The Bluenose was the greatest racing schooner to ever sail the waves. Fast, graceful, she took on all comers—and outran them all. To Canadians mired in the Great Depression, Bluenose offered a spark of hope. Gathering around their transistor radios, they thrilled to her exploits as time and time again she defeated her American rivals.

After the original Bluenose sank in the Caribbean, Nova Scotia built Bluenose II. The ship proudly represented Canada for decades. It even appears on our dime. But when rot was discovered in the beautiful schooner, many feared it would lead to her ruin. Thankfully, a massive restoration effort has saved Bluenose II. This summer, she once again sails as Canada’s cultural ambassador—a reminder of a different age, a time when men of iron sailed ships of hard timber and helped shape a nation.

The Bluenose has inspired generations of artists in Canada. Listen to the late Stan Rogers sing of “how she is always best under full press.”

And hear a ballad by Ryan’s Fancy tell of how the “ocean knows her name” and that she was “racing every wave in the sea.”
 

Finally, watch Rick Mercer of CBC’s Rick Mercer Report as he spends an afternoon as a crewmember aboard the Bluenose II. Also on board is Wayne Walters, grandson of Angus Walters, the original captain of the Bluenose.

The legend of Bluenose and Bluenose II lives on. To learn more about the multi-million-dollar refurbishing of the Bluenose II, check out this article from the June–July 2013 issue of Canada’s History.