The Ghost Coast

This summer's gathering of Tall Ships in Steveston is showing that public interest in large sailing ships is at an all-time high. But you don't have to wait for a once-in-a-lifetime event or take up scuba diving to see ships from a bygone era. As long as you do not demand too great a state of preservation, genuine examples can be viewed right here in our own backyard; if you know where to look.

The quiet seaside community of Royston sits on the south shore of the entrance to Comox harbour on Vancouver Island. The waters off Royston have for decades been the booming grounds for logging operations in the Comox Valley region. Occasionally in summer and more often in winter, southeast gales bombard the shores of Comox harbour which is exposed to winds from that direction. The northern shore off the town of Comox is protected by the Goose Spit. The south shore has no natural barrier. In the 1930's, it was decided that a breakwater would be built at Royston using old ships that were destined for the scrap heap. This was the beginning of what became known as the Royston ghost fleet.

In those days the general public did not consider a breakwater made from old ships to be an eyesore. On the contrary, it was a practical structure that made their livelihood safer during inclement weather. It was also the most economical construction method; the derelict hull was simply towed into position and sunk on the shallow mud flats. And there was no shortage of materials for the job either. With the development of the steam engine, the majestic clipper ships of the 19th and early 20th centuries had become obsolete and the age of sail ended in the 1920's. Restricted to their seasonal trade wind routes, they could not compete with the new steamships that were just as fast and reduced costs by steering directly to their destinations at any time of year.

The end of the Second World War also caused many warships to become surplus. Most were stripped of useful hardware and scrapped. A few of the empty hulls found their way to Royston. By the time the practice of using ships for breakwater construction ended, the Royston fleet was a peculiar array of square-riggers, tugs and WWII frigates. It is unfortunate that some could not have been preserved for future generations to admire. Ships such as Puako and Melanope could tell tales that would raise the hair on the back of even the most seasoned sailors' neck. Their stories range from rounding Cape Horn to skippers that ruled with an iron fist.

The first member of the Royston ghost fleet was the five-masted auxiliary lumber schooner Laurel Whalen. Built in 1917 by Cameron Genoa Mills Shipbuilders in Victoria, the Laurel Whalen had a brief spell as an ocean going cargo ship before being converted to a floating cannery in the 1920's. Eventually she outlived her usefulness and was brought to the breakwater site in the 1930's.

You won't see much of the Laurel Whalen today. Her wooden bones rest mostly underwater at the outer end of the breakwater and have all but disappeared. Another five-masted wooden ship, the barkentine Forest Friend, is closer to shore. For many years curiosity seekers could walk her decks and stand in the wheelhouse. Now rock fill has taken over most of her duties and what remains is hard to spot from shore.

Melanope's story is the most interesting. Launched in 1876, she was 256 feet long and displaced 1600 tons. Throughout her long career she crossed oceans, battled Cape Horn and survived incidents of adulterous captains, mutiny and even murder. Her luck finally ran out in 1906. A storm drove her onto the Columbia River Bar and even though the owners were able to mount a salvage operation, Melanope's days of running before the trade winds were over. Stripped of masts, rigging and dignity, she was relegated to the humble duty of coal barge. The former sailing queen was now towed by tug and cable, a slave to her steam powered masters. Melanope would suffer still further indignation when years later her final fate was decided: she would join the ghost fleet at Royston. Today, parts of her rusting iron hull can be seen next to the wood deep-sea tug, Salvage King.

The most conspicuous sailing ship wreck at Royston is the steel three-masted Riversdale. Sold to a German company and renamed Harvestehude, she was caught in a Baja California port at the start of WWI. British warships forced her and 11other German merchant ships to spend the war at anchor. Her classic clipper bow stands out amid the other ruins nearby. A portion of the massive bowsprit still projects proudly forward. Somewhat fittingly, one of her WWI cell-mates, the 320 foot, four-masted steel barque Orotava (formerly Comet), also resides at Royston. Standing alone away from the breakwater, the upright bow section is all that is left of one of the largest barques ever built.

Even the Canadian Pacific steam tugs Nanoose and Qualicum could not escape the grisly fate of their colleagues. Both had towed Melanope around to supply coal for warships during WWI. Now, their virtually unrecognizable remains lie near the Laurel Whalen.

To view these denizens of the golden age of sail, drive three and one half kilometers south from 29th Street in Courtenay on the Old Island Highway and turn left onto Marine Drive. This short road will take you to a modest park by the water's edge. By now you will have spotted the breakwater and the ship's remains. Under no circumstances should you attempt to board the wrecks. The breakwater is private property and there are signs warning visitors to keep off. As you might expect, the remains are in a state of disrepair and extremely dangerous.

It's much easier to view the wrecks from the park with binoculars. The accompanying photo will help you identify the individual ships. On the extreme left, closest to shore, is the WWII frigate, HMCS Prince Rupert. A little further out is Riversdale. The bow sprit is a dead give-away that this was once a real Tall Ship.

Before you gaze further out, look closely with your binoculars between Riversdale and Prince Rupert. Can you spot some greying timbers? These are the remains of Forest Friend, now almost totally buried by rock. Melanope is visible between Comet and Salvage King. She is the oldest ship in the breakwater and can be identified by her rounded gunwales.

Beside the park's concrete picnic tables is a sign that describes the history of the Royston breakwater. Sadly, the sign has deteriorated and most of the information cannot be read. It is hoped that this article will fill in some of the gaps of an almost forgotten part of British Columbia's maritime history.

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