Off Soundings

July 17, 2009

Hills Harbour, Labrador   (chart says Hill but the sign on a house says Hills)

53°07.0N

055° 47.9W

Normally “off soundings” means you’re in water so deep that your depth finder can’t find the bottom.  Up here it could mean those white areas on the chart with no numbers! As in, this area has not been surveyed for depths and rocks. This is one of the things that make cruisers gulp and it’s also one of the lures of cruising here - the chance to pick your way into an uncharted harbour or through an uncharted tickle. 

Some charts are based on bottom surveys done in the early 1800’s.  These black and white charts are adorned with beautiful hand drawings of coastline depicting rocky cliffs.  One chart of the Northern Peninsula has a comment about the inland mountains, “Mountains appear continuous” because they hadn’t explored inland yet.

Another catch phrase printed on the beautiful Canadian charts:

“Not surveyed to modern standards.  Exercise extreme caution.”

Just to add spice to it all, charts may be in fathoms (one fathom is 6 ft.) or feet or meters.  So you have to pay attention.

Hills is one of those blank spots on the chart.  The tiny cove has a few buildings keeping watch.  Otherwise, it’s great hiking.  No need for trails in this treeless terrain.  You just set out and pick your way from rocky hump to rocky peak.  In places, a cushy bog lays over the rock like Grandma’s crazy comforter made up of russet and green patches. Wildflowers decorate the comforter with their yellows and whites. Occasionally each springy step feels like you’re walking on the mattress and the comforter.

Two foot high stands of trees have made toeholds in nooks and crannies.  

Called tuckamores, these pinetrees can be over 100 years old.  We haven’t seen a land mammal in a long while.  No squirrels but saw this little bird.  What do the mosquitoes eat when we’re not around?

Called Caledonian Princess on the radio and she was just around the corner.  Wade & Colleen stopped in for fresh, out of the oven muffins while the girls slept.  Wade showed off the results of his successful fishing trip and they left us with a beautiful salmon.  Yum!!