Whale in Golden Bay, The

DESCRIPTION: In May 1912 a crew spent 3 weeks "hunting" (?) in Golden Bay and "picked up" a (dead?) whale. They telegraphed for a whaler to come and buy it but, by the time it arrived, the whale was too rotten to be sold. The crew are the butt of jokes on land.
AUTHOR: Henry Nash Sr and Bernard Nash (source: notes to ITMA/CapeShoreNL)
EARLIEST DATE: 1978 (ITMA/CapeShoreNL)
KEYWORDS: commerce sea ship humorous moniker whale sailor
FOUND IN: Canada(Newf)
Roud #26451
RECORDINGS:
Anthony Power, "The Whale in Golden Bay" (on ITMA/CapeShoreNL)
NOTES [166 words]: The crew is from Branch at the southern tip of the Avalon peninsula. The whale is stowed in Wester Cove, which is near Branch. I don't know where Golden Bay is, but it is apparently in the same area (see "The Northeast Gale"). Why would a local crew have to "serve our master for four long months In the place called Golden Bay"? And, if this is in the south, what would they be "hunting" from May to August? The singer says they were "fishing" and just happened to find the whale. - BS
Golden Bay isn't on any map of Newfoundland that I can check (including even the MUN Atlas of Newfoundland and Labrador, which would be about as official as you can get), but it's mentioned in Otto Kelland's "Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's"/"Western Boat"; I would guess it's an inlet off either Placentia Bay or St. Mary's Bay. There is no "Redland Point," either, but there is a "Red Island," of which "Redland Point" might be a mis-hearing, in Placentia Bay. For "Westering Cove" I have no suggestions. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.5
File: ITMAWiGB

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography