MV ATLINTO The ATLINTO was launched in 1911 by Jules Eggert. who had spend many hundreds of hours building the vessel over a period of two years. Her performance was, at first, disappointing. The engine persistently overheated, and no amount of tinkering could solve the problem. There were no other gas boats in the area, so there was a lack of local expertise to tap for a remedy. Eggert’s project was finally abandoned, and for years the pretty little boat sat on the shore. It was not until after Jules Eggert died in 1922, that his son, Paul and his grandson, Mickey were able to solve the engine problems and launch their glacier tour business. The glacier’s irresistible allure was present, and a trip to Llewellyn, that also had a dash of romantic appeal, was the midnight cruise on the ATLINTO, which took eager explorers to the glacier. Sailing time was 10 p.m., and with red ensign flying, the Atlinto cruised through the bewitching hours of a northern summer’s half light. At 1 a.m., passengers disembarked at the camp in Glacier Bay. A large tent, furnished with a few cots for guests overcome by fresh air and the late hour, and some picnic tables stood ready on the beach. After coffee and sandwiches, all interested hikers, usually from 10 to 18 people, took the trail to the glacier. Stewart James and Mickey Eggert, led the way over the moraine, misty with tiny wild flowers, and through ice cold streams where the ladies were often carried. As the sun rose over the mountains, they arrived at the broken face of the glacier, and the lake thick with icebergs. After exploring the mysteries of the ice, the hikers returned to the beach camp at about 7 a.m. to tackle plates of sizzling bacon and eggs with the appetite of miners. The ATLINTO returned to port through First Narrows and down the Torres Channel. She set a smart pace of 12 knots, so with time allowed for stops, she arrived back at the Atlin dock about noon. It was a memorable 14 hour tour, and well worth the $10 fare.
John Noland bought the ATLINTO in 1927, and for a number of years he offered similar midnight excursions. The boat also became part of his hunting outfit, used to carry hunters and their equipment. The 41 foot vessel is 9 feet wide, dry weight: 7500 pounds, and equipped with an inboard Brennan 40 horsepower, 4 cylinder engine. She boasts a double skinned hull constructed of cedar planking in a carvel design. Her keel is of oak, and many of her fittings are of brass. The ATLINTO was used extensively until the early fifties when she was beached at her present location. She is now owned by the Atlin Historical Society.