Lyrics

Bold men of the sea, pay attention to me
And I’ll relate this story of the Mina Swim
Built in Tan Cook Skillin Island, St. Margaret’s Bay
Slipped her ways in 1905.

She was a two-masted schooner of good banking class
Spent two years in the American trade
Purchase by Lefeuvre’s in 1907 when they sailed her
From Boston to Burin.

For the next ten years she fished on Querro
And down to Smokey on the Labrador
Late each fall when the fishin’ was over, she’d take a full freight
From Bull’s Cove to St. John’s.

Every banking schooner had a fine hearty crew
And such were the crew of the Mina Swim
There was Moulton and Brushett, Rob Lundrigan too
Norm Martin, Robert Goods and Jim Giles.

On February seventh, nineteen-seventeen
They channelled her out through the ice
Jack Jarvis was their skipper, Tom Riggs was their mate
Bound for Querro for to catch a trip of fish.

Now tragedy at sea in the days of sail
Was a danger to many a banking crew
Young men struck down in the prime of life
Leaving loved ones forever to mourn.

They said loved ones at home had a restless night
Eerie dreams of great despair on the Mina Swim
A sister aoke to a ghostly sight
Twas her brother with his oil skins all drippin’.

No word was ever heard nor wreckage ever found
Not a clue as to the plight of that crew
Just a bone-chilling omen in the cold, grey light of dawn
Was a numb but silent end to the Mina Swim.

But in the cold, grey light of dawn
You may see her sailing on the swell
Mina Swim
[repeat these last three lines three times]

Source: Songs Lyrics from the Mina Swim Memorial Website