In 1922, HMS Raleigh, the flagship of the British fleet, ran aground while taking evasive maneuvers to avoid an iceberg near Point Amour, Labrador. She was bringing the officers across the Strait of Belle Isle for salmon and sea trout fishing at Forteau. They tried in vain to salvage her - in the end she was scuttled, blown to smithereens by explosives.
84 years later, Doug Trimm took my son, Drew, for a stroll on the beach and showed him the wreck, and how to find pieces of cordite among the beach stones and shards of rusted metal. While they combed the beach, I couldn't help thinking,
"How drunk was the man on watch?"
He must have 'spliced the mainbrace' a couple of hours too early. It's only about 20 miles across the Strait and they went aground within a mile of Point Amour Light, the tallest beacon east of Montreal.
Today, the lighthouse is a fascinating museum - climb to the top and enjoy a spectacular view of coastal Labrador. You will see whales and icebergs in the summer months, and there are world-class angling opportunities for Atlantic Salmon and sea-run Speckled Trout to be had - almost worth banging up a battleship for!
Today, the lighthouse is a fascinating museum - climb to the top and enjoy a spectacular view of coastal Labrador. You will see whales and icebergs in the summer months, and there are world-class angling opportunities for Atlantic Salmon and sea-run Speckled Trout to be had - almost worth banging up a battleship for!
Good Luck and Good Fishin'!
-Random Phrump
Photo: Drew at Point Amour Light - Random Phrump
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