Robert Stuart Salt - "The Family's Good Fortune"
The Salt's
and
the Sea
STUART’s career was not without it’s ups and downs, however they were more so in the literal than in the career sense. The Eastern Seaboard being what it is, storms and “Nor’ Easterlies” were abundant and he called upon St. Brendan the Navigator, the Patron Saint of Sailors, on more than a few occasions. Of the most notable, his time in the under-powered MV Blue Prince, the Coast Guard vessel Montmorency and the CNR vessel, the MV William Carson stand to the forefront, some slightly humorous while others less so.
During one particular trip when returning from Gloucester, Massachusetts the MV Blue Prince was diverted to Prince Edward Island to load farm produce and cattle along with a number of other farm animals, only to arrive in St. John’s after a harrowing journey to find the cargo in particularly bad shape …
“The only ones that did not arrive were the chickens who’s eggs were smashed and they somehow got out of the tween deck and took off from the ship one by one, only to find out you needed web feet to pull of a trick like that!!!”
Some years later, as the Chief Engineer on the CCG Ship Montmorency, STUART would also witness first hand the benefit and importance of navigation buoys …
Another voyage took place on the CCGS Montmorency while loaded and on a spring voyage to lift winter buoys and place the larger steel lighted buoys. The very first buoy to be placed was on an inside passage at the bottom of Green Bay in Newfoundland, the passage for the MV Nonia to Cotterells Cove I believe. On a bright and sunny afternoon the skipper and the third mate were arguing where the rock shoal was, the buoy hanging over the rail, the vessel steaming astern at a fair clip as both officers were at extreme ends to each other, when suddenly the ship found the shoal and lay claim to it by flying into the air and crashing down on it to a full stop. The third mate was right and the little five foot orangutan skipper was in tears, but not from laughter.”
The MV William Carson …
Unfortunately, not all of his time at sea revolved around the humorous, and on one particularly trip on the MV William Carson, STUART would bear witness to the merciless conditions that can be found in these waters ...
“The worst condition anyone can face on the Eastern Seaboard of Canada is a North East wind, especially in the Cabot Strait area. When a storm can start somewhere out in the Atlantic and build up sea conditions to it’s liking while heading for land where it crashes the shore. At the Cabot Strait, it meets with a huge volume of water wanting to flow out to sea which battle creates a greater sea condition.”
A North East gale was forming and it was decided that the ship would leave Port aux Basques before the wind conditions in the harbour would make it prohibitive. However, the wind condition was more severe than thought and with much manoeuvering, the vessel was finally manipulated out of the port. On the afternoon watch, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm, STUART was monitoring engine temperatures and pressures when he noted a high sea water pressure on each of the main generator engines. Reporting the situation to the Chief Engineer who was just departing, he was instructed to wait for further development. Unknown to the crew was that all coolers for the main generators were blocked with debris taken in while manouvering in the harbour during the departure ...
“Before the Chief reached A Deck accommodations, all hell broke loose and every engine was hissing out steam. All main machinery was shut down immediately. We were about one hour out of port and in a sea condition that was worsening. Without steerage, the vessel layed broadside to the sea ,which had become more violent, and the vessel was rolling beyond the inclinometer in the engine room. The large containers on the aft deck ripped out their anchor pads and were all thrown overboard without touching anything else. The furniture in the main lounge had broken clear and injured some passengers. On the car deck, there were 12 or 15 cars that had broken clear and demolished each other and the fear was explosion because of all the gasoline from the ruptured gas tanks.”
A distress call was placed and the nearest vessel responded, the 16,000 ton, 630-foot Canadian Aircraft Carrier, HMCS Bonaventure, rigged out to tow the stricken vessel to harbour. Attempts were made to pass lines across but the extreme conditions prevented working on the decks of the Carson.
After a number of hours in these conditions and after much difficulty, STUART and his engineers managed to clear one engine of straw, hay and other matter ingested into the coolers, which permitted enough power to eventually gain steerage and the vessel slowly made it's way to North Sydney. The vessel was tied up and would spend the next 5 days alongside while forklift trucks worked the car decks, removing demolished containers and vehicles.
"The Bonnie reported sea conditions at 65 feet and our vessel was showing her bottom on every roll. When I came off watch, I headed to my cabin on A deck to get my lifejacket and had to walk on the bulkheads (walls) along the companionway. When I did find a position to look out at the Bonnie, which was laying off on our windward side, she would disappear except for a small part of the top of her island bridge and mast. "
"I can look back at it now with a lot of excitement but I cannot describe my feeling at the time. Some years later, when stepping ashore to take up new duties as a marine surveyor, it was a peculiar feeling of leaving something behind, or abandonment, but I was going to a job that would help the other guys. "
Paramaribo … Where Exactly is that Anyway?
Exciting career "dits" did not only revolve around his time at sea but also later, as a surveyor. After completing an inspection on one of the first three semi-submersible oil drilling rigs in the Canso Straits at Port Hawkesbury, STUART received a request for a surveyor to attend to the oilrig, Sedco I, located off of Dutch Guiana, South America. The rig was due to be moved to offshore Nova Scotia but an expired certificate prevented its relocation by the towing company …
"We left Halifax on a half filled Boeing 737, stopping in Nassau for fuel. After arrival in Paramaribo, a helicopter was to take us out to the rig. The assigned helicopter was not working properly and was being attend by a mechanic who chose to do his trials right outside the window of the waiting room. After five trial lift-offs and some more adjustments, the craft was cleared for use, while the mechanic shuffled off, both his back pockets crammed with the tools of his trade. The airport was extremely quiet at this time, almost as if it was abandoned. Upon arrival at the rig, I met up with the towing master and he was presenting himself in a very anxious manner. It was then I learned that the rig had to be underway and into someone else's water before the following night as this Country was declaring independence and they was concern about a take over by armed locals. "
The scenario continued to play out and STUART was informed that the helicopter would soon be leaving and that reservations on a flight out had been made, or should he prefer, he could take his chances and stay with the rig and they would try and take him off enroute. Suffice to say, STUART did not miss the helicopter trip back to the airport however bigger surprises were yet in-store for him …
"Arriving at the airport I found the place swarming with people in line all the way down the road leading into the airport from the town, being kept in order by men with machine guns or rifles (It turned out that citizens were informed that should they be in Holland at the time of independence that they could have dual citizenship. As such, one 747 was doing round trips to cover this situation). Time was running out and people were desperate so a lot of under the table dealing was going on. "
The seats reserved and paid for by the company had already been lost so arrangements were made for STUART to wait at a hotel while the Shell executive worked other arrangements. He was told to be packed and sleep with his clothes on as it was possible that he would get a call at any time during the night requiring him to move immediately …
"At 4am, the banging on the door came and away we went, passing a huge line-up still on the road to the airport. Apparently money, gold or other valuables got you to the front of the line. Our aircraft was an unscheduled cargo aircraft with a few passenger seats, which got away and took us to the Port of Spain, Trinidad. Well, I had five good days calming down and enjoying the steel band playoff competition for the Caribbean Islands before returning to Halifax. Needles to say, this is a memorable moment for me of the official birth of the Republic of Suriname. "
47 years after his first journey to the sea and after countless miles under his keel and enough excitement for a number of life times, STUART retired from the Department of Fisheries to spend some well earned time with his loving wife of nearly 40 years and his 3 children and 4 grandchildren, until his passing in 2022.