The first thing you notice about Bailey McIntee is that she brims with enthusiasm for her chosen path. The dream of having her own barge service was born early. Her dad operated a tree service in the area: joining him on calls, she learned a great deal about working with customers and running a company.
She also came to realize exactly what her future would hold. “I told my dad: one day I’m going to get a great big boat and call it Bailey’s Barge.”
A few years later, she took over running her dad’s business as he recovered from back surgery. Calling on the skills he taught her, she embraced the demands of being in charge: she did all the quoting, scheduling, ran the crew. All of it.
The barge becomes a reality
“We actually built my barge from scratch completely,” she grins. “We rented a shop. Because it was at the beginning of Covid, we had to order all the parts and components over the phone, then go and test them out in various parking lots to make sure they all worked so we didn’t drive it all back home and find out it wasn’t right.”
Flash forward and Bailey has done so many jobs that she can’t actually remember the very first one. Her customers are mostly contractors serving islanders who need construction materials and large appliances delivered. She also services clients on the Trent-Severn Waterway, as well as road-access properties that are just difficult to access by land.
“Some of the people we work for have a steep drop from their road to the shoreline. So, it’s often easier to work right from the boat,” she explains.
Large landscaping jobs, new builds, repairs to older retaining walls, and bringing in the appropriate heavy equipment for those jobs – it’s all possible for this dynamic company based out of Kahshe Lake.
The fleet includes a main barge that can transport 25 tonnes at a time, as well as a pontoon boat for smaller deliveries.
Bailey employs a small team, and it’s evident that she enjoys every aspect of the job, especially driving the barges, which frankly wouldn’t suit anyone impatient or faint of heart. Her safety-consciousness leads the way.
“Driving a barge is similar to what you deal with driving an 18-wheeler,” she says with a chuckle, “only on water. There’s no doing anything sudden when you have that much freight on board. You’re dealing with wind, and waves, and other watercraft. You have to take your time and be aware.”
As soon as the lake is open for the season each year, Bailey’s Barge services are in demand. Her combination of expertise, local business relationships, and reliability have resulted in repeat customers since she first launched her business.
It’s clear that Bailey has made good on her dreams and then some.
TEXT MARNIE WOODROW | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
