Dominica were in Wuhan during the outbreak but made it back to Canada. Both have tested negative for the virus.
She said it stung when U.S. President Donald Trump referred to the virus as the “Chinese virus’’ and worries about xenophobia.
“I am hesitant (of travelling) also because of the view (some people have) of the Chinese culture,’’ Daniela said. “We all want to come back to P.E.I. but ... for now, the most important thing is our health and to be safe. I saw with my own eyes the situation in Wuhan with what happened. Maybe we can continue to do the business next year.’’
Dominica told The Guardian she misses her friends on the Island and is sad she won’t get to visit the Kings Castle Provincial Park in eastern P.E.I. this summer.
“My friends and I used to read Mandarin books and and we’d talk all night,’’ said Dominica. “I miss my friends.’’
Monte said they will return to the Island when it’s safe to do so — and he hopes to put the boat back in the water.
“I can think of nothing I would like better than to take tourists out for a beautiful tour of Charlottetown harbour, which is one of the most beautiful harbours on the planet, in my opinion, and do that for the twilight years of my life.’’
