1886 Season
St. George’s Bay kept clear of ice due to prevailing southerly and SE winds. (GR p31)
No ice on the Newfoundland side of Cabot Strait this year. (GR p.32)
No Northern ice at Bay of Islands this year. (GR p.88)
No ice of any kind at La Poile this year. (GR p.92)
No Gulf ice at Burgeo this year. (GR p.94)
Dec 3 The steamer “Wellington” on Tuesday morning was unable to make her trip to Bedeque on account of the ice. Through the day the ice opened again. (Pat 3 Dec p3#1)
Dec 8 The steamer “Princess of Wales” left Summerside this morning for this port to go on the Pictou route with the St. Lawrence, Summerside Harbour having been frozen in last night. She arrived here at 3 o’clock. (Pat 8 Dec p3#2)
Dec 10 The reason why Summerside is closed up with ice sooner than the other ports of the Island, is because ice forms on the shoal, outside the harbour and drifting in is soon packed up tight and firm. (Pat 10 Dec p3#1)
Jan 4 Northern ice arrived Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Jan 4 No sign of ice at Georgetown. (Pat 4 Jan p3#1)
Jan 4 Crapaud harbour is as clear of ice as in midsummer. (Pat 4 Jan p3#1)
Jan 7 Yesterday the ferry steamer “Elfin” was obliged to wait on this side for several hours, while a large field of ice floating down from the West River was passing. Although the river is pretty well filled up again today she made a trip across early in the morning but got caught in the ice for an hour or so on the Southport side. She crossed again after the tide had turned. (Pat 8 Jan p3#1)
Jan 20 Local ice formed Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Feb 1 The ice at the three tides is open again as far out as St. Peter’s Island, a thing almost unprecedented in our harbour. The Messrs Taylor crossed from that Island to the South Shore this morning in a row boat. Travellers should be very careful of the ice just now. (Pat 1 Feb p3#1)
Feb 1 Not a particle of ice was visible as far as the eye could see from Murray Harbour to Pictou Island on Monday. (Pat 4 Feb p3#1)
Feb 7 Local ice formed St. George’s Bay. (GR p.91)
Feb 15 Harbour ice at Burgeo, broke up next day. (GR p.94)
Feb 19 Local ice cleared St. George’s Bay. (GR p.91)
Mar (early) Heavy ice between St. Pierre & Halifax. Ice fields 30m of Scaterrill !
Mar 1 Northern ice departed Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Mar 1 A jam at Bay of Islands. (GR p.32)
Mar 5 No ice at Cape Ray. (GR p.32)
Mar 6 SS “Blagdon” 44°50’N 59°10’W encountered another heavy field of ice extending ~50m; was 14 hours steaming through it. (MWR).
Mar 9 No ice. [Cape Ray] (GR p.32)
Mar 12 SS “Durham City” 44°30’N 59°16’W fell in with heavy field ice, extending as far as the eye could reach; the ice was so heavy that course was changed to SE to clear it. (MWR)
Mar 13 Halifax, arrived steamer “Durham City,” London Feb. Encountered field ice north of Sable Island and was obliged to go south of the island to clear it. (MH 14/03/1886 p3 #7)
Mar 14 Steamer “Durham City” (Br), at Halifax from London, encountered field ice north of Sable Island and was obliged to go south of the island to clear it. (NYMR 24 Mar p.3, col.2).
Mar 16 Halifax: “Pleroma,” Lunenburg for PEI – first arrival for season; ice jam not parted yet. (MH 18/03/1886 p3#5)
Mar 17 SS “Newfoundland” at Halifax reports bays of Newfoundland full of Arctic ice; also saw icebergs outside of St. John’s. Steamed for 10 hours through Gulf ice. (NYMR & MH 18/03/1886 p3 #5)
Mar 20 No ice [Cape Ray] (GR p.32)
Mar 25 SS “Nimrod” beset off Mecatina in a NW gale. Tied the ship up to a berg grounded in the 26 fathoms patch in 57° 53’W. The wind shifted, cast off and drifted beset through the strait and got clear of White Island, Cape Bauld, April 1st. (GR p.30)
Mar 27 SS “British Queen” 45°13’N 57°36’W passed large quantities of ice. (MWR).
Mar 28 No ice. [Cape Ray] (GR p.32)
Mar 31 No ice [Cape Ray] (GR p.32)
Apr Navigation is still obstructed by field ice near the northern coast of Nova Scotia and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. [Chart shows ice symbols all along NS coast from just S of Cape North to just S of Halifax.] (PCNAO May 1886)
Apr 1 The ice on Pictou Harbour is approaching dissolution. (Pat 1 Apr p3#1)
Apr 6 North Sydney, CB:- The harbors of Cape Breton are all open. Drift ice outside is light and scattered. (NYMR 7 Apr p.2, col.5)
Apr 8 The ice in Georgetown Harbour is rotting? fast. (Pat 8 Apr p3#1)
Apr 9 Local ice cleared out Bonne Bay. (GR p.85)
Apr 9 Pictou Harbour is now almost entirely free of ice, making the earliest opening for some years back. (Pat 9 Apr p3#1)
Apr 10 The ice was floating out of Georgetown Harbour in large pans on Saturday. The gulf is reported full of ice in some parts. (Pat 12 Apr p3#1)
Apr 12 Local ice cleared out Bay of Islands. (GR p.88)
Apr 13 No ice at Cape Ray. (GR p.32)
Apr 14 Port Mulgrave, Wind N; Strait full of ice. (MH 15/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 15 Louisburg, – a large four masted schooner, supposed bound for mines for coal, had to put into Gabarus Bay on account of heavy drift ice to the east. Prevailing southeast wind bringing up ice very fast. (MH 16/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 16 Port Mulgrave, wind south, strait full of ice. (MH 17/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 17 Halifax, arrived steamer “Gleadown,” bound to Newcastle, E – to W. Put in for bunker coal; was bound to Sydney, and was off that port, but could not get there for ice. (MH 19/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 17 The channel of Summerside Harbour is open, but the Straits are all ice – no open water to be seen. (Pat 17 Apr p3#1)
Apr 19 North Sydney, CB: Arrived schr “Plough of the Sea,” Newfoundland. Reports came through about 40 miles scattered ice. (MH 21/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 20 Port Mulgrave, Strait full of ice. (MH 21/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 20 On Tuesday the Strait of Canso was full of ice, and blocked to the northward. The steamer “Rimouski” arrived there that afternoon having broken a leaf off her propeller. (Pat 22 Apr p3#1)
Apr 22 Halifax, arrived at Lingan, CB., schr “Minnie E.,” St. John’s, Nfld, bound for Prince Edward Island encountered very heavy ice and had to put in here; reports passed a copper bottomed brigt off Sydney fast in ice, bound for Sydney. (MH 26/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 23 Halifax: Low Point, CB, ice distant, scattered, moving off; moderate breeze from south. (MH 24/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 23 The “Princess of Wales” on returning from Pictou yesterday, encountered such heavy ice that she was compelled to put back to her starting point. She arrived here about 9 o’clock this morning and started shortly after for Pictou again. (Pat 23 Apr p3#1)
Apr 25 The “Princess of Wales” was delayed at Pictou by the ice until yesterday at noon. (Pat 26 Apr p3#1)
Apr 26 SS “Portia” from St. John’s to New York arrived Halifax unable to get into Sydney by ice. (NYMR & MH 27/04/1886 p3 #4)
Apr 27 The Ice on Our Coast: Port Mulgrave, the strait of Canso is jammed with ice today. Louisburg, April 27- The Austrian barque “Comte” [?]from Gloucester for Sydney for coal, put in here yesterday on account of ice. An unknown brig put into Gabarus Bay very badly cut up with ice. (MH 28/04/1886 p3#5)
Apr 27 Halifax; Port Mulgrave, Sydney schrs “Binnibell” and “H L Sangster” for Cow Bay; gave up going to PEI on account of ice. Strait solid full and blowing strong breezes from the north. (MH 28/04/1886 p3 #6)
Apr 28 Halifax; Father Point, steamer “Dominios,” from Bristol for Montreal, which passed her to-day, is the first arrival from sea this season. She reports that she met no ice on the Banks or in the Gulf. She passed about 20 miles N of Bird Rock and saw no ice. (MH 03/05/1886 p3 #7)
Apr 29 SS “Australia” 42°19’N 57°42’W passed a berg ~70′ high.
Apr 29 42°19’W 57°42’W a berg about 70 feet high. Reported by steamer Australia (Br), at New York May 3 from Trieste. (NYMR 5 May p.2, col.5).
Apr 29 Halifax, arrived steamer “M A Starr,” Port Mulgrave – to Fishwick’s Express was bound to Charlottetown, PEI, but could not get through the Strait of Canso on account of ice, and returned to this port. (MH 30/04/1886 p3 #6)
Apr 29 The Ice off Sydney Harbor: Louisburg CB; the steamer “Caban” from New York for Sydney, put in here this afternoon on account of ice. (MH 30/04/1886 p3 #5)
Apr 30 SS “Ocean King” arrived Montreal reported a large field of heavy ice outside of Cape Race; had to steam south to avoid it; there was no in the gulf or river. (NYMR)
Apr 30 Steamer “Ocean King” (Br), from London, arrived at Montreal and reported a large field of heavy ice outside of Cape Race. She had to steam south to avoid it. There was no ice in the gulf or river. (NYMR 5 May p.2, col.5).
May “Very heavy bodies of Arctic ice, with numerous icebergs, were encountered all along the Newfoundland and Cape Breton Coasts….” (MWR May 123.1)
May 3 Louisburg, the ice is light and scattering off Scatterie and Flint Island, and moving quickly to the southward. (MH 04/05/1886 p3 #5)
May 3 Halifax; Port Mulgrave, wind north, strait full of ice. Sailed from Guysboro, May 1 – schrs “Dahlia” for Arichat; “Lord Elden” (and returned on account of ice). (MH 04/05/1886 p3 #5)
May 4 Halifax: Low Point, CB, ice distant close packed, moving off fast; ice coming out of Sydney harbor. Port Mulgrave, NS, wind south; strait all clear of ice. (MH 05/05/1886 p3 #6)
May 5 Halifax; Low Point, CB, raining light south; ice distant and open; moving off shore. (MH 06/05/1886 p3 #5)
May 7 North Sydney, the steamer “George Shattuck” arrived from the Gulf with 740 seals. She reports no ice north of [sic] Ingonish. – [The “George Shattuck” left Halifax in February on a sealing voyage. …] (MH 08/05/1886 p3 #1)
May 11 SS “Polino” passed strings of ice all along the Cape Breton coast and from Flint Island to St. Paul Island; apparently full of ice between Cape North and Saint Paul. (MWR May 123.1)
May 11 Halifax; Low Point, CB, ice light, open and scattered, coming in. (MH 14/05/1886 p3#4)
May 12 The Cape Breton coast is now clear of ice, and coal shipping had commenced in earnest. (NYMR, p.2, col.5)
May 15 Louisburg; there is a large body of ice to the north of Scatarie. Schooner “Florence P Parr” of Yarmouth, and “Oirassasin[?]” of Argyle, baited in Mira Bay and attempted to get to the Magdalens for that purpose but were prevented by ice. (MH 17/05/1886 p3 #2)
May 15 Halifax; Low Point, CB., ice distant, light and scattered, moving west. (MH 17/05/1886 p3#4)
May 16 Halifax, passed Sunday – schr “Westward,” Newfoundland for do [Sydney]; reports passed through about 20 miles of open ice on 16th, off Sydney; saw a barque and barqt outside of ice. (MH 18/05/1886 p3 #5)