SS Havana (schooner)
| History | |
|---|---|
 Canada | |
| Name | SS Havana |
| Owner | Farquhar, J.A. & Co. |
| Operator | James A. Farquhar |
| Port of registry | Windsor, NS. |
| Builder | George W. Churchill |
| Completed | 1891 |
| Fate | Sank at anchor |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | three-masted steam schooner |
| Tonnage | 471 tons |
| Length | 181.4 ft (55.3 m) |
| Beam | 27.3 ft (8.3 m) |
| Draft | 16.8 ft (5.1 m) |
| Notes | Used in sealing and salvage |
SS Havana was a one deck steamship schooner equipped with three masts. She was built in 1891 at Hantsport, Nova Scotia by George W. Churchill. Owned by Farquhar, J.A. & Co. and captained by James A. Farquhar, Havana sank at anchor on 26 April 1906 after colliding with SS Strathcona.[1]
History[edit]
Havana was used in both salvage and seal hunting. Original intentions for the vessel included chartering American parties looking to tour around Greenland. These expeditions were prohibited by Norwegian authorities.[2]
In 1905, under the command of Farquhar, Havana was on a salvage mission to rescue Colonial, a cable ship that had stranded off of the coast of Canso, NS. Outfitted with a boiler, steam pumps, and wrecking apparatus, Havana successfully recovered Colonial. Colonial was harboured at the Halifax dry-dock, which was managed by S.M. Brockfield, the ship was docked and permanently repaired.[3]
In the following winter of 1906, Havana was outfitted for seal hunting in the Gulf of Port aux Basques. By 9 April, Havana successfully returned to Halifax with a cargo of 6286 seals. From the expedition, Havana only suffered minor damage to the ship’s rudder as a result of ice flow.[3]
Shortly after arriving in Halifax, Farquhar purchased the wrecked remains of the sunken schooner Alexander R.[1] The wreck contained a cargo of coal that proved less than profitable.[3]
Sinking of the ship, and aftermath[edit]
Anchored in Halifax harbour on the night of 26 April 1906, the wooden Havana was struck along the broadside by SS Strathcona; a steel steamship. Sinking quickly, the crew of Havana quickly climbed aboard the deck of Strathcona. Eyewitness accounts compare the resulting damage to Havana as “if she were of matchwood.”[2] The ship sank in approximately 10 minutes, and no casualties were suffered. The event was blamed on the results of a dark night. Havana was insured at Lloyd’s, and was valued at $11,000.[3]
In his memoirs, Farquhar mentions that he regretted losing a sextant on board the sinking Havana. The sextant was a gift from the British Admiralty for retrieving the lost guns of HMS Niobe in 1874.[3]
The remains of the Havana are located just off the coast of Point Pleasant Park.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Wreck Details, Record 65140". Northern Shipwrecks Database.
- ^ a b "Issue No. 90". Halifax Herald. April 27, 1906.
- ^ a b c d e Farquhar, James A. (1980). Farquhar's Luck. Halifax, NS, Canada: Petheric Press Limited. pp. 166–167. ISBN 9780919380349.