The name County of Richmond is prominent in the annals of ship building in this region.
In 1875, Isidore LeBlanc commissioned a 410-ton three-masted barque, the County of Richmond, “the largest vessel produced in the southern part of Cape Breton.”
MLA LeBlanc was fond of saying in the Legislature that he built the County of Richmond, owned the County of Richmond, and ran the County of Richmond. Not realizing he was referring to his ship, his colleagues in the legislature were left in amazement.
It is no surprise that other ships of this seafaring community have become part of our lore. On June 16, 1875, the James R. Lithgow, a 110-ton schooner out of Boston valued at $5,000, ran aground on Green Island in Chedabucto Bay due to thick fog and powerful currents.
Lighthouse keeper William Duann tied a lead weight to a line and managed to get it to the schooner and saved the lives of nine men.
During the First World War, when Alphonse Samson was the lighthouse keeper at Cap La Ronde (he was the last), an American vessel, the Lake Allen, struck the rocky coastline. She was loaded with gypsum and was being towed when the high winds and rough seas separated her from the tug.
Samson immediately set out for Dr. Deveau and the RCMP in Arichat. Two crewmen were washed overboard; one died, pummeled on the rocks, while the other reached shore severely injured.
The weather remained so fierce that little could be accomplished by way of mounting a rescue effort, and the next day when it became clear that the barge was breaking apart, the remaining eight men aboard donned life jackets and made for shore.
It immediately became apparent that one of the sailors was weakening dangerously. It was at that point that one of the onlookers, Leo Martell of Pondville, took to the icy water and putting his life at risk rescued the struggling seaman.
In recognition of Martell’s selfless heroism, residents gathered at Arichat to witness the presentation of the Battery Certificate by Municipal Clerk and Treasurer E.C. Doyle. RCMP Officers Moxham and Bryant represented the Canadian Humane Society. Also in attendance were Inspector A.J. Comeau, J.D. Sutherland, and Councillor M.J. Bourinot.
The Gertrude L. Thebaud was the most famous Gloucester schooner of all time, and the last in a long line of fishing schooners that brought fame and glory to Gloucester, Massachusetts. It is not surprising that there is a Nova Scotia and a local connection to this renowned vessel from the days of sail for she was the main competition for The Bluenose and one of her captains was from Arichat.
In October 1938 the final races for the International Sailing Cup were run off of Gloucester. The old combatants squared off once more: Captain Angus Walters of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on The Bluenose versus Captain Ben Pine on The Gertrude L. Thebaud out of Gloucester.
On Oct. 9, The Thebaud won the first race by 2 minutes 50 seconds. The Bluenose won the second race on Oct. 13 by 12 minutes 10 seconds. There followed 10 days of fog and calm. Due to illness, Captain Pine was replaced by Captain Cecil Moulton.
In the third race on Oct. 23, The Bluenose outpaced its rival by 6 minutes 37 seconds. The drama built when the following day The Thebaud evened up the series winning the third race by 2 minutes 44 seconds.
The race for the championship was run on Oct. 26. The Bluenose won by 2 minutes 50 seconds; thus ended the last race between fishing schooners in the North Atlantic.