Historic Wabana
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  • History
    • Mining History >
      • Time-line of Wabana Mines
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        • Arthur House Article >
          • Part 1 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 1, 1939
          • Part 2 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 2, 1939
          • Part 3 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 3, 1939
          • Part 4 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 4, 1939
          • Part 5 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 6, 1939
          • Part 6 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 7, 1939
        • F.F. Jardine Articles >
          • Fortieth Anniversary of Wabana Mines, Bell Island
          • Part 1 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 2 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 3 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 4 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
      • Mining Terminology
      • No. 2 Mine
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      • Patrick Harrison Co.
      • Royalties
      • Scotia & Dominion Piers >
        • Bamafash Pilot Boat
      • Shipping Season at Wabana
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        • Charles Cohen & Son
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    • Education >
      • Anglican Schools >
        • Academy - St. Augustine's
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      • Wabana Little Theatre
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      • St. Augustine's School Fires
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    • Sports - A Brief History >
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    • Today in the History of Bell Island
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      • Beach Tramway
      • Ferries & The Tickle >
        • Elmer W. Jones
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        • Timeline of Ferries & Freighters
        • Tragedy in The Tickle 1940
      • Transport & Shipping Companies
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    • The Women of Wabana, Part 1: Women's Work & Social Life
  • Publications
    • Arthur House Article
    • The Book of Newfoundland >
      • "Bell Island Was Exciting For a Growing Boy"
    • Books About Bell Island
    • Early History of Bell Island
    • F.F. Jardine Articles
    • "Where Canada's Iron Comes From"
    • "A Mine Dead - A Town Stricken"
    • Morris, I.C.
    • Newfoundland Quarterly >
      • "Bell Island," V. 1, No. 1, July 1901
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 1, V. 85, No. 2, Fall 1989
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 2, V. 85, No. 3, Winter 1990
    • Newspapers (Bell Island) >
      • Bell Island & Conc. Bay Reporter
      • Bell Island Examiner
      • Bell Island Miner (Newspaper)
      • Bell Island Miner 1965
      • Bell Island Reporter
      • Bell Island Times
      • Bell Islander
      • Wabana Druggist
      • Wabana Star
      • Wabana Weekly
    • Notes on Belle Isle by Mrs. B.B.E.
    • Our Bell Island Budget
    • Place Where the Sun Rises
    • Submarine Miner >
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 1, June 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 2, July 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 3, August 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 4, September 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 5, October 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 6, November 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 7, December 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 1, January 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 2, February 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 3, March 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 4, April 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 5, May 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 6, June 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 7, July 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 8, August 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 9, September 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #10, October 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 11, November 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #12, December 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 1, January 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 2, February 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 3, March 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 4, April 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 5, May 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 6, June 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 7, July 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 8, August 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 9, September 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #10, October 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 11, November 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #12, December 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 1, January 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 2, February 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 3, March 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #4, April 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #5, May 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #6, June 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #7, July 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #8, August 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #9, September 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #10, October 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #11, November 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #12, December 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #1, January 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #2, February 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #3, March 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #4, April 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #5, May 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #6, June 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #7, July 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #8, August 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #9, September 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #10, October 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #11, November 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #12, December 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #1, January 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #2, February 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #3, March 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #4, April 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #5, May 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #6, June 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #7, July 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #8, August 1959
      • DOSCO World
    • Victor Southey Article
  • People
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  • Extras
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    • The Great Fossil Mystery
    • Jail Break
    • Personal Experience Stories >
      • Dave Careless: "A Rough Day at the Office"
      • Dave Careless "Around the Block"
      • Dave Careless: "Dogs & Cats of Wabana"
      • Dave Careless: "Five Minutes for Fighting"
      • Dave Careless: "My Travels on Ore Carriers""
      • Dave Careless: "November 22nd, 1963"
      • Dave Careless: "Wabana Memories, 1958-1966"
      • Al O'Brien: "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time"
      • Gail Weir: "Ghost & Fairy Stories"
    • Unusual Occurrences
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  • Photo Gallery
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    • Winter Scenes
  • About This Site
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HISTORY
MINING HISTORY
SCOTIA & DOMINION PIERS

BAMAFASH
DOMINION WABANA MINES PILOT BOAT, 1957-1968

Created by Gail Hussey Weir
September 2023

Built at St. John's, Newfoundland in 1954, 31 gross tons, official number 195982, the Bamafash was originally a fishing vessel, owned by Ebenezer F. Barnes of St. John's, Newfoundland in 1955. It was sold to Dominion Wabana Mines, Ltd., in 1957, and then to Minister of Mines, Agriculture and Resources, St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1968. It was scraped at Bell Island, March 2, 1975. ​The photo below was taken in St. John's harbour sometime after 1958 and is from the Maritime History Archive, Capt. Harry Stone Collection, Part 2, PF-055.2.A31.

Picture

​In the photo below, the DOSCO pilot boat, Bamafash, is docked at Scotia Pier with an ore carrier on the outer side of the dock being loaded with iron ore. Dave Careless is leaning out the window of the family car watching the operations. Tom Careless photo. Dave said of the pilot boat:

“I was on the Bamafash twice, once in mid-September 1961 and then in early September 1964, as my mother and I returned twice from summer holidays visiting relatives in the UK on ore carriers. In 1961, it was the Norwegian carrier Evita, and in ’64, a British ore boat, Rievaulx. Both crossings were extremely rough, due to bad weather in mid-Atlantic, and although my mother never was, to the best of my recollection, I was extremely seasick both times for days on end.  When we got back to Bell Island, both my mother and I couldn’t wait to get off the ore boats and get home. We had to disembark at the Anchorage on both occasions, and seeing my mother, from the deck of the Bamafash, come down the rope ladder down the side of the carrier in her heels is an enduring memory; she was very determined not to spend even one more night on the ship!"

Picture

Some comments from Facebook Group members regarding the Bamafash at Bell Island:

Ken N B Butler:
"Bamafash was the pilot boat used by Canada Customs; such that Customs officers could board ships at anchorage, for inspection prior to loading iron ore. Since my Uncle Cyril was a Customs officer, I was myself fortunate enough, as a kid, to do some cod jigging from the Bamafash."

Thomas Fitzpatrick:
"We used to dive off her. She was always at the Dominion Pier wharf."

Ken George:

"Made one trip on her - a pleasure trip it was not. She crossed when the ferry didn’t."

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