I don't know why I have always been fascinated by HMS Bounty.

I first heard of the Bounty in 1960 when my parents walked on its deck while it was getting ready to be launched at Smith and Rhuland Shipyards In Lunenburg. Over the next couple of years, I read to learn more about the Bounty's visit to the South Pacific during which the infamous mutiny took place in the late 1700's.

In 1962, Nova Scotians packed movie theatres to cheer when Marlon Brando, as Fletcher Christian, took control of the ship from Captain Bligh, as portrayed by Trevor Howard. But, really, they were there to see "their" Bounty.

To my knowledge, the Bounty has never been owned in Nova Scotia, although it paid numerous visits to the province where she was built. Regardless, I think Nova Scotians felt the ship was ours. Although it was not the Bluenose, it had the same magical appeal to Nova Scotians.

The Bounty was back in Nova Scotia this past summer, as part of the Tall Ships event in Halifax. She also visited Pictou and, on her final Canadian stop, Lunenburg. That's when and where I finally got to walk the deck and hold the famous wheel. It's the same wheel held by Clark Gable in the original version of the movie and later held by Marlon Brando.

We lost the Bounty on Monday when Hurricane Sandy took it to the bottom of the Atlantic off the coast of the Carolinas.

As the entire crew abandoned ship, two were lost including the ship's captain and Claudene Christian, who was the great-great-great-great-great grandaughter of the man who made the Bounty famous in 1789.

I'll miss seeing the Bounty sail back into Nova Scotia waters.