Reflections in LBI
Another warm day greets us on Thursday July 13. We get the weather forecast from the Coast Guard. “Today and Friday wind south 15 knots. Showers through the western region. Fog patches”. Saturday the same.
We get in the dinghy and head to the bay to see the conditions first hand. There is less than 1 metre swell in Seal Bay and one ice berg is missing. We will need caution if there is an ice field. We decide to go and return to the boat for preparations with an expected destination of Little Bay Islands.
We have snagged a large fish line buoy with the anchor so our departure is slightly delayed while Harald unsnags us. That’s a first.
Dressed in jeans and a windbreaker the day is more comfortable than those when we travel in full coastal clothing, boots and tuques. Leaving at 1:00 we should be settled by supper time, with just 20 nautical miles between us and LBI.
Cell service kicks in as we’re leaving Seal Bay. I get the updated marine forecast and local weather for the coming week. Texts come in from home and one from Ann, telling us Mark is back in Lewisporte and has Kashmir listed to sell. We feel badly for Mark who has been working for years on his plan to sail to Labrador.
The forecast is for offshore. We should be accustomed to this by now. The forecast doesn’t match the conditions where we are. There is not enough wind here for us to sail. We keep the main hoisted while another sailboat crosses our bow heading east.
The ferry Hazel MacIssac is crossing to Long Island from Pilley’s Island. We slow down to let her keep her schedule in the half mile channel. There is a very large iceberg as we leave the narrow channel - lovely dark blue veins visible in the low light. We drop the mainsail passing east of the Grassy Islands. It is dead calm and the water flat. (Flat arse calm!)
Cell service has found us again. Facebook shows us an update from Bob on SlipNAway who had planned to sail to Rigolet, Labrador. He was north of Battle Harbour when his engine died. They spent 13 hours in tow with the Coast Guard, south 80 miles back to St. Anthony, Newfoundland where he can hopefully get the help he needs. How disappointing. Not the year for the elusive Labrador.
Harald steers us toward Black Rock Sunker and I take us through the narrows into Southern Harbour. Feels like home when we anchor in the same spot as last year at 5:00.
Thie community of Little Bay Islands was resettled in 2019 with only Mike Parsons and his wife Georgina remaining as year-round residents. Residents can still own their houses, even though they have moved elsewhere, after resettlement with government financial support. Some are here now for the summer: chainsaws are running and ATVs move back and forth along the shore, with some business or just visiting friends. Some are towing little trailers with building supplies. Everything here has to come by boat so any cabin renovations are complicated. Some boats move in and out through the evening.
We read in the cockpit until mosquitoes start finding their way in through tiny openings. Our first nippers!