“North Star, later North Star of Herschel Island, a 57 foot wooden sloop, was ordered by two inuvialuit fur trappers, Fred Carpenter and James (Jim) Wolki and built in San Francisco in 1935. She was transported to the North on Pedersen’s boat, Patterson. She was designed from suggests by the two Inuk men by Ole Andressen who would later go on to become first mate aboard the RCMP patrol vessel, St. Roch.

With a hull shaped like a clipper ship, the new North Star served for many years as an Arctic supply ship, travelling to and from Banks Island.”

“She was purchased by her second owner in 1967 and refit for navigation in the Beaufort Sea. From 1968 until 1973 she was used for scientific investigations in the Arctic Ocean. Subsequent voyages included a charter by the Canadian government under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to survey the British Columbia Alaska boundary. Other trips included ecological adventures, sail training and a Cambridge University scientific voyage to search for mermaids.”