The Gooseboat of Merigomish is an interactive exploration of Nova Scotia’s maritime history through a single object: a goose boat.
Goose boats were built out of creativity and necessity, and played a vital role in Nova Scotia’s economy during the early 20th Century. The boats were then completely forgotten for over 70 years.
Working in collaboration with photographer and documentary filmmaker Katherine Knight, Helios Design Labs designed and developed The Gooseboat of Merigomish, an interactive documentary exploring Nova Scotia’s history of craftsmanship, subsistence, colonialism, environmental collapse, and current sustainability practices.
Each chapter explores a topic: the boat design, Brant Geese, Merigomish Harbour, the Migratory Bird Act Treaty, eelgrass then and now, and the social and cultural changes over the past century.
Click and drag to explore the 3D model
The original boat that this 3D model is based on is now on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. It was abandoned in 1918, and later discovered in a barn on Big Island in 1988.
This 3D model can experienced in-person using a large digital touchscreen at the Murray Family Public Library in Pictou. Users can interact and view the boat from any angle, including its internal mechanisms.
This project was supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Writer, Director, Video Editor, Producer: Katherine Knight
3D Visualization: Nicholas Rocha
Interactive Design: Helios Design Labs
Story Editor: Dian Day