VESSELS

Annandale and Bridgetown were both bustling trading places during the heyday of the coastal schooners that plied the waters off the Eastern coast. Vessels from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the New England States, and other locations would sail into the local ports to unload their cargo and load up again with the produce of the area.

Most of these schooners were wind powered, with gasoline powered engine boats coming in the late 1920‘s. The sailing vessels had to be piloted into the harbor at Annandale. Pilots included Nelson Robertson, Jack Clark, Andrew LaPierre, Jim Robertson, and Jack Swallow. The pilot boat was the “Pekin”. These men would board the schooners and guide them into the harbor.

If the schooners were going upriver to Bridgetown, they were hauled up by a horse. The ships could travel up as far as Graystone Creek by tacking back and forth. When they reached the narrower portion of the river, this was no longer possible. Lorne Wigginton recalled that his father often towed up schooners, receiving two dollars a trip. A line would be sent ashore and attached to the horse’s harness. Mr. Wigginton would ride on the horse's back. When a north wind was against the schooners, Mr. Wigginton’s services were required quite often.

Large numbers of vessels were often at the wharves, particularly in the fall. Lorne Wigginton recalls up to seven vessels in Bridgetown waiting for potatoes. Roy Howlett alSo recalled the schooners being two tier deep at Annandale wharf while others waited outside.

The schooners varied in size. A schooner was generally considered to be a vessel with two or more masts and a capacity of less than 150 tons. Smaller sized schooners appeared to be most common in the area, although some large ones were loaded.

The Captains not only loaded local produce, they also unloaded cargo. They brought the supplies for the storekeepers of the area. They were also known to unload lumber, flour, coal, hay, limestone, and fertilizer. Hay and fertilizer were cargoes in the spring, while coal was common in the fall.

In return, the ships were loaded with items from the area. Potatoes were the main cargo; while pork, sheep, cattle, poultry, turnips, oats, and bait were also shipped. The schooner was sometimes so full that extra cargo was piled on the deck. Live sheep and cattle were often placed on the deck and swum ashore at their destination.

The farmers would drive to the wharves with cart and truck loads of pro- duce. In Annandale they were often lined up as far back as Roy Howlett’s and the sound of carts rumbling across the old pier could be heard until late in the evening. The carts were weighed at the scales by McFarlane’s on the way down and back to calculate the weight of the load.

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