Your Story

Reminiscing a fireside story; The Newfoundland Disaster

Growing up in Broad Cove [Duntara as it later became known] a favourite pastime would be when neighbours came by after supper and issues of the day would be discussed at great length.

In the spring of the year the topic would center around what boats were at the ice ,how many seals each boat had on board and what local sealers were out.You see my father Bern Harty senior was a sealer and spent many springs at the ice.In fact he was a sealer on the Bellaventure the spring the SS Newfoundland lost the seventy seven men.

Yes I heard in detail a first hand account of the sealers they found frozen to death on the ice;of the familiy members found frozen together and about how they made that somber trip back to port with the frozen bodies stacked on deck. A tramatic event to say the least.

Its only fitting a memorial be erected to these victims and I applaud the people of Elliston for taking the lead in this project.