Acorn To Arabellavideo
Ice Climbing Above the Ocean in Newfoundland | Living Aboard in a Frozen Harbor
February 13, 2026 · 23 min · 21K views · Corner Brook
What this video covers
Wintering aboard the 38-ft schooner *Arabella* in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, requires active ice management to protect the hull. To prevent moving ice sheets from grinding against the vessel, the crew tethers a waterlogged log to the dock to serve as a floating fender.▶ 2:52 They also deploy a one-horsepower impeller-driven de-icer, or "bubbler," to circulate warmer deep water to the surface, maintaining a clear pocket of water around the hull.▶ 3:24 The crew operates the de-icer for several hours daily rather than continuously to manage ice buildup.▶ 4:07 When not maintaining the boat, the crew ice climbs at local sites, including Bottle Cove.▶ 5:04 They utilize V-thread anchors for rappelling, emphasizing the importance of long screws for backups and tying knots in the ends of ropes to prevent rappelling off the line.▶ 11:49 For top-roping, they use a dog-eared figure-eight knot on cordlets to create equalized, independent anchor loops tied to trees.▶ 17:43 They prioritize safety by using autoblock backups and extending belay devices to maintain control while wearing gloves.▶ 10:05
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