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2115 Thursday, August 17, 2023
Today's email is going to be more about pictures than words.
We got under way at about 0745 this morning from Twillingate. Our destination, Fogo Harbour on the north side of Fogo Island lay some 23 nautical miles seaward across a glassy ocean. Along the way we passed one of our favorite lighthouses, the tower on Baccalao Island. It is painted in a candy cane swirl of red and white 300 feet above the water on the rocky peak of the island.
Our next surprise came late morning when Annie spotted a raft of dark birds ahead of us. As we looked, we realized that the surface of the sea ahead of us was covered with rafts of dark, gray Sooty Shearwaters. We estimated there were in excess of 1,000 of the birds. They began circling all around us, some taking flight with their wingtips and feet beating the sea in a wild cacophony. There seemed to be birds everywhere; we were mesmerized!
Now, on to Fogo. Fogo Harbour is one of my favorite and quintessential fishing outport communities. It looks as much like an ouport of old as almost any. Quaint, boxy houses cling to the rocky shores. Small, red fish sheds with white trim and remnants of old fishingbstages line the shores. There are three lovely churches, an old one room school house built in 1888. A smattering of small wooden boats tied to docks. It all just feels right. And rhe landscape is beautiful.Annie and I took a wonderful hike, picking sun ripe blueberries and passing butterflies and bees making the best of the last of summer's wildflowers.Grandparents withbtheir grandson came by in their boat to simply chat with us. If it were not real, it would be a movie set.
Today the port processes snow crab and sea cucumber. The youth population is moving away. Twenty-five years ago the high school graduating class on the island had 70 students, now it has 18. The grocery store in town closed last winter for good. There is one general store with some more meager groceries. The only full grocery is across the island. Yet, Fogo Harbour feels alive. I think it will continue to find a way tonsurvive.
I hope you enjoy the photos of Fogo below. Tomorrow we hope to make 45 miles to Lumsden.
Bill
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