Red Sky in Morning ...

Hello Everyone,

Looking out at the harbour this morning, it’s easy to see that another winter storm is approaching. The normally calm surface is breaking, with wave over wave, and whitecaps are already in evidence. The sky was pregnant with the promise of "weather", at daybreak. It seemed so heavy and ripe that I reached out with my fingers, as if to touch the sky.

Mariners of old had to rely on what they saw and what they felt, in order to judge the weather. Their ability to read the signs was critical to the very survival of their vessel and their crew. In this day and age, we have G.P.S. units that tell us when we have arrived home and we have access to instant weather reports. Years ago ... but still into the 1930s for many North American fishing schooners ... mariners had no such means of assistance.

Old sayings, like "Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning" were not only catchy phrases. Mariners would take note of the colours of the sky; if there was a lot of red in the morning, it meant that there was a strong chance of a storm.

Those of us who live next to the sea understand that we have countless reasons to be thankful to the mariners who risked their lives in every moment of their profession. Whether they were part of the crew of sailing ships that transported freight or if they were fishermen, plying their trade, they made it possible for families on land to survive and prosper.

That they were able to do it all without the navigation aids that exist today is nothing short of a miracle and is a tribute to their determination and hard work.

Wishing you Smooth Sailing,
Heather