The MV Alcala. What became of her? Well, here’s what became of her.

I was on her in 1957. As we left Carbonear at 4pm we headed for the Labrador with 950 hogsheads of salt, 10 drums of stove oil and 15 drums of gasoline for Battle Harbour, we moved on north. When we went through Baccalieu Tickle, the wind was north east. At 8am the engineer said, looks like something on the radar. We were 6 miles off Cabot Island. The Skipper said, that’s a schooner. William Badcock and Lewis Simms said it looks too big for a schooner.

Bill Badcock ran up by the forecastle and Lewis stayed by the wheelhouse. Bill sang out, “Iceberg, hard to starboard, iceberg!” So Naus Piercey turned the wheel hard to starboard. The Alcala cleared the big berg, but she ran over a spur of ice under the water which put her starboard rail underwater. When she came clear we were taking on water. Men manned the pumps but we couldn’t keep against the water coming in. So the engineer, Burt Power, opened four Briggs and Stratton pumps which were going to Battle Harbour. After the pumps got going Burt said, we are holding our own. An SOS was sent out but the nearest boat was 10 hours away. Captain Guy Earle said by phone, “head for the nearest port.” The Alcala headed for Seldom Come By, where we unloaded salt and some freight. We then headed for Twillingate. After leaving Twillingate we headed to Snooks Arm and unloaded more salt and freight, after which we went to Englee and St. Anthony and did the same. Then it was on to Battle Harbour where all the remaining salt and drums of oil and gas were unloaded.

When the Alcala was empty, she was hauled in stern on between two piers. Drums of fuel were loaded on the starboard side and tackles were lashed to top of mast. This listed the boat and she was hauled down. The port side which was damaged was then risen out of the water. The broken planks were then covered with canvas and boards. This kept the water from coming in. Then after repairs and empty she was up above the damage. She left for Day Spring, NS, where they repaired her and sent her back to Battle Harbour like a new boat. Then after loading with 4200 quintals of dry fish and cod liver oil she left Battle Harbour at 11pm for Nova Scotia. The Mountie’s wife, Doris Davis went on board as a passenger. She was going home to Nova Scotia to have her baby.

I watched the Alcala leave Battle Harbour on a beautiful calm night and went up to the bunk house. An hour later I heard someone coming. When the door opened it was George Blundon, and he was crying. I said, “what’s wrong George?” he said, “We lost her, boy.” I said, “not the Mountie’s wife?”, “no,” he said, “the Alcala. She’s on the shoal called the Ribs.” I said, “everyone ok?” He said yes. So I ran out by the bunkhouse and rang the bell. Captain Guy Earle sang out, “what’s wrong?” I said, “the Alcala is on the Ribs.” He said, “keep ringing.”  Then Battle Harbour came alive.

Captain Earle got two small schooners the MV Shortswave (?) and the MV Tweedsmuir and headed for the wreck to see what we could salvage. Next morning at 5am she broke up and drifted off the Ribs. The bottom half, fish and motor oil and all, went to the bottom. Other drums of fuel and cod oil were drifting up and down the coast. The two smaller schooners towed the floating deck into Tizzards Harbour. After some things were taken off, the rest of the deck was towed to Battle Harbour and then scrapped. So ended the beautiful Alcala.

Heber McGurk
Carbonear, NL