Volunteers face headwinds with Nova Scotia's historic schooners in peril
Aging caretakers, dwindling expertise, critical lack of funding present challenges
Nova Scotia's iconic wooden schooners, once the pride of coastal communities and a powerful symbol of the province's maritime heritage, are now at grave risk of vanishing forever.
Jim Carwardine, president of the Nova Scotia Heritage Schooner Rescue Society, warns that these vessels — many over a century old — need urgent care. Without it, they could be lost to a perfect storm of aging caretakers, dwindling expertise and a critical lack of funding.
The numbers reveal a stark heritage crisis: only five original Tancook Island schooners remain from a fleet that once numbered in the hundreds.
These unique vessels, built between 1905 and 1945, represent a distinct Nova Scotian design, originally crafted for fishing and coastal trade before roads connected many isolated communities.
"We're losing the technology, we're losing the ability," Carwardine said.
"The younger generations, they don't have the time, they don't have the experience, and they don't have the money to put into the preservation of an old wooden boat."
He said the current owners of these classic vessels are "aging out," leaving nowhere for the schooners to go.
Among the most endangered are the Wind Hawk, a 1964 schooner designed by the famed Gerald Stevens, which faces imminent destruction.
Another, a "Bluenose Junior" built in the 1950s by William Roué, the designer of the original Bluenose, has been rotting out of the water at Porters Lake for 40 years.
More than just old boats
Carwardine said that restoring these vessels is about preserving engineering art and history, not just sentimentality.
Unlike modern fibreglass boats, schooners were built with specialized wood and techniques that are nearly extinct today.
The preservation of these schooners, Carwardine says, also offers tangible benefits, particularly for tourism.
He points to the storied history of schooners, including the original Bluenose winning races in the 1920s and 1930s, as integral to Nova Scotia's attraction as a destination.
Emma Lang, a public heritage professional, echoes the importance of saving these boats.
"These vessels are not just about the fishing communities that they sailed from or were built [there]," she said. "They're also about the history of Nova Scotia, a place that was very connected to the world and part of a global economic system."
Lang advocates for more funding to preserve a vital aspect of Nova Scotia's history.
A race against time
The Nova Scotia Heritage Schooner Rescue Society, a volunteer-run group, is working to restore the Elsie, a 1967 gaff-rigged schooner, at the East River Shipyard.
However, with most of its members over 70, the society faces significant challenges in attracting younger volunteers and securing the necessary funds.
"We need a living museum — not just static displays, but vessels that sail and teach," Carwardine says.