The Bluenose II + The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

UNESCO - best surviving British Colonial Settlement

Our final day in the area is jam packed. We head to Lunenburg to check out the Fisheries Museum prior to our 1:30 sail on board The Blue Nose II.

Canada Post - colourful building

The Fisheries Museum is filled with information commemorating the fishing heritage of the Atlantic coast of Canada. There have been a lot of fish caught in these waters over the years. 

Painting of The Bluenose

There is an entire floor dedicated to the history of The Bluenose and we learn a ton. 

Model of The Bluenose

International Fisherman's Cup race

In a nutshell, The International Fisherman's Cup was a prominent sailing race series held between 1920 and 1938 for working fisherman schooners from Canada and the US.  It was created as an alternative to the rich-persons America's Cup, culminating in the dominance of the legendary Canadian schooner The Bluenose. 

The Bluenose was specifically built in 1921 in 98 days because the Canadian schooner, Delawana, lost the inaugural 1920 race to the US. She was built in the shipyards of Lunenburg and skippered by Angus J Walters. Apparently there was quite the rivalry between Canada and the US and 'Bluenoser' was a long-standing historical nickname used to describe people from Nova Scotia due to an ugly little, lumpy blue potato they used to grow - thus The Bluenose schooner was named to become a famous revenge ship. 

Angus J Walker - skipper

Iconic history of The Bluenose

The Bluenose won the International Fisherman's Race series four times, remaining the undefeated champion throughout its career.

1938 was the last race year as the age of the working sail had ended and the fishing industry shifted to motorized engine power. 

Sadly due to the depression and wars, The Bluenose became very expensive to maintain and she was ultimately sold to the West Indies Trading Company who used her as a cargo freighter for bananas. In 1946 she hit a reef off Haiti and was eventually destroyed by waves.

Open deck with the Bluenose II

Intended to celebrate and keep alive the legacy of the original schooner, Bluenose II was built in the same Lunenburg shipyard, to the same plans and by some of the same men who built the original one. In July 1963 Bluenose II was launched as Canada's sailing ambassador. She goes from port to port where people can come aboard and walk around the open decks or book a sail, all intended to keep the legacy of the Grand Banks fishery and Canadian shipbuilding alive.

Bluenose on our Canadian dime

Motoring out of the harbor

Our sail today has young Canadians working as deck hands who spend a six month season onboard learning traditional sailing skills. When they are not busy raising sails or tacking the boat, we chat with them and learn their stories. It truly is a magical day that comes right up there with top of the list experiences on this cross Canada trip. 

Young deck hands

Lunenburg from departing Bluenose

Port holes

4 of eight sails get put up

Before heading home, we make a trip up to the Bluenose Golf Course on the other side of the bay in Lunenburg to take in the views. A great way to end our day. 

Lunenburg across Mahone Bay from the golf course