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Author: Terry
Lat/Lon: 059 3.6 N 063 17.6 W
Location: Bigelow Bay
Course:
Speed:
Weather: Overcast, sprinkling
Sightings: Seals, minke whale, caribou
Date: Aug. 22
Five days (and only 52 miles) out of False Bay, Terry lets his frustration (and laundry) all hang out
Click on the pictures below to view enlargements
Log Date: August 23, 1998
Terry's Journal Aug. 22
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We rowed for 12 miles today, which may sound like back breaking labor in a 25 ton boat, but that's because it is. It is also, by far, the easiest 12 miles we have covered since touching down here in Labrador. The cruising guide to Labrador (believe it or not, such a thing actually exists) makes vague reference to the Inuit deity Torngat, who resides in these coastal mountains and has the ability to change the weather at his whim. I'm here to tell you, he is real, he is watching us, and he is laughing his tail off.
Since leaving our first anchorage at False Bay, we have covered 52 miles over five days. Which, with the exception of today, have been the most frustrating of the trip for me. I am very willing to believe now in a malicious entity watching our every move, letting us get to within inches of our chosen destination before either blasting us out of there with a gust we can't row or sail against, or worse yet, using our own hope and innocence to tempt us out beyond easy rowing distance from anywhere with a fair breeze, only to abandon us, becalmed, rolling on a greasy swell.
I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times we have once again dropped the slatting sail, looked at each other and said, "I can't believe we fell for that again." We even spent a night 12 miles offshore laying to our sea anchor - in no wind, hoping that the Labrador current would drag us south faster than we had been able to get there on our own devices. Took us all day to get offshore, the meagre wind died, then it took us all day to get back in, chasing every random puff. By the time we dropped anchor, I felt pretty defeated.
Today was such a treat because the wind refused to blow at all, so we rowed in glassy conditions all the way to our anchorage here in Bigelow Bay. Southern Bigelow Bay that is. There is another one about 13 miles north, across from last night's anchorage in Razorback Harbor.
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I think we all were nervously looking over our shoulders all day, expecting to see a wind line creeping up on us, ready to blow us back to where we came from, or to entice us to give up our simple goal and set off for the open sea once again.
Nope, no sign of Torngat today, only lots of curious seals, a minke whale feeding in Nachvak Bay, and a caribou family waiting onshore for us. I know that part of my frustration rises from the feeling of relief I felt upon our successful crossing of Hudson Strait. Labrador, heck, we're almost home. I wasn't giving this incredible place its due, and I was slapped in the face with the reality of sailing an engineless boat on the Torngat coast. Never thought the day would come when I would wish for no wind.
Bigelow Bay is beautiful, as is all of the coast here. Broad U-shaped valleys with very steep walls speak to this area's glacial past. The water line at the head of this bay is a cobble berm 20 feet high, with a fresh water lake behind it, and unfortunately, the stink-o-meter redlined when I probed my socks and longjohns, so I had to spend my time ashore this evening rinsing out a pair of wool socks or three, instead of wandering. I don't know what all I missed, but I did have three caribou run right by me as I was bent over my laundry. Judging by the steadily falling barometer, Torngat may exact his vengeance by witholding the sun, making it neccessary to sleep with my wet laundry in order to get it dry before it turns green.
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Today was good for me, simple physical labor, unencumbered with the decision making, and frantic sail handling to no avail that have marked days past. I'm back to thinking that our time will come, the wind has to blow from the north some time, and we'll be waiting for it when it does.
Probably not too far from here, either.
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