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2100 Saturday August 27
We were underway at about 0645 this morning for the fairly long (46 mile) run from Fogo back south to Lumsden. Fogo will be Tazzarin's farthest north for this season. the day started with a bit of fog and light winds as we motored out around Fogo to Hamilton Bay. As we got back out in open ocean the wind came in light on the nose as we kept motoring. However, by mid day, things would change considerably.
Wind built on our nose and gradually shifted more southwesterly. The sky filled with a series of pelting rain squalls and the wind speed seemed to go up a notch with each one. The seas also began to build. The motor was off and the sailing was invigorating with the winds gusting over 35 by the time we reached Lumsden about 1730. Some of the sailing, as in the photo above, was memorable.
As I sat at the helm today, a variety of observations of the past few days ran through my mind. I thought I would share a few, in no particular order.
among the people of Fogo Island, who live their lives surrounded by and upon the sea, the majority do not know how to swim; nor do they wear life jackets. I think part of the reason is just a long history, combined with a knowledge that for much of the year, if you fall into these cold, grey seas, you will succumb to the cold quickly.
Newfoundlanders are always helpful; it come from having to depend on one's neighbors in a world where there is isolation.
Outport communities are shrinking in size. this is in part because the youth are pulled away today by the lure of opportunity in bigger Canadian cisities, and the fishing is smaller. Talking with people here, I realize another reason the communities Re shrinking - family size. Bob, who is about my age and came to chat with us on the pier in Fogo is from a family of 19 souls; his parents had 17 children. The Harbormasterr here in Lumsden told me his mother had 10 siblings and his father had 13 siblings; he has a lot of aunts and uncles. Today, family sizes are much smaller.
The birds keep changing as we headed north. More sooty shearwaters. More Kittiwakes. Up here we have started to see fulmars for the furst time. The fulmars are similar to gulls, but, stickier and better fliers. You can get a sense of where you are bybthe changing birdlife.
Seasons are delayed and slower up here. Goldenrod is just starting. Blueberries are only just ripening. David and I picked handfuls walking outside of the town in Fogo. They are probably long gone back in New England. Tonight the air is chilly, a sense of the looming autumn.
Speaking of blueberries, David and I ran into Ray Freake along the road in Fogo. He is an island native and a good artist. He also had picked oodles of blueberries in the past week. He offered to sell us a 5 gallon pail. What in the world would we do with five gallons of blueberries? We talked him down to a gallon, then to just a reasonable half gallon for which he charged about $7.00 US. I had handfuls of blueberries o. my granola this morning. Yummy! You can see a photo of Ray the artist/blueberry picker beside David below.. Yes, Ray's eyes are ope; they are just that way.
It is now gusting to 30 knots here at the fish pier in Lumsden. Time to crawl in my bunk and get some sleep.
Bill
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