1841 Season
Dec 12 On Thursday the temperature was mild and towards evening there was a heavy shower of rain the first we have had for a long time. This was succeeded by a sharp frost, which still continues. Up to yesterday, the navigation remained free from obstruction, but this morning we observe the harbour is nearly covered with loose ice, which if the present weather continues, we have no doubt, will soon congeal into a compact body. (CH 12 Dec p2 c4)
Dec 12 The courier, with last week’s mail was detained on the other side until Tuesday, having been prevented from crossing sooner by the quantity of soft loose ice in the strait. This weeks mail has not yet come in, and in the present state of the strait, it is uncertain when it may arrive. (CH 12 Dec p2 c3)
Dec 19 The drift ice which appeared in our harbour on Saturday last disappeared the next day, and the navigation since then has been free from any obstruction. (CH 19 Dec p3 c1)
Dec 26 We have had no mail since the one which arrived here on the 13 of December, the quantity of drift ice in the strait and the stormy state of the weather being such as to prevent any communication with the mainland. On Wednesday last, two mails from hence were unable to cross and it is not at all improbable that they are there still. On Tuesday, an attempt was made to cross but after proceeding about half way, the carriers were forced to return. (CH 26 Dec p2 c2)
Dec 26 We stated in our last, that the harbour was then free from ice, and the navigation unobstructed. The navigation is now, however, effectually closed for the season. On Saturday last it began to freeze in right earnest; in the course of the night the harbour was frozen across and so intense was the frost that on the following day (Sunday), foot passengers were enabled to cross the harbour on the ice, opposite the Queen’s Wharf with safety. It is not yet considered safe for horses to cross the harbour on the ice. (CH 26 Dec p2 c2)
Jan 9 For the last few days we have had, what is rather unusual at this season – a free thaw, with a high temperature, under the influence of which the snow that had previously fallen is fast melting away. Indeed there is none at all on the ice and the streets are bare of everything but mud and snow-water. The weather this morning is cold, the wind having shifted to the Northward. Horses cross the harbour, although the ice is far from being considered in a sound state. (CH 9 Jan p2 c4)
Jan 16 The ice upon our harbour is so much weakened – having had but little or no frost during the week – that horses have not been safe in crossing since Saturday last. Indeed it has been open as far up as the Three Tides since Saturday, the first intimation we had of which, was the sight of a vessel at anchor there on Sunday morning, which proved to be the Dopson, from St. John’s, Newfoundland, which had got in without much difficulty the evening previous. An arrival in this harbour so late in the season as the 9th of January is an unprecedented event, although there has been on instance of having got in on the 4th. (CH 16 Jan p2 c3)
Mar 2 On the 2nd of March, a party, consisting of Mr. Taylor, Merchant, Georgetown, Miss Stone, left Souris for Georgetown, in a sleigh, when on crossing Little River, Bay Fortune, they drove into a hole in the ice. (CH 13 Mar p2 c4)
Mar 4 At Sydney, CB 11th inst. – Schr John and Thomas, Halifax. There as been no ice to prevent the shipment of coal up to the present time.” (NS 04/03/1841 p71 #1)
Apr 10 We have delayed to a late period the publication of the present number, in the expectation of the arrival of an English mail; but we now learn that, owing to the state of the ice in the strait, the precise time of its arrival cannot be calculated upon. The ice on the Hillsborough opposite Charlottetown can hardly now be considered safe even for foot passengers. (CH 10 Apr p2 c3)
Apr 24 Barque “Stardona” [“Stadacona” – LL] from Liverpool for Montreal sunk amongst icebergs off Cape Ray. (SCL)
Apr 24 “Loss of a vessel in the ice – The barque “Stradona”, from Liverpool, G.B. bound to Montreal, sunk among the Icebergs off Cape Ray, NF on the 24th Apr, at midnight – the captain and crew (17 in number) took to their boats and succeeded in reaching Cape Ray, from whence they were taken on the 28th by the Am. Brigt “Franklin” and arrived at Pictou, NS on 3d May.” (NS 20/05/1841 p158 #3)
Apr 28 Ship “Canada” from Greenock to Quebec got into very heavy ice about 30m off Cape Ray. (#575)