Journals 2006/2007

Miriam Sutton
Newport Middle School, Newport, NC

"Study of the seafloor and shallow subseafloor off the Labrador Shelf and Slope" Canadian Coast Guard Ship Hudson (CCGS Hudson) August 5 - September 1, 2006

Journal Index: August 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12          13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19          20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26          27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 September 1 Additional Resources

August 15, 2006
Land Ho! Welcome to Nain, Labrador!

AM Location: Nain. Labrador (56° 43' 11.42" N, 59° 22' 05.92" W)
PM Location: Transiting to Saglek Bay (57° 23' 29.41" N, 61° 13' 26.53" W)
Sea Temperature: 5.3° C
Air Temperature: 7.7° C
Hydrospheric Conditions: Calm seas throughout the day
Atmospheric Conditions: Partly cloudy skies and fog prevailed for most of the day with a light drizzle of rain by mid-afternoon. The skies began to clear later in the evening.
Wind Speed/Direction: 20 knots/SW switched to 10 knots/NW

I awoke to the sight of land this morning as the CCGS Hudson navigated her way through a series of coves in route to Nain, Labrador. The scientists gathered on the ship's deck to view the magnificent views of the Tourngat Mountains that draped the town of Nain. All of us were excited to see land again and to have a few hours to walk on solid ground and explore a new area. After the CCGS Hudson anchored offshore of the harbor, the scientists and crew were shuttled ashore in the ship's FRC (Fast Rescue Craft). (See FRC photo below.)

Sean boards the FRC for Nain, Labrador (Photo: Miriam Sutton)

Nain is a quaint little town nestled in a valley carved by glaciers from the last ice age. The majority of the 1000 residents living in Nain are known as Inuits. Inuits are native people to this region and continue to maintain their much of their culture while adapting to a more modern way of life. I explored the town for a while and located a primary and a secondary school. I also chatted with a few Inuit children enjoying their summer vacation. (See Nain children photo below.)

Nain Children on Summer Break (Photo: Miriam Sutton)

I discovered a hiking trail that led to a large expanse of rock towering over the town. Shrouded in fog, I ventured toward the top and enjoyed a vigorous hike along a trail that was intermingled with glacial till, moss, lichen, and wild blueberries. As I approached the top, the fog began to thin, revealing a beautiful view of Nain's harbor and the CCGS Hudson anchored offshore. (See CCGS Hudson anchored in Nain photo below.)

CCGS Hudson anchored in Nain (Photo: Miriam Sutton)

Today's activity: Take a Hike! Find a little adventure of your own today. Take a hike along a local river or stream or take a walk along the beach or through the woods. See what adventure awaits you. Be observant of your surroundings. What do you smell? What do you see beneath your feet? What animals do you see? What sounds do you hear? Use all of your senses to observe the environment around you. Record your observations in a journal entry.

Word of the Day: Till

REMINDER: Record today's Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and the Air Temperature on the data table you created from the August 05 journal entry.