‘It’s a rough ride’: Ice woes persist for snow crab boats in Chéticamp

Canadian Coast Guard has had icebreaker at Chéticamp Harbour since Wednesday

Richard Woodbury · CBC News

Angus Lefort got a text message Sunday morning from a snow crab fisherman who was trying to leave Chéticamp Harbour.

What would normally take 15 minutes took about two hours because the Nova Scotia harbour is packed with ice.

“It’s a rough ride,” said Lefort, the manager of Chéticamp’s harbour authority.

The snow crab fishery opened Tuesday. On Wednesday, a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker arrived to help get the fishing boats in and out of the harbour.

Lefort said the ice conditions are changing constantly because of the tides and wind.

A Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker leads several snow crab boats out of Chéticamp Harbour on Saturday. (Michel JS Soucy)

“Right now, it’s open,” he said mid-Sunday morning. “Half an hour earlier, it was all jam packed … so you never know when you’re going out, when you’re coming back 10 hours later, what kind of situation you’re going to meet on the other end.”

CCGS Jean Goodwill has been doing most of the ice-breaking, but it was briefly relieved on Saturday by CCGS Sir William Alexander, said Lefort.

He said having ice in the harbour isn’t unusual, but until now, he’s only seen that happen when the Gulf of St. Lawrence is also packed with ice.

“I have never seen ice inshore like that and nothing in the Gulf,” said Lefort.

He said the fishing boats are travelling slowly so they don’t get damaged while they go through the ice. They’re also travelling in groups.

Michel Soucy, a photographer who lives in Chéticamp, said he’s been busy the last few days taking photos and shooting drone video of the ice-breaking efforts.

“It’s so interesting to watch the work that goes in to manipulate and manoeuvre and to provide passageway for the fishermen to be able to get in and out there,” he said.