The Rotundus

She made her daily runs according to tide times in the Minas Basin. Her home was in Summerville, Hants County, N. S.. People waited for her to steam by and pick them up at Hantsport, Centre Burlington (Card Beach), Windsor and Avondale (Newport Landing). This way people could go to town to do their shopping at a round trip which cost 50 cents for adults and children over twelve travelling to Summerville and Windsor. People would have an hour and a half to two hours to do their shopping before the reverse tide would start and the Rotundus would have to make her return trip.

The Rotundus was not a privately owned steam powered ferryboat. In fact there were over 120 different shareholders. The term "Ferryboat" was lightly used because the Rotundus was also used to deliver supplies back from town to local merchants and homeowners.

She was a comfortable, sturdily built and commodious rivercraft. The cabin seats were upholstered with crimson plush and she had every modern convenience and safety feature available, including 250 life belts.

Size wise, she measured in length 92 feet, in breadth 20.6 feet, and in depth 6.8 feet. Her gross tonnage was 122.68, her registered tonnage was 66.24 and she was certified to carry 250 excursion passengers.

The Rotundus cruised steadily against the tides at a rate of 10 knots. She always returned on the same tide, hence the name "Rotundus."

When the Rotundus sadly left the Avon River in 1935 she went to work in newfoundland only to be called back to Halifax during the second World War. She had the important task of taking water to the thousands of naval and merchant vessels massed in convoy off the coast.

In late November 1946, the Rotundus made her last run. She left Halifax on her way to Sydney with a load of supplies. She got caught up in a big storm off the coast of Cape Breton. The constant fight with the high winds and heavy flow of water proved too much for her crew to handle. They abandoned ship and down she went, never to be seen again.

The Rotundus is a small but very significant part of the Hants Shore history. Many people do not realize the important role the Hants Shore played in our local history. I hope in having people read this article and future articles, it will help them see the Hants Shore not as just a place where people live, but a place which always had an abundance of history to offer and always will.

Any additional information, that readers may know about the Rotundus would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me at (902)-798-4714/0611 (office) or (902)-757-2150 (home).

E-mail messages may be sent to Mr. Lunn at hantsrda@fox.nstn.ca.