The tern NOVA QUEEN, a three mast wooden schooner was built by T.K. Bentley at Advocate, Nova Scotia, Canada for himself and J.N. Pugslay.
1919 Launched as NOVA QUEEN.
Tonnage 476 gross, dim. 150 x 35 x 13ft.
Advocate Harbour is on the north shore of the Minas Channel at the head of the Bay of Fundy. It used to be quite a shipbuilding centre but is now a little place with just a few houses. In the 19th century and during the temporary wood shipbuilding revival in 1918-1919, vessels were built in every Nova Scotia harbour and creek where a supply of wood was available.
The NOVA QUEEN was very prominent in coastal shipping during her life and had some very good passages to her credit. In 1934 she sailed from Weymouth N.S. on 15 June loaded with lumber and bound for Havana, Cuba. After discharging she sailed to Charleston S.C. in ballast where she arrived on 23 July under charter to load and complete a passage to St George’s, Bermuda on or before August first. This left her only a short time to load and reach her port of discharge.
At the 23rd at Charleston she received orders from New York to berth her alongside the loading pier and commenced loading at 01.00 p.m., and to sail that evening at 07.00.
A large number of black stevedores, highly efficient workers, completed loading the cargo of 8.000 creosote railway ties in six hours. And this is a record that cannot easily be forgotten.
At 07.00 that evening she was towed to sea, and made the run of approximately 650 miles to the anchorage in the outer roads at St George’s, arriving just about one hour before a new duty on the cargo came into effect.
After discharging the cargo she came north in ballast and arrived at Meteghan on 11 August. This was considered a very good round trip for a sailing vessel.
The NOVA QUEEN did not have long to live, after her fine performance. On 04 December 1934 she sailed from Turks Island with a cargo of salt for Yarmouth N.S. and she was never reported again.
Tanzania 1999 400/ sg?, scott?
Source: Sails of the Maritimes by Capt. John P.Parker. Charles Maginley.