Ahoy Newfoundland Sailors! Let's Meet for a Gam!

[deblen]

Gone Sailing – Sailing adventures with Mike and Jayne

[Steadman Uhlich]

I saw this photo posted today, it was taken just a few days ago (June 19, 2017) near Tillenham Newfoundland.

Notice the bay is filled with chunky ice.

The photo was taken by a cruising couple (Mike and Jayne, see the link up above posted by DEBLEN) who have some nice videos showing their cruises around Newfoundland. I enjoyed seeing them (on youtube). They shared this photo on a public group on Facebook.

I don't know if they are members of CF. I will try to invite them to join us here.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by deblen

Gone Sailing – Sailing adventures with Mike and Jayne

Thanks for the link.

I have watched several of their videos and enjoyed them, and her watercolor painting (in situ, or on site). Good stuff to see if anyone is going to go sailing around Newfoundland.

[Sailormantx]

Newfoundland is one of the greatest sailing destinations in North America! Friendliest people I have ever met in the Americas. I spent the winter frozen into Long Pond, it was reportedly the worst winter in thirty years with blizzards, pack ice and a three day ice storm....but it wasn't that bad. I would love to meet up with you, but I am sailing to Greenland in a few days. If you need some local info or a contact, pm me

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Sailormantx

Newfoundland is one of the greatest sailing destinations in North America! Friendliest people I have ever met in the Americas. I spent the winter frozen into Long Pond, it was reportedly the worst winter in thirty years with blizzards, pack ice and a three day ice storm....but it wasn't that bad. I would love to meet up with you, but I am sailing to Greenland in a few days. If you need some local info or a contact, pm me

Howdy!
I am glad you posted your experience too.

Wintering over there must have been a most cold and memorable experience.
I wish we could meet too.
I love the look of your boat (Junk Rigged Colvin Gazelle's have always caught my eye).

And it is cool that you are sailing to Greenland. I hope you will post an account of that voyage and photos here on CF so we can all see.

Fair winds!

[Cruisingoneday]

I have to chime in here, I was in NFLD 5 years ago in Trinity bay. I come from away, but my father was from Old Perlican, (Just up the way from Dildo).

I would recommend the Winterton wooden boat museum as someplace to spend a few hours. I had a fascinating chat with the boatbuilder there. The Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland & Labrador

An additional highlight of my trip was a visit to the town of Trinity on the north shore. I was fortunate enough to catch a production of the walking tour of the historic Trinity village. The play was quite moving. Rising Tide Theatre

I also visited a builder of 40' wooden fishing schooners in Trinity. I believe when I was there the last schooner was being built. Incredible and a real step backwards in time.

If the Cod season is on while you are there I would also encourage you to go fishing, it was a unique experience. Find someone in a little village to take you out.

My uncle was living in Port Union at the time and he introduced me to a small cafe in Bonavista, mostly patronized by men of the sea. I couldn't understand them... and that's where half my roots lie.
(Bonavista was immortalized in a Canadian remake of Woody Guthries song This Land is your Land)

All in all this was a very memorable and wonderful trip, I would enjoy sailing in those waters one day.

Enjoy..

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Cruisingoneday

I have to chime in here, I was in NFLD 5 years ago in Trinity bay. I come from away, but my father was from Old Perlican, (Just up the way from Dildo).

I would recommend the Winterton wooden boat museum as someplace to spend a few hours. I had a fascinating chat with the boatbuilder there. The Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland & Labrador

An additional highlight of my trip was a visit to the town of Trinity on the north shore. I was fortunate enough to catch a production of the walking tour of the historic Trinity village. The play was quite moving. Rising Tide Theatre

I also visited a builder of 40' wooden fishing schooners in Trinity. I believe when I was there the last schooner was being built. Incredible and a real step backwards in time.

If the Cod season is on while you are there I would also encourage you to go fishing, it was a unique experience. Find someone in a little village to take you out.

My uncle was living in Port Union at the time and he introduced me to a small cafe in Bonavista, mostly patronized by men of the sea. I couldn't understand them... and that's where half my roots lie.
(Bonavista was immortalized in a Canadian remake of Woody Guthries song This Land is your Land)

All in all this was a very memorable and wonderful trip, I would enjoy sailing in those waters one day.

Enjoy..

Hi.
Thank you for writing those nice tips and impressions about the places you saw. You gave me some good ideas.

I did see a few minutes of that walking play on a video about Newfoundland, and it looked interesting.

[nicholson31]

Hello Steady Hand,
You won't be disappointed in choosing to sail up the coast and exploring what this great Province has to offer. Just one bad apple as the saying goes, can leave a bad taste however, I am confident your experience with islanders will be memorable for the right reasons not because of one idiot yelling obscenities as mentioned, but yes they are everywhere it seems.
What you can expect in many of the communities is people offering their car keys if you need to head to the store, happens to foreigners and local cruises like myself.

I think you will find that a season won't be near long enough to take in what this island has to offer, even for just the South Coast.
Gaultice, Grand Bruit, Francois, Grey River, St. Pierre and Miquelon (France of course ), just a few places.
Ice shouldn't be an issue when you get up this way, there may be a few bergs hanging around but ice on the southern shore is usually not much of a concern. Yes very foggy at times and can last for extended periods when the rest of the island is in sunshine. Radar is recommended as well as good ground tackle and shore lines, winds can drop down through the fjords at a good gate, haven't cruised this area but have spoken to those that have. Highly recommended to have a heater on board as it can drop 20 C from morning to night, not always but does happen, also good for drying out the dampness. If you mainly rely on solar to charge your batteries, you may be affected by the lack of sunshine, just something to be aware off. I have found that many communities have warfs that have 110 v outlets so if you have an adapter for plugging in to 110 may help at times.
Provisioning should not be an issue, some people think they are heading into the abyss when coming this way, yes there are stores and places to fuel, we even have paved roads!!

If you make it around to the Northeast coast check out the Lewisporte Yacht Club Lewisporte Yacht Club
You mentioned Jane and Mike, they have just wintered their second season there and are preparing for this summers adventures. Actually planning a beach boil up on one of the islands this weekend.
Notre Dame Bay is considered the "Caribbean of the North" and has become a very popular destination for cruisers all over the world. Some just winter here others leave their boats and come back to cruise each summer.
If you make it around to the North side and to the LYC, look me up would be great to have a chat and show you some of the area, warning though you may never want to leave!!!.

[Sailormantx]

This winter in Long Pond. Insulation and a good heater are not optional!

[Steadman Uhlich]

TO Nicholson31,
Thanks for taking the time to write in detail, with good tips and you friendly invitation.

Unfortunately I will not make it to the North Coast of Newfoundland. Most of the time will be spent on the eastern side (just north of St. John's) and the South side, visiting different ports and even St. Pierre.

I can imagine one could spend a long time and not see it all.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Sailormantx

This winter in Long Pond. Insulation and a good heater are not optional!

BRRRRRRRRR.

You must have fortitude!

Thanks for posting that photo, and your experience.

[nicholson31]

Be sure to check out the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club, just north of St John's, they have a decent facility with restaurant, fuel, showers ect. Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club - Incorporated since 1964.

[Steadman Uhlich]

UPDATE:
Sailed from Norfolk to Halifax Nova Scotia.
Overnighted at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron (yacht club).
Met some nice CF Members on the voyage, including SWEETTANGO (Todd) and SAILORGREG (Greg).

Met some nice sailors at the yacht club. Canadians are such welcoming and nice folks.

On the voyage here saw many porpoises, a sea turtle, Saturn, wonderful sunsets, thick fog (50 foot visibility) and interesting optical illusions or effects including "sun dogs" and a "sun bow" too. These optical effects are very interesting to see. I also saw a "floating ship" mirage, something I have seen before, but still nice to see.

Switched boats in Halifax, moving from a Swan 48 to a J42 (Boston Blackie is a CF Member too).

Sailed from Halifax to St. John's Newfoundland.
Boston Blackie's J42 is really "tricked out" for cruising in an admirable way. I am learning a lot from him, as he has had many years of sailing experience and is highly knowledgeable about racing big boats (he crewed for Ted Turner and other notables) and cruising too. He is a Cruising Club of America member, and I enjoyed reading the CCA annual report (a hardbound book) which gives outlines of some of the members who have received the prestigious Blue Water Medal. Very interesting reading.

During the passage from Halifax to St. John's, we saw many porpoises, several whale spouts, many sea birds (shearwaters, fulmars, puffins, and others).

The water temperture continued to drop, and the lowest I saw as we approached Newfoundland was 42 degrees Fahrenheit. The beverages in the food lockers were well chilled just by the hull temperature!

We had a few days of marvelous sailing conditions, that were ideal, with relatively warm air, following seas that were moderate, and winds of 10-20 knots. A few nights were clear, and the Milky Way was beautiful. We also encountered heavy fog as we neared the Grand Banks and then Newfoundland coast. We had only one day of rain, as the rest of the voyage was mostly clear skies or fog. Very little ship traffic, and very few fishing boats. That surprised me, as I expected more, but on the voyage to Halifax we were 100 miles or more offshore.

The entrance to St. John's harbor was unforgettable. It looked like a scene from King Kong or "The Phantom" or some similar story, as the coastline was covered with fog, with the narrow harbor entrance partially obscured by fog. It was chilly (water temp 45 degrees) and higher following seas and winds of 20 knots for some down wind sailing to the harbor entrance. I will post a photo later, but it will not give you the feeling we all had as we approached the high rock cliffs and saw the narrow harbor entrance. Unforgettable.

Norfolk to St. John's (offshore sailing) for about 1,071 nm of cold water sailing">blue water sailing so far on this adventure voyage.

I will report more as soon as possible.

The following photo is me on watch, on the foggy approach to Newfoundland. (Thanks to David for taking the photo for me.).

[hpeer]

St Johns is an interesting stop, but not what Newfoundland is about. Just about half of the providence population lives in St John's. Which makes the rest of the island less than crowded.

George Street is...well...George Street. It's unique. I can totally see some local coming up to a MetroSexual as described. No harm meant. It's just people are so approachable here and they expect every one else to be the same. Just give him a kiss on the cheek and you'll be best buds. Be bold, be Newfie!

I've got my boat in Lewisporte, doing some work on her. Will be launched in a week or two, or three. At the moment I'm chilling in our cabin on Bonavista Bay. That's a few hours drive from St. John's.

Lewisporte is a wonderful marina with a lot of active cruisers.

It sounds like your itinerary is set so good luck and God speed. It's a pity you don't have more time. Personally we will be on the island until the end of September.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by hpeer

St Johns is an interesting stop, but not what Newfoundland is about. Just about half of the providence population lives in St John's. Which makes the rest of the island less than crowded.

George Street is...well...George Street. It's unique. I can totally see some local coming up to a MetroSexual as described. No harm meant. It's just people are so approachable here and they expect every one else to be the same. Just give him a kiss on the cheek and you'll be best buds. Be bold, be Newfie!

I've got my boat in Lewisporte, doing some work on her. Will be launched in a week or two, or three. At the moment I'm chilling in our cabin on Bonavista Bay. That's a few hours drive from St. John's.

Lewisporte is a wonderful marina with a lot of active cruisers.

It sounds like your itinerary is set so good luck and God speed. It's a pity you don't have more time. Personally we will be on the island until the end of September.

Thanks! I would love to meet you too.
So far, have met 3 CF members and encouraged some other cruisers to join us at CF too.

We won't be making it up that far up the coast. We will visit Trinity Bay, but most of our time will be spent in the fjords and outports of the South Coast.