Made it to Corner Brook!

July 13th, 2008 by Kip "Galley Master" Jones

Did you know that Newfoundland is one half a time zone east of Nova Scotia time?  When we got here we set our watches ahead 30 minutes.  Walt said he did the same thing in India last year but I have never moved through half a time zone!  Newfoundland is also the 10th largest island in the world.

We were off early again this morning and did another 100 plus mile day which took us 13 hours.  We were so grateful that the seas were calm and wind less than 20 knots all the way.  We saw three boats all day so we really felt we had the sea to ourselves.  The west coast of Newfoundland is unlike anything we have ever seen with rugged cliffs 1000 feet high dropping to the sea.  On the way into the Bay of Islands we had four whale sightings!  One surfaced and dove seven times in a row much to our delight!  It took us two hours to motor through the bay and arrive at Corner Brook; it is huge.  We had made arrangements with the Bay of Islands Yacht Club to stay here until our crew arrives Tuesday. We were greeted by many friendly folks who were expecting us.  A  phone call revealed our water maker parts are here and we hope to hear the refrigerator parts arrive tomorrow. The club is nice with laundry facilities, showers and wifi!  We have been offered the use of a car already and are planning to do the final provisioning for the trip Tuesday.

I had purchased most of our fruit and vegetables in Halifax and put them below the floor boards.  The 97 degree days in Baddeck caused about a third of the apples and oranges to rot so there is more to get now. We are ready to get to bed!  We find we now get woozy being on land and feel like it is moving all over the place!

11 Responses to “Made it to Corner Brook!”

  1. Randy Jones Says:

    This sounds like a fish story I once heard. Where are the PHOTOS of the whales?? All I see are cliffs and light houses. Haha. Glad you made it.

  2. Tom Gutshall Says:

    Welcome to Corner Brook!! Kipp and I made it to that part of the world three years ago, almost to the day. Of course our vessel was just a tad larger, like a city with a keel. You are right about the locals. Wonderful folks, very friendly and not like all the stories we had heard regarding the “newfies”. Kipp (with two P’s) and I are in Pennsylvania preparing for our nephew’s wedding this coming weekend. Try to keep your camera handy, Walt. We would like some pictorial evidence of the sea critters. Hope all repairs go well. Safe voyage north!! TOm & Kipp

  3. timmy t Says:

    Hey walt and co,

    I love the idea of half a time zone, there are actually quite a few of them, another crazy time zone is nepal where you change your time by :45 minutes. our hopes and prayers are with you guys!

    timt

  4. Bill Mullen Says:

    Walt (“Mr. Adventurer”) and Kip;
    What an exciting adventure to watch and track! I can not even imagine what it is like to be living it! Our prayers continue to be with you daily.
    The real reason for this ‘reply’ – our Starbucks card for the Thursday AM group needs to be ‘renewed’. How can you get the your share ($20) to us – just something to think about.
    Linda thought Walt has lost a lot of weight – is this real or just doctored pictures?
    Our prayers will continue to go before you for safe travel, new relationships, experiencing the wonder of God’s creation, and drawing closer to His continual presence.

  5. Chuck Single Says:

    I know you saw the whales, as I have been there and done that with you many times in Alaska. The pictures are really wonderful. Can’t take photos of EVERYTHING.

    I am pleased to be back on the internet and following your progress.

    If you do 70 miles per day and have a total of 7,000 miles to go, it’s 100 days. I would imagin that is you minimum goal for each day.

    What fun.

    Love, Grandpa Single

  6. Ed Wright Says:

    Great pictures and stories. I feel like I am there with you and wishing I really was. Thanks for sharing your adventure. May God continue to guide and protect you. Don’t worry about your $20 share of the coffee for the Tuesday AM group. I’ve got you covered. Bill can come by and pick it up.

    Blessings,
    Ed

  7. Marcie Bowerman Says:

    Could I ask a dumb question? How do the Robertson’s get to Corner Brook? Does one fly into Gander and then take a puddle jumper to Corner Brook, or instead drive the Trans-Canada Highway, or what? My curiosity is nagging at me. MarcieB.

  8. Carlos Fetterolf, Jr. Says:

    Haaaaalllllllooooo up thar you Newfies! Corner Brook rang a bell – – – – My father, Col. Carlos Fetterolf, was in charge of, among other things, keeping the railway operating between Halifax and Corner Brook in the early stages of WWII. Dad enjoyed the Atlantic salmon fishing especially with a guide. – – – I met Lee Wulff in a fishing camp south of Cancun, Mexico ~1987. He was a world-famous flyfishing expert, innovator, and author. After discussing salmon and the Great Lakes, he studied my card and said he had fished with a Col. Fetterolf during WW II. Said he had, somewhere, a picture of him holding a big salmon.
    It sent goose bumps up my arms to meet someone who knew my Dad some 45 years ago. Good luck, Walter, Kip and crew, more comments later, Carlos

  9. Mike Alden Says:

    At one time, the Time Zone of Singapore was 15 minutes from an hour multiple of GMT. It may still be a little cockeyed and there are several others equally out of sync.

    Get plenty of sleep. You will find the worst part of a long voyage – specially one with long underway periods – is tedium and becoming overly tired. That is when mistakes are made. It will be difficult to get a good night’s sleep standing watches and sleeping next to a continuously operating diesel engine. That, combined with boat motion will make your final, long at sea times tough. All the best. Love, MAlden

  10. M'Ellen Alden Says:

    Kip, are you going the whole journey? We have a National Geographic map of Canada & north into the ice cap. We put postum arrows plotting your progress as we receive new information. I believe Mike finds this all very interesting, though at this point in our lives he would not want to be part of the crew. I wish you fair winds and speady headway.

    M’Ellen Alden

  11. Kevin E. Sullivan Says:

    Hi Pat:
    What an adventure you are on! Will look forward to hearing more about it as your voyage continues. Just got back from the Peruvian Amazon on a great missions trip and Gary sent us this website. Take care and shoot straight if you have to.
    Kevin

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I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go — Genesis 28:15