PORT ALBERNI - Instead of being shipped over seas, an historic Port Alberni steamship will be spending her retirement years right here on Vancouver Island.  The MV Lady Rose has plied the waters of the west coast, from Howe Sound to Barkley Sound, for more than six decades. While its sailing days may be over, there's big plans in store for the Lady Rose.

Owner Mike Surrell said the boat has been up for sale for roughly two years. After a deal with the city of Port Alberni fell through, Surrell says he fielded plenty of interest from buyers in South America and Asia. But he wanted to keep the boat on the Island.

Surrell says he wanted to keep the boat on Vancouver Island, and was delighted when he reached a deal with Jamie's Whale Watching in Tofino. The company is planning to renovate the Lady Rose into a floating restaurant.