Ice Climbing Above the Ocean in Newfoundland | Living Aboard in a Frozen Harbor
Winter has fully set in around Arabella in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland—the harbor is freezing, ice sheets are moving with the tide, and keeping the boat safe becomes a daily task. This week we show how we protect a liveaboard sailboat in icy conditions using a deicer (bubbler system) and even a floating log to shield the hull from shifting ice.
Once the boat is secured, we head out for two unique ice climbing days on Newfoundland’s west coast. First, we climb a 200-foot frozen waterfall and rappel using V-threads—leaving nothing behind on the ice. Then we top-rope surreal sea cliffs formed by freezing ocean spray at Bottle Cove, where ice crashes directly into the Atlantic below.
From winter boat maintenance to safe rappelling techniques, ice screw anchors, autoblocks, and climbing over ocean waves, this week blends cold-weather sailing life with technical ice climbing in one of Canada’s most dramatic coastal landscapes.
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Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38′ wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin’s Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel’s gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they’ve built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva.
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If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help
Acorn to Arabella’s wishlist:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority
TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They’ll kick 10% our way!
To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions!
https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com
FOLLOW US:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella
Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com
Winter has fully set in around Arabella in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland—the harbor is freezing, ice sheets are moving with the tide, and keeping the boat safe becomes a daily task. This week we show how we protect a liveaboard sailboat in icy conditions using a deicer (bubbler system) and even a floating log to shield the hull from shifting ice.
Once the boat is secured, we head out for two unique ice climbing days on Newfoundland’s west coast. First, we climb a 200-foot frozen waterfall and rappel using V-threads—leaving nothing behind on the ice. Then we top-rope surreal sea cliffs formed by freezing ocean spray at Bottle Cove, where ice crashes directly into the Atlantic below.
From winter boat maintenance to safe rappelling techniques, ice screw anchors, autoblocks, and climbing over ocean waves, this week blends cold-weather sailing life with technical ice climbing in one of Canada’s most dramatic coastal landscapes.
--------------------------
Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv
Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva.
--------------------------
If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help
Acorn to Arabella's wishlist:
https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority
TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way!
To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions!
https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com
FOLLOW US:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella
Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com
Acorn To Arabella
We are building a 38’ sailboat from stump to ship, once complete she will take us around the world. We hope to inspire and educate as many people as possible along the way. Join us on our journey and let us show you that with a bit of dedication, good company and some old school smarts even the wildest of dreams can be made to come true! For inquiries about collaborating or integrations, please email [email protected].
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Acorn To Arabella Lastest Videos
Our Sailboat Is Frozen Into the Harbor ❄️⚓️ #shorts #boats #winter
Winter has fully set in here in Newfoundland—and Arabella is surrounded by ice ❄️ When the harbor freezes, shifting ice sheets can grind against the hull with the tide. Here’s how we protect our liveaboard sailboat using a deicer (bubbler system)...
Ice Climbing Above the Ocean in Newfoundland | Living Aboard in a Frozen Harbor
Winter has fully set in around Arabella in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland—the harbor is freezing, ice sheets are moving with the tide, and keeping the boat safe becomes a daily task. This week we show how we protect a liveaboard sailboat in icy conditions usi...
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We’ve never seen snowflakes like this—perfectly uniform crystals that seriously looked like cupcake sprinkles falling from the sky. ❄️🧁✨ Filmed during our winter backcountry trip in Newfoundland. Full episode is live now—subscribe for more ...
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A quick glimpse of our winter recon mission in Newfoundland—hauling gear, testing our DIY pulk setup, and scouting coastal mountain terrain for bigger trips ahead. Full episode is live now on the channel - https://rebrand.ly/sr8xrq4 #shorts #WinterA...
Winter Camping & Backcountry Ski Recon in Newfoundland | Pulk Sleds, Snow, and Sea Cliffs
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Launching the Dinghy Through Ice in Newfoundland 🧊 | Boat Life Winter Mode
We launched the dinghy in an ice-filled harbor and paddled out toward something we couldn’t ignore. 🧊🚣♂️ Full episode is up now — https://youtu.be/Yy7uhX8-53g Subscribe for more boat life + winter adventures aboard Arabella. #Shorts #B...
Back to Arabella: Winter Ski Prep, DIY Gear, and the Day a Ski Sank the Boat
After a long holiday break back home in Massachusetts, Steve, Robin, and Akiva make the 1,100-mile journey back north to Arabella and winter life in Newfoundland. With big plans for backcountry skiing and ice climbing along the island’s northwest coast, ...
Back Aboard Arabella: Winter Adventure Prep in Newfoundland #WinterAdventure #Backcountry
We’re back aboard Arabella in Newfoundland and shifting straight into winter adventure prep — new skis, a DIY sled bag for hauling gear, and a first recon toward the Lewis Hills. Full episode is live now on the channel. Subscribe for the next backcount...
Testing Out Our Silvretta Binding Set Up #BackcountrySkiing #SilvrettaBindings
Picked up some fishcale skis with Silvretta bindings, which are compatible with mountaineering boots instead of traditional ski boots. Join us as we test them out on the Newfoundland T'Railway. This set up is going to be a game changer for our ski mountai...
Feathering Prop Rebuild Start to Finish & Saying Goodbye to Arabella (For Now)
It’s time to leave Arabella for six weeks as Steve and Robin head back to the United States for the holidays—but not before getting the boat safely settled for early winter in Newfoundland. With the cover on, heaters set, and friends keeping an eye on ...
Building a Winter Tent Over Our Sailboat | Shrink Wrap Prep in Newfoundland
Winter prep continues aboard Arabella in Corner Brook, Newfoundland—and this week it’s time to build a proper tent over the housetop before shrink wrap goes on. With help from fellow adventurers Lina Chu (a Vietnamese-Ukrainian photographer) and her pa...
Quick Haul-Out & Hull Inspection | Preparing Arabella for a Newfoundland Winter
The tide is high, and it’s haul-out day for Arabella—but only briefly. This week, Steve and Robin bring the boat ashore in Corner Brook, Newfoundland for a quick mid-winter inspection and to remove their feathering propeller for its scheduled 2–3 yea...
Sailboat Winterization: Removing Sails, Fixing Corroded Hardware & Prepping for Haul-Out
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Prepping Arabella for Winter | Anchor Chain Upgrades & Getting Ready for a Season Ashore
As winter closes in on Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Arabella is almost ready to settle in for the season. With most of the harbor cleared out, it’s time for some of those quiet but satisfying projects that make cruising easier down the road. In this epis...
Handmade Fur Slippers & Mitts Aboard Arabella | Winter Boat Life in Newfoundland
This week aboard Arabella in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Steve takes on a cozy mission while Robin is away: Mission: Warm Robin. With winter closing in and temperatures dropping fast, it’s the perfect time to prep both the boat and a special surprise for...
Mountain Biking & Trad Climbing in Newfoundland | Exploring Gros Morne’s Hidden Trails & Tablelands
Join Steve and Robin aboard Arabella as they take on two unforgettable Newfoundland adventures—mountain biking the new Rocky Harbor trails and trad climbing the otherworldly Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park. From rugged terrain to pure alpine explo...
Exploring the Local Shipwreck & Multi-Pitch Climbing in Corner Brook, NL
This week aboard Arabella, we’re settling into our new home for the winter—the small but mighty harbor of Corner Brook, Newfoundland 🇨🇦. While many have asked, “Why would you want to live on a sailboat through a Newfoundland winter?” we’re ...
Getting Ready to Live Aboard a Sailboat During Winter in Newfoundland
Now that summer is coming to a close, it’s time for us to start winterizing our homebuilt wooden sailboat for the cold weather to come. Over-wintering in Newfoundland—on a sailboat, nonetheless—is a bold move, and one that we need to prepare for. As...
Challenge Accepted: Backpacking the Northern & Long Range Traverse in Gros Morne National Park
This week, we’re moving our adventures from the ocean to the mountains: it’s time for a backpacking trip in Gros Morne National Park! With Akiva in tow, our plan is to backpack the combined Northern and Long Range Traverse. This challenging route is la...
Over Land and Sea: The Final Passage of the Year from Codroy to the Bay of Islands
Welcome back to Newfoundland aboard Arabella! This week, we’re traveling by land and by sea, making our final passage before winter settles in for the season. While Robin took the ferry back to Nova Scotia to shuttle the truck, I single-handed Arabella ...
Sailing to Newfoundland and Finding the Greatest Rescue Story Ever
After sailing thousands of miles, Steve and Robin embark on the final leg of their journey—navigating their sailboat, Arabella, toward her winter home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. In this episode, they prepare for a crossing over the notorious Cabot S...
From Bras d’Or Lake to the North Atlantic: Learning (and Splicing) the Ropes
Try Huel with 15% OFF today using my code ACORN15 at http://huel.com/ACORN15. Fuel your best performance with Huel today! Minimum order value of $75. This week, we pick up where we left off in Baddeck, NS. Robin continues learning the ropes, opting to “...
Anchored Bow and Stern at the Greatest Anchorage in the Bras d’Ors
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Cruising the Bras d’Or Lakes: A Good Start in St. Peter’s
This week, with the woods ban still in place, we decide to hightail it to Newfoundland via the Bras d’Or Lakes. We’re itching to get climbing, hiking and biking again! Before we start sailing north, I took the time to do something that’s been on my ...
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