Work Through Time: Cape Breton Stories of Land & Sea

In the summer months of the 1930s and 1940s Dingwall Harbour was a very busy place. Humming with activity, Dingwall Harbour was quite from what it is today. In fact, it was not unusual to see two gypsum boats tied up to the gypsum wharves, the S.S. Aspy tied up to the government wharf, and Dingwall Cove packed with swordfishing boats – so close to one another that it was possible to walk across the cove on them.

Boats came from Yarmouth, Halifax, Glace Bay, Boston, Liverpool, Port Bukerton, Newfoundland and other points. Some were snapper boats, much like today’s long liners. Dolly MacPherson recalls how busy the telegraph office was when the Newfoundland boats would arrive. All wanted to send telegrams back home to announce their safe arrival.

From 1935 to 1945 swordfishing was the largest industry in the area and as many as 500 swordfish were brought into Dingwall on a single day, weighing 150 to 500 pounds. On October 3, 1937, Dan Gwynn and Percy Dixon stuck and drowned five swordfish which weighed a total of 2400 pounds. In the early days when fishing was the chief means of providing for one's family, swordfishing was done en mass. It was one of the better money making endeavours for fishermen at the time.

The swordfish usually arrived between July 1st and July 10th. Boats of all sizes, which were called snapper boats, gathered at Dingwall and other fishing ports to ready themselves for the fishing season. A boat needed spars – a stand or chair which extended five to twenty-five feet from the bow of the boat. The size of the stand depended on the size of the boat. The boat also needed ropes, darts and poles for darts and kegs.

When out at sea, two men would go up in the spar and watch for a swordfish to come up and ‘fin’. After spotting the swordfish the harpooner walked out and took his stand in the chair. He carried a fifteen foot long wooden stick called a haft. At the end of the haft a small iron arrow called a Lily Iron was inserted. One end of a rope was fastened to the Lily Iron and the remainder coiled neatly in a tub. After throwing the Lily Iron the fishermen would then let the swordfish go with the keg, while getting more rope ready, which was called the drowning line. The swordfish, crazed with pain from the iron arrow, would tear madly away. The coiled rope whizzed out of the keg nearby with incredible speed. On the end of this rope was a buoy. It would tell the fishermen the location of the fish.

Quickly, a dory would be lowered and a man would row toward the dying swordfish. Often the swordfish would turn and attack the dory with his sword, sometimes puncturing it severely.

There were several businesses and individuals buying swordfish during those years. Bush Morrison bought for Nickerson’s in North Sydney. Ernie Sams bought for Leonard Brothers, also in North Sydney. Alex Capstick bought for General Sea Foods and the MacDonald Brothers were independent buyers. Alex recalls buying as high as fifteen swordfish from one boat which was from Sambro. These fish were to Lincoln, Willey Co., C. Hunt Co., and R.M. Kelley Co., most of which had headquarters in Boston.

The fish were packed in ice and shipped on the Aspy. The ice was cut from ponds in winter and packed in sawdust in an ice house. Prices varied from a low of 10¢ per pound and to as high as 50¢ per pound.

There was no electricity at this time and gas lamps were used for light and interested companies kept their buyers informed of prices by telegraph. Some of the buyers trucked in gas by drum from Sydney or Cheticamp. There were no banks so payment came in from companies to buyers by mail or car. When the vessels came in at night and the fish were sold, it was a busy time for store keepers, the MacDonald Brothers and Bush Morrison.

This account of the swordfishing industry in the communities North of Smokey was provided by the North Highlands Community Museum & Archives.

© 2009 North Highlands Community Museum & Archives