From Teacher to Ambassador

Todd Miller’s Passion for the Great Lakes

By Laura Loan

Todd Miller’s connection to Silver Islet runs deep; he is a fifth-generation resident descended from the original settlers, James and Helen Cross, who arrived in 1871. His upbringing was steeped in the rich history of the area, igniting a lifelong passion for shipwrecks and lighthouses. This fascination laid the foundation for his unintentional future as a historian, lecturing to guests aboard the Great Lakes cruises for Viking cruise ships.

Miller’s love for the lakes is evident in his childhood memories of Paddle to the Sea, a story that inspired him to dream of exploring the waterways. He fondly recalls how, in first grade, he was captivated by the National Film Board of Canada’s adaptation of the story. “I was mesmerized as a six-year-old that [from] where I live in Thunder Bay, I can actually get all the way to the Atlantic Ocean on a boat; that just boggled my mind,” says Miller.

This early inspiration fueled his passion for the Great Lakes, which he now shares with cruise ship guests. In 2022, Miller began leading tours for Viking cruise ships, crafting experiences that highlight Silver Islet's mining heritage and the beauty of the Great Lakes. His lifelong friend was the catalyst for his future. “Kerry [Berlinquette] phoned us on a Wednesday and said, ‘okay, so the cruise ship is coming to Silver Islet, and they need tours,” Miller recalls.

His adventures have since taken him on remarkable journeys, including a 90-day cruise around the world (on which he did 76 days aboard), multiple tours of all the Great Lakes, and two expeditions to Antarctica. “The team I work with, a lot of them are expedition guides,” he says. “They work in polar regions. They work up on mountains. They work in the rainforest.” Each experience has added to his understanding of maritime history and the ecosystems he explores. Miller is impressed by Viking's commitment to environmental research. “They have a fully funded science program on a few expeditions,” says Miller. “They'll be taking water samples, checking for water temperature and microplastics in the water.”

On the Great Lakes, Miller says, “they try to count fish populations, to see what areas that might be stressed,” and points out how the cruise ship launches weather balloons alongside NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “We have lots of weather balloons being launched on land, but we don’t have any balloons being launched from above the lake in the water that much.” This scientific data is useful for insights into weather patterns and forecasting.

One of his most moving lectures is on the tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which occurred in 1975, when Miller was just seven years old. At the same time, he also faced the loss of his uncle in a boating accident. A tear-jerker that resonates with audiences, Miller discusses the haunting lyrics of Gordon Lightfoot’s tribute song and draws on references that highlight the depth of the story, using phrases like “The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead,” which evoke the powerful connection between the lake and its history.

After retiring in 2024 as a local educator, Miller now educates those from around the world as an ambassador of our region. Through his work with the cruise ships he builds connections to history and the environment. His favourite part? “We get to see our home through their eyes,” he says.