Hello everyone! I know I'm a couple of days late but this week has just been crazy! I'm happy finally be able to sit down and tell you about a well known Newfoundland ship. The first time I came across this wreck was a few years ago, when I was an intern living in St. John's for the summer. I was on a day-trip out to the community museum in Carbonear, and it was one of my first trips out of the city. It was also very early in the morning, and I was making a desperate effort not to doze off in the front seat of the car (which was being driven by my supervisor). As we drove along the highway, me clutching my coffee, I happened to look down into an inlet and caught glimpse of a ship done up in a traditional early-1900s paint job. With her yellow and black smokestack, black hull, and red keel, I had to do a double take to make sure she wasn't actually operational. I immediately woke up and asked my supervisor what ship I was looking at.
Read MoreThis week was Hallowe'en! In honour of what is, honestly, my favourite holiday, I decided to seek out a story that tied in marine history and an excellent ghost story. For help, I reached out to the ever-fantastic and helpful Dale Jarvis - folklorist, storyteller, and creator of the St. John's Haunted Hike. Dale sent me in the direction of the story of the SS Blue Jacket, a story that combines heroism, terror, and the a ghost story that has continued on from 1862 to present day.
Read MoreHello all! The traffic in the harbour has started to slow as we move into the autumn, so I'm going to be changing the format a bit. Every Friday I will be showcasing one particular ship that calls St. John's home. I will report any new ships that sail in, of course, but this way I'd like to focus on ships that are more local rather than visiting. To start this off, I'm going to feature one of my favourite Canadian Coast Guard vessels, the CCGS Ann Harvey.
Read MoreHappy Canadian Thanksgiving! I hope all my Canadian friends have had lots of time for love and laughter this weekend, as well as super food! This week, we are starting off with the earliest wreck that I have covered so far; the Lady of the Lake, which sank in 1833.
Read MoreAt the beginning of the Second World War, it was decided by the Allied forces that perhaps Newfoundland was more strategic of a location than they had previously thought. Being closer to Europe that anywhere else in North America, and being an island, gave it an advantage that land-based ports didn't have. Unfortunately, the effects of the Depression and the FIrst World War were still being felt, and Newfoundland could not afford to build any new defences on its Island shores. The Americans built two bases - one in St. John's, on the site of Pleasantville (the old training grounds of the Newfoundland Regiment) and one in Argentia, along the south shore. One night in 1942, however, this arrangement would prove costly for two ships of the American fleet: the USS Pollux and the USS Truxtun. This weeks entry is going to focus on the loss of the Truxton.
Read MoreAnother week has passed, and that means it's time to review a few of the ships that came through this week.
Read MoreThe M/V Christmas Seal was a medical ship that provided medical services and screenings for isolated outport communities in Newfoundland from 1947 to 1970. She was originally an American Naval Crash Rescue Boat, used to rescue air crews and pilots from crashed airplanes.
Read More