Bluenose Country

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Then as now, the press knew a good story when they saw one; no sooner had Bluenose won its first International Fishermen's Race in October than local and international newspapers seized upon the excitement of victory. They immediately understood that this was no ordinary fishing vessel, and that the potential for marketing and exploiting the schooner was endless. Over the years, Bluenose has been a symbol for many things. In the s, it represented Nova Scotia's prominence in the fishing industry and international trade. Its unmistakable grace, elegance of design and efficiency under sail were advertisements for the architect, William J.

The captain, Angus Walters, and his crew were world-famous, admired for their spirit of adventure, their courage, and for their resourcefulness in the face of unrelenting danger at sea. In the hard times of the s, Bluenose reinvented itself. With all the dazzle of a carnival queen, the schooner became a showboat, trading on its fame and visibility, available for public cruises — and for any advertising opportunity that sailed by. Everywhere Bluenose went the press followed, culminating in the last Fishermen's International Races, revived in off Boston and Gloucester, Massachusetts, where it was once again victorious.

After there was no more glory. Despite efforts to have the vessel preserved as a 'national institution', Bluenose was sold out-of-country and became a tramp schooner in the Caribbean; it was wrecked off Haiti in , but never forgotten.

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Angus Walters remembered; so did the crew members, other Lunenburgers, Nova Scotians in general, and admirers all over the world — every one of them in love with Bluenose 's elegance, audacity, elusive mystique, and with its unbeaten record as Queen of the North Atlantic Fishing Fleet. Like a ghost ship, in Bluenose returned. The design, that was accepted and later built was a combination of the designs of both Nova Scotian and American shipbuilders had been constructing for the North Atlantic fishing fleet.

The vessel was constructed of Nova Scotian pine , spruce , birch and oak and the masts were created from Oregon pine. The vessel had a beam of 8. Bluenose ' s mainmast reached Her mainboom was The schooner's keel was laid in The Governor General the Duke of Devonshire drove a golden spike into the timber during the keel-laying ceremony. Bluenose was completed in April and performed her sea trials out of Lunenburg.

On 15 April, the schooner departed to fish for the first time.

Lunenburg schooners carried eight dories , each manned by two members of the crew, called dorymen. From the dories, lines of strong twine up to 2. The dorymen would haul in the catch and then return to the ship. This was done up to four times a day. Bluenose ' s captain and part owner for most of her fishing and racing career was Angus Walters. As Walters only had master's papers for home waters, Bluenose in some international races was sometimes under the command of the deep sea Lunenburg captain George Myra until the schooner reached the racing port.

After a season fishing on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland under the command of Angus Walters, Bluenose set out to take part in her first International Fisherman's Trophy. The International Fisherman's Trophy was awarded to the fastest fishing schooner that worked in the North Atlantic deep sea fishing industry. The fastest schooner had to win two out of three races in order to claim the trophy.

A best two-out-of-three competition, Bluenose won the first two races easily.

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Ford , this time in American waters off Gloucester. Ford had been constructed in based on a design intended to defeat Bluenose. In , Bluenose faced Columbia , another American yacht newly designed and constructed to defeat the Canadian schooner. The International Fishermen's Trophy race was held off Halifax in and new rules were put in place preventing ships from passing marker buoys to landward. During the first race, the two schooners dueled inshore, the rigging of the vessels coming together. However, Bluenose won the first race. During the second race, Bluenose broke the new rule and was declared to have lost the race.

Angus Walters protested the decision and demanded that no vessel be declared winner. The judging committee rejected his protest, which led Walters to remove Bluenose from the competition. The committee declared the competition a tie, and the two vessels shared the prize money and the title.

In , a group of Halifax businessmen ordered the construction of a schooner designed to defeat Bluenose. Haligonian was launched that year and a race was organized between the two ships. However, while returning to port with her catch, Haligonian ran aground in the Strait of Canso. The vessel required repairs and the race with Bluenose was cancelled. In , a new race was organized, which Bluenose won easily.

The following year, Gertrude L. Thebaud challenged Bluenose for the International Fisherman's Trophy.

Bluenose won handily, beating the American schooner in both races. Fishing schooners became obsolete during the s, displaced by motor schooners and trawlers. Salt cod , the main fishing industry in the North Atlantic had been surpassed by the fresh fish industry requiring faster vessels. During her visit, she took part in a race with schooner- yachts , specifically designed for racing.

Enough damage was done to the schooner that Bluenose was forced to return to Plymouth to effect repairs.

She was made seaworthy enough to sail to Lunenburg where further repairs were done. In , Bluenose was challenged once more by the American schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud in a best-of-five series of races for the International Fisherman's Trophy.

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However, the financial difficulties of the owners of Bluenose almost prevented the race from going ahead. Furthermore, Bluenose ' s sailing gear had been placed in storage after the schooner had been refitted with diesel engines. It was only with the intervention of American private interests that Bluenose was made ready for the race. Beginning on 9 October , the first race, off Boston , was won by Gertrude L.

Bluenose won the second which was sailed off Gloucester, but a protest over the ballast aboard Bluenose led to modifications to the schooner. She was found to be too long at the waterline for the competition. The alterations completed, Bluenose won the third race sailed off Gloucester, by an even greater margin than the second race.

During the fourth race sailed off Boston, the topmast of Bluenose snapped, which contributed to Gertrude L. Thebuad ' s win. The fifth race, sailed off Gloucester was won by Bluenose , retaining the trophy for the Nova Scotians. This was the last race of the fishing schooners of the North Atlantic.

No longer profitable, the vessel was sold to the West Indies Trading Company in The vessel was once again stripped of masts and rigging and converted into a coastal freighter for work in the Caribbean Sea, carrying various cargoes between the islands. Wrecked beyond repair, with no loss of life, the schooner was abandoned on the reef.

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