SS Kyle

The SS Kyle is a 220 foot sailing vessel that is aground in the harbour of the Town of Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It ran ashore in February 1967. Intended to transport supplies and provide transportation from Carbonear to Labrador, it was also used to transport infantry to mainland Canada during World War II. After its grounding on the shores of Riverhead, Harbour Grace, it has had several owners, from the Earle Brothers Freighting Company to Dominion Metals, and finally to the government of Newfoundland.^[2] Plans to have the vessel moved to the town of Salmon Cove, Newfoundland, and turned into a museum were later aborted due to financial implications.^[3]

Background

The SS Kyle was named in accordance with fleet tradition of the Reid Company of Newfoundland which stated that their fleet must bear the name of a Scottish town. The ship was slated for construction in April 1912 by Swan Hunter Newcastle-on-Tyne in England. Though its primary use was the transportation of goods and civilians from Carbonear to Labrador, it also transported soldiers from Newfoundland to mainland Canada during World War II, and was an ice breaker in the winter as it was equipped with a heavy front end designed for such purposes. The ship was known by Newfoundlanders as the "Bulldog of the North".^[4] While it may not have been the largest boat in the Reid Company's fleet, it was the fastest, and played a role in ferrying passengers and cargo in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ship's statistics

The ship is 220 feet in length, 32 feet wide with a depth of 18 feet, and a gross tonnage of 1055 tonnes. The ship contains six furnaces and has a speed of 22 miles per hour (19 knots).^[5][6]

Ship's Captains

The first captain of the ship was Captain Lorenzo Stevenson. Before her foundering, the last owner was Guy Earle.

References