FOGGY DAY IN ST. PIERRE

After leaving St. John's, Newfoundland, we sailed towards St. Pierre et Michelon, belonging to France. There are 3 ways to get to St. Pierre -- ship, ship, and ship. We chose the latter. One gets rather used to the pilot boat eagerly awaiting the arrival of visiting ships, the boarding of an expert pilot with the pilot boat accompanying the larger ship into harbor. I have read numerous reports about the St. Pierre pilot boat not responding to the arrival of visiting ships, allowing the larger vessel to manage the entire port entry on it's own. Some reports I have read have attributed this to various reasons, including the escort boat needing repairs and the like. We were no exception. The captain announced that we were finally at the pier after having to negotiate the arrival entirely without the assistance of a pilot--in a dense fog.

 

Welcome to ST. PIERRE!