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MV Patrick Morris was a train ferry regulated by the Canadian National Railway (CN) that sank on her run from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland during a storm in the early morning of 20 April 1970 while responding to a mayday call from the Newfoundland-based herring seiner FV Enterprise.^[1] The ship's Captain Roland Penney was given permission to leave North Sydney ahead of schedule to assist the distressed wood-hulled fishing vessel .No passengers were aboard Patrick Morris when she set sail shortly before midnight for the rescue mission on 19 April.

Construction

Built for the West India Fruit and Steamship Company by Canadian Vickers Ltd. of Montreal, Quebec in 1951, the 460-foot vessel was named New Grand Haven and operated as a railcar ferry between Palm Beach, Florida and Havana, Cuba until 1959 when Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba and business declined due to the United States Trade Embargo. In 1961, the company sold all six of its ferries.

The Government of Canada bought New Grand Haven, converted her to diesel, and renamed her Patrick Morris to honour Irishman Patrick Morris, a Newfoundland colonial politician. The ship was affectionately known by the nickname Paddy Morris; she became CN's first train ferry to serve the North Sydney-Port aux Basques route.

Loss

Patrick Morris departed North Sydney, NS shortly before midnight on 19 April before her regularly scheduled departure time^[2] and headed to the last reported position of Enterprise. Around daybreak, her crew spotted a body in the water that was presumed to be that of a crew member from the fishing vessel. In the process of maneuvering to recover the body, Patrick Morris was overwhelmed when struck by a 30 ft (9.1 m) wave that smashed through rail car loading doors at the stern causing the ferry to take on water. Patrick Morris sent out her own mayday call at 6:51 am and sank 35 minutes later. Of her crew of 51 officers and sailors, 47 survived. Captain Penney, Chief Engineer David Reekie, Second Engineer Joseph Henry Slayman and Third Engineer Ronald A. Anderson lost . All eight crewmen perished from Enterprise. The wreck of Patrick Morris lies in the Cabot Strait approximately 15 nmi (28 km) east of Cape Smokey at a depth of 300 ft (91 m).

References

^ McNeil, Greg. "Remembering the sinking of the Patrick Morris". Retrieved 25 October 2020.
^ Gillis, Rannie (13 July 2009). "The Patrick Morris sank while taking part in a dangerous rescue mission". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved 31 October 2016.

External links

[1] McNeil, Greg. "Remembering the sinking of the Patrick Morris". Retrieved 25 October 2020.

[2] Gillis, Rannie (13 July 2009). "The Patrick Morris sank while taking part in a dangerous rescue mission". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved 31 October 2016.

[1]

[2]

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+[[File:MV_Patrick_Morris_enroute_from_Port-Aux-Basques_NL_To_North_Sydney_NS_in_1965.jpg| thumb|''Patrick Morris'' en route to North Sydney, NS from Port-aux-Basques, NL in 1965]]
-The '''MV ''Patrick Morris''''' was a [[Canadian National Railway]] (CN) [[train ferry]] that sank on her run from [[North Sydney, Nova Scotia]] to [[Channel-Port aux Basques|Port aux Basques, Newfoundland]] during a storm in the early morning hours of 20 April 1970 while responding to a mayday call from the Newfoundland-based [[herring seiner]] FV ''Enterprise''.  The ship's Captain Roland Penney was given permission to leave North Sydney ahead of schedule to assist the wood-hulled fishing vessel in distress. No passengers were aboard the ''Patrick Morris'' when she set sail after midnight.
+'''MV ''Patrick Morris''''' was a [[train ferry]] regulated by the [[Canadian National Railway]] (CN)  that sank on her run from [[North Sydney, Nova Scotia]] to [[Channel-Port aux Basques|Port aux Basques, Newfoundland]] during a storm in the early morning of 20 April 1970 while responding to a mayday call from the Newfoundland-based [[herring seiner]] FV ''Enterprise''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McNeil |first1=Greg |title=Remembering the sinking of the Patrick Morris |url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/cape-breton-post/20100417/281891589474001 |accessdate=25 October 2020}}</ref>  The ship's Captain Roland Penney was given permission to leave North Sydney ahead of schedule to assist the distressed wood-hulled fishing vessel .No passengers were aboard ''Patrick Morris'' when she set sail shortly before midnight for the rescue mission on 19 April.
 ==Construction==
-Built for the [[West India Fruit and Steamship Company]] by [[Canadian Vickers]] Ltd. of [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] in 1951, the 460-foot vessel  was called the SS ''New Grand Haven'' and operated as a railcar ferry between [[Palm Beach, Florida]] and [[Havana|Havana, Cuba]] until 1959 when [[Fidel Castro]] came to power in Cuba and business declined due to the [[United States embargo against Cuba|United States Trade Embargo]].
+Built for the [[West India Fruit and Steamship Company]] by [[Canadian Vickers]] Ltd. of [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] in 1951, the 460-foot vessel  was named ''New Grand Haven'' and operated as a railcar ferry between [[Palm Beach, Florida]] and [[Havana|Havana, Cuba]] until 1959 when [[Fidel Castro]] came to power in Cuba and business declined due to the [[United States embargo against Cuba|United States Trade Embargo]].
 In 1961, the company sold all six of its ferries.
-The [[Government of Canada]] bought the SS ''New Grand Haven'', renamed her the MV ''Patrick Morris'' to honour Irishman [[Patrick Morris (merchant)|Patrick Morris]], a [[Dominion of Newfoundland|Newfoundland colonial politician]].  The ship was affectionately known by the nickname ''Paddy Morris''; she became CN's first train ferry to serve the North Sydney - Port aux Basques route.
+The [[Government of Canada]] bought ''New Grand Haven'', converted her to diesel, and renamed her ''Patrick Morris'' to honour Irishman [[Patrick Morris (merchant)|Patrick Morris]], a [[Dominion of Newfoundland|Newfoundland colonial politician]].  The ship was affectionately known by the nickname ''Paddy Morris''; she became CN's first train ferry to serve the North Sydney-Port aux Basques route.
 ==Loss==
-''Patrick Morris'' left North Sydney, NS shortly after midnight on 20 April before her regularly scheduled departure time and headed to the last reported position of ''Enterprise''. Around daybreak, her crew spotted a body in the water that was presumed to be that of a crew member from the fishing vessel. In the process of maneuvering to recover the body, ''Patrick Morris'' ended up with her stern facing into the wind and the ship was overwhelmed when struck by a {{convert|30|ft|m|abbr=on}} wave that smashed through rail car loading doors at the stern and she began taking on water. ''Patrick Morris'' sent out her own mayday call at 6:51 am and sank 35 minutes later.  Of her crew of 51 officers and sailors, 47 crew survived.  Captain Penney, Chief Engineer David Reekie, Second Engineer Joseph Henry Slayman and Third Engineer Ronald A. Anderson were lost. All eight crewmen perished from ''Enterprise''.  The wreck of ''Patrick Morris'' lies in the [[Cabot Strait]] approximately {{convert|15|nmi|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Cape Smokey]] at a depth of {{convert|300|ft|m|abbr=on}}.
+''Patrick Morris'' departed North Sydney, NS shortly before midnight on 19 April before her regularly scheduled departure time<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gillis|first1=Rannie|title=The Patrick Morris sank while taking part in a dangerous rescue mission|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/2009-07-13/article-783994/The-Patrick-Morris-sank-while-taking-part-in-a-dangerous-rescue-mission|accessdate=31 October 2016|publisher=Cape Breton Post|date=13 July 2009}}</ref> and headed to the last reported position of ''Enterprise''. Around daybreak, her crew spotted a body in the water that was presumed to be that of a crew member from the fishing vessel. In the process of maneuvering to recover the body, ''Patrick Morris''  was overwhelmed when struck by a {{convert|30|ft|m|abbr=on}} wave that smashed through rail car loading doors at the stern causing the ferry to take on water. ''Patrick Morris'' sent out her own mayday call at 6:51 am and sank 35 minutes later.  Of her crew of 51 officers and sailors, 47 survived.  Captain Penney, Chief Engineer David Reekie, Second Engineer Joseph Henry Slayman and Third Engineer Ronald A. Anderson lost . All eight crewmen perished from ''Enterprise''.  The wreck of ''Patrick Morris'' lies in the [[Cabot Strait]] approximately {{convert|15|nmi|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Cape Smokey]] at a depth of {{convert|300|ft|m|abbr=on}}.
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-*http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?35988
-*http://cnmarine.webs.com/sspatrickmorris.htm
+== External links ==
-*http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k5MjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FbkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1751,1819440&dq=patrick+morris+sinking&hl=en
+*[http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?35988 MV Patrick Morris on The Wrecksite]
-*http://nswrecks.net/ns-datapages/patrickmorris-dat.htm
+*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k5MjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FbkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1751,1819440&dq=patrick+morris+sinking&hl=en The Montreal Gazette – April 21, 1970]
-* http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Columns/2008-03-03/article-781650/Search-for-sunken-railcar-ferry-Patrick-Morris-will-begin-in-April/1
+*http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Columns/2008-03-03/article-781650/Search-for-sunken-railcar-ferry-Patrick-Morris-will-begin-in-April/1
-* http://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/63115/page/26
+*http://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/63115/page/26
 *http://www.capebretonpost.com/Living/2010-04-20/article-1031331/Survivors-mark-40th-anniversary-of-sinking-of-the-Patrick-Morris-/1 40th anniversary remembrance
+*http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/2009-07-13/article-783994/The-Patrick-Morris-sank-while-taking-part-in-a-dangerous-rescue-mission
+{{1970 shipwrecks}}
-==External links==
-http://nswrecks.net/ns-datapages/patrickmorris-dat.htm<br>
-http://capebretonsmagazine.com/modules/publisher/item.php?itemid=5467|The Sinking of the Patrick Morris- One Sailor's day
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Patrick Morris}}
-[[Category:Articles created via the Article Wizard]]
-[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Nova Scotia coast|Patrick Morris MV]]
+[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Nova Scotia coast]]
+[[Category:Ferries of Nova Scotia]]
+[[Category:Ferries of Newfoundland and Labrador]]
+[[Category:Canadian National Railway]]
+[[Category:1951 ships]]
+[[Category:Ships built in Montreal]]
+[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1970]]

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1970
Shipwrecks	5 Jan: Badger State 10 Jan: Elda 21 Jan: RNLB Duchess of Kent 27 Jan: Kolasin/ex-Pierre L'Enfant 4 Feb: Arrow 10 Feb: TCD Foudre 4 Mar: Eurydice 6 Mar: USS Young 20 Mar: USS Cony 27 Mar: USS Eaton 1 Apr: Glen Strathallan 6 Apr: London Valour 12 Apr: Kalymnos 20 Apr: Patrick Morris 16 May: El Qaher May (unknown date): USS Tweedy 11 Jun: USS Gyatt 17 Jun: USS Waller 18 Jun: USS Moray 19 Jun: USS Tunny 26 Jun: USS Conway 14 Jul Eastcliffe Hall 20 Jul Fulvia 21 Jul Seatrain Washington 1 Aug: Christena 8 Aug: USS Segundo 18 Aug: LeBaron Russell Briggs 20 Aug: David E. Hughes 9 Sep: Irving Whale 18 Sep: USS Soley 1 Oct: USS Atlanta 17 Nov: USS Ericsson 19 Nov: Marites, USS John W. Weeks 23 Nov: Julep 3 Dec: USS Bluegill Unknown date: YTL-17
Other incidents	29 Jan: USS Nathanael Greene 14 Mar: Columbia Eagle 1 Jul: Ancona August (unknown date): Manhattan 14 Sep: Galillee 9 Nov: HMS Ark Royal Dec (unknown date) Khalda
1969 1971