7/12/04

Location:  Corner Brook, Newfoundland        <Corner Brook Images>

Crossed the Cabot Strait from Dingwall, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland last Thursday morning in calm conditions.  Black and white side porpoises cruise along in groups of up to 10, they take huge rolling seemingly synchronized leaps quite high in the air as they cross ahead of the boat's path and going cruising off diagonally to my path -- traveling much faster than the boat's twelve knots.

Off the water by 1100.  Crappiest weather imaginable arrived late Thursday.  Stuck in Port aux Basques for three days of solid fog, drizzle and downpours -- March returns.  Even locals surprised by significant thunder.  Ran the heater to try to keep boat and contents dry, but wet dirty Newf demands to be and stay wet.  Newf stages labor action -- cockpit strike -- I ain't movin' he says -- snappyness ensues.  Fine be a soaking wet mop of dock/deck sludge, see if I care -- boat starts to smell -- seems I do care.  Strike broken, Newf forced inside shelter. 

Left Port aux Basques and rounded Cape Race Sunday afternoon to favorable Easterlies.  Holed up in Codroy, NF (as in "Roy caught his limit of Cod") below Cape Anguille on Sunday evening.  Slimy wet dirty fish dock.  Grimy hyper-inquisitive children and rat like stray mongrel dogs swarm Polarlys and me likes flies in a stable.  We can only shake them by going below on the boat, and even then they linger.  As in Port aux Basques, Newfer Polarlys must walk side deck to fore deck, step up on cabin top and cross ramp to fixed dock.  He seems to have this down.  Off on Monday morning at 0500 from Codroy north, making use of now favorable Northwesterlies. 

Many, many whales.  Big whales -- probably still just pilot whales but really big, they seem almost as long as the boat (32') -- no shit.  They travel in groups, rolling well above the surface of the water all around the boat and blowing big spouts in the air.  Really cool.  Did I mention they are really big?

Beautiful early summer day in Bay of Islands and Corner Brook.  Tie up at a Marina (floating docks nice for a change).  Canadian Coast Guard cutter in next slip -- American 47 design with the cut sheer line.  Canadian coasties like my previously download movies of the 47's training and getting knocked down at Coos Bay.  They say they well be back tomorrow with blank CD's to get copies for themselves.

Resting for at least a day in Corner Brook.  Then on northwards to anchor in Gros Mourne National Park.