Chapter 3 – 1934

March 18, 1934 (McNabs Island)
Sunday. Went with group of students to Thrumcap [coordinates 44.58891, -63.502993]. Those who went were:

Donelda Douglas
Isabel MacKay
Isabel Page
Madeline Page
Aileen Meagher
Harold Wright
Blair LePage
Jimmie Bell
H.P. Bell

Met Wright at Laboratory at 9:20 and collected dishes etc. which Wright put in my pack sack. Wright carried this to the ferry. Jimmie went with Wright. I took a tram car. Left wharf in Moore’s boat at 10:20. Wright beat Moore down to eight dollars for trip. Landed at Naval Pier. Walked along the shore to range, across to lagoon, over to south end of island. A strong wind was blowing so nobody went out to Thrumcap. Had some trouble locating a good place for lunch. Finally built a fire on top of a cliff. Day was dull and a fog obscured the view. Fire not very big. Jimmie got wet and cold. Wright took him for a walk. Later he felt better when he built a snow fort and had a battle with Donelda and Isabel MacKay. Started back about 2:40 to catch boat at 3:30. Walked around the shore on eastside of island. The woods were full of snow and ice everywhere. My knee hurt me quite a bit. Jimmie got very thirsty. I could not find the well. Some went to the forts for water and brought back a cup full.  Jimmie drank it all. Boat called for us a little late. For both trips he used boat with small bow cabin. Fairly rough crossing harbour. LePage took pack sack to college. Jimmie and I went home via street car.

May 23, 1934 (Halifax Harbour at Point Pleasant Park)
Wednesday. Myself and Vera Facey^[1] collected on the breakwater. A dull day with occasional showers but not cold. Drove down to squadron in Frontenac, and took large flasks for sea water, I took top boots. VF did not.

Collected Fucus vesiculosus for Güssow also Dulse and Enteromorpha compress. Brought back samples of various seaweeds for VF to learn names. The Chorda filum was quite plentiful and was still covered with the brown assimilative filaments. Dulse was very scarce and small. The Laminaria agardhii that usually formed such a dense growth especially at the end of the breakwater was non-existent. The Halosaccion was present but not so plentiful as sometimes. The complete absence of the Laminarias gave a very unusual appearance to the growth.

May 24, 1934 (East Chester)
Thursday. While down visiting Father for the holiday, I collected some Fucus vesiculous and Ascophyllum nodosum. They were each fruiting, and apparently just about ripe. That’s more advanced than the plants of these species collected the day before on the breakwater at Halifax.

June 5, 1934 (McNabs Island)
Tuesday. Went to Thrumcap [coordinates 44.58891, -63.502993] with V. Facey. The duty boat left early and did not come back to the Garrison Pier till late. It was nearly 6 before I got back to the lab. The most striking thing noticed during the collecting was that the Chondrus in the Main Outlet was practically all gone. The rocks that were formerly covered with a dense mat, were perfectly bare. The purpose of the trip was to get material for dry mounts to be sent to Ottawa. We got these. See No.’s A.305 – A.307.

September 17, 1934 (McNabs Island)
Monday. Went to Thrumcap [coordinates 44.58891, -63.502993] to get Chondrus for Miss Butler. Miss Butler went, and also Madeline and Isabel Page. The duty boat left at 8:15 and returned about 3:45 at Garrison Pier. Artillery officers were on board on both trips.

The eelgrass in Connie’s Pool was growing in quite large patches.

The Chondrus in the Main Outlet has started to grow, but the fronds were very short. It was difficult to get enough material.

The bathing was good in both the lagoon and in the surf. The water was warm in both places. I went in. I did not take my rubber boots but wore my bathing suit.