SS Princess of Acadia (I)

SS Princess of Acadia (I)

This Princess was a Steam Ship. After being replaced by the MV Princess of Acadia, she was converted to haul traffic between the mainland and Newfoundland and renamed the Henry Osborne. She was wrecked outside of St. John and sold for scrap.

Don Scott's history:

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY FORMER BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST STEAMSHIP'S "PRINCESS OF NANAIMO" 6,800 TONS:

CPR's former "Princess of Nanaimo" plied the Vancouver-Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) run daily making three round-trips per day on the 41 mile run. The ship was registered to carry 1500 day passengers. Photo: Under Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver, B.C.

Constructed by Fairfields , Govan, Scotland, and launched September 14th, 1950. Maiden voyage from the Clyde on May 2, 1951 via the Panama Canal to Esquimalt, B.C., arriving June 11th. The coastal ferry also carried automobile traffic. Last trip Vancouver-Nanaimo September 30, 1962.

TRANSFERRED TO EASTERN CANADA SAINT JOHN, N.B.-DIGBY, NOVA SCOTIA SERVICE EARLY 1963

The "Princess of Nanaimo" departed Victoria, B.C. February 28, 1963 via the Panama Canal for Halifax, Nova Scotia where she would go in for refit at Halifax Ship Yards. While in for refit the Princess was given a pure white paint scheme, plus adding the CP "Red & White chequered flag on her single funnel. The Princess was given a new name "PRINCESS OF ACADIA"(to be the first CP ship to carry this name.

The "Acadia" was transferred to the CPR Bay of Fundy service-a 47 mile run, taking three hours between Saint John, N.B. and Digby, Nova Scotia. She was a replacement ship for the retired 4,400 ton single funnel "Princess Helene" built in Scotland in 1930. The Saint John-Digby service connected with CPR passenger trains between Montreal and Saint John namely the "Atlantic Limited"; the Boston-Saint John "Gull" passenger service and connections at Digby, N.S. with CPR subsidiary the Dominion Atlantic Railway's 216 mile main-line between Halifax, N.S. and Yarmouth and intermediate destinations. For the first year the Princess of Acadia operated in an all white paint scheme, later receiving the Black & White paint scheme. Freight was also carried. Automobile traffic was increased to 130 cars. During the summer months, CPR offered "Moonlight Cruises" out of Saint John. One round-trip was offered on the route daily except Sundays. Summer months being daily.Note: I made the maiden voyage on the "Princess of Acadia" Saint John-Digby, N.S. April 30, 1963.

NEW CAREER

The former Princess of Nanaimo (now the Princess of Acadia (1st) was converted at Saint John to a roll-on-roll-off ship, having all her passenger accommodations removed. The ship was renamed "HENRY OSBORNE" and commenced a new CP run with CP subsidiary Incan Marine from West St. John, N.B-Halifax, N.S.-Corner Brook and St John's Newfoundland transporting new automobiles, new trucks, freight and containers. Her superstructure remained the same in black & white paint scheme and her funnel painted with the new CP Rail logo (New style logo came in during late 1968). The Henry Osborne on a return trip from Newfoundland ran aground in a heavy gale off Saint John, with heavy damage. the former Princess of Nanaimo was towed to Spain for scrapping by the tug Hansa January 1974.

THE NANAIMO AS THE PRINCESS OF ACADIA (1st)

The second year of the former BC Coast ferry; the "Acadia" was fitted with a "Bow Thruster" to help navigate out of her berth at Saint John, and not requiring a Tug like the former Princess Helene. Strong currents at times and the Bow Thruster gave the ship better maneurvering turning from her berth heading out of the harbour without the assit of a Tug.

"PRINCESS OF NANAIMO" SPECIFICATIONS

Length-358 feet; Breadth-62 feet; Height-14 feet; Engines-Turbo-Electric; Speed-Unknown. A few minor details after renamed Princess of Acadia(1st) were made. The "Nanaimo" like other CP Princess ships were well appointed.

Don Scott

1963-Princess of Acadia A 1963 brochure for the SS Princess of Acadia including a schedule of spring and summer trips and the rates charged.

Gallery

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  Princess of Acadia arriving, sailing through the Digby Gut in the summer of 1966.

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  Princess of Acadia arriving, sailing through the Digby Gut in the summer of 1966.

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  Princess of Acadia arriving, sailing through the Digby Gut in the summer of 1966.

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  Princess of Acadia arriving, sailing through the Digby Gut in the summer of 1966.

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  Princess of Acadia arriving, sailing through the Digby Gut in the summer of 1966.

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  DAR RDC 9059 at the the Digby Wharf with the SS Princess of Acadia, circa Sept. 5, 1970.

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  Princess of Acadia at Saint John, NB, 1970s.

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  Princess of Acadia at Digby Gut??, NS, 1970s.

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  Princess of Acadia at Digby, NS, 1970s.

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  Princess of Acadia at Digby, NS, 1970s.

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  Princess of Acadia at Digby, NS, 1970s.

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  Princess of Acadia cartoon.

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Princess of Acadia Docking Sequence

In these photos from the summer of 1966, "POA Digby Wharf 1966" photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 show how they got the Princess of Acadia into the government wharf. She would steam slowly in and a line would be thrown to the wharf, they would tie it up on the post (bollard) at the end (photo 2, but seen much better in this shot from J.A.M. and this shot from J.A.M. as well) and she would rotate into the docking area. If you look carefully at the water currents in shot numbers 3 & 4 (the bows on shot), you will notice that she had a bow thruster (the eddies on the bow) added when she was refitted for St. John -Digby Service. Her predecessor the Princess Helene once was caught by the wind after she backed away from the wharf and it took her close to hour to get her bows pointed toward the gut. My father, who was much more nautical than I, described her as being "In-Irons". Sailing ships in this condition would launch a boat and the crew would then row or kedge her so the wind would catch the sails. The bow thruster eliminated this condition and made her quite handy to dock on her own or to turn her around at St. John.

• Edward S. Gray

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