Captain Angus Walters: At the Helm of a Canadian Icon

Commissioned by the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, this portrait bust honours Captain Angus J. Walters, the renowned master of Bluenose—Canada’s most celebrated racing and fishing schooner.

Walters captained Bluenose from 1921 to 1939. Under his command, the schooner won its first International Fishermen’s Race in 1921 and established an unbeaten championship record that secured its place in Canadian maritime history. Walters and his crew became internationally admired for their courage, resourcefulness, and exceptional seamanship. Nova Scotia Archives

Beyond the races, Walters guided Bluenose through its demanding work as a Grand Banks fishing vessel. The schooner later represented Canada at Chicago’s Century of Progress World’s Fair in 1933 and at the Silver Jubilee of King George V in England in 1935. Its final racing victory came in 1938 off Massachusetts. Nova Scotia Archives

Walters’ contribution was formally recognized in 2006 when the Government of Canada designated him a person of national historic significance. Government of Canada

Creating this sculpture offered an opportunity to commemorate not only Walters’ likeness, but also the strength, determination, and quiet authority associated with his years at sea. Installed at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg, the bust connects his story to a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Canada’s North Atlantic fishery. Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.

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