# Labrador...



## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

As I'm hoping to be off on a summer cruise before too long, figured I should probably get the account of last summer's trip posted before I do&#8230;Fair warning, this is a _LONG_ one. Anyone who might make it thru to the end, might want to take a bathroom break first&#8230;  Hopefully, some pics will help some muddle through...

Last summer I headed north, up to Saglek Fiord, Labrador, and return:










Left new Jersey on July 2, rode out Hurricane Arthur up at the Vineyard, and departed Nantucket on the 6th. Returned to the Vineyard on September 10, and spent about a week dawdling my way back home. Total distance traveled: 4018 NM&#8230; For those who subscribe to the oft-stated notion that 90% of cruising is spent at anchor, a summer jaunt to Labrador is probably not for you&#8230; 

My insurance for this trip came in the form of a stack of rather expensive paper almost a foot high, weighing roughly 70 pounds. In addition to the US charts for the NE, I carried the requisite CHS charts for virtually all of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. 214 charts in all, at $20 each that amounts to a pricey pile of paper. Fortunately, years ago I'd scored most of my charts for NS and NFLD at a good price, but all of my stuff for Labrador was the latest. Still, I consider it to have been money very well spent, I encountered one situation where I could have easily lost the boat had I not had the requisite paper to refer to&#8230; You'd be a braver sailor than I, if you would choose to explore that coast relying on e-charts, alone 










Left Nantucket in the wake of Arthur. Blustery SW conditions and rough, confused seas for the first day, but fast sailing wing and wing. By the time I was drawing abeam of Cape Sable, things were settling in nicely, but then the fog came in. Ran the rest of the way to Cape Breton in very heavy fog, became a bit more disconcerting around Halifax after my radar stopped giving any return. Otherwise, an uneventful and pretty quick passage in a boat with only 25' on the waterline, the 500 NM to St Peter's covered in 4 days, with only a couple of hours of engine run time when the breeze died the last night approaching Cape Canso&#8230;

Lovely couple of days up the Bras d'Or to Baddeck, where I languished for about 3 days. Baddeck is always tough to leave, a wonderful town, and of course the last real 'civilization' I was likely to see for the next 6 weeks&#8230;










Lights airs up to and across the Cabot Strait, but it started blowing heading up the west coast of The Rock&#8230;










Hard enough that I bailed out into the beautiful Bonne Bay, within Gros Morne National Park. Good call, my 3 days hanging out in the delightful, laid back community of Norris Point turned out to be one of my favorite stops of the entire summer&#8230;



















Took one day to climb Gros Morne, NFLD's highest mountain, something I had first done 40 years ago when making a bicycle tour of the Maritimes. It's a pretty challenging hike, felt good to this Old Guy that he could still manage it&#8230; 

Next stop, Labrador&#8230; Another overnight put me up in the Belle Isle Strait the following day, where the wind usually howls. I was flying, but up in the Strait the fog came in, bigtime. Without radar, and with reports from southbound shipping that there were plenty of icebergs north of Belle Isle, it was time to quit. I went into Henley Harbor, another stop that wound up being one of my favorites&#8230;

I've always had a fascination with abandoned places and ghost towns, and that was one of my main motivations for wanting to see the coast of Labrador&#8230; The once-thriving outport of Henley Harbor was officially 'resettled' about 40 years ago, though a few people return for brief periods each summer. When I came in, there were members of a family who had lived there that were taking their summer vacation in their old home, which was still in remarkably good shape. Delightful folks who gave me a wonderful welcome to their former home, served up some great stories and history lessons&#8230; My first Manhattan to celebrate my arrival in Labrador, was chilled with ice from Greenland they'd procured from the harbor&#8230;










I remained fogbound there for a couple of days, wandering around the remains of this beautiful, haunting place, situated beneath the striking rock formation known as the "Devil's Dining Table"&#8230; I was to see many more places like this throughout the course of my trip up the coast, but few more intriguing than this, a very special place, and a fading glimpse at a way of life that is gone, forever&#8230;




























Doing day hops north from Henley, I encountered one of the 2 other cruising boats I saw all summer north of Cape Breton, this beautiful Morris 42 heading south after having gone up to Cartwright










Also, the first close encounter with ice on a beautiful day&#8230; There's no describing the awe of seeing these up close, offshore, just amazing. Pics don't come remotely close to doing their beauty justice...



















Eagle Cove is typical of the wild, remote feel along this coast, and the hint of the ever-present fog offshore&#8230;










Hawke Harbor was a fascinating spot to explore, the rusted remains of a whale processing plant abandoned half a century ago&#8230; In its heyday, it was home to 400 whalers and workers. it was also home to some of the most impressively sized bear scat a came across last summer 










By the time you reach Labrador's mid coast, you begin to appreciate the defining aspects of cruising that coast&#8230; One of them, is the fact that the sailing conditions can be pretty diabolical&#8230; I've never sailed anywhere where the conditions could be more frustrating, or variable&#8230; There were some moments of wonderful sailing, it's just that they never seemed to last more than about 15 minutes. Setting a spinnaker or whisker pole was a virtual guarantee the wind would be on the nose in short order&#8230; And, one learns early on, any time one gets within sight of anything labeled a "Cape" in Labrador, it's time to reef as deeply as you can&#8230; The 'Cape Effects' and katabatic winds one can encounter up there, even on the most benign of days, are truly impressive&#8230;

As a result, if you want to cover ground along that coast, you'll do plenty of motoring&#8230; And, the logistics of obtaining diesel up there can be a bit daunting at times, as there is not a single fuel dock anywhere along that coast&#8230; In Makkovik - known as "The Friendliest Town in Labrador", I lucked out and the fuel truck was willing to come to me&#8230;










&#8230;but everywhere else, you'd need to ferry fuel to the boat in 1 or 2 jugs at a time&#8230;










Minor inconveniences, however, in comparison to the single biggest downside of cruising Labrador&#8230; Namely, the insects&#8230; 

I grew up and still live on the Jersey Shore, so I'm somewhat acquainted with mosquitos and the like&#8230; But i have never seen anything like the mosquitoes in Labrador. There's no describing how oppressive they can be, at all hours of the day. Full darkness was generally the only time I could sit out in the cockpit in reasonable comfort, at least with a citronella candle close at hand. But that would generally not be until about 11 PM. So, it was a continual bit of disappointment, to be anchored so often in such magnificent surroundings, but to often have to retreat below as soon as the hook was down, to gain refuge from the bugs&#8230; Even getting underway at 0430, you would be swarmed by insects&#8230; Fortunately, once out on the water and moving, they weren't much of a bother, which was a good argument for running the long days I was putting in...

Nain is the northernmost settlement in Labrador, beyond there you are well and truly on your own, and days will pass without seeing any sign of another human. You want to be well provisioned if heading up there, a half gallon of milk and a loaf of bread in Nain will set you back $15&#8230; And, I rarely got off the boat once north of there, the risk of encountering a polar bear just becomes too extreme&#8230; This anchorage at Manvers Run was one of the few times I went ashore north of Nain, and I certainly didn't wander very far 










All along, my target for this trip had been to visit the abandoned Moravian mission settlement of Hebron&#8230; Not sure exactly why, but it's always been one of those places I wanted to see someday, and it certainly did not disappoint&#8230; Amazing setting, and the welcome from the small group of caretakers who spend the summer there was very warm, indeed. Mine was the only sailboat they had seen thus far last summer&#8230; This delightful lady named Jenny served as my polar bear monitor, along with her faithful companion, during my wandering around the remains of the settlement&#8230; Just an amazing place, wish I could have lingered a bit longer&#8230;





































But I was within one more day's sailing of Saglek Bay, and the magnificent Torngat Mountains that cover the northern tip of Labrador. The weather had been overcast for a week, but there was the promise of one fine day coming up, and I'd want to be in Saglek for it&#8230; I was incredibly lucky, had most of a perfect day for the 25 mile run up into the fiord&#8230; The scale of this place is impossible to convey, that peak behind my mast is still almost 6 miles away&#8230;










Like sailing into Glacier National Park in Montana, the geology is strikingly similar, to my eye&#8230;










The conventional wisdom is that by mid-August, it's time to start thinking hard about getting out of northern Labrador, the weather can start to turn pretty sharply from then on&#8230; And, given the incredible percentage of DDW sailing I'd had to make it up there, I was dreading the return against the prevailing SW breezes, it was time to start heading home&#8230;

The trip back down was a bit of a slog, but not as bad as I'd expected&#8230; But fighting my way out around Cape Domino about 10 days into the return, I was getting pasted, and decided to bail and take an unscheduled break in the tiny settlement of Black Tickle&#8230; Turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip, and one of my most memorable encounters with the wonderful people of Labrador&#8230;

Like virtually all of the communities along this coast, Black Tickle is completely isolated, and not connected to anywhere else by road&#8230; A town of about 130 people, their only lifeline to the outside world is the weekly visit from the coastal ferry of Labrador, the NORTHERN RANGER. Turned out the RANGER was calling that night, 2100 on a Saturday night&#8230;

No question, it's the social event of the week in a place like Black Tickle&#8230; The entire community turns out for her arrival, little kids up past their bedtime are part of the fun. Simply watching her come in was very impressive. I'd crossed paths with her a couple of weeks before around Hopedale, she's a very impressive little ship&#8230; Coming in out of the fog that night, the ship handling skills and work of the crew bringing her alongside, simply awesome&#8230; It was a thrill to be moored right there with her, and in the midst of all the activity of loading and off-loading her for the next couple of hours&#8230;










Walking through town that afternoon, every person I encountered immediately knew I was off that "little American sailboat" that had just arrived. I was the first yacht to stop in Black Tickle last summer, and quite possibly the only one, so milling about in the friendly crowd that night, I was somewhat of a minor celebrity&#8230; The warmth of the welcome I felt from everyone was astonishing, that's one of the joys of calling in places off the beaten track, of course&#8230;










But perhaps my most magical encounter with the 'natives' of Labrador was reserved for my final stop within the province... A big blow was forecast as I was approaching the Strait of Belle Isle, so I went into the community of St Mary's to hunker down for a few days. I'd been running in pea soup fog for several days, and without the service of my radar, I was really ready for a stiff drink by the time I finally wended my way into the little harbor just before nightfall, and dropped the hook in the shallow water within a stone's throw from shore...

I was immediately greeted by a very friendly and curious Beluga whale, swimming slow circles around the boat. These are known to be among the most 'social' of all marine mammals, and he hovered about the boat all night long...

In the middle of the night, I was awakened by a faint 'bumping' of the keel... At first I assumed, knowing I was in pretty shallow water, that I was simply lightly touching the bottom at low tide... As I further awoke, however, I realized it was just my new buddy the Beluga, scratching his back or otherwise rubbing himself up against my keel 

Next morning I upped anchor to move over to the public wharf near the fish plant in town... Here's my friend, soaking up the warmer water from my exhaust discharge...










A few days later, when the gnarly NE weather finally moved on out, I was rewarded with wonderful sailing conditions through the Strait, and down the west coast of the Rock... Even flew a spinnaker for the last bit, and across the Cabot Strait, finally putting into the tiny harbor at North Ingonish on Cape Breton... Another delightful spot I'd once passed through 40 years ago on a bicycle tour of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, hung there for a couple of days, I don't think it's changed all that much in the interim...



















And I managed to get some of the best bike riding I had all summer, there's little opportunity for much of that in Labrador 










Another couple of days in Baddeck, then fantastic sailing down thru the Bras 'd Or and out around Cape Canso and much of the way towards Halifax in a brisk NE breeze... Then almost a week spent waiting at the wonderful and very hospitable Shelburne YC, waiting for a window to cross the Gulf of Maine... Finally, an opportunity came, a fantastic crossing under a full moon, just sneaking into Nantucket Sound before the weather went downhill...

Arrived in Newport for the Boat Show weekend, perfect timing, and a wonderful way to wrap up the trip... All in all, that one last summer is gonna be tough to beat, for me...

So, anyone still awake?


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Great trip, great account and amazing pictures, Jon.. Thanks!


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

Great write up on a great trip. 

I spent a lot of time in N&L during my younger days. Your account brings back a lot of good memories ('cept for the damn black flies). Thanks for posting.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Amazing trip Jon, and great pics & narrative. Love it. Thanks. Leaves me chomping at the bit. Next season we're Newfoundland-bound!


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## OldEagle (Nov 16, 2013)

Outstanding--both photos & content.
I'd already told my bride: forget the sun-baked islands--we're going North. This will help!


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Loved it. Brought back memories of Makkovik and Nain, where I spent time as a med student, as well as the West Coast of NF. Did you not stop off in St. Anthony to see the Viking settlements? I can only imagine what it would be like to make landfall at the same places the original europeans did. For all you Yanks- if you go, it's pronounced New fun LAND. Not Newfinland as 'mericans usually say.


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## VallelyJ (Nov 21, 2008)

This is a gem.
JV


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

Do you know how to tell the Newfoundlanders in Hevan?


They are the ones who want to go home!

Thanks.

P.S. Arctic Fox mid coat change, Battle Harbour


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

What, Sail magazine won't publish that?
Maybe it was Cruiser's World.
Very nice Jon.


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

seaner97 said:


> For all you Yanks- if you go, it's pronounced New fun LAND. Not Newfinland as 'mericans usually say.


HA HA .... dont forget Labra-DOR, too


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## cthoops (Apr 30, 2012)

Great write-up and wonderful pictures. You had me wanting to sail there until i got to the part about mostly motoring and the insects.  Seriously, it looks like it was amazing.

Thanks for sharing.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

A real life _actual sailor_, actually goes SAILING, to a beautiful location far off the beaten path, posts about it, and yet there are only 11 responses (12 including this one)....

In contrast keyboard-sailors post about _talking about sailing_ and the _what if's_ of production vs. blue-water and yet thousands of responses for _what if_ scenarios....

Guess it is just more exciting to sit on the couch and pontificate about _maybe_, _someday_, _possibly_, _potentially,_ _perhaps_, _on the slim chance,_ they _might_ be going _sailing_ than to actually GO SAILING...

Just an observation, with tongue firmly impaled into cheek.........:wink

BTW excellent stuff as usual Jon!! I am also glad to see Labrador has not changed one bit since I was 13.......

Off to the boat....


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

Awesome people, locations, and writeup... 

As for not a lot of responses? 
I think I'd look at number of views to get your answer.
If one asks a question, one gets a myriad of answers... If one recounts a tale, one gets lots of readers (in this case awestruck readers).


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

Jon, we've only made it to Bras d'Or lakes in Cape Bretton, and that was a big adventure for us. You think to yourself, Nova Scotia isn't that big, until you get there, then wow. Newfie!

Your story is what cruising is about. Thank you so much for posting this, better than anything in the sailing rags, and Maine's comments are right on the money!


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

Great trip report! Beautiful photos! Not a lot of responses because there is not much to add!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


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## zeilfanaat (Feb 28, 2002)

All these pictures are terrific, but the photo of your boat anchored in Seglak Fjord is spectacular. Thanks taking us along on a fantastic voyage.

Did you single-hand the entire trip?


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## snodawg (Oct 9, 2014)

Awesome pictures and write up! It is definitely a cool area to explore if you can get a chance. Very remote and awe inspiring. Thanks for sharing and documenting your trip.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Great photos, Jon. Much more populated than Amundsen Gulf .And where's the ice pack you squeeze thru with a pike pole? A great start on turning the north corner,though. Ubi Cras?


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

It amazes me that Jon's trip has not yet been *BFS* certified.....:frown


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Maine Sail said:


> It amazes me that Jon's trip has not yet been *BFS* certified.....:frown


Well it damn well should be.

Thank you Jon. Great stuff and as always fabulous photography.

ps - JE .... are there any pics anywhere of your girl's interior ? I've always thought she is a lovely looking boat, would like to see what she is like down below.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

Thank you all, for your very kind comments&#8230; don't have much time at the moment, but I'll try to address a couple&#8230;



OldEagle said:


> I'd already told my bride: forget the sun-baked islands--we're going North. This will help!


I really believe that if people are to continue to enjoy cruising in the future, some adoption of that sort of mindset will pay off in spades&#8230;

Make no mistake, I love the islands, and the Bahamas in particular&#8230; But as we see continuously on these forums, the myriad 'issues' with such popular cruising grounds continue to be on the rise&#8230; Whether it's anchoring rights in Florida, security issues, increasing crowds, and rising costs throughout "Paradise", cruising a place like Atlantic Canada is just so much _SIMPLER_&#8230;

Not to mention, _cheaper_&#8230; Over the course of the entire trip, the only time I ever paid for dockage was the $16/night for a mooring ball off the Shelburne YC&#8230; And of course, clearing into Canada costs nothing, a phone call to the 800 number, and you're done...

You're not just another tourist up there&#8230; The locals really appreciate the effort you've made to get there, and their welcome is genuine&#8230;

I'd suggest you read Ben Zartman's cover story about Newfoundland that ran in CRUISING WORLD a couple of months ago, he really sums it all up very nicely&#8230;



seaner97 said:


> Did you not stop off in St. Anthony to see the Viking settlements? I can only imagine what it would be like to make landfall at the same places the original europeans did.


That would have been quite a detour, at the time&#8230;

By the time I was approaching the Strait of Belle Isle, I had already pretty much crossed over to the Labrador side&#8230; I knew I'd be running into fog soon, and wanted to get across the traffic lanes before I did, and keep the option for putting into a spot like Red Bay open&#8230;

One of these days, I'd like to do a circumnavigation of NFLD, I'll save St Anthony and the rest of the northern peninsula for then 



Maine Sail said:


> A real life _actual sailor_, actually goes SAILING, to a beautiful location far off the beaten path, posts about it, and yet there are only 11 responses (12 including this one)....
> 
> In contrast keyboard-sailors post about _talking about sailing_ and the _what if's_ of production vs. blue-water and yet thousands of responses for _what if_ scenarios....
> 
> ...


LOL! Nah, as Schnool has suggested, it's perfectly understandable, and I'd say I've gotten some very nice responses&#8230; Besides, gives me less I have to address in reply 

A thumbs-up from you is always highly valued, thanks&#8230; BTW, that Sterling charger you recommended for my starting battery last year is great, the perfect solution to my setup&#8230;

And, I'm almost done re-bedding everything I can with your butyl tape, one of the best upgrades I've ever done 



capecodda said:


> Jon, we've only made it to Bras d'Or lakes in Cape Bretton, and that was a big adventure for us. You think to yourself, Nova Scotia isn't that big, until you get there, then wow. Newfie!


One of the biggest downsides to heading for Newfoundland or Labrador, is that it really forces you to speed thru Nova Scotia&#8230; NS is a marvelous cruising ground in it's own right, not as spectacular as those further E and N, perhaps, but certainly every bit as charming and enjoyable&#8230;

I'm saving a fuller exploration of NS for when I get too old to make it further than Cape Breton 

Another very cool place up that way, is the Magdelen Islands&#8230; I spent some time there several years ago, seemed almost just as 'French' as St Pierre/Miquelon, a wonderful place, though somewhat limited as a cruising ground, with just a few harbors suitable for deeper draft sailboats&#8230;



zeilfanaat said:


> All these pictures are terrific, but the photo of your boat anchored in Seglak Fjord is spectacular. Thanks taking us along on a fantastic voyage.


Thanks, that one ran as a spread in CRUISING WORLD back in March&#8230; Had dinner one night with Herb McCormick in Newport during the boat show weekend, he insisted I send it to Elaine for the "Underway" section of the mag&#8230; We photographers always gripe about Art Directors and their use of photos, but I've gotta admit they gave it a pretty nice display...



zeilfanaat said:


> Did you single-hand the entire trip?


yes, I did&#8230; But, don't tell that to some of those folks over on Cruiser's Forum 



snodawg said:


> It is definitely a cool area to explore if you can get a chance. Very remote and awe inspiring.


it is "Big Sky" country, for sure, reminded my a lot of places like Montana, Wyoming, western Canada, etc...

Definitely the most "remote" place I've sailed to, so far... One thing that took a bit of getting used to, was the awesome _SILENCE_...

One night I was anchored in a spot called Edwards harbor, south of Makkovik... Dead calm, I was down below reading, and heard a faint hum, which sounded like a bit of breeze coming up. So I poked my head out of the companionway, to see what was up...

Took me awhile to realize, it was the sound of a jetliner on a flightpath for Europe, or perhaps up over the Pole to Asia... Not every day that you can hear the sound of a plane passing overhead at 40,000 feet, at least not where I live... And, I live in a pretty quiet spot 

The clarity of the air is also something beyond description, Antarctica is the only other place I've ever seen such atmospheric clarity...

Here's an example of that arctic mirage phenomenon "Ice Blink"... Your eyes can really play tricks on you up there, can't imagine what it was like for the first explorers who ventured into that part of the world 












tdw said:


> ps - JE .... are there any pics anywhere of your girl's interior ? I've always thought she is a lovely looking boat, would like to see what she is like down below.


Thanks... I don't really have much, one of these days I'll have to do a major 'de-cluttering', and snap a few more 

A sextant, and signal flags? What a poseur, eh?


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## knuterikt (Aug 7, 2006)

Nice post with lots of fine pictures.

For me this puts the geographical and climate differences into perspective.

You turned south again at 58°12′N, my home port is at 59°53′N almost 1.5° further north!
But our climate is not as harsh as what we see in your post - no ice bergs to look out for here


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

> Definitely the most "remote" place I've sailed to, so far... One thing that took a bit of getting used to, was the awesome SILENCE...


Awesome journey Jon, but if this kind of country draws you I really suggest you head up to the north shore of Lake Superior. You won't see as many icebergs (except early in the Spring), but for raw, rugged and remote beauty, you will not be disappointed. Between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay you will rarely meet another cruiser. Although you may run into the occasional bear, moose or caribou. And we got bugs -- just to make you feel right at Newfi-home :wink.



knuterikt said:


> For me this puts the geographical and climate differences into perspective.
> 
> You turned south again at 58°12′N, my home port is at 59°53′N almost 1.5° further north!
> But our climate is not as harsh as what we see in your post - no ice bergs to look out for here


You've got the Gulf Steam keeping things nice and toasty warm. I was amazed when I visited Oslo (at 55° 55') in November one year. It was downright balmy -- warm even -- compared to my home in Canada at 48° 24'. Made me want to sail back :smile.


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## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

Absolutely spectacular Jon. Your photos are great, as usual.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

That photo of the ice/fog inversion brought back some memories of a moon rise over the north east shoulder of Gaia. I was above 70 north and the moon was brilliant in the Arctic night ,elongated into a nuclear explosion image. ( Even in Victoria you often see the Coho upside down over the real one,masts touching.)


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## MedSailor (Mar 30, 2008)

JonEisberg said:


> A sextant, and signal flags? What a poseur, eh?


I proposed to my wife with signal flags. It was fun watching her expression change as she decoded the flags I had strung up. :grin Mine aren't as ready to deploy as yours, but they are rolled up in a custom roll with individual pockets. Poseur? Guess I must be one too.

MedSailor


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

MedSailor said:


> ..... Poseur? Guess I must be one too.
> 
> MedSailor


Well, DUH!.... You got a friggin Sauna in your boat


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

Faster said:


> Well, DUH!.... You got a friggin Sauna in your boat


And I bet that sauna would have felt pretty good on this trip!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


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## flyingwelshman (Aug 5, 2007)

Fantastic. Thanks for posting.


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## CS Cruiser (Dec 5, 2011)

Stunning piece! Will look forward to anything else you're able to share.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

MedSailor said:


> I proposed to my wife with signal flags. It was fun watching her expression change as she decoded the flags I had strung up. :grin Mine aren't as ready to deploy as yours, but they are rolled up in a custom roll with individual pockets. Poseur? Guess I must be one too.
> 
> MedSailor


Cool and dorky all at the same time:wink


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## Uricanejack (Nov 17, 2012)

nice


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

Just Amazing! The pictures are fantastic. Are you a better sailor or photographer?

One of these days (definitely will be after I retire) I will spend a summer sailing around NS. I read the Zartman article, gave it to my wife, and said "We will do this."

Thanks for writing this.

Barry


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## luv4sailin (Jul 3, 2006)

Great stuff Jon. Certainly a super Cruising World article. Thank you for sharing and please let us know where this summer will take you.

Best regards,
Ron
s/v Lucia


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

JonE .... this is prompted by the recent thread on canning. You are obviously spending time in quite remote places. How do you provision ?


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

tdw said:


> JonE .... this is prompted by the recent thread on canning. You are obviously spending time in quite remote places. How do you provision ?


Trust me, I am the _LAST_ person around here you want to be soliciting advice from about _provisioning..._ One of the best things about my trip last summer, is that I returned home noticeably slimmer, and feeling more fit... 

I'm pretty minimalist when it comes to food, It's never been that important to me, even at home... I have little interest in cooking, beyond the basics, though I do try to eat healthy, lots of fruits & veggies, etc... But for a trip like last summer, it was lots of canned stuff, and rice, pasta, easy stuff to store and fix underway... Very basic, cereals and oatmeal, granola and snack bars, trail mix, that sort of stuff... Most folks would likely find my diet pretty boring, but it suits me fine 

Lots of coffee and hot chocolate, and I'm good to go...


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

JonEisberg said:


> Trust me, I am the _LAST_ person around here you want to be soliciting advice from about _provisioning..._ One of the best things about my trip last summer, is that I returned home noticeably slimmer, and feeling more fit...
> 
> I'm pretty minimalist when it comes to food, It's never been that important to me, even at home... I have little interest in cooking, beyond the basics, though I do try to eat healthy, lots of fruits & veggies, etc... But for a trip like last summer, it was lots of canned stuff, and rice, pasta, easy stuff to store and fix underway... Very basic, cereals and oatmeal, granola and snack bars, trail mix, that sort of stuff... Most folks would likely find my diet pretty boring, but it suits me fine
> 
> Lots of coffee and hot chocolate, and I'm good to go...


Chortle chortle.

I do like eating, don't mind cooking though I don't have any interest in doing so at sea. If I am doing any time at sea, even just an overnighter I'll cook up a stew of some kind to see me through and/or sandwiches. Even some pastas reheat in an acceptable fashion. Fruit and snacks make up the rest for us.

Longest passage I've ever done was only a week or so and we mainly existed on pasta. Easy as all get out really. More than that and it might just become a problem. (or learn how to cook at sea).


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## BentSailor (Nov 10, 2010)

Christ-on-a-crutch! You weren't kidding about the length... that said, I wouldn't want you t have cut any of it out. Thanks for sharing that Jon. Quite the lure for getting out there!


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

Spent several weeks kayaking, hiking, and siteseeing Labrador and Newfoundland.

The treeless, mossy landscape is quite beautiful, though deceptively impossible to walk through as it's soft and boggy.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

weinie said:


> Spent several weeks kayaking, hiking, and siteseeing Labrador and Newfoundland.
> 
> The treeless, mossy landscape is quite beautiful, though deceptively impossible to walk through as it's soft and boggy.


Yup, one of the essential items for heading up there is a pair of ski poles, you just never know when you put a foot on the ground where it's eventually gonna wind up, any kind of bushwhacking up there can be quite the adventure...

Not to mention, one of the smartest things I did all summer was to bring along a single ski pole for my hike to the top of Gros Morne, I'm not sure I would have ever made it back down without it


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

WOW!!! I can cook next time you go  Amazing


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

T37Chef said:


> WOW!!! I can cook next time you go  Amazing


Thanks, Shawn, but I'm thinking of trying to line up Dave on AUSPICIOUS, instead...

He may not be the 'pro' in the galley that you undoubtedly are, but he does know how to sail, as well...

(grin, bigtime)

Are you still thinking of another trip up towards the Vineyard this summer? I certainly hope so, and I'll be looking forward to more of your pics and videos of those 3 Beautiful Girls you're lucky enough to sail with...

have a great summer, hope to see you again soon...

;-)


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

luv4sailin said:


> Great stuff Jon. Certainly a super Cruising World article. Thank you for sharing and please let us know where this summer will take you.
> 
> Best regards,
> Ron
> s/v Lucia


Thanks, Ron, will do...

If I make it back alive, that is  Hope all is well with you...


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

The entire trip report was fantastic. However, the pictures are amazing. Care to give us some insight to the photos? Camera? Software? Again, great stuff!


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

JonEisberg said:


> Yup, one of the essential items for heading up there is a pair of ski poles, you just never know when you put a foot on the ground where it's eventually gonna wind up, any kind of bushwhacking up there can be quite the adventure...
> 
> Not to mention, one of the smartest things I did all summer was to bring along a single ski pole for my hike to the top of Gros Morne, I'm not sure I would have ever made it back down without it


That was a beautiful hike. Tablelands too.
Was over 20 something years ago. Ah, good times. (My run-in with the local mounties not withstanding).


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Great chronicle, Jon. I almost skipped by, as the title "Labrador" doesn't suggest a trip report, as much as it may be asking questions about the place, for which many aren't going to be familiar.

Loved the thought of the single handed adventure. Nothing like having the time for such a great passage. Three months aboard for that number of miles is more than most would enjoy. If I did the math correctly, that's 40-50 miles per day, every day for three months, or 100 mile legs, if you sail every other day. That's certainly a "sailing" trip. 

We've been up to Nova Scotia and toured PEI. Real throw backs in time, so I can hardly imagine NF. Some day, but no day soon. Maine is the best we'll do for now, although, I just did the math and, on our two week trip, it will require 30-40 mile days. Although, we're hoping to knock out half the total miles in the first two days, then poke back.

Where to this year?


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> Where to this year?


Same general direction, is all I'm gonna say... 

I've mentioned before, one of the few things I'm superstitious about is saying too much about a planned trip beforehand, it so often seems to queer the deal  I'm already running a bit behind schedule, I was hoping to have gotten away by now... General plan will just be to try to make it out to Cape Breton as quickly as possible, then the weather will dictate what happens from there...

Enjoy your trip Down East, Maine will forever remain one of my favorite cruising grounds anywhere...


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

JonEisberg said:


> Same general direction, is all I'm gonna say...
> 
> I've mentioned before, one of the few things I'm superstitious about is saying too much about a planned trip beforehand, it so often seems to queer the deal


I know the feeling. I've told everyone about our plans and acknowledged that they require the right weather window to pull off. Even a 3 day delay really screws up a two week cruise of this distance. So far, we have canal currents timed well and the moon should be near full. Nice for an overnight. Now all we need is mother nature to give us a break.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

RobGallagher said:


> The entire trip report was fantastic. However, the pictures are amazing. Care to give us some insight to the photos? Camera? Software? Again, great stuff!


Thanks... My 'serious' camera these days is a Nikon D700, but several of those shots were grabbed with the much more portable P100, which is an amazing little camera...

COOLPIX P100 from Nikon

No fancy software, I just dump everything into iPhoto on my Mac, and perhaps play a bit with some of the basic editing tools there...


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Jon... I'm wondering if a trip up the West Coast to Alaska might be on your 'bucket list'??


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

Faster said:


> Jon... I'm wondering if a trip up the West Coast to Alaska might be on your 'bucket list'??


Certainly, I'd love to do that trip... I've done the Inside Passage from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert many years ago on the QUEEN OF THE NORTH, way before her sad demise, that would be a fantastic region to cruise, and I'm always in awe of the pics you guys out there post from places like Desolation Sound, etc...

However, realistically, it's probably not very likely I'll make it out there with my own boat, it's a pretty good ways from New Jersey, after all  But if I ever do, most likely it would be by spending a summer taking the canals up to Georgian Bay, and cruising the North Channel and Lake Superior, and then trucking the boat from Duluth to Seattle...

It's more likely if I ever manage to get away for a trip like that, it would happen over here in the Atlantic... Norway, for example, is one of my favorite places in the world, I'd love to get my boat over there someday, spend some time cruising Scotland, the Baltic, etc... One thing that's always been on my bucket list, is the Gota Canal across Sweden, I'd love to do that trip someday...

Time's running out, we shall see...


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

JonEisberg said:


> Same general direction, is all I'm gonna say...
> 
> I've mentioned before, one of the few things I'm superstitious about is saying too much about a planned trip beforehand, it so often seems to queer the deal  I'm already running a bit behind schedule, I was hoping to have gotten away by now... General plan will just be to try to make it out to Cape Breton as quickly as possible, then the weather will dictate what happens from there...
> 
> Enjoy your trip Down East, Maine will forever remain one of my favorite cruising grounds anywhere...


St Pierre is just a long overnight passage from Sydney! :devil

Hare Bay is pretty wonderful, the little towns of Francious and Grey River are neat. Need lots of scope.

As to bigger trips, you know St John's is just about 1,300 miles from Bermuda, Azores and Iceland, the virtual center of the world.

But then, from Iceland you are what, 3 or 4 days from the Faroes, then another bit and you are there.

I keep thinking like this. Gonna be trouble some day.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

hpeer said:


> St Pierre is just a long overnight passage from Sydney! :devil
> 
> Hare Bay is pretty wonderful, the little towns of Francious and Grey River are neat. Need lots of scope.


St Pierre is a pretty cool place, but I actually enjoyed the Magdalens up in the Gulf of St Lawrence more... Almost as 'French', more interesting to explore, and no need to clear in to another country ;-)

I've done much of the south coast of Newfoundland already, but it's certainly a place worth returning to... A remarkable cruising ground, it amazes me so few boats make it up there... But that's one of the things that make it special, of course...


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Amazing pics Jon. I did a bicycle trip on _Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, _ which is part of the province of Quebec ("Magdalen Islands" is the english name ... never understood why it's not Madeleine Islands).

Beautiful set of islands all connected by thin stretches of sand. People are amazing. Culture is authentic (not perverted by massive tourism). Since I took up sailing, I've been itching to get back there via our own boat. Hopefully we will.


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

Terrific, Jon. A trip in that direction is on our list for some year. Thinking Superior next summer and then down the St Lawrence and then turn left for 2017(ish).

Couple of questions. Were you warned about polar bears by locals? Could you hire a pb monitor in the various communities you were in? I wonder if it would be worth taking a suitable rifle for the trip? How much was diesel in Labrador?


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## 7MileBeach (Apr 29, 2015)

I love to travel and if I can't experience something first hand I like reading about it. No way was I going to fall asleep through that great narrative.


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## misfits (Dec 9, 2011)

I enjoyed this, thank you Jon for taking the time.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

killarney_sailor said:


> Terrific, Jon. A trip in that direction is on our list for some year. Thinking Superior next summer and then down the St Lawrence and then turn left for 2017(ish).
> 
> Couple of questions. Were you warned about polar bears by locals? Could you hire a pb monitor in the various communities you were in? I wonder if it would be worth taking a suitable rifle for the trip? How much was diesel in Labrador?


The locals are very aware of what's going on, and no one ventures anywhere outside of any community without a rifle. Everyone has one or more dogs on runs in their yards, so no bear will get very close to town without the alarm being sounded. And I'm sure you'd have no problem locating someone to act as a bear monitor, but when in one of the towns would seem to me to be the least likely time you would need one...

John Harries at MORGAN'S CLOUD has some good info on the issue of bears, and some strong opinions about the questionable policy of the Torngat national park regarding guns in the park, it's worth checking out... Also, the CCA Guide to Labador has an excellent overview by Steve Loutrell on the subject... If you check in with park headquarters at Saglek, it's pretty much mandatory that you watch a 30 minute video about bear behavior and how best to avoid an encounter, they take it pretty seriously up there, particularly after a hiker was nearly killed a couple of years ago...

Diesel was somewhere around $7-8/gallon (US), if memory serves... Bring plenty of lubricating oil, with that multi-purpose Arctic Diesel in use up there, the commercial fishermen recommend adding roughly a quart of oil to every 50 gallons or so...


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## chall03 (Oct 14, 2002)

Polar bears and friggin' Icebergs? What kind of crazy cruising do you call that??


:eek 

I call it absolutely amazing. Looking at those pics and reading your fantastic account my wife and I are glued to the computer screen. 

Wow Jon. Just Wow.


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## chall03 (Oct 14, 2002)

JonEisberg said:


>


I now also understand why you don't like boats with ice makers :wink


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

chall03 said:


> Polar bears and friggin' Icebergs? What kind of crazy cruising do you call that??......


It's the swarm of mosquitoes that I can't stop imagining. I hate stuff biting at me all the time. Bears and bergs are cool.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

JonEisberg said:


> The locals are very aware of what's going on, and no one ventures anywhere outside of any community without a rifle..........


Do you need a guide to go hiking? I assume importing a rifle is a hassle. I'm also curious about the laws, if you actually shoot and kill one. How do they determine you were defending your life as opposed to being a poacher.

Unrelated, I read your reference to the Nikon P100. I was thinking of getting the P610, particularly to take pics when cruising. The two features that drew me to it, were the 60x optical zoom and the wifi connect to a smartphone.

We rarely take the camera ashore, but often take pics of things from the boat. Wildlife, shore scenes, boats we like, sunsets, etc. A good zoom is necessary. My wife likes using some to post realtime on facebook. We both appreciate a good photograph, but neither are really into photography. Seemed like a good point and shoot for folks like us. What do you think?


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## Telesail (Dec 28, 2011)

Darn!

That is another trip I have to plan for with my retirement boat.....Looks like she will need the insulation after all.

I am blown away by the pics.

Great thread. Perhaps too inspirational.......


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> Do you need a guide to go hiking? I assume importing a rifle is a hassle. I'm also curious about the laws, if you actually shoot and kill one. How do they determine you were defending your life as opposed to being a poacher.


North of Nain or thereabouts, I wouldn't do any real "hiking" alone, or without someone with a rifle and skilled in using it. Even in southern Labrador, where an encounter with a polar bear is pretty unlikely, most locals still carry guns for black bear protection. I always carried my 38mm flare gun going ashore, better than nothing, anyway 

Again, John Harries at MORGAN'S CLOUD has a good writeup on this issue, but my impression is that the 'authorities' up there tend to be pretty casual/realistic about the issue of cruisers possessing long guns... When I was in Makkovik, a couple of RCMP officers stopped by the wharf where I was tied up, just to have a look at the boat and chat. Very friendly guys, had no interest whatsoever in checking or recording my CanPass cruising permit #, and I suspect they couldn't have cared less whether I had a rifle aboard, or not... having said that, however, you would probably be in a heap of trouble if you actually wound up killing a bear, especially within the confines of the Torngat National Park, which covers much of the northern tip of Labrador...

One of the few disappointments of the trip for me, was not having a relatively close encounter with a polar bear (from the safety of the boat, of course ;-)) I was really hoping/expecting to see some up close, but it simply never happened... Even in the Torngat, where the local guides said I was virtually guaranteed to see a family on a certain island in Saglek Bay, I had no such luck... The only sightings I ever had were at such a great distance, that it wasn't even worth taking a photo, the result would have required the explanation that "the little white dot up there is Nanuk..."



Minnewaska said:


> Unrelated, I read your reference to the Nikon P100. I was thinking of getting the P610, particularly to take pics when cruising. The two features that drew me to it, were the 60x optical zoom and the wifi connect to a smartphone.
> 
> We rarely take the camera ashore, but often take pics of things from the boat. Wildlife, shore scenes, boats we like, sunsets, etc. A good zoom is necessary. My wife likes using some to post realtime on facebook. We both appreciate a good photograph, but neither are really into photography. Seemed like a good point and shoot for folks like us. What do you think?


That appears to be an amazing camera, roughly twice the zoom range of my P100... If mine were to bite the dust, I'd probably be very inclined to replace it with one of those...

However, for use on the boat, you might find it challenging at times to take advantage of the extreme range of the telephoto. The extent of my focal length is 120 mm, and while underway even that amount of zoom can be tricky to use. Double that with the 610, you would really need a steady platform in smooth water or at anchor to be able to compose and create sharp images at the 250mm focal length, seems to me, or perhaps without the assistance of image stabilization...

I'm always hesitant to recommend photo equipment, that can be a very personal choice, and I'm definitely Old School when it comes to camera gear  Plus, I haven't kept up at all with the latest developments in equipment, wasn't even aware of the P610 until you mentioned it... But it certainly does appear to be a fine all-around camera to my eye...


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

Whait still no BFS approval.. Clearly BFS is not what it has been marketed to be and it is rather "smacks popularity club" for folks who agree with him....:laugh

Maybe instead of a thread titled "Waterway Guide beats Active Captain" there should be;

*"Jon Eisbergs Proves BFS is a Popularity Club & Not About BFS"*

Sorry but this thread simply proves BFS is not about BFS at all....... Hypocrisy at its finest...:wink


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

Jon
Any thought about crossing to Greenland once you up the coast of Newfoundland? Or just not enough time in the brief summer to go to all the places you might want to visit. I showed the pictures to the admiral (and general decider of places we might want to visit) and she got quite excited. Stayed excited even after I mentioned the bugs which is a surprise because she hates insects that bite.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

We normally keep our small boat in Newfoundland where we have a cabin and family as well. Right now she is in Delaware City finishing up a refit (will it EVER be done?)

To return to the Rock, we are likely going to go up the Hudson, then Erie, then St Lawrence, then Magdalines, then up the Quebec coast to ????

MY Admiral approves of that trip.

IF you can find a way to over winter your boat in Lewisporte without paying the outrageous and recently imposed taxes/fees, then you are in a great place to jump off the following spring. Lewisporte is a wonderful marina which I highly recommend.

I think I recently saw where you can over winter for one year without the burden, but I don't know where I saw that. Not a trivial matter, IIRC.

From this site: Pat's Boating in Canada: Entering Canada by Boat



> In August 2012, the Canadian government began enforcing a law requiring foreigners to pay an import tax if they leave their boats in Canada after October 31. Americans may not leave their U.S. registered boat in Canada year-round without paying duty and tax (up to 13%). A E-99 permit may allow American boats to remain in a Canadian marina during the winter to get work done. For more information, call the marina division at 519-257-6457.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

killarney_sailor said:


> Jon
> Any thought about crossing to Greenland once you up the coast of Newfoundland? Or just not enough time in the brief summer to go to all the places you might want to visit.


Yes, definitely... I've already got the paper, those Danish charts are the most beautiful I've ever seen...

But, like Labrador, _LOTS_ of blank white space with no soundings whatsoever 










Not this year, I'm afraid... Or, maybe in the Next Life...



Definitely requires an early start to make it up there, and the Labrador Sea is a pretty serious patch of water... Herb McCormick says that the passage on OCEAN WATCH from Baffin Island down to Newfoundland was by far the roughest part of their entire circumnavigation of North & South America...

http://www.cruisingworld.com/labrador-gale

Then, there's Cap Farvel...



> According to satellite data, winds speeds off Cape Farewell reach at least 20 metres per second (44.7 miles per hour or gale force) 16% of the year and 29% of the winter, making it the windiest spot on the planet...
> 
> ...Climatologists have suggested that the winds, known as the Greenland tip jet, could be a key force in driving the world's climate and the global ocean circulation by pushing cold, dense water to the ocean floor and triggering the thermohaline circulation.
> 
> Earth's windiest region confirmed by crewed flight - environment - 04 September 2008 - New Scientist


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

That's interesting. But you went most of the way to Baffin, how did you find the conditions? I can see Baffin coast as tough, not a lot of places to tuck in. But much of the Lab coast is a virtual maze, no?

I found the Lab Current to cold for me. I could see getting to Geeenland OK. temps there were pretty realsonable.

I could NOT see myself working my way back down that cold Lab Current. Not alone anyway.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Maine Sail said:


> Whait still no BFS approval.. Clearly BFS is not what it has been marketed to be and it is rather "smacks popularity club" for folks who agree with him....:laugh
> 
> Maybe instead of a thread titled "Waterway Guide beats Active Captain" there should be;
> 
> ...


Certainly deserves it.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

hpeer said:


> That's interesting. But you went most of the way to Baffin, how did you find the conditions? I can see Baffin coast as tough, not a lot of places to tuck in. But much of the Lab coast is a virtual maze, no?


Conditions were highly variable, and very dependent on wind direction over the water... I had many days where I might be quite comfortable in the cockpit - given some protection from my weather cloths, of course - in shorts and a tee shirt... But when the fog came in, or the breeze came up from offshore, it would get pretty chilly, and it would be really nice to have the heat on below...

One point of interest, of the 5 weeks or so that I spent north of the Strait of Belle Isle, I'll bet I only bothered to put up the top and sides to my dodger maybe 3 or 4 times... Basically, only when it rained, or when a heavy fog came in at night...










It can be very dry up there for prolonged periods in midsummer, and that trip was proof positive of the benefit of having a simple windshield, and how unnecessary a full dodger can often be... Those Scandanavians figured that out a long time ago, as evidenced by the windshield/convertible top arrangements so common on H-Rs, and Malos...

You're right, Baffin Island sounds very forbidding... It's John Harries' least favorite coastline up there... And yes, much of the coast of Labrador can be quite the maze, almost entirely devoid of navigational aids, and vast expanses poorly or never surveyed, you really don't want to go wherever charts show nothing but white ;-) Boggles the mind, how intrepid the original explorers of that region had to have been...










The tides and currents thru some of the "Tickles" up there are definitely worth paying attention to, and planning around... Shooting this narrow gap in Manvers Run is probably more of a thrill ride than a place like Hell Gate... Main difference is it's a much tighter spot, and there probably wasn't another human being within 20 miles...

;-)










As a result, unlike Hell Gate, no graffitti spray-painted on the rocks along the shore... ;-)


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

I don't know how I missed this thread - but...

Oh hell yeah!!










Now, Jon, apparently a couple of SNers were a little miffed that I hadn't thrown you the coveted BFS bone - even though I hadn't seen the thread. First off, if I know you, that's not something you exactly lose sleep over. Second, your "limits" are quite a bit beyond virtually every one else's on this forum due to your experience.

So, though you don't care about it, I certainly don't want to offend others' sense of "Big Freakin' Justice".

All that said - this is my favorite...










Very worthy of the coveted stamp.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

I think there were three of us that commented on your notable absence here, but mostly in fun (at least speaking for myself). I was just waiting until I wandered into you stamping someone else to draw your attention to the oversight. I doubt anyone was losing sleep over it. Maybe MaineSail.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

seaner97 said:


> I doubt anyone was losing sleep over it. Maybe MaineSail.


Jeez no kidding. "Hypocrisy"? "Popularity Club"?

Somebody's got a bit of a complex - and it ain't Jon.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

smackdaddy said:


> Jeez no kidding. "Hypocrisy"? "Popularity Club"?
> 
> Somebody's got a bit of a complex - and it ain't Jon.


Your brand of "branding" doesn't play as well here in Maine. We go in more for the understated.
It's not personal, just stylistic differences.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

seaner97 said:


> Your brand of "branding" doesn't play as well here in Maine. We go in more for the understated.
> It's not personal, just stylistic differences.


Yeah, I can tell by Maine's posts. "Understated".


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Understated to start. Blunt to finish. That's a mainah.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

smackdaddy said:


> So, though you don't care about it, I certainly don't want to offend others' sense of "Big Freakin' Justice".
> 
> All that said - this is my favorite...
> 
> ...


Thanks, that was a kick-ass sail that day, along a magnificent coastline... But I sure was glad I was sailing a boat with inline shrouds, a set of deeply swept spreaders would have made that sail pretty nerve wracking... ;-)

Speaking of boats that feature deeply swept spreaders, did you happen to see Jimmy Cornell's overall assessment of his new Garcia Exploration 45, after the first year of sailing her? I think it was in last month's CRUISING WORLD...

He's delighted with the boat, naturally... Pretty much the _ONLY_ gripe he had, was the deeply raked spreaders that are a feature of that design... He quickly found them to be a source of an enormous amount of chafe, and had to have some serious chafe patches added to the main in Annapolis...

Definitely got the impression he won't want to deal with that again on his _next_ boat...

;-)


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

JonEisberg said:


> But I sure was glad I was sailing a boat with inline shrouds, a set of deeply swept spreaders would have made that sail pretty nerve wracking... ;-)


You bastard. Heh-heh.



JonEisberg said:


> Speaking of boats that feature deeply swept spreaders, did you happen to see Jimmy Cornell's overall assessment of his new Garcia Exploration 45, after the first year of sailing her? I think it was in last month's CRUISING WORLD...
> 
> He's delighted with the boat, naturally... Pretty much the _ONLY_ gripe he had, was the deeply raked spreaders that are a feature of that design... He quickly found them to be a source of an enormous amount of chafe, and had to have some serious chafe patches added to the main in Annapolis...
> 
> ...


Then you've got to ask yourself - why are they putting them on even expedition boats like this?


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

smackdaddy said:


> Then you've got to ask yourself - why are they putting them on even expedition boats like this?


I'd say that's a good question, sounds like Jimmy Cornell would like to know the reason, as well... 

what's more surprising to me about that boat, is that Garcia and Jimmy went with twin rudders... This summer Jimmy is attempting the NW Passage W to E, not sure twin rudders would be my first choice for that sort of trip, or on an "Expedition Yacht", in general...

I'll take one of these, instead... as soon as I cash in that "coveted" BFS medal...

;-)


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Is that a Dashew? You'll be able to buy 2 or 3.

Seriously, there HAVE to be performance/stability issues at play here that outweigh other factors (like chafe, etc.). I honestly understand what you're saying. Our main rides on our spreaders and shrouds even on a broad reach - much less running. But I understand the B&R rig to be about stability and strength...which I think is great as well.

So, the details of this kind of stuff is above my head...but it's obviously taking hold in very, very "bluewater" boats.


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## captbillc (Jul 31, 2008)

a great write up jon ! i really enjoyed looking at the pictures. it brought back memories. i was up in that area in 1985. we left duluth,mn on lake superior in june on the sheila yeates . topsail ketch with two yards 50 ft on deck & about 64 ft overall. we went down the lakes & on to newfoundland . we had to head ne from st. anthony because the ice pack extended about 150 miles off labrador. we stopped at ports along the west coast of greenland as far 71degrees north. then south & through prince christian sound & around cape farewell. then south to newfoundland & the us east coast to annapolis, md. if you are ever in lake superior , stop & see me in duluth. i only sail lake superior now on my 30 ft nimble express , since i was 93 on the 4th of july.


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## seaner97 (May 15, 2011)

Ok, now THAT's a BFS. And any sail you do is one that inspires me. I hope I'm still sailing at 93!
And, Smack- THAT is understated.


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## meteuz (May 13, 2010)

"Otherwise, an uneventful and pretty quick passage in a boat with only 25' on the waterline, the 500 NM to St Peter's covered in 4 days, with only a couple of hours of engine run time when the breeze died the last night approaching Cape Canso..."

I could swear your boat looks much larger than that. Did you mean to say 35' on the waterline?
I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing it with us.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

meteuz said:


> "Otherwise, an uneventful and pretty quick passage in a boat with only 25' on the waterline, the 500 NM to St Peter's covered in 4 days, with only a couple of hours of engine run time when the breeze died the last night approaching Cape Canso..."
> 
> I could swear your boat looks much larger than that. Did you mean to say 35' on the waterline?


Nope, you read it right, she's just 30' LOA...

A veritable 'Micro-Cruiser', by the standards of today...

;-)


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## chall03 (Oct 14, 2002)

smackdaddy said:


> Is that a Dashew? You'll be able to buy 2 or 3.


It's a Boreal.

Jean-François is MR Boreal and MR BFS.

He built a boat in his garden and sailed it around the world with Mrs François and the 4 kids. (Apparently he hadn't read all the CF _Rebel Heart _threads. Actually given how unconventional his boat was it seems he missed several of the _you must_ expert threads. Tut Tut).










When he came back back (being French  )he of course decided most other cruising boats he had seen were ****e and that( being French ) he could probably design and build the best one in the world.

Turns out he may of been right.

Of interest to me, is that while it has a reputation as an expedition yacht he actually envisaged it firstly as just a family cruising yacht.

The brochure happily exclaims 'a desk in every cabin where bluewater children can do their homework'. Try finding that in a Hunter or even an Island Packet.

Boy do I love the French. I think we have a bottle of champagne in fridge somewhere....BRB.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

smackdaddy said:


> I don't know how I missed this thread - but...
> 
> Oh hell yeah!!
> 
> ...


Well there should be an " applause" thingy. Onya Smack.


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## BentSailor (Nov 10, 2010)

tdw said:


> Well there should be an " applause" thingy...












...and done


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Ah ... yes .... but I did mean more one of those emoticon thingy's rather than a gif but hey .... thanks anyway.






btw ... Smack ... I was in no way miffed, just thought Jon deserved it. Now he has it. All's right with the world.


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## BentSailor (Nov 10, 2010)

Ah yes, it would be nice if SailNet could add one like this (







) or this (







) to the options.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

smackdaddy said:


> Is that a Dashew? You'll be able to buy 2 or 3.
> 
> Seriously, there HAVE to be performance/stability issues at play here that outweigh other factors (like chafe, etc.). I honestly understand what you're saying. Our main rides on our spreaders and shrouds even on a broad reach - much less running. But I understand the B&R rig to be about stability and strength...which I think is great as well.
> 
> So, the details of this kind of stuff is above my head...but it's obviously taking hold in very, very "bluewater" boats.


I guess this is straying somewhat but the swept back spreaders are there to obviate the need for runners where you have an inner forestay. Maybe not always but generally speaking I thought that was the case. Oh yes, also on boats like the later Hunters that don't have a backstay.

We have moderately swept back spreaders and even then they are something of a pain when running though our preventer seems to keep us out of trouble.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Ah, the Boreal. Thanks.

And thanks for the clarification on one of the benefits of the swept-back spreaders. Yeah, I think the backstays went away in 91 or 92 on the Hunters. Of course, the absence of a backstay is just as bad as the swept-back spreaders for most trads.

I'm very, very happy not to have to mess with runners. But this is about a "BFS In Labrador" - not how awesome Hunters are.


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## katiejai (Sep 9, 2013)

captbillc said:


> a great write up jon ! i really enjoyed looking at the pictures. it brought back memories. i was up in that area in 1985. we left duluth,mn on lake superior in june on the sheila yeates . topsail ketch with two yards 50 ft on deck & about 64 ft overall. we went down the lakes & on to newfoundland . we had to head ne from st. anthony because the ice pack extended about 150 miles off labrador. we stopped at ports along the west coast of greenland as far 71degrees north. then south & through prince christian sound & around cape farewell. then south to newfoundland & the us east coast to annapolis, md. if you are ever in lake superior , stop & see me in duluth. i only sail lake superior now on my 30 ft nimble express , since i was 93 on the 4th of july.


Hey Captbillc
WOW is all I can say!!! Absolutely wonderful that you are still sailing at 93. Hope I am able to do anything at that age--never mind keep sailing. I am just getting started and have been telling myself "maybe I will be too old to do much of a passage by the time I become a real sailor." You are an inspiration!


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

captbillc said:


> a great write up jon ! i really enjoyed looking at the pictures. it brought back memories. i was up in that area in 1985. we left duluth,mn on lake superior in june on the sheila yeates . topsail ketch with two yards 50 ft on deck & about 64 ft overall. we went down the lakes & on to newfoundland . we had to head ne from st. anthony because the ice pack extended about 150 miles off labrador. we stopped at ports along the west coast of greenland as far 71degrees north. then south & through prince christian sound & around cape farewell. then south to newfoundland & the us east coast to annapolis, md. if you are ever in lake superior , stop & see me in duluth. i only sail lake superior now on my 30 ft nimble express , since i was 93 on the 4th of july.


Cap - all I can say is I want to be you when I grow up. BFS doesn't even do you justice.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

smackdaddy said:


> Cap - all I can say is I want to be you when I grow up. BFS doesn't even do you justice.


_Absolutely..._

Not to mention, there's sailing @ 93, and then there's _Sailing on Lake Freakin' SUPERIOR_ @ 93... Hell, if I ever make it that long, my time on the water will likely be on puny Barnegat Bay, where the water depth is never over my head... ;-)

I dunno, _"Born on the Fourth of July"_ seems especially appropriate in bill's case, no?

;-)


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## EnchantedLang (Feb 6, 2017)

Wow! What a great read. Hoping to head that way and on into Europe via the Labrador in about 2-3 years. Making me more excited for this! Definitely plan on getting up that way by late June-Early July to enjoy as much of the labrador and decent weather as possible. Thank you for the excellent photos!


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

EnchantedLang said:


> Wow! What a great read. Hoping to head that way and on into Europe via the Labrador in about 2-3 years. Making me more excited for this! Definitely plan on getting up that way by late June-Early July to enjoy as much of the labrador and decent weather as possible. Thank you for the excellent photos!


Thank you for reviving this thread. Sadly Jon passed away on Christmas Day a little over a year ago. He was a super person by any measure. He was a good friend who is sorely missed.

Jeff


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## grossifs (Dec 29, 2015)

It has been fantastic reading this... and fantastic thinking he was 93... and so sad is not anymore here... buon vento ovunque tu sia...

Inviato dal mio ASUS_X013D utilizzando Tapatalk


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## gamayun (Aug 20, 2009)

I had not seen this post before either. What amazing pictures and adventure. Though I had heard of Jon's passing, he continues to impress!

Welcome to SN, EnchantedLang


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