1877 Season
Dec 9 It is a great thing for the Island that the weather has continued up to this date mild, and that the navigation of our harbours is still unobstructed. (Pat 9 Dec p2#7)
Dec 13 Local ice formed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Dec 14 The weather has become colder. On Tuesday we were visited by an old fashioned snow-storm. The fall of snow cannot be less than twelve inches. Wednesday was fine. Summerside harbour is closed, but the ice has not yet made in this harbour. (Pat 14 Dec p2#2)
Jan 1 Schr. “Ada,” from Georgetown, was crushed by the ice and abandoned seven miles off Judique. Schr. “Progress,” is in Port Hood harbor hemmed in with ice. Brigt “G W,” from Georgetown, is about half a mile off Port Hood, in a dangerous position. Brigt “Priscilla May,” is stuck in the ice five miles off Port Hood Island. A schr. supposed to be the “Howard M.,” for Halifax, is in the ice four miles off the Island. (HDR&T 11/01/1877 p2 #6)
Jan 3 Baltimore, Jan 1- A large number of vessels are still in port icebound. The harbor is closed to all sailing craft, except those using iceboats and most powerful tugs. A heavy snow storm has prevailed since noon. (NYMR, p.40)
Jan 4 To the editor of the Patriot – “…Our harbour is still beautifully clear of ice, and there is scarcely any to the Southeast and East as far as we can see with the glass…. Yours truly, Common Sense. Murray Harbour. (Pat 11 Jan p2#5)
Jan 6 Local ice formed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Jan 6 Letters to Editor, 6 January 1877 “Northern Light” sailed for Pictou (from Georgetown), abandoned voyage and returned. Captain reporting the Gulf full of ice and said “No boat ever built could possibly get through it. (Pat 13 Dec 1879 p2#2)
Jan 10 Baltimore, Jan 8- The ice is very heavy as far as can be seen below Sharp’s Island. (NYMR, p.40)
Jan 11 The “Northern Light” was to leave Georgetown for Pictou this morning. The ice is in a “fair state.” Mr. Sewell we understand considers it practicable to make regular trips just now. (Pat 11 Jan p2#7)
Jan 11 The “Northern Light” continues to do well. On Thursday she made the trip to and from Pictou in a day. This of itself proves that the experiment of winter navigation is not a total failure. A month has now elapsed since the close of ordinary navigation and if the “Northern Light” had been on the Georgetown route she could have made trips pretty regularly during the whole of it. How much longer the strait will be navigable remains to be seen. (Pat 13 Jan p2#3)
Jan 11 To the editor of the Patriot – “I take it for granted that Mr. Sewell is now on board the “Winter Boat.” Since my last letter to you I have closely watched her movements, and I have no hesitation in saying that she is now doing good work. The navigation of the Gulf in the Winter season, may now, beyond dispute, be considered practicable, and the “Northern Light” after all, a success! On arriving at Georgetown, from her tour West, the “Northern Light” took in coal and on Saturday last made another fruitless attempt to get to Pictou. From Panmure Island to Cape Bear she had open water, the ice being four or five miles off shore. After passing the Cape as she came in contact with some ice, and saw the Gulf blocked all the way up to Pictou Island. She then put about and looked towards Cape George, but again there was ice in the way. …took her bearings for Georgetown. Tuesday morning she proceeds to Pictou – cooly and deliberately steaming out of the harbour and up the shore. At 10 o’clock she passed Murray Harbour, and on rounding Cape Bear plunged into the heavy ice, and although no open water could be seen from the shore, she kept steadily on her way with a determination characteristic of the man who now had command, and early that evening got to Pictou. You will please bear in mind that the Gulf to the South and West of Cape Bear is blocked up, perhaps as much so as it will be at any time this Winter. One thing is certain, as much as it is at any time some Winters. Down here we have but very little ice close in, and our harbour is perfectly clear right into the first wharf. Yours truly, Common Sense. (Pat 18 Jan p2#6)
Jan 12 The “Northern Light” came to the edge of the ice, near the Pictou Lighthouse, yesterday. (HDR&T 12/01/1877 p2 #5)
Jan 13 The “George Cromwell” which left Halifax for St. John’s, Nfld, 3rd inst, has not yet arrived at that port. She usually takes about four days to make the voyage, and as the coast is reported free of ice, the long passage is unaccountable. (HDR&T 13/01/1877 p2 #5)
Jan ~22 The Schr “Teal,” Bonne Bay, on the 6th inst and was at sea the whole time till she arrived at Liscombe, NS on the 22nd. She encountered solid mass of ice and continual gales from the S to NW on her passage of 16 days, during. (HDR&T 30/01/1877 p3 #1)
Jan 26 The brigt “Priscilla May,” from P E Island, has been crushed in the ice in the Strait of Canso for some weeks. The crew abandoned her in a sinking condition, and escaped on the ice yesterday, some of them badly frost bitten. (HDR&T 26/01/1877 p2 #6)
Jan 27 A brigantine, supposed to be the “Priscilla May,” passed Cape Canso in the ice yesterday. (HDR&T 27/01/1877 p3 #1)
Feb Northern ice arrived Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Feb 1 Captain Wilson, of the steamer “Alhambra” met heavy gulf ice on her way from Newfoundland at a distance of ninety miles southeast of Scatarie. Being bound to Cow Bay she steamed through if until it became too heavy and densely packed that the engines could force her no further. Was then compelled to try and get around it but found this also impossible, as it extended as far West as Whitehead. Bore up for Halifax. Steamed through ice from six inches to one foot thick as far as Beaver Island. Damaging testimony this, for advocates of Whitehaven [at Whitehead] as a winter port. (HDR&T 01/02/1877 p2 #5)
Feb 2 A telegram received yesterday from Port Mulgrave reports the brigantine “Priscilla May” from P.E. Island, bound to New York with potatoes, was crushed by the ice in the Straits of Canso, off Port Mulgrave. The vessel had been for some weeks past in the ice. (Pat 3 Feb p1#7)
Feb 3 About 40 casks are on board a vessel frozen in at Port-Au-Basks [sic]. (LL).
Feb 3 Thin Gulf ice arrived La Poile. (GR p.92)
Feb 3 Our harbour has an unusually wintry aspect at present, being full of ice, not of such a character, however, as to obstruct navigation. Some foolhardy person crossed at the North end yesterday and one got a ducking for his pains. The Dartmouth ferry steamers are running, and inward and outward bound vessels move freely. With such a mass of ice in the harbour, however, a few cold nights make trouble. (Pat 3 Feb p2#4)
Feb 5 The Government steamer “Newfield” arrived early yesterday morning from Sable Island, via Whitehead, where she left the abandoned brigantine “Priscilla May.” Capt. Brown reports that he passed through heavy ice on the coast up to Beaver Harbor. It extended to sea as far as the eye could see. (HDR&T 05/02/1877 p2 #6)
Feb 6 Ice into Channel. (GR p.33)
Feb 24 The Brig “G.W.” from P.E.I. which was caught in ice off Port Hood Island sprung a leak and was in sinking condition. Ship and crew survived. (LL)
Feb 27 The “Northern Light” from Pictou to Georgetown. She started yesterday morning to return, but owing to the ice being packed solid on the Pictou side of the Island she could not get out. (HDR&T 28/02/1877 p2 #5)
Feb 28 Arrived, “Newfoundland,” St. John’s Nfld, Mar 1, reports passed through 60 miles of Gulf ice up to Scatterie. (HDR&T 05/03/1877 p2 #7)
Feb 29 Ice along south coast to Fortune Bay. (GR p.33)
Mar 2 Northern ice arrived Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Mar 14 Cow Bay Harbor- Advises from Cow Bay, CB, report the harbor clear of ice, and vessels can be loaded without delay. (NYMR, p.40)
Mar 20 Northern ice departed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Mar 22 Gulf ice arrived Burgeo. (GR p.94)
Mar 23 Gulf ice departed Burgeo. (GR p.94)
Mar 26 Gulf ice departed La Poile. (GR p.92)
Mar 28 Northern ice departed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Apr 2 Ship’s bow stove in off Anticosti. (NYMR).
Apr 7 Advices from Halifax, N.S. state the Pugwash Harbour was open and no ice was visible there. (LL).
Apr 13 A cable message from Charlottetown advises: ‘Ice Broken’. (LL).
Apr 13 Local ice cleared Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Apr 20 A dispatch to the morning papers says the winter at Magdalen Islands has been fine and mild, with very little snow and ice. Pleasant Bay full of ice. (HDR&T 20/04/1877 p2 #6)
Apr 27 The schooner that sunk last week by collision last week with an iceberg was the “Alma” not the “Alna” as previously reported. Both these vessels were on a voyage from Magdalen Island to Cariboo Cove. (HDR&T 03/05/1877 p2 #6)
Apr 28 A ship frozen in at Harbour Island [? many possibilities] since Jan 12 arrived Sydney. (NYMR).
Apr 28 Local ice cleared Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Apr 30 The “Nina” which arrived here the 28th of April from Leith, reports that she came through 80 miles of ice and saw 3 vessels in the ice off the South point of Anticosti. (LL).
May 2 The “St. Bernard’s”, Churchill, reports that halfway between the Bird Rocks and the East end of Anticosti and about 20 miles West of the Bird Rocks, she encountered very heavy ice, which she passed through for about 25 miles East of Cape Gaspe. (LL).
May 3 “Falcon” detained in Sydney, ice outside. (GR p.33)
May 11 A telegram from Charlottetown, P.E.I. announces the stranding in the ice at West Cape of the Barq. “Invernesk” of Liverpool, from Hamburg to Shediac. (LL).
May 11 A telegram from Chatam, N.B. states that a large barque supposed to be the “Lothair” from Miramichi had been forced ashore by the ice upon a reef near Point Esquimault. (LL).
May 16 Summerside, P.E.I: The Northern shore is blocked with ice. Four square rigged vessels from Northern ports were caught in it off Malpeque and 3 off West Cape. One is ashore at the later point. The ice is now blocking the harbour. A number of the vessels have been carried from their anchorage. (LL).