Three Days, Three Bays
All of our fixes complete, I buy wine and say good-bye to the grocery store clerks and Paul (first on the dock to help us)
Bella Desgagnes is due to arrive today, Thursday, in the early afternoon. The wharf is filling up with cargo that will be loaded before she leaves again (125 tons according to the purser who stopped by to ask if we were staying - we would have to move). No problem. We’ll be gone before the excitement.
No difficulty leaving the dock as Harald had already repositioned the lines so we could leave independent of any help from shore.
I swing through the channel toward Jim & Sharon’s house, hoping they might be out for a wave, but no sign of them. We leave again through the marked channel between Entry and Schooner Islands, with the final views of Harrington Harbour shortly after 11:00am. Such a lovely place. It felt very comfortable there but we can’t get too comfortable with these shore stops. We have to get distance and keep moving. Season will soon end and we need to get to the Newfoundland shore and back south. (We are already tracking the first hurricane, Henri.)
The plan is to only run about 6 miles today to the south shore of Petit Mecatina, so no rush. But limited wind, again, and 1-2 metre rollers made for a very uncomfortable 7.5nm sail.
Arriving at Cap Mackinnon about 12:30 we don’t try to pass through the narrow channel to the upper basin - large rock clearly visible in the centre - the guidebook says accessible only at high tide but I doubt even that.
We are anchored in 30 feet, 75 metres from each shore and surrounded by rocks. Welcome to Havre de la Croix. I send the beacon confirming our location to those at home, in various cities and provinces.
Potato, vegetable, beef chowder and bread for supper, after difficult preparation trying to maneuver around the cabin with the constant roll.
I go to bed early looking forward to a Gravol-induced sleep but Harald stays up reading and checking the anchor. He moves to the settee during the night and I sleep sideways in the bed. A terrible night - swinging and rolling and constant noise from the wind and the anchor. It rains during the night to add to our misery.
Friday
Things seem to have settled by morning but we wake to a grey sky. After breakfast of hot oatmeal we depart at 9:00 and hoist the main sail after we clear the anchorage. The wind from the SW is too light so we motor sail, getting the most we can from the little wind.
As the sky clears, the water goes flat, making it easier to spot the few large black whales and an awesome dolphin show!
Our plan is to head to Mutton Bay for the night but when we arrive at 1:30 we find the bay is not anchor-friendly. The water in the middle of the bay is 138ft deep with shallow water around the edges in very narrow bands. There really is no area suitable for the shelter we seek from the forecasted overnight north east wind.
With a slow approach, I move us through the small harbour - a lovely little fishing village - but also a very complicated small harbour with two highway bridges, three sets of overhead cables and eventually very shallow water. We depart.
We need a place to settle for the wind shift to NE over night. The chart and the Sailing Directions suggest Anse Galion, just outside of Mutton Bay, but the direction is wrong for overnight anchoring. We consider stopping just for lunch and a “regroup” but instead Harald makes sandwiches which we eat while moving to the south shore of Gros Mecatina. It’s pretty open but would shelter us from the expected winds. We drop the anchor but it doesn’t seem to set well in the large boulders and there is always the fear of losing the anchor.
We move again to the east side of the island for Havre du Gros Mecatina (actually smaller than the Petit). Anchor down at 4:00. Third time a charm!
We travelled a total of 33.5nm, with the use of some foresail near the end, after packing up the sails after our first stop. We are now positioned in a straight line from Passage Germain for our entry to the Petit Rigolet tomorrow.
There is a small grouping of 5 houses on the shore, probably summer fishing camps. The two people we do see depart later in their small boats, and again we are alone.
I activate the beacon and send our position home.
After a cold beverage and snacks, Harald naps and I clean up the cabin - stow the outerwear, the usual travel equipment etc. I am called to the cockpit by the sound of terns flying overhead. We have not seen terns now for several days.
Dinner is easy: chicken and thyme ravioli in tomato sauce, raw veggies and dehydrated hummus - we think is past it’s best.
Saturday
Not far to go today but a highlight we have been looking forward to - the Petit Rigolet. Harald cooks bacon and eggs on the BBQ - trying to save our stove propane as long as we can, doubt we can refill before Corner Brook.
Departing the bay at 10:00, I swing us around the south point where we came in yesterday. Sails up - wind seems to be about 12 knots, but again on the nose so we go off course to gain some speed in somewhat the right direction.
After an hour of tacking we realize we are just past where we anchored so engine on for motor sailing and a more direct course passing the many islands and shoals of Querry Bay.
My phone begins to chirp, confirming the arrival of text and email messages. I quickly check the marine weather through the Government of Canada website, taking a screen shot so it’s available after we lose cell service. I then have a quick check on any important news from home and let Heidi know this would be a good time to try to call.
Just in from a very hot soccer match, we find the family in the shade of their porch, in a 32’C morning. They laugh at us in coastal wear (not unlike ski wear), boots, toques and gloves. A nice catch-up with the family as we cruised along, glad they were able to view some of our surroundings. Sure would like to hear more about Survival Camp!
Then Deb called, too. So nice to see family who have been wanting to stay in touch along the way, but my blogs are so delayed. This was the boost I needed today - the day began with some stomach upset and then I walked into the end of the boom. Not a good start.
Harald takes us through Passage Germain, with about 100’ to maneuver. As Navigation Officer, though, I keep a close eye.
Entering Passage Germain
Incredible beauty!
We make our way across the 1.5 miles of Kecarpoui Bay and then another 1.5 miles SW to the head of Baie du Portage du Canot, with the small trail leading to Baie du Ha! Ha! After 30 nautical miles, the anchor is down at 3:30 and we sit in awe of the beauty, the quiet, the seclusion.
I send the beacon signal confirming we have moved to another location.
The rocky hills around us are topped with what we believe to be reindeer lichen but the shore line is fringed with short birch, spruce and fir. No sign of any humans coming before us except for the neatly stacked, but aged, cut birch on shore and the 30km speed limit sign at the entrance to the trail to Baie du Ha! Ha!
A light supper of tomato soup and tuna melts paired with Smokey Bay Cab Sav (got the last box from BMR Sales in Harrington) as we continue to marvel at the wonderful day which has brought us to yet another milestone in our journey.
The night becomes cool so we are glad of the enclosure which has captured some of the day’s warmth from the sun and fortunately, no bugs! This could finally be our star-gazing night.
It is already dark at 7:30 when we settle in after the dishes and galley are cleaned, to view through our star-gazing cockpit “ceiling”, warm in fleece jackets and grateful for the lack of mosquitoes.
Andre Gagnon accompanies us with a few selections from “Romantique” while we wait the 90 minutes for the moon to appear.
It comes at 9:00, nearly full and so bright, the stars disappear in its brightness, but this is just one more thing of beauty to add to what became an exceptional day.
Settled in Baie du Portage du Canot, south end of the Rigolet
