1879 Season
Dec The schooner “Penual” arrived with a cargo of produce from Georgetown, P.E.I. yesterday. She left Georgetown in November last and has been in the ice at Liscon [Liscomb?] ever since. The late thaw released her and she made her way to this port.(Halifax) (Pat 15 Mar 1879 p2#4)
Dec 4 The steamer “M.A.Starr” arrived here on Tuesday, from Halifax, and sailed to return yesterday. (Pat 5 Dec p3#1)
Dec 5 Local ice formed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Jan 13 Local ice formed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Jan 14 Halifax: A brigantine is fast in the ice off Cape George and the Gulf is reported full of ice. (LL).
Jan 15 Halifax: The straits of Canso are full of ice. (LL)
Jan 16 The Gulf is reported full of ice. The steamer “Northern Light,” which left Georgetown, PEI on Wednesday morning, had not reached Pictou yesterday. (HDR&T 17/01/1879 p3 #1)
Jan 17 Halifax: Pictou Harbour is completely frozen over and teams are crossing on the ice. (LL).
Jan 18 Halifax: A snowstorm began this morning and continued all day. SS “Northern Light” left Georgetown (PEI) at 6 o’clock Jan 16. For two hours she had clear weather, and then got into heavy drift ice about 8 miles North of Pictou Island. The engines stopped soon after the steamer drifted eastwardly with the ice. (LL).
Jan 22 Reports from Pictou state that the Steamer “The Northern Light” is fast in the ice between Arisaig and Cape St. George, about 6 miles offshore. (LL)
Jan 27 Strait of Canso. Heavy Gulf ice has invaded the Straits. Mails going West were delayed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, until evening, on account of the storm, which was extremely severe. Mails coming Eastward were delayed Thursday and Friday. The ferryman has had great difficulty in coming. The landing just now is at Point Tupper. (HDR&T 27/01/1879 p3 #1)
Jan 29 The schooner “Ada R.” of and from Charlottetown (PEI) for Europe with oats, was driven ashore by ice on Bar Island, Strait of Canso she will probably be a total wreck. (LL).
Feb Northern ice arrived Bay of Islands, departure date unknown. (GR p.88)
Feb 5 Baltimore Feb 3d- Vessels can sail in or out without much difficulty, as the ice is rapidly leaving the river. (NYMR)
Feb 13 Northern ice arrived Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Feb 19 Halifax, N.S: The American Schooner “Ratler” from Fortune Bay for Gloucester, with 40 barrels of herring was caught in ice 50 miles East of Scatterie and commenced to leak badly. She got to Pope’s Harbour where it was found necessary to run her ashore. (LL).
Feb 20 Local ice formed La Poile. (GR p.92)
Feb 22 Local ice cleared La Poile. (GR p.92)
Mar 7 Northern ice departed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Mar 7 News was received this morning that the steamer “George Shattuck” arrived at St. Pierre, Miquleon, at midnight, having been 10 hours in the ice. (HDR&T 07/03/1879 p3 #2)
Mar 8 Gulf ice arrived La Poile. (GR p.92)
Mar 9 Gulf ice departed La Poile. (GR p.92)
Mar 12 The schooner “Penual” arrived with a cargo of produce from Georgetown, P.E.I. yesterday. She left Georgetown in November last and has been in the ice at Liscon? ever since. The late thaw released her and she made her way to this port.(Halifax) (Pat 15 Mar p2#4)
Mar 27 SS “Valetta” arrived from Portland, reports having passed through considerable quantity of ice off the Nova Scotia coast. (PL).
Apr 3 Local ice cleared Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Apr 8 Arrived, Steamer “Geo Shattuck,” from St. Pierre, Miq. reports, 60 miles SE off Scatterie, passed through 12 miles of broken ice. (HDR&T 09/04/1879 p3#4)
Apr 14 Vessels arriving in North Sydney report the ice off Scatterie crowded with seals. (HDR&T 14/04/1879 p3 #3)
Apr 17 The “George Shattuck,” arrived at Cow Bay yesterday afternoon coast clear of ice. (HDR&T 17/04/1879 p3 #2)
Apr 24 Halifax N.S: The SS “George Shattuck” which arrived here yesterday from St. Pierre, Miq, left that place on Apr 21, and the same night at 1 o’clock encountered heavy ice 35 miles ESE of Scatterie. Found the coast North of Sydney to Louisburg blocked with ice and could not get into Cow Bay. (LL)
Apr 24 From St. Pierre, Miq., of the steamer “George Shattuck,” which arrived yesterday from St. Pierre, Miq., reports left on Monday morning and on that night, at one o’clock, encountered heavy ice 35 miles ESE of Scatterie. Found the coast north of Sydney to Louisburg blocked with ice, and could not get into Cow Bay. (HDR&T 24/04/1879 p3 #1)
Apr 24 Capt. Hadley, of the steamer “M A Starr” which vessel arrived last night from the Eastward, reports that he could not get beyond Point Prim on account of the ice, and had to land cargo for Charlottetown at Georgetown. (HDR&T 25/04/1879 p3 #2)
Apr 25 The port of Cow Bay, Glace Bay, Caledonia, Liegan [sic], North Sydney and Sydney are now closed by drift ice, which had been driven in by east wind and probably will remain closed until there is a strong westerly wind. (HDR&T 25/04/1879 p3 #2)
Apr 28 Field ice left early from Magdalen Islands. Very little ice to be seen from the islands to the gulf. Gulf sealing good. (NYMR)
Apr 28 The ice in the Gulf and Straits now admits of the movement of steamers from Pictou to Charlottetown and a boat leaves daily on arrival of morning train from Halifax. (HDR&T 28/04/1879 p3 #1)
Apr 28 Capt. McKenzie, of the schr “Paragon” which arrived from Canso, reports a large quantity of ice on the coast as far as Whitehead. (HDR&T 28/04/1879 p3 #2)
Apr 29 A despatch [sic] from the Magdalen Islands via Pictou states that the winter has been moderate and there have been no wrecks on any of the islands. Very little ice is in the Gulf. (HDR&T 29/04/1879 p3 #1)
Apr 30 The steamer “Cirassian” arrived at Rimoski [sic] yesterday having been detained in the ice. (HDR&T 30/04/1879 p3 #1)
May 5 Bark “Signet” in ice for 15 days off Scaterie, received considerable damage. (NYMR).
May 8 Local ice cleared Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
May 13 Barque “Signet” arrived at North Sydney from Limerick, reports having been 15 days in the ice off Scatterie where the vessels sustained considerable damage having had her copper badly chafed. (LL).