Tonight we are sailing down the east coast of Baffin Island in the Davis Strait at 67.09 North 62.06 West. For the past two days we sheltered in a cove at Home Bay on the south shore of the Henry Kater Peninsular for to shelter from a gale. We anchored in 16 meters of water around three hundred yards from shore in greyish blue water with white capped waves, spume blowing and swirling around us.

A sandy beach ashore with low bush, mustard, black and red brown hues and enough vegetation to sustain the reindeer herds that roam here. The wind is howling fiercely through our rigging at 35-40knots and sometimes higher gusts. I do not know who Henry Kater was but this is a desolate, low lying forlorn outpost with no mountains or high cliffs to protect from the biting northerly winds. To the east of us a small rocky spit of land with a beached iceberg that looks like a gigantic white whale lying on its side! There is an abandoned RCMP station on shore and and the remains of an Inuit fishing camp.

Three of us were eating our oatmeal yesterday morning when we were visited by four walrus very close by. The four heads along with eight skinny, shiny, snow white tusks, their heads within inches of each other, choir like lifted out of the briny white capped cobalt blue wave. They gave us a sudden inquisitive glance and look over, before they dove into the frigid surf down to the sea bed below. It was a very special moment for the three of us.

The landscape here has been created by the forces of nature ice, wind and sea, decorated by multi coloured  lichens, arctic flora and trod on by the herds of reindeer, Musk Ox, Arctic Hare and Fox.The Ptarmigan and the Snowy Owls and Ravens are the year round birds and the migrants from the south that spend the summer here nesting and raising their young before the short summer  is over.

 

Today is the first day of September and our little boat is sailing south towards Labrador and Lewisport, Newfoundland. The winter has began up here in the Arctic and Last night we sailed under the Northern lights which was very special. We should have a good day sail tomorrow and then will probably seek shelter in Cumberland Sound towards Wednesday due to a forecasted gale warning.

From our little sailing vessel out here tonight we wish you all a nos da, goodnight!

Hywe Roberts.