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Behindthe THE SYMBOLISM OF THE ICONIC CANADIAN FISHING AND RACING SCHOONER BLUENOSE MAYsails BE AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS 100 YEARS AGO WHEN THE SHIP FIRST HIT THE WATER BY KAREN PINCHIN The Bluenose Wing ‘n Wing, an oil-on-canvas depiction of the legendary ship by William E. deGarthe circa 1956. 40 CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC MARCH/APRIL 2021 CANGEO.CA 41 Historian Michael Santos Clockwise from top left: The crew of Bluenose fishing on the Grand Banks; historian Michael Santos, who notes that the cancellation of the America’s With the introduction of steam- “fishing was a rough-and-tumble life”; Cup due to high winds, Dennis powered trawlers and draggers, Atlantic riggers fit a jib, fresh from the sail-loft, started laughing, says Michael San- Canadian schooner fishermen were as Bluenose prepares to race in 1938; tos, a historian at Virginia’s well aware their hard-won, the ship’s first captain, Angus J. Walters. University of Lynchburg. “He said, specialized skills were on track to BLUENOSE’S MAIDEN FISHING TRIP The era in which Bluenose ‘I bet our boys down in Lunenburg obsolescence. Just as the invention of members shared in the profits or losses nearly ended before it began. It was was built was “a time fraught with wouldn’t have this kind of a prob- mechanized equipment had changed of a voyage. In that way, the Fisher- nighttime in the spring of 1921, and distressing things,” says Heather- lem.’” The races, as Dennis and the lives of steel and textile workers men’s Trophy provided an unexpected the ship’s crew had just finished their Anne Getson, former historian at the others envisioned them, would be before them, it now threatened the and welcome reprieve for sailors whose first day catching cod on the Grand Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, in “for real sailors” and prove that “the entire premise and ownership structure livelihoods were existentially threatened Banks off Newfoundland. At around Lunenburg, N.S., and author of the age of sail is not ended.” of fishing under sail, in which crew by the industrial revolution. 2 a.m., to the horror of Captain book Bluenose: The Ocean Knows Her Angus J. Walters, the watch shouted Name. Communities around the an alarm: a huge wooden schooner world had been devastated by the Bwas careening out of the blowing, human and economic losses of the inky darkness toward their smaller First World War, which, in a cruel ship. The “free-cussing” Walters twist, had been followed by the illness ordered the crew overboard in small and death of millions in the Spanish fishing dories while the watch fran- flu pandemic. Captain Angus J. Walters tically blew the foghorn. At the very “There was a localized economic last moment, the oncoming vessel depression, fish prices were low, and sheared away. “What actually put her Bluenose gave people something to they first had to complete a punishing clear of us, that she did not cut us in focus on,” says Getson. Society is now fishing season far offshore: this was two, is more than I can say,” Walters being rocked, she says, in a way that the primary requirement for entering later said. “That full-rigged ship just is deeply reminiscent of the days dur- the International Fishermen’s Tro- cleared us by inches.” ing and after the Spanish flu. phy, which was held sporadically to It was a close call — the first of “Bluenose was a symbol of hard work crown the fastest schooner in the many — in a legacy that, for many and success and victory during times North Atlantic fishing fleet. Canadians, is gilt with triumph. But like that were very, very hard.” It was William Dennis, a promi- most symbols fated for coins, Heritage So it went that, a century ago, an nent Halifax newspaper publisher Minutes and licence plates, the true unlikely alliance of businesspeople, and senator, who masterminded the story of Bluenose is more complicated. fishermen, sailing hobbyists and ship- races. Reading an article detailing In its lifetime, the ship was a sure-shot, builders launched the 143-foot a shipwreck, a phoenix rising from the Bluenose onto a stage of global con- ashes. Yet even now, in today’s perilous flict, pandemic and fundamental Karen Pinchin (@karenpinchin) writes for a wide historical moment, Bluenose contains societal and technological change. range of publications including The Globe and another tale, one with eerie echoes from The ship’s reputation was eventually Mail, The Walrus and Modern Farmer. She lives the past and hopeful, cautionary lessons built on its unmatched racing record. in Dartmouth, N.S. for the future. But before its crew could compete, SCOTIA ARCHIVES 1987-453 NO MACASKILL NOVA ART COLLECTION: 1986-352 NO. 7. THIS SPREAD: W.R. SCOTIA ARCHIVES DOCUMENTARY PREVIOUS SPREAD: WILLIAM E. DEGARTHE NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES 1987-453 NO. 304 (BOTTOM RIGHT). MACASKILL NOVA 3897 (TOP LEFT); W.R. KERRY HODGSON/CAN GEO. MAP: CHRIS BRACKLEY/CAN GEO. ILLUSTRATIONS: 42 CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC MARCH/APRIL 2021 CANGEO.CA 43 Clockwise from top left: Fishing the Grand Banks; Captain Walters with the 1921 international cup; a 1931 race map; 1931 race promo; Bluenose and U.S. counterpart Columbia crews circa 1923; international elimination races in Halifax Harbour in 1921; Trophy founder William Dennis. To compete, both the American and Canadian racing teams first had to win their national qualifying trials, held off Gloucester, Mass., and Hali- fax, respectively, in early October. “Fishing was a rough-and-tumble with the machismo and romance of the The Inter national Fishermen’s Tro- life, but it was something they knew sea that was the zeitgeist of the day. phy course was set at 35 to 40 nautical they were good at,” says Santos. Fishermen may have scorned sweep- miles, alternating between the coun- “Angus Walters was a son of a bitch, ing, sentimental writing such as tries, and the ship that won the best but you want to work for him why? Rudyard Kipling’s Captains Courageous two out of three races would take the southern competitors as pretty-boy Because he’s good at what he does,” and American writer James Connolly’s $4,000 prize. Although the bragging “sharpshooters” — a stereotype he says of Bluenose’s captain. “All The Deep Sea’s Toll — “for the working- rights were priceless, it was a hand- founded on the speed and sleeker these guys had family links going class guys, all this stuff was BS,” says some reward for the time. design of the American ships. As the back several generations, so fishing Santos — but those works captured the In 1920, America’s Esperanto U.S. market for fresh fish grew, get- was expected to be, as one account is what they did. There was a sense public imagination. (That said, Santos swept the first two races of the first ting back to port quickly became a put it, “a freighter as well as a fisher- of community, a sense of pride, but notes captains were sentimental in inter national match, beating out sure way for Gloucestermen to yield man.” For a Lunenburg captain who also a sense that the enemy was the their own way about their fishing ves- Canada’s Delawana. It was a bruis- the best price for their catch, spent days getting to the grounds new technology.” sels, though theirs was more of a ing loss for the Lunenburgers. whereas the farther-flung Canadian and weeks chasing cod destined for Not a seafarer himself, Dennis had practical romanticism — a connection Trophy founder William Dennis Though their rivalry was generally fleet relied on fishing capacity as salting, landing and carrying fish in channelled a mainstream captivation with their schooners and to the sea.) SCOTIA MACASKILL NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES; W.R. SCOTIA ARCHIVES 1987-453 NO. 261; NOVA MACASKILL NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES 1987-453 NO 4896; W.R. MACASKILL NOVA W.R. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SCOTIA ARCHIVES 1987-453 NO. 6009; KERRY HODGSON/CAN GEO MACASKILL NOVA SCOTIA ARCHIVES VOL 179 NO18; W.R. ARCHIVES 20040050; NOVA friendly, they had dismissed their much as speed. A Canadian ship volume was key. 44 CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC MARCH/APRIL 2021 CANGEO.CA 45 Shipyard proprietor George Rhuland Clockwise from top left: Bluenose being built at the Smith & Rhuland shipyard in Lunenburg, N.S.; shipyard proprietor The group commissioned William George Rhuland; launch day March 26, Roué, a mainly self-taught naval 1921; ship builder Richard Smith; architect who grew up studying ship Bluenose architect William Roué. manuals by candlelight, to design the Months earlier, the American title- was a distinction that made Bluenose a vessel. At the time, Roué worked full- of birch — and both he and Walters holder Esperanto had struck a “highliner,” a ship known for the size time for his family’s soft-drink demanded constant tweaks from the submerged wreck off the coast of and value of its catch. company, but he had also won a rep- builders. As the ship took shape, so did Sable Island, N.S., and sank, so a new Often the ship’s drama was of utation designing smaller craft, hopes for it. In December 1920, Can- U.S. challenger for the championship, Walters’ own making. In the 1923 mostly racing skiffs, for members of ada’s Governor General, the Duke of Elsie, was chosen. To take the October championship, Bluenose’s boom the Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. A Devonshire, travelled from Ottawa to 1921 international series, Bluenose rammed and briefly dragged its chal- handful of Roué’s clients vouched for drive the ceremonial spike.

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