Sunday September 14.

We arrived here at Cape Bauld, Newfoundland at around 18.00 hours tonight after sailing down from Cartwright, Labrador. We sailed into Cartwright late on Thursday morning to seek shelter from a 50 knot gale that was bearing down on us in the Davis Strait.

We tied up next to a large crabbing boat at the town deck and hastily cleaned the boat up, took a nap and found a cosy pub next to the shore. From our vantage point at the pub we could drink a few drams, keep one eye on Catryn, listen to the wind blowing through the rafters and aim the other eye at watching the parade of interesting characters walking into  the pub. There was wifi, no shortage of beer and plenty of interesting conversation to go around. On the Thursday evening there were a couple of boys playing the guitars and singing some local tunes. On Friday we ambled down to the supermarket to stock up on food and buy some fish at the fish plant next door.Yesterday afternoon we sailed out of Cartwright and headed south, we sailed close to shore due to the wind and the seas and left South Wolf Island to port at around 22.00 hours. Very rolly, polly conditions and at around 02.00 we were passing Round Hill Island to starboard. The moon came out and shone and showed us the way for a while.

For supper last night we had fish stew with Greenland Turbot, Atlantic Cod and a can of sockeye salmon. At 06.00 hours we had porridge. The boys love porridge and its served every morning. We continued down the coast and reached the Straits Of Belle Isle at around noon. The wind and seas were out of the south which was right on the nose for us and we tacked to the west for a while into the straits and when we reached close to St Anthony on the Newfoundland shore we headed to the east. On the east cape of Newfoundland the conditions were not favourable and we anchored off in a small inlet behind Cape Bauld.

For supper tonight we had fresh Arctic Char, rutabaga(swede) and corn and shared the bottle of wine we have been saving for ages! We sang some Welsh songs and broke into our emergency rations for some Cliff Bars.

The three of us are in very  good spirits but looking forward to getting home to be with our loved ones once more. We are about a hundred and fifty miles from our destination of Lewisport and we hope the wind will  allow us to continue to our destination tomorrow!

Birding report. On our way into Cartwright last Thursday morning a dark phased Gyrfalcon tried to land in our cross trees in the rigging without success. Saw Semi Palmated Plovers and one Solitary Sandpiper on the mud flats next to the dock in Cartwright. Today have seen hundreds of Sooty Shearwaters flying around us and also lots of friendly Puffins.

 

From our sheltered, briny, moonlight bay we wish you all a nos da and goodnight!

God Bless, Hywel.