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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2016-09-07, Page 5Wednesday, September 7, 2016 • Huron Expositor 5 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com The Canadian Hydrographic Service Vessels 'Bayfield' It was 'one of most exciting days in Bay - field's history' on July 25, 1981 when the Cana- dian Survey Ship 'Bay- field' made its first official visit to the village that shared her name, accord- ing to M .L. Willock in 'The Village of Bayfield History' (1985). The CGS Bayfield was the fourth, and last, Hydrographic Survey Ship that bore the name of Canada's greatest marine surveyor. The vital need for accu- rate nautical charts was underscored on Septem- ber 14, 1882 when the overcrowded steamer 'Asia' foundered on Geor- gian Bay with the loss of over 100 lives. In 1884, the Canadian government purchased the wooden screw tug- boat'Edsall; previously known as the 'General U.S. Grant' and renamed her 'H.M. Dominion Sur- veying Steamer Bayfield,' according to Peter Sturdy in 'A Hole in the Wall.' Captain John George Boulton, a retired Royal Naval officer with exten- sive hydrographic experi- ence in South Africa, Aus- tralia and Newfoundland, was given command of the first Bayfield. His was the daunting task of charting 4,120 miles of the Georgian Bay coastline. Coincidentally, Captain Boulton mastered the hydrographer's trade under Admiral Bayfield and, in 1908, wrote a brief biography of him. During Bayfield's first season, Captain Boulton's crew included Lieutenant William Stewart was one of the first graduates of the Kingston's Royal Mili- tary College, and legend- ary Great Lakes captain, Captain Alexander McGregor of Goderich. With a crew of 17 Huron History David Yates seamen and surveyors, Boulton found that 'with sacrifice to his comfort,' the Bayfield was as good as a 'larger and more expensive vessel: Using Killarney as her base of operations, Bayfield began the painstaking task of remaking Lieuten- ant Henry Wolsey Bay - field's original charts from the 1820s. Remarkable for the era, Boulton was pleased to report that 'in the whole five months' he had 'not the slightest suspicion of insobriety or disobedi- ence occurred' amongst the Bayfield's crew. For the next 19 seasons, the Bayfield charted the Canadian shore of all five of the Great Lakes. Her battered hull endured storms, groundings, heavy seas and endless repairs. Built in 1864, the Bay- field was declared 'totally unfit' for further service by Stewart who now com- manded the vessel. Stew- art warned that unless 'a larger, stronger, and faster vessel' is commissioned, 'the important work will have to be abandoned.' The Bayfield continued in service for another three seasons. With bat- tered hull and worn out boiler, she was finally retired at the 1902 season. The Department of Marine and Fisheries purchased the steamer 'Lord Stanley' in 1901 and renamed her Bayfield II the following year. Bayfield II had a dis- tinguished career as a Great Lakes survey vessel. Ruth Mckenzie in 'Admi- ral Bayfield Pioneer Nau- tical Surveyor' states that she completed the Lake Superior Survey in 1909, and between 1909 and 1915, she re -charted Lake Ontario from Hamilton Bay to Prince Edward County. In 1916, Bayfield II was pressed into service in the Royal Canadian Navy for the war effort. Never officially commissioned by the navy, Bayfield II was used as a supplyves- sel for the east coast fleet. Her main arma- ment was an ancient Gatling gun purchased for the 1885 North West Rebellion. Bayfield II resumed her survey duties on Lake Superior in 1919. One of her tasks was to discover the cause of so many shipwrecks on the lake. In particular, the loss of three French naval minesweepers with all hands lost in November 13, 1918 was a still a mystery. In 1930, Bayfield II con- firmed an earlier U.S. finding that a veritable mountain range lay just 6 metres below Superior's surface. This ridge became known as the 'Superior Shoal' and was determined to be the cause of many maritime disasters. Bayfield II found a 'graveyard' of lost hulls which were cracked like eggshells on the shoal's sharp ridge. Despite efforts to blast the shoal's peaks, the shoal still remains but is now accu- rately charted for naviga- tion thanks to the Bay- field II's crew. After 30 seasons, Bay- field II was taken out of service in 1931. She was paid off in 1937 and converted into a freighter in 1944. Mckenzie records that she 'met a watery death in a wreck off the coast of Newfoundland in 1949! Bayfield III was com- missioned into the Cana- dian Hydrographic Ser- vice in 1949. She was the first vessel in Canada built specifically as a nau- tical chart maker. More of a 'cabin cruiser' than an open lakes vessel, the small 49.5 foot vessel had accommodation for shore parties who charted the extensive inland rivers and waterways of the entire Canadian Great Lakes watershed. She was paid off in 1963. In 1973, Environment Canada purchased John David Eaton's private yacht Hildur and renamed her Bayfield IV Eaton, owner of the Eaton's retail store chain, purchased the 102.5 foot long vessel in 1960. Not surprisingly, Bay- field IV was the most lux- urious hydrographic ves- sel in the Canadian fleet. Her teak decks and fur- nishings with spacious air-conditioned galley must have been a wel- come relief for her 15 member crew of seamen and scientists. It was Bayfield IV that made her first official visit to the Village of Bayfield on July 25, 1981. Under the auspices of the Bay- field Historical Society, the village council wel- comed Captain J. Ber- cham in full uniform ashore near Tom Castle's shanty. According to Willock, crowds lined Pioneer Park and the south pier to greet their village's name- sake. A guard of honour consisting of the Clinton Legion Pipe Band, local Boy Scout and Girl Guide Photo Courtesy of Bayfield Archives Room Her Majesty's Dominion Surveying Steamer, 'Bayfield' c. 1890 Troops was arranged on Clangregor Square for Captain Bercham s inspection followed by an official luncheon in the town hall. Captain Bercham took the salute in a sail past of 60 boats from the Bayfield Yacht Club. The 'high- light' for Willock was when 'Don MacLeod's fish boat all freshly ea orthhuronex . ositor.co painted and decked in flags' motored past the Bayfield IV in review order. Never had Bayfield IV received a more enthu- siastic welcome. Bayfield IV was decom- missioned in 1993. Today, no other hydrographic vessel bears the name of Canada's most famous hydrographer, Admiral Henry Bayfield. HAVE AN OPINION? The Huron Expositor welcomes letters to the editor. They must be signed and accompanied by a phone number for information clarification. It is important to note, letters will not be printed without the author's name attached. All letters are subjectto editing due to possible space restriction. Letters can be dropped off at the office, mailed or emailed: The Huron Expositor 8 Main St. P.O. Box 69 Seaforth, ON NOK 1W0 Shaun.Gregory@sunmedia.ca www.seaforthhuronexpositor. co m