Our Last Stop North
The time has come in our journey to assess and reassess our options. Originally our hope was to travel as far north as Cartwright, Labrador before heading back across the Strait of Belle Isle and on to the eastern side of the Northern Peninsula. Our plan to have Seabiscuit winter over in Lewisporte is concrete and we have been told we should be off the Labrador coast by mid-August. That date is fast-approaching.
With a late launch and overstaying in some harbours due to weather, we know we have run out of time to head as far north as we’d planned. Occasional Harbour, Hawke Harbour and Squasho Run will have to wait for another year, or we will just continue to enjoy videos from Ed, Jayne and Mike.
The decision is made to go just 9 nautical miles north to Petty Harbour, which we read is well worth the risk and cautions. Then back south for our highly anticipated visit to Battle Harbour, with Chateau Bay being our last stop before crossing back over to Newfoundland.
Sunday July 31 finds us back in St. Lewis Sound running a beam reach in 8 knots of wind. The leisurely 4 knots speed reminds us of a weekend sail in Georgian Bay, except for the constant whale watch. Within the hour the wind has dropped to 2 knots so we motor the remainder of the 11 mile trip, steering around the fishing nets off Deepwater Creek Cove marked by black and white balls. (Not the easiest to spot if the sun isn’t shining.)
Harald heads toward Northern Head, and we turn west at Black Head, clearly marked by the stripes of white quartz on the rock face and in to Petty Harbour. The narrows are about 250 feet wide with shoals on both sides and a rock in the centre. We follow the CCA directions and stay close to the south shore, leaving about 100 ft to maneuver through.
The recommended anchorage at Hogan Cove seems protected but we cannot find the shallow water we’re looking for without being too close to shore (25’ or less preferred). The cove has some deserted cabins and stages, but one house looks more modern and occupied - just not today.
As recommended by the CCA, we head down the bay in search of preferred water, settling in across at the large bay on the south side in 20’ of water, 200’ from shore.
Rain starts just was we drop the anchor and get the centrepiece in. Torrential rain and some thunder. The weather is changing here like everywhere else as the thunderstorms don’t seem as rare as we had heard. We are treated to a colourful rainbow and more rain showers on and off all afternoon.
I send the InReach signal home and we settle in, enjoying a charcuterie board and a pre dinner game of Skipbo. We are so grateful for our full enclosure allowing us to sit “out” to enjoy the beauty around us but also to stay dry and bug-free.
Roast turkey breast, accompanied by Dana’s delicious canned beets is our Sunday dinner as fog creeps in. We are joined by a mournful sounding loon and head to bed early, knowing we are in another beautiful and secluded place on this Labrador shore.
The next day is spent doing odd chores: I change bed sheets and sort through cupboards reorganizing making dry goods more accessible in the bilges. Harald tightens the screws at the stanchion - hopefully fixing yet another leak and caulks the handrail on the top deck port side - new leak onto the settee might be from the weight of fenders hanging from the rail.
We sort and repack our ditch bag and store in a handier location in the aft cabin. This is something all sailors hope they will never need, but we also know the unexpected can happen to anyone.
We can hear engines but no boats enter the harbour. Checking the AIS, we find Labrador Challenge (could be the Labrador we saw near Battle Island) and Santana heading south. (See the upcoming Battle Harbour post for more on Santana!)
It’s a good spaghetti supper day. The loon returns for another short visit while we watch the sun setting behind the hills to the west. We linger as long as we can still see to read and knit then head inside without the need for the cabin furnace.
It seems we have been out so long, yet only 2 & 1/2 weeks in the water. We have seen so much already and met so many interesting people. Some days it all becomes too much and we have to rest our brains in a place like Petty Harbour.
