The Bluenose 11 was coming into North Sydney Harbour when I was departing on the Smallwood Ferry to Newfoundland for my first visit. It had been a windy August and the winds were howling as I stood on Smallwood's deck gazing in the distance at a vessel under full sail. As we neared, it became clear that it was a two masted schooner, and not many of those plying the waters these days!
The Bluenose with a tail wind and stiff sails snapping in the breeze was rounding the Harbour headland and was ripping past the Lighthouse stationed there. I was distracted momentarily by the brightness of the red on The Lighthouse's sides as she approached. I got a few shots but the schooner was a ways off. She still avails herself as certainly one of the more visible Ambassadors of Nova Scotia today. I was on the Bluenose ll, twice, years ago.
The Bluenose ll was launched July 24th, 1963 aprrox. three months after the entrance of me into this world, in Lunenburg Nova Scotia. She was built to continue the legend of the great schooner Bluenose, which sank in 1944 in The West Indies. The Bluenose ll cost $300,000 to build and the original Bluenose cost $35,000. She is made of oak , her mast is douglas fir and deck hatches are mahogany. She has gone as fast as 16 knots in a strong breeze. Since 1963 thousands have been told her legends.
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