Safe Harbour

Safe Harbour. . Tagish Lake contains a number of reefs and sand bars especially at Golden Gate where Taku Arm and Taku Inlet meet., Tagish and Bennett lakes are prone to fierce winds and in the fall of 1933, a heavy wind blew the Tutshi broadside against the ice, damaging the hull. The Natasaheen River, connecting the two lakes, provided a protected harbor where the Carcross-based boats could wait out the winter. The Tutshi was often left sitting in the water for the winter as the narrows by the railway bridge did not freeze. The boats were taken out of the water for repairs and could sit on the "ways" for the winter., Ways are the dry-dock assemblage of sliding boards and timbers used to haul big boats out of the water. Four steel cables were wrapped around the steamers with wooden pads protecting the hull. The cables were attached to four horse-powered capstans which moved in unison to winch the boats evenly up the way. The boats sat on "butter boards" which slid over the timbers, greased with tallow.