7/25/04   La Scie, NF        <Images North Shore Newfoundland>

Position:
49-57.78 N
55-36.19 W

La Scie, NF (after the sawtooth pattern of the surrounding hills)

Got held up in St. Anthony by the weather.  Thought I might get out yesterday, as the harbor was calm, but when I got outside there were confused ugly seas that looked like they were only getting worse in the direction I was going.  I turned around after 15 minutes and went back to St. Anthony.  Good move, as the weather later reported winds gusting to 50 knots.

Tried again today and it was beautiful.  Cruised southwest across about 90 miles of open water outside the mouth of White Bay which is probably 75 miles long.  This was probably the most deserted area that I will traverse during my whole trip.  Very few settlements and no boats except at the very beginning and very end.  A number of older settlements have had their populations relocated in return for a one time payment from the government (cheaper to pay them to move than to serve them in place).  Results of no more fish. 

Saw a number or ice-berglets and one giant iceberg.  My radar does pick up the berg-lets and can track the bergs.  The big berg was doing 3 knots SSE and my CPA (closest point of approach) was about 4 miles.   I put the giant honker lens on the camera and took its picture.

One picture that I could not get was a killer whale (yes, Orca).   I am positive it was a killer whale as they are the only whales that have an incredibly tall scythe like dorsal fin (sort of like half of a giant boomerang) and according to my references they do occur in these waters and grow to 25-30 feet.  This guy was definitely full size (huge) and was moving along on a specific course at very high speed (we were passing each other almost head-on).  He would surface about every 300 yards, doing a big roll with his huge narrow fin sticking tall above the exposed black top of his back.  He paid me no heed, sticking straight to his designated course and passing about 1/4 mile off my port side.  I tried but could not get a picture.  He appeared to be traveling solo.