Skipper's Update - The Labrador Coast, hundreds of spectacular miles of solitude

The Labrador Coast

Lionel H 28 07 2026

It rained rather a lot during our last day in Greenland. We reprovisioned in Narsaq, bought water from a tanker and motored 20 miles down the fjord to a sheltered lagoon for a peaceful night. The original plan for crossing the Labrador Sea was to sail SW to the White Bear Islands at the entrance to Hamilton Inlet, about 160 miles North of the Belle Isle Straight. As it was, we headed about 200 miles further North to Nain, to get a better angle on the wind and to avoid a big blow on arrival. The tactic worked as we beam-reached across in fresh winds, at times down to staysail only. The wind abandoned us for a while as we went through the middle of a low and we motored for 20 of the 76 hours we were at sea, covering 570 NM. It was cold, we had to avoid ice leaving and there were a few bits on arrival; but we saw none for the rest of the passage, probably because there were unpleasant patches of fog at times, creating iceberg anxiety; but no sightings. We saw pilot whales before making landfall between the Calf, Cow and Bull Islands and the Hen and Chicken Islands. A Labrador Search and Rescue Vessel greeted us “ Belle Colombe, how are you? We do not see many yachts in these remote areas. Take care, we saw a polar bear coming out this morning”. Sadly, we didn’t see the bear.

The additional benefit of arriving much further North on the Labrador coast was to enjoy more of the beauty of its massive solitude. Hundreds of miles of sounds, islands, islets, rocks and skerries, inland seas, lagoons, runs, rattles and tickles, with beautiful sheltered anchorages. We had it all to ourselves and we all loved it. The landscape softens as one comes south, with lower lying ground, green and rolling, no ice, but isolated snow patches. The northern part was completely deserted except for the few remaining Inuit settlements.

Nain provided basic sustenance, the weekly ferry was in and there were a few local fishing boats about. Then we saw no one until we stopped at Hopedale for lunch; cod and chips in the hotel and to look around the Moravian Mission Complex. The weather has been kind to us, with lots of sun and it has become unusually warm. We had 30 degrees for lunch in Cartwright. Bird life is increasing and we see whales every day. The first yacht (Canadian) was seen at anchor exactly a week after seeing the last one before we left Greenland. We then saw another in Cartwright. They were both going North. We believe that we are the first Southbound yacht on this coast this year.

A few days ago we heard that a yacht at anchor in Seynitbugt on the E Greenland coast, where we spent a calm, if cold night, had to fend off ice in 60 knot winds all night and then had to fight off a polar bear with their ice poles in the morning. We have enjoyed no such excitements.

Culinary standards remain high; fois gras and sauternes for lunch yesterday.
We saw a third yacht at anchor this morning. Three yachts in 350 miles is not too crowded. We came alongside in Hopedale and Cartwright for provisions; but didn’t stay overnight.

Including lunch stops, we have found 10 safe, calm and totally secluded anchorages on the Labrador coast, all enjoyed in beautiful solitude. One cove, hitherto unnamed, is now “Belle Colombe Tickle”. I am not sure how much appeal the Solent will hold when we get home.

The local names provide amusement. On our way into Cartwright we passed; Handy Harbour Islands, Horse Chop Island (don’t tell Caroline), Indian Head Point, Main Tickle Point, Pickens Island, Dumpling Island, Sandwich Tickle, Laar Cove and Diver Island, among others.

Tonight is in Battle, a museum town managed by the Battle Harbour Historic Trust to preserve the oldest buildings in Labrador. The British founded the port in 1700.

Tomorrow we cross the Belle Isle straight, the Northern entrance to the Gulf of St Lawrence, to make our landfall in Newfoundland at the Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Medows. Unfortunately after 5 days of sun, it has been foggy at times today and more is forecast.

Passing Belle Isle will be piquant; because it is exactly 13 months since we were in the other Belle Isle, a little closer to home.

We have covered 4,500 miles since leaving Caen and all is well aboard. One of our autohelms has given up; but the other is working fine. All other systems are OK and we have not needed the Ebersbacher since arriving in Labrador.