LORD'S PRAYER LOG, Part 79:
Thursday, August 10, 2000
Underway: enroute Manuels, Newfoundland
0300 Environment Canada's radio weather forecast issued for Newfoundland's East
coast Cape St. Francis south and south coast: Winds Easterly 10-15 kts veering
to SE 15-20 this afternoon, and to SW 15 kts after midnight, diminishing to SW
10 kts Friday afternoon, occasional showers & fogbanks, visibility poor
in showers & fog, little temperature change.
0400 Cape St. Francis appears dark and gloomy ahead. The lighthouse on its tip
winks at me every 5 seconds. The lights of St. Johns on the east side of the
Cape cast a loom on the clouds above. There is another community - a town
named Conception Bay - on the west side of the Cape that lights the sky there as
well.
0550 Sunrise. I am entering Conception Bay (the bay not the town) with the tip
of Cape St. Francis 3 NM off the port beam. The sky is broken to overcast.
Visibility is greater than 15 NM. Wind is E 10-12 kts. Air temperature is 55,
and seawater temperature is 61.
0710 The wind drops to less than 6 kts in the lee of the 800-1,000' high cliffs
of Cape St. Francis, which are now 2 NM to port. I start the engine.
0820 I coast along the vertical cliffs of Bell Island. The edge of this
island,almost exactly vertical, looks like it was cut with a cake knife. It is a
shoreline with majesty, the likes of which I have never seen before. It is
awesome!
0830 Crossing a quarter mile ahead of the Bell Island/Portugal Cove ferry, I
pass a minke whale 50 yards to port. The whale is transiting the tickle in the
opposite direction.
0908 The wind freshens to E 10-12 kts. I secure the engine. The boat is on a
port beam reach.
1000 Arriving at the entrance to Long Pond, I roll up the jib, turn the boat
into the wind, drop the mainsail, stow gear, rig the fenders and lines to
starboard and proceed into the channel.
1018 Lord's Prayer is secured to the fuel float at The Royal Newfoundland Yacht
Club (RNYC). Position 47 31.305N 52 58.221W. Engine time: 1939.8 hours. I take
49.55 liters (13.1 gallons) of diesel fuel and top the water tanks.
1125 I move the boat to a wharf position as assigned by the club office and
secure her alongside there.
1230 Using the RNYC facilities, I take a shower and do a little laundry at the
club's facilities.
1430 I take a walk into town; there I pick up some groceries and other supplies.
1530 Environment Canada's radio weather forecast issued for Newfoundland's
Eastcoast Cape St. Francis and south, south coast: Winds SE 15-20 kts veering to
SW 15-20 overnight, winds SW 15-20 on Friday, occasional rain & fogbanks,
visibility poor in rain & fog, little temperature change, the outlook for
Saturday light winds increasing to moderate to strong easterlies.
2021 Sunset.
2130 Lord's Prayer remains nuzzled against the wharf at The Royal Newfoundland
Yacht Club. The cabin is cozy in the warmth of the diesel heater. I sip a hot
cappuccino and nibble a fresh French baguette as I read from Farley Mowat's
"Westviking"; in it he explains the Viking sagas of a thousand years
ago. Outside, rain pelts the deck; thunder rumbles overhead while flashes
of lightning illuminate
the night sky.
2215 My radio connection with Pinoak breaks off during a heavy thundershower. I
am able to pass email.
2300 I am unable to reestablish contact with Pinoak.
END OF PART 79
-------------
Via Pinoak Digital - Advanced technology SSB radio digital wireless email.
In reply please do not include text above or attachments.
For further information on our service visit www.pinoak.com