HISTORY
MINING HISTORY
SCOTIA & DOMINION PIERS
MINING HISTORY
SCOTIA & DOMINION PIERS
BAMAFASH
DOMINION WABANA MINES PILOT BOAT, 1957-1968
Created by Gail Hussey Weir
September 2023
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.
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!"
“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!"
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."
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."