Capt. Watson

Now that my kids are grown and have aged out of minor hockey, I don’t visit the community center recreation complex in Lunenburg as often as I once did. I do go once a month to pick up fresh haddock from Judy W. who sells it in five-pound bags from the back of her pick-up truck. While there I always cast a glance at the Lunenburg curling club and wonder at the history that this innocuous building holds. It was here where Capt. Walters sat when he heard about the loss of his beloved Bluenose. At age 65, Angus was not an old man and not far removed from the sea. He had a long run ahead of him, Town council, union leader and even a try at provincial politics. I know, sitting in the curling club, having to face the news in public of the loss of his ship must have been difficult. I wonder if there was a toast at the club bar or if Angus went home to mourn privately. 

So how did Canada's most famous ship end up lost in Haiti? I think what is largely lost in Bluenose history is the fact that the age of sail was largely over in the 1940s. The war pushed the development of technology and in that motor vessels are included. Even in the 1920s when Bluenose was making her name known, the Welland Canal was watching large steamships traverse the locks to be lifted over Niagara Falls. Here in Nova Scotia, the SS Dufferin, a steam powered coastal passenger and cargo vessel operated from 1905 until 1937. 

In 1936, Angus borrowed money to install engines in Bluenose to try and meet the times. Motor schooners were certainly becoming the popular design by this time and the Fisheries Museum flagship Theressa E. Connor, a fine example of this design, was built only two years later. With cut down masts and no tremendous mainsail to manage true motor vessels were not far away. 

Four years later, in 1940, Capt. Angus retired from the sea and began to raise money to save his ship. Unfortunately, the ship fell under the sheriff's authority and was about to be sold at auction to pay the debt to the Fairbanks Morse Company for the engines. A newspaper clipping in the Nova Scotia archives proclaims, “Cap’n Angus pays $7,000 one hour before auction”.  “I would not see the schooner sold which so faithfully served me, the town of Lunenburg and the owners for over 18 years". A last gasp to save his ship. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

In 1942, Bluenose was sold to the West Indies Trading company and the retired faithful captain watched as his ship sailed from Lunenburg leaving him behind. Bluenose still had some adventures left in her and traded in the Caribbean successfully from 1942-1946. On January 28th Bluenose met her fate running aground on Île-à-Vache, Haiti. A sad end for an icon. So today think of Capt. Walters and his crews, the rough fishing, the glorious racing and all the work to represent a young and growing Canada.