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coastal boat
DCHP-2 (Mar 2016)
n. — Newfoundland, Transportation
a long-distance provincial boat service for passengers and freight.
Type: 4. Culturally Significant — Coastal boats are the long-distance connections within Newfoundland and Labrador, usually routed via the capital, St. John's. They used to complement bay boat service, the latter no longer offered, to the smaller outports. Today, coastal boat is the term in use for the connections that have remained in service, which mostly serve the South Coast, Labrador Coast and Goose Bay. The term now contrasts with "ferry" which refers to boat services that take vehicles as well as passengers and freight (see the 2016 quotation). Chart 1 shows that the term, while found elsewhere as well (e.g. BC), is overwhelmingly used in Newfoundland and Labrador, which makes it, in addition to its cultural significance, a Newfoundlandism by virtue of frequency.
See also DNE, s.v. "coastal (a.)", with attestations until 1987.
See also DNE, s.v. "coastal (a.)", with attestations until 1987.
See: bay boat
Quotations
1877
Under the existing coastal service system, Placentia Bay is regularly visited at Burin at the outlet of of the bay by the steamer plying on the western route, and it occurred to him that if a small steamer were laid on there, to connect with the coastal boat and receive mails and passengers for the different portions of the Bay an immeose [sic] advantage would accrue to the inhabitants.
1896
Harvey & Co. received a telegraph message from Burin this noon-time from the captain to the effect that the steamer Grand Lake lost both Chains and Anchors at St. Pierre, and had to put to sea. [...] Harvey & Co. have wired Capt. Delaney to come on to St. John's. The Coastal boat will likely be back here early tomorrow morning.
1919
According to word received to-day by the Colonial Secretary, a man named B.J. Miller had been very seriously injured at Marystown, and the Government coastal boat Portia which was then at that port, was ordered to convey the injured man to Placentia [...]
1928
Victoria, April 25-The new Canadian Pacific coastal boat, Princess Elaine, arrived fit and trim today after her long voyage [...]
1932
The Mail courier service between this Port and Rose Blanche has been discontinued; as far as Rose Blanche is concerned, in the interests of economy, we make no comment but we do strongly protest that Isle Aux Morte and Burnt Islands are seriously at a disadvantage. Both these ports are dangerous of approach and during fog the coastal boat will make no attempt to enter. It would be ridiculous for the Government to order the coast boat to call at these ports in other than under [sic] reasonable conditions.
1955
Heavy northern drift ice and huge ice bergs still block Labrador ports north of Double Island, states Capt. Walter Tucker, master of the CNR coastal boat SS Kyle, which arrived in port from Labrador at 11 a.m. yesterday.
1963
After their last stop on the coast, the party elected to motor back to Forteau and re-cross the Straits in an open boat rather than wait two days for the coastal boat Bonavista, which had brought them over to the Labrador side.
1977
Postville is also served by CN coastal boats operating out of St. John's. Shipping is usually delayed by coastal ice following the spring break up (early to mid June), and when an early start to summer operations is desired, equipment and supplies should be flown in. However, the coastal boat service offers a reasonably cheap method of shipping samples and equipment out of the field. Ponds usually freeze up in October, but the coastal boats can operate until late November.
1985
Not long ago, the season's last coastal boat arrived in Goose Bay-Happy Valley and part of its cargo was these boxes.
1995
Morrison says other routes such as the Newfoundland coastal boats and the service between that province and Nova Scotia would be harder sells, partly because of the rough seas of the Cabot Strait and the vessels they demand and partly because the constitutional obligation means continual service no matter how many people are travelling.
2011
Born Sept. 7, 1909, in the outport community of Herring Neck, N.L., Gladys was the only child of Joseph and Gedidiah Farthing.
After finishing high school, she took the coastal boat to St. John's, where she attended teachers college at what later become part of Memorial University.
2016
From Rose Blanche on the Granite Coast Scenic Drive you can take a coastal boat – passengers only – to La Poile, an isolated community on the south coast. The coastal boat makes one round trip daily. When travelling by coastal boat or ferry it's always a good idea to plan everything in advance. Schedules can vary.
To access other isolated communities along the south coast, catch the ferry from Burgeo on Route 480, or the coastal boat from Hermitage on Route 364.
References
- DNE
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