Smith Sound, Newfoundland and Labrador

Last updated

Canada Newfoundland location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Smith Sound
class=notpageimage|
Location of Smith Sound in Newfoundland

Smith Sound is a zigzag 24 kilometre inner region of Trinity Bay. This sound is one of the longest portions of inshore waterways in Newfoundland, located on its north-eastern coast in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Bonavista Peninsula is to the north of the sound, while Random Island is to the south. The waters that make up the sound is a continuous channel that encircles Random Island, broken only by a narrow channel located at Clarenville where a causeway was built to provide access to the communities on Random Island. The channel on the south side of Random Island is North West Arm.

Contents

Early history

The area was visited seasonally by fishermen in the 18th century, and first settled in the 19th century. On September 5, 1822, William Cormack sailed through Smith Sound to explore the region with Sylvester Joe, a Mi'kmaq guide. [1] [2] Cormack's account of his travels were published in 1824 and republished in 1856. [3]

Permanent residents settled in during the 1850s through 1870s. In addition to the fishery industry, others were involved in sawmilling and slate quarrying. Towns abounded on both shores. Some changed or merged over the years, but a partial list includes White Rock and Burnt Brook (or "Brickyard"), [4] the site of an 1850s brick plant at the head of Smith Sound, [5] along with British Harbour, also at the head of Smith Sound, but now an abandoned community, as is Popes (or Pope's) Harbour. Other communities included Britannia, Lower Lance Cove, and Petly [6] (now Petley), Random Island's second largest community, a merger of two original communities of Upper Lance Cove and Aspen cove). [7] George's Brook was settled early on, around 1862, after John Pelley started a saw mill. King's Cove was renamed Milton in 1910. Sandy Point became Harcourt, White rock Gin Cove, Upper Rocky Brook became Monroe. Daniel's Cove became Waterville. Burgum's Cove was renamed Burgoyne's Cove in honour of a British general, John Burgoyne, who spent time in the area in the late 18th century. [8]

Present day

1953 Nut Cove tragedy

On the north shore of Smith Sound, across from Britannia, lies Nut Cove, the site of a slate quarry run by three brothers, William Carberry, George Carberry and Jubal Carberry, during 1850-1900. [5] [9] Approximately 100 years later, it became better known as the inclement-weather crash site of an American Convair B-36 bomber known as The Peacemaker, killing all on board on March 18, 1953, including Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth. The flight originated in the Azores and was bound for the plane's home in Rapid City Air Force Base, South Dakota, renamed Ellsworth Air Force Base. [10] The calamity claimed more lives that night when all on board a second plane, a Boeing SB-29 Superfortress from Harmon Air Force Base in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador spotted the downed Convair, then disappeared, the plane and crew never seen again. [11]

Industry

In addition to its jellyfish harvesting industry, [12] Smith Sound is known for its large Atlantic cod population. Fourteen-year-old cod are not unusual here. [13]

2003 frozen cod mystery

In April 2003, thousands of dead cod, a weight of approximately a quarter-million pounds, washed up on the shores of the sound within a few days, called an ecological disaster, prompting scientific research into the cause. [14] After an interview with DFO scientist John Brattey, CBC St. John’s news website posted:

Brattey says the water remains the coldest that the department has ever recorded in the area, and some fish will continue to die. He says tests show some of the cod have an anti-freeze protein, while others don't. Otherwise, the dead cod appears to have been healthy up until it was instantly frozen by contact with ice crystals. Brattey says the organs of the dead cod are frozen solid, even though the flesh of the fish is pliable. [15]

Tourism

See also

Related Research Articles

Clarenville is a town on the east coast of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Clarenville was incorporated in 1951. It is located in the Shoal Harbour valley, fronting an arm of the Atlantic Ocean called Random Sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twillingate</span> Place in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Twillingate is a town of 2,121 people located on the Twillingate Islands ("Toulinquet") in Notre Dame Bay, off the north eastern shore of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The town is about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Lewisporte and Gander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terra Nova (electoral district)</span> Provincial electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Terra Nova is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011 there were 8,425 eligible voters within the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity North</span> Former Canadian electoral district

Trinity North was a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011, there were 8,278 eligible voters living within the district.

Aspen Cove is a small fishing community in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Formerly called Aspey or Apsey Cove, Aspen Cove was named for the presence of aspen trees in the area. It first appears in the 1857 Census as Apsey Cove with a population of thirteen, all dependent on the salmon fishery. By the 1870s more families moved to Aspen Cove for the cod and lobster fisheries. In the 1921 census the population had reached 104 and the economy had changed from salmon, fur, and agriculture to cod, lobster, and lumbering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Bay (Newfoundland and Labrador)</span> Bay in Newfoundland, Canada

Trinity Bay is a large bay on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Bay along with Placentia Bay to the southwest define the isthmus of Avalon from which the Avalon Peninsula lies to the east of the main landmass of Newfoundland Island. The maximum depth of the bay is about 580 metres (1,900 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Random Island</span> Island in Canada

Random Island is an island located off Canada's Atlantic coast. Part of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, it is located on the east coast of Newfoundland and partially surrounded by the Bonavista Peninsula on the north and within the confines of Trinity Bay. The island is approximately 35 km (22 mi) long, its width varies from 15 km (9.3 mi) on the eastern end, to 6 km (3.7 mi) in the middle, to 17 km (11 mi) on the western end, with a total area of around 310 km2 (120 sq mi). According to the 2016 census, the population of the island is 1,232.

Amherst Cove is a Canadian community in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Gooseberry Cove is a settlement in the Trinity Bay area of Newfoundland located on an area of land known as the Southwest Arm, which extends off the Trans Canada Highway on Route 204. It is neighbored by the communities of Butter Cove and Southport.

The Bonavista Peninsula is a large peninsula on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It consists of 50 incorporated towns/unincorporated communities which have a population of 12,176 as of the 2016 Canadian Census. Bonavista is the largest population centre on the peninsula.

Cape Island is the name of both an island and a former community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Flowers Island was one of the communities in an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland called Bonavista North. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country—Dorset, Devon Somerset and Hampshire.

Cape Freels is one of the communities that comprise an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland, called Bonavista North, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country - Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Hampshire.

Fair Island, also called Vere Island, is a former community on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland. Together with other nearby communities it comprises an area called Bonavista North. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country - Dorset, Devon Somerset and Hampshire.

The Wadham Islands are a group of islands at the eastern opening to Hamilton Sound, southeast of Fogo Island off Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The islands are: Offer Wadham Islands, Copper Island, Duck Island, White Island, Peckford Island, Coleman Island, Small Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador</span> Town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Elliston is an incorporated fishing settlement situated on the Bonavista Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada. Incorporated in 1965, the town of Elliston was once called Bird Island Cove and it is composed of a number of communities, North Side, Noder Cover, Elliston Centre, Elliston Point, Porter's Point, Sandy Cove, The Neck and Maberly. Elliston is known as the Root Cellar Capital of the World and has claimed that title from the 135 root cellars that exist in the community.

Burgoyne's Cove is a local service district and designated place in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newfoundland (island)</span> Island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Newfoundland is a large island situated off the eastern coast of the North American mainland and the western part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, referred to as Labrador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division No. 1, Subdivision G, Newfoundland and Labrador</span> Unorganized territory in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Division No. 1, Subdivision G is an unorganized subdivision on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is in Division 1 and contains the unincorporated communities of Baccalieu Island, Besom Cove, Bradley's Cove, Burnt Point, Caplin Cove, Daniel's Cove, Grates Cove, Gull Island, Job's Cove, Kingston, Long Beach, Lower Island Cove, Low Point, Northern Bay, Ochre Pit Cove, Red Head Cove, Riverhead, Smooth Cove and Western Bay.

Caplin Cove-Southport is a local service district and designated place in Trinity Bay in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Caplin Cove-Southport is approximately 50 km from Clarenville.

References

  1. ↑ J.K. Hiller (1998). "The Newfoundland Interior "The Beothuk Phase"". heritage.nf.ca. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  2. ↑ "Cemeteries #3080". new-westminster.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  3. ↑ "Newfoundland Biography (1497-2004)". marianopolis.edu. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  4. ↑ "NF-TRINITYBAY-L Archives". rootsweb.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  5. 1 2 "Chapter IV: Coal, Quarries and Concessions (continued)". heritage.nf.ca. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  6. ↑ "History of Random Island". Unofficial Clarenville and Area Website. Kevin Elliott. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 20 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ↑ Sharon Martin. "Random Island Charter". nfinteractive.com. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  8. ↑ "Clarenville and Area Community Profiles". Unofficial Clarenville and Area Website. Kevin Elliott. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 20 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ↑ M.J. Batterson; D.M. Taylor. "Quaternary Geology and Till Geochemistry of the Bonavista Peninsula" (PDF). Newfoundland Department of Mines and Energy. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  10. ↑ "Convair B-36 Crash Reports and Wreck Sites". air-and-space.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  11. ↑ "They Shall Mount Up With Wings As Eagles". Unofficial Clarenville and Area Website. Kevin Elliott. Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 20 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ↑ "Fisheries Diversification Program, Project Summary: FDP 424–5 (2002)" (PDF). Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  13. ↑ George A. Rose (2003). "The Future of Cod". newfoundlandquarterly.ca. Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  14. ↑ "Dead cod continue to wash up on Nfld. shores". CTV.ca. April 10, 2003. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  15. ↑ Debbie MacKenzie (April 7, 2003). "Northern cod discovered 'belly up' in Newfoundland …were they frozen, starved or suffocated?". fisherycrisis.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  16. ↑ "Trinity North-a truly special place". rosswiseman.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2007-11-06.

Further reading

48°09′27″N53°41′47″W / 48.15750°N 53.69639°W / 48.15750; -53.69639

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.