Sisters of the Ice is a Meticulously Researched Biography of Two British Columbian ships that performed legendary service in the perilous and often lawless climate of the Canadian Arctic. This adventurous true story features everything from thrilling sea voyages to raucous whaling towns to daring escapes from dangerous ice conditions, and also details the history of the Northern communities in which these two vessels gained eminence. Under the command of Captain Henry Larsen, the sturdy RCMP vessel St. Roch enforced the law in the North while performing duties such as delivering medical supplies and taking census information. St. Roch is world renowned for being the first vessel through the Northwest Passage west to east, the first vessel to navigate the passage in both directions and the first vessel to circumnavigate North America. Inspired by St. Roch, acclaimed trapper and Inuit leader Fred Carpenter and his trapping partner, Fred Wolki, designed the elegant North Star of Herschel Island, the ultimate ice vessel used to transport furs, winter supplies and people between remote Banks Island and the mainland. Together, these two iconic ships helped unify Northern communities, solidify Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic and create a living symbol of Canadian identity. Book jacket.