LetYourImagination TakeFlight

Engaging, family-friendly event to recognize 90 years of aviation in Wasaga Beach to be held at Archives.

Wasaga Beach Archives in partnership with Edenvale Classic Aircraft Foundation (ECAF) are presenting a free, family-friendly event in celebration th of the 90 Anniversary of the attempted flight by the Seafarer II from Wasaga Beach to Baghdad. Take a flight in ECAF's miniplanes/pedal cars around our flight circuit and attend our “flight school of aviation crafts and activities”.

Visit the local aviation displays located in the Wasaga Beach Archives. Bring your own items and stop by our “Antique Roadshow Booth” with your hidden treasures of local aviation history that are hiding in your attic or basement. Get directions and hike the beach runway where the eventual th historic flight took off. (Beach #2 to 36 Street).

Date: Saturday, August 26th - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Wasaga Beach Archives are located at 140 Main Street.

Email: archives@wasagabeach.com

Website: wasagabeach.com/archives - Phone: 705-300-0203

British air ace Captain James Mollison and his wife, Amy Johnson, came to Wasaga Beach with their plane, Seafarer II in 1933. Their hope was to break the world's long distance flying record of 5,657.6 miles. They planned to fly to Baghdad, a distance of about 6,300 miles. Unfortunately, on the day of the planned flight there were high crosswinds, which interfered with the plane's attempts to become airborne. Damage was caused during one attempt, so the flight was called off. The Seafarer II was later purchased by James Ayling and Leonard Reid, restored, and renamed The Trail of the Caribou. On Aug. 8, 1934, a historic event happened in Wasaga Beach. James Ayling and Leonard Reid took flight in the Trail of the Caribou from the Wasaga beachfront, and landed in England, becoming the first to make the flight from Canada to England.