Nov 072019
 

 

 

This is the year, 2019, we would close our circumnavigation of Newfoundland that we begun on Phantasia in 2013.

Departing from Cobourg on Lake Ontario we sailed east through our familiar cruising grounds of eastern Lake Ontario to the 1000 Islands, and then made our third transit of the St Lawrence Seaway. It seemed more difficult than our two previous trips, perhaps we’re just getting older. It’s still great fun to break free from the lakes and find your self anchoring near downtown Montreal and then running the rapids to Quebec City.

Once clear of the lock at Quebec City’s Basin Louise it’s clear sailing. Under spinnaker we’d visit Tadoussac in the company of belugas, humpback and minke whales then cross to Bic, Rimouski, Matane and St Anne Des Monts on the St Lawrence south shore. 

The St Lawrence current, and summer westerlies would move us quickly from Riviere au Renard into Gaspe, where we stopped to provision and enjoy the local colour. Our 220 nautical miles crossing of the Gulf of Madeleine to Port Aux Basques Newfoundland proved to be challenging, as we entered Cabot Strait followed by squall after squall.

Newfoundland’s South Coast is sparsely populated and extends east from Port Aux Basques to Cape Race, steep coastal cliffs are punctuated by deep inlets, lined with creeks and rivers. We planned to visit as many of it’s famous harbours as we could. Isle A Morts, Garia Bay, Rose Blanche, Grand Bruit, Cinq Cerf, Burgeo, Grey River, Francois and Hare Bay.

From Hare Bay we crossed to St Pierre, France to enjoy French food, wine and culture before sailing back to beautiful Little St Lawrence Harbour on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula .

We tied up with the fishing fleet in St Brides Harbour on the Avalon Peninsula to investigate rugged Cape St Mary, and the sea bird colony there. Rounding Cape Race at the south east corner of Newfoundland, in dense fog, we hurry up to Fermeuse then into St John’s just ahead of hurricane Dorian. 

After riding out the storm at Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club in Conception Bay we’d visit Bay de Verde, Bonavista, Lumsden, Seldom, Change & Exploits Islands before bringing the boat into welcoming Lewisporte Marina to haulout for the winter of 2019/2020. 

In the upcoming 2021 (due to Newfoundland’s Covid 19 lock down we’re not sailing this year) season we may sail Loon’s Lace across the Atlantic, that’s the plan, we’ll have to see if we can get organized and make it happen.

And we will be doing several days of “Sailing Newfoundland’s South Coast” presentations at the 2020 Toronto Boat Show. As soon as we have the schedule we’ll publish it here, hope to see you there !

Best Sailing,

Mike & Jayne

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