Bayeskimo at Ardrossan Harbour

[clydecoaster]

The Bayeskimo was built for the Hudson's Bay Company at Ardrossan Dockyard in 1922. She is seen here prior to her maiden voyage.

Older residents of the Three Towns may remember the Cally railway station at Ardrossan Harbour. The multi-angled roof of the station can be seen here behind a sign, largely obscured by the ship and the crane, which reads "Caledonian Railway - Montgomerie Pier Station".

The photograph is one of four in my possession showing the trials of the Bayeskimo at Ardrossan Harbour. All are of poor quality, but all are interesting.

The Bayeskimo was crushed by ice, and sank, in Ungava Bay, off the far north-east coast of Canada, in 1925.

[Hughie]

Thanks Clydecoaster, A warm welcome to you. That image shows the berth that more or less was owned by the 'Lairds Isle' during her daily summer crossing to Belfast as I remember from my youth. For those who were unaware, this from the pictorial book "Old Ardrossan" by R & M McSherry.

The Hudson Bay Company ship Baychimo was one of the most remarkable ships to be built and sail from Ardrossan. She became ice-bound in the Arctic in October 1931, and while some of the crew were rescued by ski planes, the remainder were forced to wait until the following spring in the hope that they could break the ship free when the milder weather came. Due to freezing temperatures on board the crew built a hut on the ice some distance from the ship. When they awoke on the morning of November 26 the Baychimo had drifted free from the ice and could not be found. She remained in the Arctic and became a legendary ghost ship, last seen between Icy Cape and Point Barrow in 1969.

[clydecoaster]

Yes, thanks for that, Hughie. I can add that my grandfather was chief engineer of both the Bayeskimo and the Baychimo, and I am in possession of a set of about 100 photographs taken by Baychimo second officer Fred Berchem. Among other things, these photographs show the foundering of the Bayeskimo, the Baychimo stuck in the ice and the temporary accommodation they built nearby, on land, before the November 1931 storm. My grandfather was not rescued from there until February 1932.

In fact, the Baychimo was not built at Ardrossan, but she overwintered there. See my website for details.

http://www.aboltonswebsite.co.uk/

Clydecoaster, aka Alan Bolton!