Back on black

On the ferry

Sunday the fasting was over and I was finally able to get back on the water after two weeks. It was a cool and overcast day that made normally blue water look black and foreboding. It was back on black.

Clyde, Gerard, Tobias and I met at Portugal Cove at 9:00 to take the ferry to Bell Island with the intention of paddling under the protection of its massive cliffs from forecasted westerly winds.

Waiting

Off the ferry we drove a short distance to The Beach to put-in. Waves were surprisingly dumping on the beach but I timed my put-in and got off without incident. On the water, I watched for a few minutes as the others readied to launch. They soon seal launched and joined me. Oh, the benefits of plastic boats!

Passing the ferry terminal

We got underway and headed in a southerly direction well protected from the winds. Everywhere snow was sprinkled over the landscape like icing sugar on a chocolate cake.

Dominion Pier

The first point of interest as we paddled southerly along the coast of Bell Island is the Dominion Pier.

The Dominion Iron and Steel Company Limited was formed in 1899 and it acquired submarine claims to iron ore on Bell Island. It also acquired limestone deposits at Port au Port. It exported both natural resources to Sydney, Cape Breton where it had erected blast furnaces and a steel mill.

Scotia Pier

Next along the shore are the remains of the Scotia Pier from which iron ore was also shipped.

In 1893 the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company purchased the iron ore land rights from the Butler brothers of Topsail and made first shipment of iron ore from this pier. The company later built blast furnaces at Sydney Mines, Cape Breton for smelting the ore and steel mills at New Glasgow for fabrication.

The story is an old one ... natural resources exported to furnish jobs in other lands. Not much remains of the old pier.

Lance Cove

We arrived at Lance Cove and stopped to answer the call of nature.

Contrast

Not all the water was frozen. Here Clyde checks out excess water draining off the land next to icicles clinging to the vertical cliff walls.

The sun came out

The sun came out and things really brightened up.

Then a bit of snow

The sun didn't stay long as a snow squall blew in. It was that kind of day, a day of contrasts. But it didn't deflate our spirits. It just added to the ambiance.

The Beaumont Hamel arrives

The ferry from Portugal Cove arrived as we were returning to The Beach. Too late to catch this one but we'd get on the Flanders for a return ride from Bell Island.

A shortish paddle of about 15 kms but it was good to get out again. Though the weather wasn't the greatest, none of us felt the cold and were quite comfortable all day. Thanks Clyde, Gerard and Tobias for sharing the day.