The M.V. Eric Keith, built in Glovertown , for W.W. Wareham & Sons Ltd of Harbour Buffett .   After WWII broke out in 1939, she was chartered under contract by the Newfoundland Home Defence, to transport coal from North Sydney, NS and into Curling, on NL's west coast for a full six months. Coal was vital to the NL Railway and the economy in general in keeping goods moving and machinery operating. 

 

When Skipper Din Pat came to Merasheen for the first time in the Eric Keith, he anchored her in the usual good spot inside the Big Rock, in the inner harbour, between Abe Best's wharf and Jack Hann's wharf.  On the morning they were leaving to go to North Sydney, all the school children gathered on the hill as the crew men would sing songs as the anchor was being weighed. One of the songs was " I Once Had a Sweetheart ".  Anyway, when the anchor was weighed/pulled the stem of the boat fell away with some new wind. Skipper couldn't get her to come around and get out of the inner harbour, so after many tries, Din Pat , signaled to the engineer to put her in reverse , and he steered her out back wards past the Big Rock and Wareham's premises, and turned her around out there when he got more room.