1878 Season
No mention of ice on Channel – Cape Ray area of Cabot Strait. (GR p.33)
No ice at Burgeo this year. (GR p.94)
Nov 27 Local ice formed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Dec 27 Local ice formed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Jan 1 Halifax, Dec 30th- The steamer “Lady Head” which arrived here today from Sable Island, reports that there were no wrecks there. The steamer “M. A. Starr” from Charlottetown and Eastern ports, reports that they saw no ice during the trip. (NYMR, p.44)
Jan 21 The ice boats are now running between Cape Traverse and Tormentine. (HDR&T 21/01/1878 p3 #2)
Jan 27 Gulf ice arrived La Poile for the day and finally departed. (GR p.92)
Jan 30 The “Mayflower” has been running steadily this winter and seems likely to continue doing so. The “Northern Light” has no trouble in making passage to the Island the Strait being altogether open. (HDR&T 30/01/1878 p3 #1)
Jan 30 Recent rains have made the ice on Pictou harbour quite weak. A remarkable evidence of the mildness of the weather is the fact that during only one week could coal be hauled from the mines to Pictou harbor in January but this winter had made the exception the rule. The harbor is quite clear of ice for fully a mile inside the lighthouse, and many open places exist around the wharves and in the rivers. (HDR&T 30/01/1878 p3 #1)
Feb Northern ice arrived Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Feb 10 A number of persons were on board the “Northern Light” for the last four days in the ice, out from Pictou to the Island, left the boat and got ashore at Little Harbor, whence they were brought to New Glasgow yesterday. (HDR&T 15/02/1878 p3#3)
Feb 13 Halifax, N.S: The SS “Northern Light” is reported to still be fast in the ice, off Merigomish, Pictou country. (LL).
Feb 17 Northern ice arrived Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Mar 5 From Rose Blanche with respect to Gulf seal fishery – no ice seen yet. (PL)
Mar 6 Steamer “Alhambra” at Halifax, 6th inst., from St. John’s, Newfoundland, reported heavy gales from the N.W. and S.W. She carried away her boats, and stove lifeboat and was ten hours in heavy ice south-east of Scatarie. (Pat 14 Mar p4#4)
Mar 9 The ice is in very good order for trotting. Quite a number of the fast horses were out on Saturday, and some very pretty races contested. (Pat 14 Mar p4#4)
Mar 11 Heavy ice off Scatarie. (NYMR).
Mar 20 Newfoundland coast reported blocked with ice. (NYMR, p.46).
Mar 23 Northern ice departed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Mar 24 Local ice at La Poile for the day. (GR p.92)
Mar 28 Issue: First mails from Bett’s Cove since the beginning of the year. By Mar 4 no ice in the bay. Weather been mild. Ice off Cape St.George’s in the Gulf. (PL).
Apr 1 The steamer “Alhambra” on her passage from Newfoundland, encountered large fields of ice SE from Louisburg. The coast east of Cape Breton is clear of ice. (HDR&T 01/04/1878 p3 #2)
Apr 3 Ship ice bound near Arichat. (NYMR)
Apr 3 The harbor is now open eastward from the I. C. R. Wharf, and the ice elsewhere covering it is of the weakest description. Preparations are being made to get the slips and tugs ready for the coming season, and the coals companies are also getting under way. The Gulf is now encumbered with drifting floes, not however of a heavy description. (HDR&T 03/04/01878 p3 #2)
Apr 5 New York: The schooner “Mayflower” of Port-au-Basques was caught in the ice, and began to leak. The crew abandoned the vessel on the 6th, and sought refuge in the lighthouse at Heath Point, Anticosti, intending to return to the vessel but the ice moved during the night, and the next morning she was not to be seen. (LL).
Apr 6 SS “Northern Light” 3m off Cariboo, N.S., in a solid field of ice; report Gulf of St.Lawrence and Straits of Northumbria full of ice as far as they could see. (MWR Apr.p.5)
Apr 8 Wrecked Seaman. The schr “John Nelson,” 40 tons register of Carbonear, Nfld, was driven ashore in the ice of Mesco [Miscou?], Bay Chaleur, on the night of the 8th inst and became a total wreck. The crew saved their lives with much difficulty, crawling over the broken ice. The vessel left Carbonear on the 6th March from the seal fishery. Seals were plenty, but the weather was so boisterous that they could not be reached. A succession of gales drove the vessel into the Gulf with the result stated. Capt. Pierce and his crew, 14 in number, reached here by train from Bathurst, NB, yesterday. They will be sent home in the steamer “Newfoundland” on Friday.
Apr 11 The “M A Starr” has arrived at Port Hawkesbury. The Strait of Canso being blocked up with ice, she will remain in there till the wind changes and clears the Strait. (HDR&T 11/04/1878 p3 #3)
Apr 15 Thick ice off Scaterie. (NYMR).
Apr 17 The SS “Valetta” from St. John, N.B., to Cow Bay, put into Arichat, 15th of April short of coal, on account of not being able to reach her destination on account of ice off Scatterie. (LL).
Apr 17 The “Archibald Murland” from Europe to Georgetown P.E.I. had been icebound near Arichat since the 3rd of April. (LL).
Apr 17 Vessel from St.John’s at Halifax reports saw ice as far as eye could reach; whole of Cape Breton coast up to Canso blockaded. (MWR Apr.p.5)
Apr 17 The steamer “George Shattuck” arrived at North Sydney this morning at 6 o’clock, she passed through considerable ice. (HDR&T 17/04/1878 p3 #2)
Apr 17 Capt. Bennett, of the steamer “Cortes,” reports the Cape Breton coast up to Canso blocked with ice. The Pictou Standard reports the Gulf packed with ice in heavy floes and bergs so much so that vessels find it impossible to enter the harbor. (HDR&T 17/04/1878 p3 #1)
Apr 27 Quebec: The “Eleanor Wood”, Williams, which arrived here yesterday from Maryport, reports that when off St. Pauls she experienced thick weather, and encountered a large amount of ice, and it was 2 days before she cleared it. From the appearance when the weather cleared the ice extended from St. Paul’s as far Northward as could be seen from aloft. The last ice extended far South within 8 miles of the Bird Rocks. (LL)
Apr 29 Advice from Magdalen Islands, to the 29th April, report that an unusually fine winter had been experienced there, with very little snow. The dispatch [sic] says : There are no wrecks or shipping casualty to report since last autumn. The continual north-east winds have driven the ice all westward, so that to date no sailing vessel has been about to reach us direct from Strait of Canso. (HDR&T 01/05/1878 p3 #2)
May 1 Local ice cleared Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
May 4 Vessels at Canso report they were obliged to abandon voyage to Magdalen Islands owing to ice. A large number of vessels stuck near Eastport [East Point?], PEI. (NYMR).
May 6 Northern ice departed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
May 10 Local ice departed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)