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Sailing the South
Coast of Newfoundland, Part 4
by Jim Miller
I will take over from Bonnie and continue the account of our trip on the
Hinckley 59’ Sloop “Remedios” along the south coast of Newfoundland. I have
travelled the coast extensively over the past thirty years from Terranceville to
Port aux Basques. These trips were on the coastal boats, small aircraft and more
recently by the various road connections. This time we had the opportunity to
poke our noses into the many fiords and harbours on the coast. Nature has left
us with breathtaking vistas. Deep fiords with towering mountains, waterfalls and
wildlife abound. There is nothing quite like seeing the sounder show 400 feet
beneath your keel just a boat length from shore. Then of course you have to
study the chart closely to find shallow enough water to anchor for the night.
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| Views of
Grand Bruit |
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Jim discovers a wayward buoy and joins new friends at the Cram-a-Lot Inn |
It was good to meet some old friends along the way and catch up on all the local
news. In Burgeo, Bonnie caught the bus back home and we had a day to restock the
boat and do laundry. The local food store happily provided free delivery back to
the boat. Talking to the store owner Gordon Ingram about the changes in Burgeo,
he indicated what has happened since the fish plant closed and both fishermen
and plant workers were out of work. As with other areas along the coast, many of
the adults have changed the trips to sea for airplane trips out west, but
maintain their homes in Burgeo and spend the bulk of their income locally.
Several residents have opened up tourist related facilities. We passed a number
of kayakers along the coast that came to the province to experience trips of a
lifetime. A number of the businesses have connected together so that tourists
can arrange one-way kayak trips up the coast and take the ferry back to their
starting point.
We leave Burgeo by the well-buoyed western channel and head for Grand Bruit. The
weather has changed to low cloud, fog, some rain squalls and a lumpy sea. It is
said that there are 365 islands in the Burgeo archipelago, one for each day of
the year. Modern navigation has greatly improved navigation in the area. The
Sand Banks are along this section of coast, miles of golden sand incorporated
into a Provincial Park. This is quite the change from further east where
mountains raise straight out of the sea. The land here is much lower, and there
are many shoal areas to avoid.
Our arrival into Grand Bruit, French for `Big Noise`, is shrouded in fog. As we
tie up to the government wharf, the fog lifts to reveal the prime attraction.
The big falls split the town in half. Grand Bruit was settled in the 1700`s, and
is a well protected harbour close to the fishery. There are about 35 full-time
residents and an equal number of part-timers that return for the summer season.
Unfortunately, the school closed this past fall, so the students must now spend
the school year with so relatives in a larger town. The only access to Grand
Bruit is by sea or air. We discovered a vibrant community, with everything we
needed. The CAP site (Community Access Program) in the school provided our
computer connection, local stores supplied treats, and a unique spot, the
Cram-a-Lot Inn, had all the local gossip in the evenings. Anyone that has ever
been here knows what I am talking about; the rest of you will have to visit to
discover this gathering place.
We were stormbound for the next day, so the boat owners and I took a hike down
the coast. A few miles along the shoreline on a sand spit, we find a large
navigation buoy that had washed up. As you can see from the photo, the buoy is
massive. It was a not-so-gentle reminder of the power of the sea. We are struck
by the remoteness of the area on this hike. The ocean disappears into the
horizon, and no houses are to be seen. To the east, Hope Brook was the site of a
gold mine, now defunct. All that remains is the pollution caused by mining
company and the cleanup left to the province.
The weather clears, and we head west. The route takes us past Petites, a
community of 13, now resettled, a combination of the fishery downturn,
population loss and the high cost of power. Houses and wharf structures remain
as some still use it as a seasonal fishery base and for summer homes. The 450
foot Cunard liner
Ascania was wrecked nearby in 1918.
Onward to the west is Rose Blanche, with a
stone lighthouse first
built in 1904 and recently restored. This light is one of very few stone
structures built to aid shipping coming into the Gulf and headed for mainland
Canada. There are several B&B’s in the area, which makes it an attractive
tourist destination. A short distance from here in Isle aux Morts, local diver
Wayne Mushrow discovered two
astrolabes, early navigational instruments used to measure latitude. The
vessel from which they came was wrecked here sometime in the 1600’s. Visitors to
the museum in Port aux Basques can see one of these instruments and make the
comparison to modern GPS systems.
Entry into Port aux Basques is straightforward. It is advisable to check with
Harbour Traffic who will supply the Marine Atlantic ferry schedules and other
vessel traffic. We tied up to the floating docks. I showed the skipper the
reason for choosing the outside section of wharf. On the opposite side of our
dock there is a rock ledge with only a few feet of water over it at low water. I
tried using my own boat to move the rock on an earlier visit and lost the
competition. We are waiting for extra crew to arrive for the ninety mile trip
across the Cabot Strait to Cape Breton so we have a day or so to visit local
sites.
We time our departure for after lunch so our arrival at the entrance to the Bras
d’or Lake will coincide with slack tide. This will be at first light. The
crossing is typical, wind on the nose, with about a five foot chop. We choose to
motor-sail and the miles flow by. This is the same route that the ferries use,
and we know that schedule. There are not a lot of fishing vessels in sight, but
we do cross tracks with several container ships coming and leaving the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. The night watch ensures that there are two of us on deck at all
times. This allows for company, safety and confirmation of navigation aids.
After all, a container ship only takes about twenty minutes to travel from
horizon to horizon. It takes about ten minutes to boil water for a cup of tea,
so if you go below, you will need to come up frequently to see what is out
there. Our night time rule also dictates all people on deck wear PFD’s and
safety harness. We use the CO-2 inflatable type with the built-in harness.
We pick up the channel headed for the Bras d’or Lakes just at daybreak. The
leading marks assist us at the narrow entry and the tide is cooperating with us.
We have a spectacular view as we sail under the tall Seal Island suspension
bridge and motor on towards Badeck. On the way in, we pass the Alexander Graham
Bell Estate, and enjoy the early morning calm of the great scenery here. We
arrange dock space at Badeck Marine, and my colleague Trinav broker, Osborne
Burke, is there to meet me. Remedios has been overwintering at Dundee for the
past several years, while Frans & Mary travel home to Virginia. The trip has
been a great experience with new friends and lots of memories.
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