1873 Season
No mention of ice on Channel – Cape Ray area of Cabot Strait. (GR p.33)
No Northern ice at Bay of Islands this year. (GR p.88)
No mention of ice at Burgeo this year. (GR p.94)
Nov 23 Local ice formed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Dec 7 Summerside harbour is closing up; but we are glad to hear that all the square rigged ships have got out of port. (Pat 7 Dec p2#6)
Dec 12 – 23 Entered Port of Georgetown from Charlottetown, Pictou, and Bay Islands. (Pat 11 Jan1873 p2#4)
Jan 1 Local ice formed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)Jan 8 The drift ice carried away the foretopmast of the sunken bark, “Bessie Rogers”, at Newport, night of Jan 1. (NYMR, p.29).
Jan 8 Hemming Bird, from Fall River for Saint John, NB, was driven ashore in Herring Cove, Cape Cod, Jan 5, by ice. (NYMR, p.30)
Jan 11 The schooners “Three Sisters” and “Ancilla” bound to P.E. Island are frozen in at Port Hastings, C.B. and cannot proceed this season. (Pat 11 Jan p2#4)
Jan 11 Halifax, three vessels were forced ashore by the ice Sunday night at the change of wind in Herring Cove [cf. above]. They were schr “Mary Ellen” of Provincetown, “Humming Bird” of Digby, NS and a market boat. The “Mary Ellen” was got off without much trouble or damage Monday evening. The “Humming Bird” is high and dry on the beach. (BC 11/01/1873 p3 #5)
Feb 2 Halifax, arrived, Brigt “Kingston”, reports encountered vast quantities of field ice off the coast. (BC 20/02/1873 p3 #5)
Feb 4 Halifax, the brigt “Ottawa” was carried away from her moorings at Rockport on Wednesday last by the drift ice, and floats up and down with the tide in the ice. She has a full cargo and grindstone on board and was prevented by unfavorable weather from leaving for Boston last fall until the ice moved and prevented her departure. She is now off S. Joggins and men have been dispatched to look for her. (BC 04/02/1873 p3 #4&5)
Feb 5 “California” (oyster pung), was jammed in the ice off North Point Jan 30, and sunk. Her rigging, chains, anchors and everything moveable on deck was saved by ice boat “Maryland”. (NYMR, p.30)
Feb 6 Halifax, arrived, French schr “Stella Maris”, St. Pierre, Miq, reports had very heavy weather; tried to get back to St. Pierre, but was blown off; came through large quantities of field ice, carried away head gear and split sails. (BC 08/02/1873 p3 #4)
Mar 1 Local ice cleared Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Mar 1 Gulf ice arrived at Ramea. (GR p.97)
Mar 11 “Ocean Lily”, from Cape Canso to Halifax, passed through large quantities of drift ice. (LL).
Apr 9 A friend writes us from Souris that on the 9th that harbour was entirely devoid of ice and little but blue water in sight as far as the eye could reach towards Nova Scotia, distant in a straight line to Cape George some fifty odd miles. That is the point without other choice or doubt that a winter Steamer as well as summer should connect us with Halifax by after our Souris branch railroad is finished. Here the ice is broken in the harbour, up to the “Three Tides” and around the wharves, but it keeps its position and persons cross on foot without much fear. Though rotting daily by combined action of wind, sun and tide, the great mass still remains unbroken and not before the first week of May, in all probability will our harbour be clear. (Pat 19 Apr p2#4)
Apr ~10 There is not much ice in the Straits of Northumberland. A boat from Georgetown, P.E.I. arrived at Caribou last week which is the first arrival of the season. Halifax Reporter, April 10 (Pat 17 Apr p3#1)
Apr 10 The ice on Pictou harbour has broken up and the ferry boats are crossing. It is expected the “Mayflower” will be launched today or tomorrow. The ice in the East River has also broken up considerably and will go out in a day or two. (Pat 17 Apr p3#1)
Apr 12 The “Kate”, troopship, from Liverpool to New York 46°N 49°W passed a number of bergs. She was bound for Sydney, CB, but on arriving off that port on the 17th, found the harbour and coast for 2 miles blocked with ice. (LL).
Apr 14 Gulf ice departed Ramea. (GR p.97)
Apr 16 Northern ice departed Bonne Bay (arrival unreported). (GR p.85)
Apr 17 Halifax, ship “Kate Troop” from Liverpool, GB arrived off Sydney and found the harbour for 12 miles blocked up with ice; after laying off an on for two days she bore off for New York. (BC 03/05/1873 p3 #4)
Apr 17 A schooner, named “Jane” was driven ashore by the ice, on New London Capes, PEI. There were 14 hands on board, four of whom perished from exposure to cold. (BC 03/06/1873 p3 #1)
Apr 19 “Archie” (brig), from St. John NB to Sydney CB, reported very large quantities of ice on the coast, reaching as far as Beaver harbour. (LL)
Apr 19 A schr laden with oats from Souris, P E Island bound to Halifax, put into Pictou last week to await the clearing of the ice from the Strait of Canso. (BC 19/04/1873 p3 #1)
Apr 19 Halifax, arrived, Saturday, Brigt “Artic” of Parrsboro, St. John’s NF, reports was bound to Sydney, but was prevented from getting there by large quantities of ice blocking up the coast; the ice in large quantities up as far as Country Harbour. (BC 22/04/1873 p3 #5)
Apr 22 The capt. of the brigantine “Artic” which vessel arrived here on Saturday from Newfoundland, reports that he was bound to Sydney, CB but was prevented getting there by immense quantities of ice which blockaded the coast, extending up as far as Country Harbour. (BC 22/04/1873 p3 #1)
Apr 26 A dispatch from Pictou reports Straits and the Gulf full of ice. (BC 26/04/1873 p3 #1)
May 1 The ice in the Saint Lawrence river was firm above Quebec on the 26th ult. There have been no arrivals from sea as yet, but one ship was reported off Bic on the 25th and a number of ships off Anticosti. The steamship “Peruvian” with 700 passengers passed Father Point on the 26th, but her arrival depends on the movement of the ice. (BC 01/05/1873 p3 #1)
May 5 “Volant” beset off Cape St. George and drifted to Cape Norman, June 3. (GR p.30)
May 8 Straits of Northumberland are still full of ice and navigation is impeded to a great extent. The steamers “Pictou” and “Flamborough” of the Quebec and Gulf Ports, departed for Montreal, and the “Alhambra” of the Boston Line left Charlottetown, on Saturday last. (BC 08/05/1873 p3 #1)
May 9 Local ice cleared Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
May 19 The barque “Mangerion” off the East end of Anticosti saw heavy field ice as far as the eye could reach to the southwest and very heavy icebergs; 10 miles west of the southwest point saw the hulls of two vessels on shore, a schooner at anchor at the west end and a tent on shore. (BC 03/06/1873 p3 #5)
May 29 The steamers of the Charlottetown Navigation Company are ready to leave for Pictou at first opportunity. The present obstacle is ice in the Gulf. (BC 29/05/1873 p3 #1)