RED BAY Labrador
mollihawk's shadow
eddie nicholson
Tue 17 Jul 2012 17:23
Don who we met in Wood's Island lent us his marina spot for the night, and the locals all offered their help with lifts to the Gas Station and the Store.
We met a Norwegian yacht there who had crossed in the Arc in 2008 as we did.
Our plan was to pull into Bonne Bay which is part of the Gross More National Park , but the forecast showed bad weather was on the way on and we needed to make progress if we were to get over to Labrador , so we pushed on up the Western coast on Monday night 80 miles to Hawk's Bay and dropped anchor at 9am. Again a helpful passer by picked us up and gave us a ride.
The forecasted wind came in by 10 and we dragged a little ,so we sat it out on anchor watch till it blew through. That is after our second breakfast at the local Motel!
Last night we headed out at 9pm into the last of the front and by 1am the wind had died completely. The fog rolled in and thanks to the fixed Radar we ploughed ahead in confidence.
With a tide under us we were easily travelling at 9 knots, and made the 80 mile trip in 21 hours.
Red bay opened up and the fog lifted as we approached. It is a beautiful small bay with a few wooden houses and few residents, but rich in history, with a museum and an interpretative centre. ( a cruise ship is due in here tomorrow ).
Red Bay was famous before the settlers arrived when the Spanish Basques sailed over in the 15 and 1600's to use it as a base while whale hunting.
Up to 1000 men landed for the Summer season and used it as a base where they boiled the blubber and casked it for shipping home for profit , as oil for lamps.
The big difference we notice is the Labradorians are not related to the Irish and all the Newfoundies are!
We are now heading back for the second half of our nights sleep/afternoon nap!
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Eddie Nicholson
Mardyke Entertainments
Sheares Street
Cork. Ireland
Mobile: +353 8725 15062
Office: +353 2142 73000
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