A Birthday on Board
July 6, 2026
Port aux Basques, Newfoundland
We’ve been here a week, with wind and rain and some blessed sun and humid heat sprinkled in. We’ve been ready to move on for a few days now but we’re waiting on a delivery and everything takes longer this far out. Delivery is scheduled for tomorrow and – weather willing – on Wednesday we are bound for Rose Blanche, with its traditional granite lighthouse and a lovely hike to get there. Getting in any kind of exercise is a challenge, and we look forward to stretching our legs any chance we get. At 30 nautical miles (about 55 km), it will be a short-ish trip taking approximately 6 hours.
Today is my 44th birthday and it’s surreal to think that I’m spending it on a boat and that the boat is my home. Some days it's the most normal thing in the world, and other days - like today - its completely bonkers to me. This life feels like it's beyond explanation, but here is how we spent July 6th, 2026.
The morning started like any other, even our mornings pre-boat, with coffee and reading in bed. Coffee is brewed and sipped for an hour, waking up slowly and discussing how we picture the day evolving. Today’s wakeup included Jean sharing his concerns that seaweed had gotten into our engine when the bottom of our raw water strainer was pushed out of place. The sea water cools the engine and generator, and the strainer has been giving us trouble as of late. While I tend to downplay boat-related concerns I had to admit this one needed attention. We would take the cover off both the raw water impeller and the heat exchanger and look for seaweed or other evidence of clogging. Not a straightforward process with the alternator in the way. At the same time, adjustments would be made to the strainer and the small bit of sludge drained out of the Racor fuel separator. The hope was to finish it all before lunch.
Getting into the engine is always physically demanding, requiring laying on the floor and then bending 90 degrees at the waist to hang down into the engine compartment, resting our heads on the hull like a headstand and working upside down. It was uncomfortable and awkward, but straightforward. On the upside-down working days I always know I've had too much coffee when I have to take frequent breaks to avoid my breakfast coming back up.
We've worked on these parts before so disassembly went quickly and we were pleased to find no evidence of seaweed in the impeller or heat exchanger. Jean then tackled the raw water strainer basket while I drained the dirty fuel from the Racor. All said, we were done in 2 and a half hours, just in time for lunch.
A few days prior, Jean had fawned a bit over the smell of curry coming from a neighboring sailboat. Ike, the skipper, is here visiting his daughter and granddaughters, as he does every summer. The girls, Reid (16) and Cedar (13), will join him for a few weeks on his sailboat where they will travel to Grand Bruit and back to Port aux Basques. Their goals for the time aboard are fishing, gold panning, and learning the culinary art of sauces, hence the curry. It had been Reid cooking the curry and later that evening she and Cedar came over with a small plate of their home cooked butter chicken for us. It was devoured in about ten minutes.
That small gift started an exchange of baked goods. The next day we sent over some double chocolate chip cookies I made, then yesterday the girls came over with a gorgeous loaf of bread. The bread was the star of our lunch’s fried egg and turkey sandwiches.
After lunch I cajoled Jean into coming with me to introduce ourselves to the sailors on the shiny Boreal 47 that arrived 2 days ago. With the wind pushing Sea Fire away from the dock and our lines longer to account for tides, the boat was sitting about 5 feet from the dock. Jean grabbed the midships line and pulled the boat to the wharf. We climbed off and headed over to the Boreal. Jean had a pleasant conversation with them en francais, finding out that he is a designer at the Boreal factory and she manages the factory. This is their third Boreal and its stunning and new. They plan to leave Saturday and explore the south coast, just like us. While Jean spoke with Jean Francois and Clara, I chatted with Ike. How he is able to handle his 55' sailboat alone, through ocean passages, docking, and everything in between, is beyond me. He's lived aboard her since 2015 and had lots of intel for us on Newfoundland's south coast and beyond. He eagerly accepted our invitation of cards and banana bread (Jean puts chocolate chips in it for me) this evening, and we would expect to see them around 7:30.
It was time for a nap and then reading. Jean is tearing through “Sailing to Newfoundland – a solo exploration of the south coast fjords” by Paul Trammell. It was gifted to us by another couple who had finished reading it and knew we were traveling the south coast. Occasionally he will read me a tidbit and to say its relatable is an understatement. My current read shifts between The Spice Necklace by Anne Vanderhoof and The Best Kind by Rhonda Hackett. The Spice Necklace is a culinary driven memoir of a Toronto couple who sailed the Caribbean via their stomachs. I find it best consumed in small bites, mostly when I am yearning for warmer climates. The Best Kind is Newfoundland to its core. With a dialect that takes a minute to decipher and a perspective on the world that’s warm and connection centred. It’s a book that belongs on a beach, lighthearted and silly, and I hope to speak fluent Newfoundlander by the end. Several of the sailing books we have consumed, including Jean’s newest read, talk about reading classics while on board. Henry David Thoreau, Moby Dick, Kierkgaard. I find it hard to believe and a bit pretentious, but perhaps that’s just jealousy showing. With 5 years of university recently concluded and 2 years looming ahead, I read to escape, not to think. Unless its about sailing, then I read whatever I can get my hands on. Except Moby Dick, but that's not really about sailing.
Captain’s Hour came about at 4:30pm, another daily ritual for us. We toasted to my birthday and chatted about our tasks tomorrow in preparation of leaving, also celebrating the drama-free maintenance work this morning. This past weekend was the end of lobster season (YAY! No more traps!) and the opening of cod fishing season. There has been no fishing for us since we moved on board with all the lobster traps out, but now its game on, particularly since we don’t need a license. Tomorrow’s shopping will include some new lures and a cheap fishing rod if we can find one. Our hand-fishing line is great for trolling, but not so great for casting off the boat. Shopping will include the chandlery (marine supply store), Coleman’s grocery store, Shoppers Drug Mart, Main Street Convenience (fishing gear), and the Bargain Centre (Costco products). Convenient that all the shops are on the same street and within 2 km of the wharf.
Jean began cooking supper - Quebecois-style hot chicken sandwich. Its one of my favourite meals and I requested it for my birthday. We opened the required can of peas only to find out that they were a legacy item from the previous owner and expired in 2020. Not one to be constrained by “expiration dates” I put one in my mouth. It tasted of metal and left a buzzing feeling on my tongue, a definite no-go. A quick trip to the grocery store would fix the problem. On the way I dropped our garbage off and said hello to Nikita, the harbourmaster. She mentioned that another boat was coming from Nova Scotia and were scared about the trip. A dramatic, “we will see you tomorrow IF we make it,” was her last communication with them. I let her know we would keep an eye out and catch their lines when they arrive.
I was back at the boat shortly and we had non-metallic, non-expired peas for our delicious sandwiches. While I was shopping, Jean set the table with our 'fancy' placemats and fresh napkins, making it special however we are able. Flowers sent from mom and dad brighten up the boat and smell divine.
Ike, Reid and Cedar came over around 7:30 and the adults chatted sailing until the girls got squirrely, then we cracked open the deck of cards. We enjoyed a few games of Crazy Eights, then Poker, and another one led by the girls called Signal. There was smack talk, bribery, not-so-sneaky cheating and a lot of laughter. We called it a night and sent them on their way, with Ike telling the girls that our deck is so clean because no one walks on it with their shoes - not true, but he can reinforce his own rules however he wants.
This was a pretty typical day at dock, with no drama, a bit of boat work, and excellent food and company as a bonus. All in all, a lovely way to spend my birthday in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland.
-Christine
Belated happy birthday Christine, and many happy returns! Certainly one to remember!
Great blog Christine. And….a.happy birthday to you. You 44 and me now 88! Imagine!