Of Tragedy and Valor
Rumbelow Boats

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Rumbelow Boats

Malen Rumbelow 2nd and his sons, Henry, Cain and Malen 3rd, owned four or five big cutters at a time, including the Rambler, Stranger, Ferret, Brigand, and the Ivy, along with the 28 ft Spray. When the cutters went out they would be away for 7-10 days, looking for whitting and snapper. The family also netted mullet, salmon and snook in Encounter Bay and used flat bottomed dinghies to catch mullet in in the Coorong.

Malen 3rd and his brothers often took part in spontaneous, as well as organised races, with other fishing cutters. One time when Malen 3rd and his brothers Henry and Cain were at Kangaroo Island in the Stranger, they challenged the other fisherman to a race to Port Adelaide. Malen, knowing his home waters well, crossed quickly to the mainland and sailed close inshore, leaving the others to get becalmed. The Stranger won by 14 hours. 

With the deaths of Malen 3rd and 2rd only months apart, Henry turned to farming for a time. Cain remained at Yilki and continued fishing from his cutter, Swallow. Henry, and one of his sons Walter, then fished the lakes for a time and , when Henry retired, Walter fished from the Ferret. In later years, Lionel, David and Walter and Malen 4th (known as Ween), continued fishing at Encounter Bay, as did other brothers, cousins and uncles.

Throughout the generations of the fishing family Rumbelows two threads have continually interwoven; their bravery in rescuing other from drowning and their own misfortune in losing so many of the family to the sea.

The other fishing families who arrived in Encounter Bay about the same time as the Rumbelows were the Shannons and the Ewens. 

Boatmen by Nature

• The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) 

•  Wed 12 Jun 1907 

The father and son Malen were boatmen by nature, and as visitors began to make the bay a holiday resort they devoted themselves largely to catering for the boating pleasure parties. The father became a veritable institution with the visitors. At regattas in the district his management of sailing boats and his cleverness as the 'duck' will long be remembered. 

Malen —almost a giant in proportions — a boatman of unequalled skill, in whom even the most nervous had the utmost confidence, was withal of a genial, good natured disposition, which endeared him to all tourists, residents, and family. For many years father and son catered for the ever-increasing 'visitor' business. 

Henry was the fisherman par excellence, not only of the family, but of the district. None knew better than he the best places for schnapper and mullet. Many magnificent hauls he has recorded— on one occasion 250 dozen mullet, and on another 300 dozen. He has also had battles with sharks, and succeeded in killing a large number. 

Small boats smashed

•  The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) 

•  Thu 20 Jul 1916 

Wednesday:— Exceptionally heavy seas prevailed in the vicinity of the Bluff on Monday night and throughout the early hours of the morning. The sailing boat Spray, owned by Mrs. D. M. Rumbelow, dragged her moorings, and smashed against the rocks with such force that she was knocked to pieces. 

The Spray was a 29 ft. 9 in. boat, and was valued at about £100. The sailing boat Ivy drifted on to the beach, and sustained considerably damage. This vessel is owned by Mr. George Ticklie. Rough weather was experienced in the harbour, where the barges Waterwitch and Mary were sank with a quantity of tools on board. The Marine Board has received a telegram from the harbour master at Kingscote stating that the cutter Venus, the motor boat Warned, and several other small boats were blown ashore, but no serious damage resulted.

Pioneer Family Reunion

• Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) 

• Fri 17 Dec 1954 

Extract

Of other fine boats the Rumbelow's owned was the Spray which was wrecked at The Bluff in 1916. It was owned by Mrs. David Malin Rumbelow and her sons and had been built by the old partnership of M. Rumbelow & Sons shortly before that partnership was dissolved. Mr. David Rumbelow later owned the Brigand and Mr. Lionel Rumbelow owned The Ivy. 

Three Rumbelows, Hubert, Lionel, and Malin still follow the careers of their fathers and may be seen plying their toil among the waters and reefs of Encounter Bay today. Many vivid stories of battles between the fishermen and storms or sharks have been related, but unfortunately the participants of these real life dramas have passed on and their stories are forgotten — a few are on record or are known to the writer. 

One worth noting was when the cutter Rambler was commissioned to bring the ballot boxes from Kangaroo Island during an election. A terrific storm was blowing and doubt was expressed as to the possibility of getting the ballot boxes on board the cutter. Henry Rumbelow, sen., was detailed to bring them from the shore to the cutter, whilst Malin and Cain and other crew members remained on board. Anxiety was felt, for it was feared the dinghy would be dashed to pieces against the side of the Rambler, and Malin, who was a giant in strength and stature, stood alert and ready as Henry drew close beside. A huge wave lifted them up and Malin seized the dinghy and with one mighty heave landed man and ballot boxes safely on board the Rambler, and after a terrific battle through Backstairs Passage the boxes were safely delivered to their destination. 

On another occasion when Henry and Godfrey were fishing together, Godfrey was standing on a rock breast deep in water when suddenly he saw a huge carpet shark approaching him. A shout to Henry for help brought the boat to within jumping distance and Godfrey, with no more than seconds to spare, landed in the boat as jaws of the monster snapped behind him. Subsequently the brothers killed the shark, which measured 10½ feet in length. Malin also had a great battle with a shark which attacked him, and after a terrific fight the young fisherman killed the monster which measured 12½ feet long. 

Henry, sen., used to tell us of the two following incidents: — On one occasion a huge shark followed the Rambler home from the schnapper grounds, the fishermen hoping he would leave them when they moored their boat, but such was not the case. As they boarded their dinghy to come ashore the monster became even more threatening. Again Malin came to the rescue. Seizing a newly-sharpened lance from the dinghy's bow he stood with it poised and as the shark swam with inches of the side he drove it with a mighty lunge through the shark's gills. The shark hurriedly departed leaving a trail of blood to crimson the water. 

At another time Malin, sen., Henry, and Malin, jun. decided to catch some porpoise for bait and oil. Malin, sen., managed to harpoon a porpoise through the tail and drawing it up to the boat he slipped a noose of rope around the creature's tail, cut the harpoon loose, allowing the porpoise some liberty to act as a decoy. After catching sufficient for their purpose, they began hauling in their decoy when with a sudden streak a shark flashed on the scene and with a mighty lunge and bite it took most of the porpoise in one mouthful, leaving only head, tail, and several inches of skin along the back. It then rubbed itself along the side of the boat but made no further attack. 

Malin Rumbelow, sen., is said to be the first to catch a pigmy whale in these waters. At another time a huge leather skinned turtle, weighing half a ton, was caught and sent to the city. Some other interesting marine specimens have been sent to the Adelaide Museum by the family. 

Hubert, Lionel, and Stanley Malin (known as Ween) are now left of the old families to carry on the fishing industry, but of other members and descendants of the families of these pioneers of South Australia "'there are too many to count." 

Many of them, like their fellow Australians, have served their King and Country in two wars — all have maintained the best traditions of citizenship.