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Page 45
Little La Have and the La Have Ridges are simply continuations of this
back toward the Western Bank for a distance of about 45 miles. This
places the eastern limit in about 62� 50' west longitude, the northern
and southern boundaries being about as those of La Have Bank. The area
of the ridges is about 1,575 miles. The bottom here is a succession of
ridges of pebbles and gravel with occasional patches of rocks. Depths
are from 53 to 80 fathoms. The current, occasionally strong, is weaker
here than farther W. on the bank and, except during easterly winds, is
but little noticed. The general set is westerly.
"The Ridges" says the report before mentioned, "were for a number of
years one of the favorite resorts for halibut catchers in winter, and
many good catches of cod were taken here at that season. At present but
few halibut are caught except in the deep water along the southern edge
of the ground, where they sometimes have been found quite plentiful
during nearly the entire year." Apparently there has not been much
change in these conditions since the writer's time; fish seem to be
present here In about the same quantities as in former years.
One piece of bottom, having depths of 25 to 50 fathoms over red clay,
lying approximately in 43� 08' to 43� 10' north latitude and about 81�
to 83� west longitude, seems a good spring and early summer ground.
Apparently red-clay bottom indicates a good halibut ground, as this
species is usually present where such a bottom is found.
Hake are found in good numbers in the deep water about the edges of the
ground and even on the Ridges.
These waters are quite heavily fished from Canadian ports, and a fair
number of American vessels visit them each year, most of them hailing
from Boston or Gloucester.
Scandinavian Bank. Eighteen miles SSW. from Shelbourne Light. Nova
Scotia. It is about 3 miles long in an E. and W. direction by about �
mile wide. In general, the bottom is level, with depths from 50 to 70
fathoms; the shoal parts are sharp and rocky, the bottom over the deeper
portions being composed mostly of small black and yellow pebbles.
This is a summer halibut ground (July and August) in depths from 45 to
60 fathoms, and halibut occur in October in the deeper waters about it.
It is also a fair summer cod ground, and cusk are present in the deep
water about the edges during most of the year. In general, species and
seasons are much as on Roseway.
Western Bank. This is one of the most important fishing grounds of the
western Atlantic, whether as regards size or the abundance of its
product. It lies S. of Cape Breton Island and the eastern part of Nova
Scotia between the parallels of 42� 55' and 44� 46' north latitude and
the meridians of 59�04' and 62� 35' west longitude. It has a length of
156 miles and a width, including the Middle Ground, of 76 miles. It is
about 420 miles E. � S. from Boston to the southwestern edge, which
means about 48 hours' steaming for the otter-trawl fleet.
The general contour of the bank within the 65-fathom line, as laid down
on the Admiralty chart, approaches somewhat a very elongated ellipse,
the longer axis running NE. by E. and SW. by W.; but over a broad area
to eastward of the center of the bank, soundings of less than 50 fathoms
connect it directly with the Middle Ground, which we have here included
in the some bank. The total extent of the bank thus defined is about
7,000 square geographical miles. Off its eastern end lies Banquereau
(the Quereau of the fishermen) with The Gully between, and a short
distance of the western edge are the La Have Ridges.
The depths off the southern edge of the bank increase rapidly from 80 to
700, 1,200, and even 1,400 fathoms. At the eastern end is Sable Island,
[16] "graveyard of ships", a long, narrow, crescent-shaped elevation
seemingly lessening in area each year, formed entirely of sand that has
been blown Into innumerable hummocks and dunes. Off both ends of the
island are long and dangerous sand bars. The length of the island is 20
miles; its greatest width is about 1� miles. It is said that the
Northwest Light has been moved three times due to the fact that the
western end of the island has been literally blown away. It lies in an
E. and W. direction, and the depth of water over the bars for a distance
of 7 to 10 miles out does not exceed 2 fathoms, and even 10 miles
farther out the depths do not exceed 10 to 11 fathoms. Within recent
years fishermen have reported the appearance of a sand shoal about 5 or
6 miles SE. from the Northeast Light. This is said to appear at low
water.
In general, the bank slopes S. and W. from the island, depths ranging
from 18 to 60 fathoms. The bottom is mostly sandy with patches of gravel
and pebbles. Currents are sometimes very strong about Sable Island and
are somewhat irregular; apparently they are much influenced by the
winds. On the other parts of the bank usually there is but little
current, whatever there is usually tending toward the west.
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