The CAP’N LEM is in Labrador. Belle Isle is lost on the southern horizon haze. We’re rarely out of the sight of an iceberg. Getting underway this morning from my tranquil anchorage where never a rock of the boat woke me in the night, we picked our way around and out first the Miller Tickle and then the very narrow Antelope Tickle. How could I resist taking the CAP’N LEM thru a passage named Antelope Tickle?
I see on the large scale charts showing many of the small narrow passages are called “Tickles”. It must refer to the way the tide current ripples through. Captain Le mould have loved that, he being one always quick for a play on words.
So out we go into a gentle rolling North Atlantic swell. Our morning dolphins display their speed winning the race, no contest. In the distance I see a great moving shoal like I’ve never seen before. As we draw closer it becomes a mass of tightly packed sea birds all moving together. Closer still and they take flight almost as closely packed as they swam. I don’t know what they were but they were wonderful. The morning whale comes to the surface to greet us with a blow and that signals the end of the GOODMORNING CAP’T LEM show. Nature draws the curtain with a white fog over all while preparing the next act.
The fog is dense in width and shallow in height. A warm sun makes its way to my shoulders and is welcome. I never curse the fog but rather just deal with it. This time the fog brings a Southeast wind and the wind is energy. The wind turns the whole world underneath the CAP’N LEM.
At 1410, the odometer on the GPS shows we have traveled 3000 nautical miles since leaving Two Harbors Minnesota on April 6th. I don’t torture myself with how far I have to go.
Sunset and I find a little cove near Ship Tickle Island at Lat 52⁰ 43′ 53.2″N ~ Long 055⁰ 49′ 46.3″W. It’s a small fishing village.
So ends this day.
John asks: What have you done to prepare should a polar bear get on board?
Well, first, I’m more apt to be eaten by mosquitoes than a polar bear. I thought I could just feed him cookies and hope he gets full before I run out of cookies, but a handheld signal flare would be my first choice. No firearms on board. The customs guys would have eaten me.
