South Coast of Newfoundland

Four weeks along the South Coast of Newfoundland aboard the “Concertina” from mid-July to mid-August 2006.

Sunday, 30 July 2006

Margery Cove to Killbrook Cove;
Effecting an escape from the Goblin.

Lampidoes Passage Sunday the 30th at first appeared overcast and foggy but as we began tacking to windward the weather did improve to foggy periods and eventually to sunny and clear. The high bordering cliffs and hills created constantly changing wind conditions as well as fog patches.
Talus slopes in Lampidoes Passage
The talus slopes along the northwestern shore of Lampidoes Passage were impressive. The scale of these boulders was much larger than they seemed at first from our distance. The hilltops and fast moving low-lying clouds also added a sense of unreality to this scene.
Goblin Head Goblin Head marks the western end of Bay d’Espoir and for us announced finer weather ahead, with fresh southwesterly breezes. As we beat out of the bay we sometimes despaired that we would ever see the last of the goblin.
Ferry leaving McCallum The ferryboat serving McCallum and Gaultois passed by headed back to Hermitage Harbour at the end of the afternoon.
Enterin Bonne Bay Sailing towards Bonne Bay the SW breeze became fresh and we were able to short tack through the narrow entrance passage and then on westward into the Bay proper.
Killbuck Cove was our chosen anchorage for the night. We avoided the ledge at its mouth and then came to anchor well out from the shore as the west end is shoal and with a rocky ledge to boot.
Killbuck Cove
Going ashore allowed us to assess a couple of neglected hulls hauled out beside a skidway and to follow a path up through the bushy trees.
Killbuck Cove brook We checked out a pond above the cove end but elected to bathe in the stream entering the south side of the harbour, which seemed more accommodating to our particular needs.

As we returned to the schooner, a small boat motored by the mouth of the cove toward the northwest. A little while later it came back and took a circuit of the cove, stopping by for a chat. One of two young children in the boat told us that they had caught more mackeral than they could count.

Saturday, 29 July 2006
return to log index
 Monday, 31 July 2006