In terms of special moments of human contact within the maritime world, Sylvie Vachon would probably put at the top of the list the event known as the Gold-Headed Cane, when such a prestigious prize is presented to the captain of the first ocean-going vessel to reach the Port of Montreal without a stopover at the start of a new navigation season. It is generally believed that the custom goes back to about 1840 - or in the days when the port was frozen over in the winter months and did not open until April. Today, the event celebrates a world-class seaport that has been open year-round since 1964.
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