Sea Cruise to Nova Scotia
and Beyond...
Now is the time for the Beyond!
Thursday August 31 2023
I don't know how to end this. We are home in Orient. Our dear friends went to welcome us at the CrossSound Ferry, but we were able to get on an earlier ferry, and not knowing they were planning to greet us with an "airport arrival" sign, we missed eachother. But they didn't hold a grudge, and we had a wonderful dinner of fresh, delicious food with them our first day back. Another dear friend sent me the link to a site instructing you how to get the diesel fuel smell out of your clothes. We have been soaking in a lot of baking soda and white vinegar. Most of the aroma has dissipated. There are a few stubborn hold outs. I have the pleasure of the farm stand, and another friend's garden to begin consuming all the freshness of the harvest. It's a great year for peaches and tomatoes. And melons. And tonite we will try the corn. We are so lucky to live among such bounty and so lucky to have the perfect ending for this adventure. Roddy has called Tim nearly every day to give him the updates on what they've done to the boat. Seems they have the engines running now and were planning on a light power washing of the interior to remove the salt. Roddy and Joyce are planning a visit at US Thanksgiving time and we look forward to showing them around. Tim is happy with how it all played out for Surus and feels he still has a boat without any responsibility for it.
We both wake up during the night and have some confusion over where the bathroom is. Am I on the boat? Is this the hotel? Is this Margy's house? But it is good to be back in BayHouse and the butterfly bush has grown taller than the window, and the butterflies have started their trek south. Many to be seen.
So I never got to see a whale this trip, or a moose. But we did have some beautiful scenic days and some calm and quiet nights. And we met kind people and made new friends. And we came home to the welcoming of old friends. Maybe this is where it ends.
They say as you get older, your memory can filter out the bad stuff. It's already happened because I think back with fondness on these last two months. It was an adventure and gave us many stories to tell. And through the quiet of the Orient winter, we'll dream up the next adventure - one without a boat.
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Saturday August 26 2023
The boat is finally parked and conveniently located for the new owners to work on at their leisure. This morning we said good-bye to Margy and Roddy and Ryan and all the guys at the breakfast restaurant. We really felt a part of the community with them and they reciprocated. Lots of promises to be back again, and for Roddy and Joyce to visit us in New York. Then we hit the road for seven hours. Tonite we are only as far as Bangor Maine, but, a bonus for Tim, we are staying at a HoJo's. They're owned by Wyndham now, so not exactly the same funky feel but still a bit of orange and blue around. Couldn't get an earlier ferry, so we are booked on the Cross Sound for 7:30pm on Sunday. Looking forward to getting home. Here are a few pictures of Surus moving along the road to her winter home.
Surus moving down the road
Getting backed into her land-based home
Surus ready for R&R (rest and repair)Thursday August 24 2023
In case you are still following this tale, just wanted to update you that we are still in Sheet Harbor Nova Scotia. Tim has spent the last few days with his new best friends cleaning out the boat, gathering the trash, salvaging what he could. I have spent the last few days driving an hour each way to a laundromat where I've spent a few hours trying to get the diesel smell and oil out of the clothes that were saved. Today is the day they are supposed to move the boat to the dock at the house where we are staying (Margy's house) and prepare to haul her out of the water. When that all happens we will start our drive back to Orient. Apparently the Coast Guard are still holding Tim accountable for the boat until it is hauled out of the water, so we are here till then. Also Tim is sharing all the minutiae of the boat with the new owners. The hull is till sound, but all the electronics and the engines will need to be redone. It's hard for Tim to let it go, but we're getting there. Meantime every day I realize something else that has gone missing from the boat. Nothing of real value I suppose - I mean I pity the fool who finds all that old lady underwear washed up on his shore - I had bought a lot of it so we could go a long time without doing laundry. Oh, wait, also lost my moisturizers and shampoo. OK. Like I said, nothing of great value, and I'm sure some day the diesel smell will evaporate. Anyone know a good method for eliminating diesel odor from fabric?
I'm copying the iPhone videos of the salvage for Roddy and his son Ryan today. One thing that they do have here is a library with really good internet. We have become regulars at the one restaurant that opens early for breakfast. It's a great spot on the water and someday there may even be a marina built here. There was one proposed but delayed for the usual reasons (NIMBY, Indigenous people rights) but may have crossed those hurdles. It that happens this restaurant/motel could do really well. The owner is an older gentleman who has about 10 regulars (including our friend Roddy) show up every morning for breakfast. It seems like an informal chamber of commerce meeting - that guy owns the excavator, that guy's a lobsterman, etc - and they meet at 6:00am till about 7:30am. Then it's off to work, I guess.
The son and daughter of the owner, who are about the same age as us, are more or less running the place, and the owner, Ralph, certainly wants to leave it to them. As in most places, and especially small towns, they are always looking for people to work. This morning he had a young woman come in who was supposed to start work today in housekeeping for the motel. She came in to tell him that she had changed her mind and wouldn't be working there. Well, at least she came in to tell him instead of just not showing up. Although it is a small town, and she'd probably run into him somewhere along the way. It's an on-going problem. Everyone looking for workers and no workers to be found. Immigration, anyone?
I'm going to head back to the house and see if I can get a picture of the boat coming in. Also today Margy is having her driveway paved. There's a lot happening here.
Sunday August 20 2023
MV Surus has sunk.
The boat has sunk.
This is how we found her yesterday morning after the call from the coast guard. We had stayed overnight in the local motel to have a dry bed and some internet and cell phone service in town. The cove was well-protected. We left Surus at anchor, put on rain gear, took some items for an overnight stay, grabbed the dirty laundry bag in hopes of finding a laundromat, and rowed the dinghy to shore. We drove into town and checked in at the motel. There was no longer a laundromat (had been one a few years ago we kept being told), but maybe we could try the campground. We had dinner, slept a peaceful night, and had breakfast next morning (Saturday). Went to the library to use the internet, and Tim stepped outside to make some phone calls to follow up with SeaTow. The library closed at 1:00pm on Saturday, and I left and found Tim in the car. As I got in, he said, “The boat sunk.” I nodded, not really sure what he was talking about. There was silence. “Surus sunk?” He nodded. “You know that call that came through from the 617 area code we didn’t answer? It was the coast guard. I called them back. I’m on hold now. They are patching me in to another department.”
Then the coast guard was on speaker phone – Boston Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard – all patched in. They wanted to know if anyone was on the boat. They said that it was reported that a silver sedan with NY plates had been at the site yesterday and drove away. Was Tim the owner of NY registered #xxxxx boat? Tim confirmed he was the owner, confirmed no one was on board. Coast Guard said, ok, then it’s no longer a search and rescue. This will be turned over to environmental. We’ll be hearing from them.
Tim wasn’t visibly upset, but I suggested that I drive as he looked bewildered. I drove quickly to the cove where we had left Surus. And there she was. She had come loose from the mooring, and had been pushed by the wind into the spit protecting the cove. We stood there not knowing what to do next. Tim took the dinghy and rowed out to the boat. I made him put on his life jacket and promise not to get on the boat. Someone had retrieved the two coolers that had been on the bow and the partially-filled 5 gallon water jug and dragged them above the high-water mark.
Tim, of course, went onto the boat. He retrieved medications and his computer. He came back to shore. A neighbor came by and said that he knew someone who could get the boat afloat again. He gave us the number and we called. His name is Roddy MacDonald. He’s a local lobsterman. He came right away.
The rest of the day was spent watching Roddy and his boys, along with Tim, tie ropes around Surus and try to pull her up and right her. Roddy had his boat, and then called in a friend with an excavator. They tied Surus to the excavator and he pulled her closer to the shore. But Surus had taken on a lot of water and was sinking. Oh. It was heartbreaking to see that once-proud boat being brought under. Somewhere along the way that day, a friendship developed between Tim and Roddy and an arrangement was made. There would be no charge for Roddy’s services, but Roddy and his boys get to keep Surus. Tim was happy and relieved. He had found Surus a good home with people that valued her. And they were determined to get her afloat. Before they came along, Tim had thought that he should scuttle the boat. Now he was happy that he would place her where she could again float proud.
They worked until dark and had Surus close to shore but partially submerged. The tide was changing and they secured Surus for the night.
Roddy introduced us to his “adopted” mother – a lovely 87 year old woman that he oversees care for. Her name is Margy and she and her husband had taken in Roddy when he was a young man. They had no children, and Roddy was “the son she never had.” The husband had passed away several years ago. She has twin sisters (93 years old) who live in Toronto, and some nieces who visit her here. Otherwise, she has Roddy and his family. Roddy said, “You can stay with Margy until you get sorted out. She has a spare room.”
Roddy was back at the boat this morning, and pumped it out and brought it closer to shore. The coast guard environmental group who showed up yesterday told them they had to get it above the high water mark. Roddy’s determined to get her afloat.
.
not progressing in the right directionWe are doing OK. Tim seems relieved. It was sad to see, but overall this seems to be a good outcome and ending for our time with Surus. Roddy has invited us back for next July when he is convinced that his boys will have Surus up and running again. I’ll settle for pictures. It really is beautiful here, and people have extended themselves to help us over and over again throughout this trip. We’ll probably start driving back home in a couple of days, lighter, and with stories to tell. And we’ll invite you all over for our home movies of the day Surus stopped floating. I always thought she couldn’t sink, you know, like the Titanic. But it was probably the only way Tim could make a break with the boat.
He is working on seeing what can be salvaged – tools and clothes, mostly – and Roddy is going to tow it to a dock now that it’s afloat. Lots of trash created with the food that was submerged (don’t look in the cheerios box). Tim can’t find his regular glasses and is walking around in sunglasses. He’s told me that the interior of Surus is really at 6’s and 7’s this time. The floor panels floated up and are all about the place. Still can’t locate a laundromat, but Margy has a washer (no dryer) and I can start to get the diesel smell out of everything. It’s daunting. It’s like a car accident. You can’t help but look at it. I’m still incredulous. And every once in a while wonder what would have happened if we were still on the boat when it came free. Tim, of course, thinks that he would have been able to keep us upright, but he does seem to be letting go of the “what if’s” of it all.
A few times on this journey I had a recurring dream that Tim and I were standing knee-deep in water in the berth area. Glad that time-travel scenario was averted.
At the end of the long day.
Afloat again.
Jackson with his new best friend MargyFriday August 18 2023
Captain Tim didn’t get as far as he hoped he would on Thursday. We spent the night in Hawbolt’s Cove in Beaver Harbor which is just east of Sheet Harbor (for those of you mapping this journey.) Surus was easier to find this time although parking for the car was not. We played on the pity factor and some people let us park the car at their house and use their beach access to bring in the dinghy and get out to the boat. As luck usually has it this season, it rained in the night, and we moved up to the salon. Captain Tim seems to be wearing down a bit on his enthusiasm for the boat. Besides, he’s run out of parts to replace on the engine. (By the way, he’d like me to correct the name of the part he replaced yesterday. It was the fuel pump, not the injector he replaced.) Or he would prefer an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Whatever the reason, we left the boat this morning and checked into the Sheet Harbor Motel and Restaurant – newly renovated. It feels like a five star motel after our night on the boat. We must have looked pretty miserable because they let us check in right away. Hot showers all around!
Too bad it’s raining because this weekend we are in the middle of the Lions Seaside Festival here in Sheet Harbor. Scheduled are fireworks and a 48-hour Ball tournament, which goes from 6:00pm Friday night and concludes Sunday. Apparently the men play softball for 48 hours. I think there is also beer involved. There is a local brewery called Sober Island Brewery. We’ll try that after we dry out.
Tim learned at the visitor information center that the Cove Surus is currently anchored in has a natural breakwater (not man-made) The early settlers who were given a land grant for the property from the King way back when, came by boat (the only way to get here) and found the cove with its protective breakwater as it is. They spent December to March in that protected cove. At least that’s what Tim was told. He isn’t planning on spending that much time there. In fact he’s calling SeaTow today to get some help on the engine issue. We are out of replacement parts.
Meantime I am trying to get Hulu on the motel TV and check in on Murders Only and see what other TV we can amuse ourselves with. Or maybe it will stop raining?
Thursday Aug 17 2023
On Thursday, I left by car from the government wharf in Little Liscombe. This was close by to where we spent time in Sherbrooke, the living museum, and the famed Liscombe Lodge with the sudsy river. Tim docked at the government wharf on Wednesday night. I met him there with the car. It was a quiet spot with only a couple of lobsterboats. The tide was a bit severe. At one point we were looking at the bottom of the wharf and a few hours later we were looking over the top. No one was around, but early in the evening a man came by and Tim chatted with him. He claimed he was there to collect the $C10 fee for use of the dock. I don’t think you are charged for using the government dock, but if he really needed the $10 then why not. We gave him the $10 and didn’t ask for a receipt. Other than the overly bright wharf lights, it was a pleasant overnight.
In the morning Tim wanted to get going to take advantage of his weather window. Out by 7am. I went to Sherbrooke to gas up at the only gas station, but it didn’t open until 8. (Oh, forgot that Wednesday night we ate at the Sherbrooke Village Inn and Restaurant – had a really good seafood chowder and some mussels – all good.) I was thinking of spending the day driving up to Truro. Tim wasn’t sure how far he would get so I was just killing time without getting too far ahead of him. I went back to Liscombe Lodge for a quick visit and and to walk Jackson. Also I was able to get rid of the boat trash there. We did the walk to the river rapids, and it all looked much different without the torrential rains swelling the river. Took a few pix and then headed out. I needed gas and didn’t feel like going back to Sherbrooke, so headed towards Sheet Harbour instead. It was in a forward direction to meet up with Tim later. But then I pulled a Kramer, as Tim would say. I had a range of 28 miles according to the car. According to GPS, I had 25 miles to the next gas station. Should I do it or be safe and go back to Sherbrooke and wait for the gas station to open? Throwing caution to the wind, I headed off for the next gas station. Somehow along the way, due to my excellent driving, no doubt, I gained a couple of miles in range. But also somewhere along the way I developed a dreadful feeling that there would be no gas station when I got there.
For a while I had four motorcycles behind me. I slowed down so they would all pass, which they did. But then my GPS told me to take the “Shortcut Road.” I did that and went down an unpaved road and came out again on the same highway but further along. As I continued along, I looked behind me, and there were the four motorcycles again. Guess they didn’t take the “shortcut road.” I’m sure they thought I was messing with them and eventually I saw a convenience store and pulled off. Done with the motorcycle guys for the day.
I managed to make it to the gas station and somehow ended up with 9 range miles to spare! And the gas station was there and was open! A successful Kramer move for sure.
As I got to Sheet Harbor, I had a phone call from Tim. He was having engine trouble and had pulled in to Ecum Secum Harbor. He wanted me to find him there. I had already passed Ecum Secum 15 miles ago, but headed back to find him. I went down many unpaved roads towards the Harbor but couldn’t find Surus, and didn’t have any cell or internet service. Finally I got a text from Tim describing where he was and telling me which road to go down. I found it on the map and headed down to the water – the paved road became unpaved, then rutted. I came to a clearing and a guy (with his daughter) on an ATV came up to me. Being Canadian, he wasn’t intimidating, but he did indicate that maybe I shouldn’t be trespassing. I explained that I was trying to get to my husband who was having engine trouble in our boat. He became more helpful in a way. Told me I could get a bit further down the road, but would then have to walk to get to the harbor. He told me I might want to use the car to get through the deep mud puddle up ahead, but that the car probably wouldn’t make it the rest of the way. I’m thinking I probably won’t make it through the mud puddle. He then suggested that Tim should call the coast guard for a tow. His father and uncle are auxillary members of the Coast Guard, but they’re not here now. His father’s in Halifax and his uncle is up in Antigonish. Did I say he was helpful?
I forged through the mud puddle and walked down to the Harbor. As described, there was Surus. Tim saw us (Jackson and me) and lowered the dinghy to come and get us. On the boat, Tim was in the process of replacing the fuel injector (or some other part – how many are there left to replace?) He was sure that was the problem this time. Jackson and I relaxed in the sun, prepared some lunch and hung out with the beautiful view.
Tim dinghied me back to the shore. I left Jackson with him this time. We are scheduled to meet up this evening in Upper Jeddore Harbor. Let’s see how that goes.
Not a bad day as I found the local library which does have internet, and, more importantly, an ice cream shack. All’s good here.
The view from our next fixer-upper
Our next fixer-upper (at the end of the road where I found Tim and Surus)
The view in Mitchell Harbor where I found Tim and Surus
The less sudsy Liscombe RiverWednesday Aug 16 2023
So, there was no meteor shower to be seen. Even here there was too much ground light and too cloudy. Should have planned better to be at a dark cove. Anyway, on Sunday we brought the boat to Arichat, the Isle Madame Boat Club, where we’ve been before. I came by car, and got here before Tim. The club had a number of cars here, a few boats, and everything was locked up. I called the posted telephone numbers and got voice mail. Finally someone showed up and told me that many members had gone out and rafted up out by the island, and they were headed there to meet them (by jetski) and would let someone know we needed a berth. Tim managed to raise them by radio in the meantime and secured us a berth for the night. While waiting on Tim I found the local supermarket. The produce was not great but I got a few needed items and then back to the club to wait on Tim. Members started returning and Tim pulled in and our old friend Cetes was there. He was the guy we met last time who was going to drive us all around. (This was the place we hitchhiked last time.) We also met Cetes’ daughter (Madeline) who gave us a recommendation on a local restaurant in D’Escousse.
The restaurant (Groundswell) turned out to be one we had tried to eat at before, but they were closed. This time they were open and we had a seafood linguine that was good (a little heavy handed on the sauce).
Back to the club and Tim checked out the weather. There would be some rain but later in the week it looked like he had a good weather window to start towards Halifax. We decided to take the car and drive to Prince Edward Island for the rainy days. Really looking forward to oysters and mussels!
We left Monday late morning. The ride took longer than I thought and when we got to the ferry, we had to wait an hour for the next one. The ferry was much larger than the Cross Sound Ferry and we were packed into an enclosed lower level that was noisy, hot and unpleasant. We left the dog there, poor Jackson, and went above deck for the ride.
While on the ferry we planned out some stops on PEI. I found a place that I knew Tim would like to stay for the night – an old family-owned Inn and Cottages (Shaw’s) – the oldest continuously family-owned inn in North America, they claimed. It was in Brackley Beach which is also where part of the National Park runs. But, wait, what’s this? There in the guidebook was a little aside about a Drive-in Movie theater in Brackley. I looked it up and they were showing Barbie! What could be more retro than seeing Barbie at a Drive-In theater? I’m there. Wish I hadn’t forgotten my pink T-shirt.
Off the ferry (after an excruciating wait in the lower hold) we wound our way around PEI towards the Inn. PEI is very rural, and mostly farmland. Apparently potatoes are the big crop and 96% of the potato farms on PEI are family-owned. (Starting to feel like the North Fork way back when.) Not something I knew about PEI, but then I remembered being in a 5-Guys once and the potatoes that day were from PEI. Guess you need the potatoes to thicken up the seafood chowder.
After a pleasant ride through some small towns and red sand beaches, we found Shaw’s and checked in. We had to stay in a cottage because dogs aren't allowed in the inn. Jackson didn’t mind. We asked about the drive-in and found it was only a 5 minute drive away. There weren’t any restaurants nearby and Tim was tired from driving, so we ate in the dining room at the Inn (excellent pan-seared haddock and the vegetables were done to perfection – first time on this trip the vegetables weren’t mush). We finished in time to make it to the movie, Tim, Jackson and I. Oh, but there’s no front seat on the passenger side. I improvised with some giant water bottle that was rolling around in the car. The drive-in was everything you’d expect with annoying people turning on their headlights from time to time to start their cars and the sound system flaking out every now and then, but we had popcorn and a free soft drink with the price of admission. Jackson just curled up in a corner of the back seat and slept. I liked the movie (Tim, less so).
The cottage was fine, with old-style furnishings and bad internet, surprised? A simple breakfast was included and we were off on Tuesday to check out a couple of places and have that meal of mussels and oysters.
Except that we didn’t. Have that meal. We first drove to Rustico Harbor and walked the boardwalk and checked out the beach. We talked to the man selling “nautical” souvenirs in the shop. He was the owner and told us that he had just re-opened three days ago. There had been a lot of damage from Hurricane Fiona last year. He showed us the water line and told us how, despite all the precautions that had been taken to secure the place, the waves came in and all his merchandise was washed away. The water mark was at 5 feet. He had a couple of earlier water marks there, but this was at least twice the others. Several other places were just piles of wood. A couple of houses along the water were for sale. The hurricane seems to have really knocked around this place. But the fishing boats were still there and as we walked back we talked to a man on one of the boats. The lobster season in Rustico is May 1 – June 30. This man was not a lobsterman, and when Tim asked what the lobstermen do the rest of the year, he scoffed and said, “they’re subsidized.” That disdain seems to be the attitude of everyone except the lobstermen.
The restaurant in Rustico was open but it was still morning so we traveled further on to a place that was on the way to the Confederation Bridge which is the other way off PEI (besides the ferry). Tim was anxious about getting back to the boat so he could prepare for his solo adventure. We went to Kensington and looked for a restaurant that had been recommended – the Oyster Barn – but it wound up being further away in Malpeque, not in Kensington. Tim was not happy about the extra miles and to make it all really worthwhile, the restaurant was closed. The stated hours were from lunch to dinner, but on this day, it was only open for dinner.
Now we had a crisis. I had to come up with another restaurant that would still take us along the way to the Bridge. I "yelped" and found something nearby and called there. Yes, they were open, yes they had mussels, but were out of clams, yes they had oysters. Let’s go.
We walked into the restaurant and were greeted by the owner who said that we could take a menu and sit wherever we wanted. We should give our order to the woman at the counter and they would bring the food. OK, seemed a little short-staffed, but no big deal.
We ordered oysters and mussels and she told us they had run out of mussels. I just laughed. A sad, demonic laugh. Had I really come all this way to PEI and would not get mussels? I should have saved my money and sat around the Oyster Bar at Grand Central. Then all of the bad parts of the trip flashed in my brain, and I knew eventually I would get over this and save it as an amusing story to tell. But I’m still not amused.
Anyway, the oysters were delicious.
So back to the boat. To leave PEI we crossed the Confederation Bridge – the longest bridge over iced water or something like that. It was such a long bridge, with no view due to the guard rails, that I fell asleep. Maybe I’d wake up at that open air water view restaurant with a fragrant mound of mussels in front of me and a decent garlic bread. Yes, the stuff dreams are made of.
And here I sit on Wednesday morning in the club house at the Isle of Madame Boat Club. No one is around except for me and Jackson. Tim has headed off solo in good calm weather with following winds to bring the boat closer to its winter resting place. I’m going to go in search of a library with internet to upload this saga.
The red sand beaches of Rustico
The Drive-In at Brackley
Last man standing in Rustico after the hurricane
Sunset in Arichat at the Isle Madame Boat Club
Friday Aug 11 2023
Friday evening and we are back in Baddeck on the boat. Our second day on the Cabot Trail (Thursday) saw slightly better weather than our first day. We climbed (the car climbed) French Mountain and Mount MacKenzie which got us about 1400 feet above sea level. There were some great look-out spots along the way. We drove down to Meat Cove, which was really only a few fishing (lobster) boats and not much else. But it gave Tim his much longed for “off roading” experience. The road down to Meat Cove was largely unpaved.
Looking for breakfast after leaving the Airbnb on Thursday morning, we had to travel about 20 miles to find a store. The two cafes listed in Yelp were both no longer in business. At one stop, we ventured into a community center to ask about getting breakfast. Seems the local café had been closed for a few years, and the community center had formerly been a school. (We have seen a lot of “community center” buildings in these small towns. Government must provide for them.) Breakfast wound up being packaged muffins from a convenience store (20 miles away. Not so convenient.)
Earlier in this blog I mentioned that we were not in the middle of nowhere but could see it from there. This trip along the Cabot Trail – it is the middle of nowhere. Very few places to stop for a meal, to refuel, or to do anything else except take in the view. It was interesting to see the geological formations of the mountains and rocks, and see the change in the flora – fewer evergreen trees and more maple, ashe, birch, and larch. I can understand why people come in the autumn. Colors must be intense. Lots of hiking trails, but given the rainy weather, we didn’t venture out. Also there are bears! And moose, and coyote. Mostly we didn’t want to get wet.
We spent Thursday night at Normaway Inn and Cottages in the Margaree Valley. This place was from another decade. We were in a small cabin (pets could only be accommodated in a cabin, not the main house.) It had a 1950’s Catskill feel to it. We had dinner in the dining room when we arrived, and enjoyed our little woodsy cabin for the night. In honor of Robbie Robertson, we downloaded The Last Waltz and watched that.
The Normaway is a family-run business and at breakfast in the morning (Friday) we chatted with the owner. He’s probably our age or a little older, and quite a character. He grew up in Sydney, but his family had owned the place. He’s been running it for about 20 years. It’s 500 acres along the Margaree River, which is apparently THE place to fish for salmon. (We went to the Salmon Museum nearby. Did you know you can age a salmon by the lines in its scales?) He also has a blueberry field and breakfast featured his blueberries. There was a young man and a young woman who were the waitstaff, and, apparently, his grandchildren, we think, certainly family. Tim, of course, engaged him in a discussion about the business and how it does, etc. He stated that he’s not sure if he’s making it work or not, but here they are. At one point he discussed his dilemma about whether to make capital changes to the place, etc. He suggested he had an idea about just letting people pay whatever they wanted. His grandson looked at him and said, “What are you talking about?” in that way that only teenagers can cut you down. It may have included an eye roll.
Tim asked about Phillip Glass and Richard Serra who have homes nearby in Inverness. The owner got out the map and showed us where they lived, and even stated that he had Phillip Glass perform “for 2 or 3 minutes” at the Inn one time. He also told us how JFK Jr. stayed there just before he got married. And that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wife liked it up there, and he believes that’s how Arnold got involved with the Kennedys? Anyway, it was clearly one of those moments when you can’t tell where the fabrication might be, but it was fun, so who cares. We took our leave and headed off for Baddeck with better stories to share.
After leaving Normaway, we wandered a bit more in the area. We went down to Whale Cove, but the whaling tour boats were not going out. They said it has been a bad year for spotting whales. The water is too warm, so the fish are going deeper, and so the whales are going deeper after the fish. I’ve seen several seals in the water, but still haven’t spotted a whale.
As we drove down to Baddeck, Tim got a call from the mechanic who was working on the boat engines, and he declared that everything works perfectly; the injectors don’t need to be changed, and all is well. We’ll see about that, I suppose.
So now we have both the car and the boat in Baddeck. We are about to turn back to the south and bring the boat back to East River, near Hubbards, to the shipyard again. Tim is going to head off by boat tomorrow, probably with Jackson, and I will meet him at his next stop with the car. We will probably return as we came, more or less, depending on weather and wind. We will be leaving the boat in East River again for the winter...
I’ll upload some pix when I get better internet.
Wednesday Aug 9 2023
Sitting in a trailer home AirBnB tonite. Today was our first day driving the Cabot Trail and as luck would have it, it’s a windy, rainy, foggy day. We started out the day in North Sydney where we stayed at The Clansman Motel – a solid 2 star venue, I’d guess. North Sydney is near Louisbourg where the Louisburg Fortress is. It is a most impressive Canadian Historic site. The fortress was originally built in the 18thcentury by the French, the British routed them out in 1745. The British and French negotiated a trade for Madras India and Louisbourg went back to the French. But the British changed their mind and the second siege in 1758 brought it back to the British. It went to ruin with the British empire but was rebuilt in the 1960’s. Aside from the buildings and grounds, there are costumed people manning the buildings who can tell you all about the building, the person who lived there, or the occupation. We had a most interesting conversation with two gentlemen in a merchant’s home. When we walked in they were sitting together, and I asked, “What are you doing today?” The one responded that he was speaking with Monsieur ….. who was the King’s engineer and discussing the needed materials for reinforcing the battery wall, and he was in a bit of negotiation on the cost of goods. Both of them stayed in character and spoke with us about who they were (their characters), and what was going on in the fortress at the time. It was the most fun history lesson, with an added theater presentation. Throughout the fortress, all of the costumed staff were very knowledgeable and stayed in character to discuss their lives, or the family they worked for, etc. We spent a great day there, and had been there the day before, but late, so we were able to go back today on the same ticket. We got off to a late start on the Cabot Trail, but, as mentioned, it wasn’t a day that we were going to get out and do any hiking.
We left the boat on Tuesday and drove to Louisbourg. Tim has some engine stuff he’s working on, and we parked the boat in the cove while he gets the injectors serviced for the engine. On Monday we had to move off the government wharf where we were, and another large yacht came in. (Tim never did get on one of the large yachts.) Anyway we were anchored out for a couple of days. On Sunday we went to the Alexander Graham Bell museum. It had some interesting info on his work other than the telephone – flying machines and speed boats. He used to summer in Baddeck. It reminded him of Scotland.
On Monday we took a hike to a waterfall, Uisge Ban Falls. Beautiful day and a nice hike through the woods. I didn't get a great pix of the waterfall; there were a lot of people there and it was rocky all about, but, believe me, it was lovely.
On Sunday night in Baddeck we went to a ceilidh (pronounced “Kaylee”) which is a gaelic tradition of music and dancing. There were two musicians - a guitar player and a woman on fiddle. She played some traditional Scottish music and accompanied him on some original songs. They were great together and they engaged the audience. The music was kind of folksy and the evening was fun. We met a couple from North Carolina who were traveling on a sailboat. She said they had encountered some whales on the way up (but no orca attacksj.) She seemed to enjoy sailing, so not a candidate for the Maritime Hostage support group.
So here we are tonite about midway along the Cabot Trail. We have had some great views today even through the rain and fog. We stopped for lobster sandwiches in Wreck Cove (world reknowned, they say) and will continue on tomorrow. We may stay an extra day off the boat before we head back to Baddeck.
a view from the Cabot Trail today
my unimpressive picture at the water fallSaturday Aug 4 2023
From Little Harbour we headed further north to Barra Strait. There we found a small marina where we could water up the boat (again) and get showers, etc. It wasn’t far but the wind had picked up again and it was a bit roily. Jackson and I laid down for awhile. The marina was, once again, not all it was reported to be. There was no water at the dock. Since the hurricane last year, we were told, the plumber hadn’t made it out to them to fix the pipes. There was also a section of the dock that hadn’t been repaired from the storm. Due to the wind, the boat, even tied up at the dock, had a lot of rocking.
It was a nice view with a church up on a hill opposite and houses scattered along the green hillside. There was an old hotel, now a BnB, where Alexander Graham Bell stayed and was accompanied by Helen Keller. It was written that Helen Keller would take a swim every morning with her golden retriever. A few US presidents had stayed there, too – Teddy Roosevelt, Howard Taft and Grover Cleveland. The first hotel east of Montreal with central heating, the historic sign stated, and hence, there are no fireplaces. There had been ferry service from Barra to Iona but then a bridge was built and the ferry went away.
But I digress. Back to the water issue. Although there wasn’t water from the spigots on the dock, Tim rallied the one marina employee to find a hose, and through a series of hoses, Tim was able to get water to the boat. The water came from a small structure that was near the marina, which Tim was told, came from a spring up on the hill, and everyone from the town comes to this place to get water. The man who told this to Tim also lives in a home without electricity. (but he did have a car to transport his water containers, so there weren’t any donkeys around.)
We weren’t in the middle of nowhere, but we could see it from there.
We ate in the café at the marina. We ordered chicken sandwiches – the menu said it was chicken breast – but the chicken looked like canned tuna, and I realized it was probably canned chicken. They had decent internet, surprisingly, so we used the internet, took showers, and had an ice cream. When we went to the counter to order ice cream there was no sign for the flavors available. We were told they only had two flavors – vanilla and grape nut. Seriously, who made the decision to order grape nut ice cream?
With all the rocking on board, we decided it wasn’t a good place to spend the night. We headed out. Tim decided to bypass any additional scenic coves, and get to Baddeck which is the main town around the Lake. He also had a little engine stutter that concerned him, and Baddeck has a boatyard where he might get help.
The Baddeck Marine yard didn’t have space for us, so we went to the government wharf. There we found the Mary A., a 175 foot yacht owned by some commodities and oil refinery captain of industry. It has a crew who all look alike, wear uniforms, and then change into more formal uniforms for the evening shift.
There was also a wedding scheduled to take place at the end of the dock. Another yacht (about 120 foot) pulled in. Who knew Baddeck was the playground of the rich? So there are those two yachts at the dock, and then, Surus. Then some giant catamaran came in and docked behind us.
They had staged chairs at the end of the dock for the wedding guests, but random public, like us, were wandering around watching. There are a couple of restaurants on the landside of the dock, so lots of people were milling about. The wedding party was led in by a bagpiper (the area is very gaelic) and the groomsmen were all in kilts. Quite a show.
Meantime, Tim and I started to plan to get the car. My favorite Maritime bus for some reason doesn’t have a stop in Baddeck. The stop is about 10 miles away outside of town. We wandered into town to see if we could find additional info for a car service or taxi. There was a bus outside a convenience store, so we went in to ask there about bus service but the worker didn’t know anything. However, a customer in the store offered some assistance. In fact, she told us there was no taxi since covid. The taxi driver had to give it up. And there weren’t any alternatives for transportation, but she would drive me to the bus stop.
I was stunned. With all the usual protests of inconveniencing her, etc. I finally accepted her offer. She gave me her name and telephone number. She had to go by the hospital, but she would be home in about an hour and call her then with the time.
Tim and I headed back to the boat, I made the reservation for the bus to Port Hawkesbury, and called my new best friend, Agnes. We arranged for a time for her to pick me up for the bus, and I thanked her again and said this was really above and beyond. She said, “it’s what Cape Bretoners do.”
OK, I did one time give a guy who’s car had broken down, a ride to the ferry. But would you help out a random person in a convenience store in the same way?
So we are at the government wharf with the big yachts. I’m leaving shortly with Agnes to catch the bus to Port Hawkesbury to get the car. Tim will be looking into getting the engine reviewed and probably will wind up on one of the yachts by the time I get back.
Thursday Aug 3 2023 Evening
Well, again, things aren’t always what they say they’ll be. We went to Pringle Harbour in search of the blueberries. It was a calm day with little wind and a pleasant sky. We were able to anchor very close to the shore. We wanted to just wade in and look for the blueberries. I was sitting on the back of the boat contemplating getting through the sea grass growing along the bottom, and the wind shifted, and the boat got even closer to the shore, and there were only rocks and no (icky) sea grass to wade through! Off we went, and brought Jackson along, too. The water was only about three feet deep and warm. We waded to the shore (maybe ten feet distance) and walked along wondering where one would find the blueberries. The trees and brush were too thick to head into the island, and the mosquitoes were hungry. Then we noticed all the dead and living jelly fish along the shoreline. Tim went further along to the point and there was a sign welcoming you to Pringle Island. No Trash, no jet skis, and no blueberry picking. Guess Mr. Pringle got tired of everyone stealing his blueberries. Anyway, we weren’t going to venture into the brush and there were no blueberries at the shore. We waded back to the boat and as we were drying off, a couple of kayakers came into the cove. They had what has often been referred to as “eurotrash” music playing in the kayak, and had come to take a swim. We chatted and warned them about the jelly fish. They went over to the other shore and went for a swim, then sunbathed in a very European way. Meantime, two pontoon boats came up and also decided to swim. It seemed like too many visitors for me, and the afternoon was still young, so we decided to try a different cove. Of course, now the wind had come up and was blowing a bit harder, but the trip wasn’t too bad and it was less than an hour. When we got to Pellier Harbour, the wind had really picked up and Tim couldn’t get the anchor to hold. We tried a couple of different places, and poor Tim had to pull up the anchor three times. He finally decided he didn’t feel confident enough that the bottom would hold us in that wind, so we went off again. The trip was less comfortable this time as we had the wind across the bow, but it was a short trip again, only about twenty minutes, so we endured. This time we stopped in Little Harbour, which isn’t that little. There aren’t any homes visible to us and there is only one other boat here. The wind is strong, but we’re protected and the anchor is holding. Also we left the mosquitoes in Pringle Harbour.
One little thing, we don’t have any water again. Seems the patch job Captain Tim did on the hose from the last time we had a water problem didn’t hold. So we will forego toothbrushing and washing up tonite. Tomorrow we will hit up the Barra Strait Marina (also not far from us) and get clean and fix the water issue.
I’m still thinking of the Maritime Hostage support group. Everyone has a boat issue at some point. Why have we taken to boats? People rarely use them, and when they do, they need work. Tim noticed that at the St. Peter’s Marina, everyone was just hanging around working on their boats. Well, men mostly. I guess if you don’t play golf, you get a boat so you can tinker away all day. And if you are the partner of the boat owner, well, you are a Maritime Hostage. Time to organize.
(for Mike: Little Harbour 45 51’, 60 57.3’W)
Thursday Aug 3 2023
As I write this we are anchored in Cape George Harbour, a short ride from St Peter’s Marina. It’s a quiet cove with a gentle breeze and surrounded by the ever-present thick stands of pine. The water is much calmer here in the lake and I expect there will be less peril. The Bras D’Or lake has endless coves like this to hunker down in for a spell. It’s nice to find one without houses on the shore (and no Seadoos buzzing us, as we had last night). There were two other boats on the hook here and it all seemed quiet except for the family on the pontoon boat who showed up further down near the entrance. They had not one, but two Seadoos and everyone was given a ride. They were certainly having fun, but I was glad to see them pack it up and leave and return to the quiet enjoyment of the lake.
This morning the occupant of one of the other boats came by on his way out. He said he’s a local but he cruises for a month or two each year and extolled the beauty of the lake. He asked if we needed anything and if we had any engine troubles. He was just “Canadian nice.” After a short chat, he wished us good travels and took off for his next stop.
We are looking at Pringle Harbour for our next stop. The cruising guide says that “Blueberries grow in profusion on the island” so we may stop there and take a look. Tim loves Canadian blueberries.
The Bras d’Or Lake is less salty than the ocean but still salt water. We just this minute saw a giant jellyfish in the water. Its body was about the size of a teacup saucer, but Tim says it was the size of a luncheon plate (of course he would), and it had about three feet of tentacles flowing below it. It seemed to propel itself forward by contracting its body and then went under our boat. Probably trying to hitch a ride to the ocean. Anyway, I’m not swimming in this lake.
We have only one tiny bar of cell service and no internet here, so I’ll post when we rejoin the grid.
Tim at work in the engine room
Bras D'Or
another quiet coveWednesday Aug 2 2023 (part 2)
A quiet ride from Port Hawkesbury to Descousse. We anchored out there. It is a quiet anchorage with a small yacht club which we used to water up the boat. Somehow along the way, we lost all our tap water. But now that’s resolved. While we were at the dock, we took a walk up the road. There was a pub, but it wasn’t open except on weekends. The yacht club was getting ready for a big harborfest weekend with entertainment and bingo and some card game we have yet to understand. There was a church up the road, but as we got closer we noticed signs that said: DANGER BEWARE of DOG PRIVATE PROPERTY
Guess that congregation has dispersed. Further up there is a small store where we got a snack. Tim chatted with the man behind the counter about the Harborfest and he said his wife liked to go, probably to get away from him. Then his wife came out to the front. “We heard you are going to harborfest this weekend…to get away.” She smiled, “yup, but the problem is he keeps following me.” “I have the same problem,” I replied. We girls bonded on that.
While we were watering up at the dock, a woman and a man walked by. The woman asked me if I knew about the services at the yacht club, like laundry. Told her we were just stopping by and couldn’t help, but she continued to chat. Where were we from, etc. I asked where she was from and she told me originally Ontario, but her husband (who had walked away) builds boats and they wanted to be closer to the water, so they moved to PEI, then Cape Breton, but they don’t have a motor and can only go with the weather as they sail. Then she started to tell me that she would really like to get rid of the panic she feels all the time on the boat. I assured her that everyone has issues on boats from time to time, but she says she can’t get over her panic. This is not a woman who should be on a sailboat with no motor. It seems maybe she’s a maritime hostage. Maybe I am too? What are we doing on these boats? I may have to start a support group for women travelling on boats who have not completely embraced the seafaring life. I mean, what’s wrong with flush toilets and thick towels?
Anyway, while in Descousse we finally took down the dinghy – our ditch boat – which barely keeps both of us afloat. I had to wear my rain jacket to stay dry from the water splashing over the bow. Compare our ditch boat to the Police ditch boat in Port Hawkesbury. Hmmm.
But it is nice to wake up at an anchorage. The air is clean and the scenery is always great. Maybe an even bigger boat? Is the Onassis yacht available?
From Descousse we took the St. Peter’s Canal to St. Peter’s and we are staying at the St Peter’s Lions Club Marina. The books says it’s the best run marina in the province, but is anything ever what they say it is? Anyway, they are smart enough to have 5 showers, not one, and great internet. There are a number of boats here as it is at the gateway to the southern entrance to Bras D’or (that’s where the canal comes in). We plan to do some exploring in the lake by boat and then get the car for the Cabot Trail (on land) adventure.
Last night we walked into St. Peter (the town, not the saint, we’re not ready for him) and there were two restaurants, a food store, and a general store. Also a liquor store and hardware store. What else could anyone need?
We ate at one of the restaurants where we managed to get scallops sauteed instead of the usual deep fry fish and chips menu. They were good and we got a bad glass of the house wine to go with it. We provisioned up at the grocery store and walked back to the marina. Of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without a little rain, so there was that, but mostly it was clear and we had an incredibly bright full moon. There will be a second one this month – and that will be a blue moon. Stay alert.
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| Tim at work |
Doesn't the guy in the bottom oval look like Tim?Wednesday August 2 2023
I just tried to send an email notification to some of you. It is supposed to tell you when I post something new. I don't know how it works, or if it works, but we'll try it out. Of course, I know that all of you wait breathlessly for the next update, or at least have some curiosity if we are still afloat, so you don't need a reminder to check in. But I'll try this out anyway. I'll be back to update shortly.
Sunday July 30 2023
So as we are about to head into the Bras D’Or Lake region, we wanted to get the car. The car was left in East River (near Chester) in the boat yard where the boat wintered. It’s a must to drive along the Cabot Trail as the scenery is reportedly spectacular as you traverse cliffs overlooking the ocean. But how to get back to the car? There is no good public transportation in Nova Scotia. The best offered is the Maritime Bus Line. One bus a day running north to south, and, I assume, back again? Anyway, I booked my ticket for Friday from Port Hawkesbury to Hubbards (the closest stop to the boatyard in East River.) A seven hour bus ride, but only a 4 hour drive back to Port Hawkesbury in the car. Expecting delays and the dread of sitting in a bus for all that time, I also booked a BnB in Hubbards to spend the night. The bus was to arrive at 4:45pm in Hubbards where I would get a car service (no Uber) to the car at the boatyard. Then have some time to tool around, get dinner, and check in at the BnB. Well, that didn’t happen exactly that way.
It started out timely enough at the bus stop in Port Hawkesbury. Although the bus driver was a bit crabby (so un-Canadian like) and seemed annoyed that we all wanted to board the bus before the 10:35 departure time. But we got going on time. I had the schedule of stops from the bus website so that I would know approximately where I was because I had to make a transfer in Halifax. Uncharacteristically we hit traffic. There was some road work going on and we started to get delayed. Every once in a while the bus driver would say we would be at a stop for 10 minutes if we wanted to stretch our legs. I kept noticing that we were getting further behind schedule and didn’t understand why we would take more time. Several people would get off the bus, have a smoke and then get back on smelling like cigarettes. It was starting to get funky.
Eventually we got to Halifax terminal, but we were over an hour late. As I got off the bus, there was an attendant checking people to get on the bus. I asked about the transfer to Hubbards. “oh, don’t worry about the transfer. That bus is delayed, too.” Several of us milled about a bit and then a short bus pulled up. “Is that the bus for Hubbards?” I asked the attendant. “Not sure, but that’s what it usually looks like.” The bus driver got out and said that he was the bus I needed and checked people onto the bus. But then he couldn’t get the baggage area opened to put away suitcases. This went on for a while until the other passengers said they’d just take the luggage on the bus with them. He seemed to go along with that and got off the bus again. When he came back on, he announced that he had more bad news. We were going to wait 50 minutes for another bus from the airport. “Fifty. Five- Oh?” I asked. Yup. But we could wait in the train station next store. It would be cool in there.
I wandered over to the train station. There was no one there. No one selling train tickets. No schedule for trains. No café, just a couple of vending machines. There was a window with an attendant for the Maritime Bus. One of the passengers asked for a refund because he was now going to miss his appointment that evening. The attendant told him, “Sorry, No Refunds.”
Then the bus driver came in and said he’d be back soon. He was going to take the bus to the shop to get the baggage area open. He said we could leave our belongings on the bus as he would be coming back. Not feeling all that confident, I took my belongings with me. I hung around with other passengers and got some food from the vending machines. I noticed that there seemed to be one train a day that goes to Montreal. Otherwise there was nothing going on in this grand old train station. (or perhaps it had been grand at one time. It was no longer.)
Eventually the bus came back and we all boarded the short bus again. I asked the driver if he announced the stops as I didn’t know when we would be getting to Hubbards. He assured me he would (and he actually did.)
This bus ride was considerably shorter than the other but as we were already now arriving two hours later than planned, the evening was gone. By the time I got the car and checked in at the BnB, it was after 8:00pm. Oh, well, at least I had my kindle with me and nearly finished my book.
The BnB was delightful and very close to the Lobster Dinner and resort of fame, The Shore Club. But it was too late for a dinner so I enjoyed my room with a view of the ocean (and the sound of the ocean) and the clean sheets and bed full of pillows and running hot water and all the conveniences you take for granted. It was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time!
Next day, Saturday, I set off but decided to take a quick detour into Chester to our favorite Kiwi Café. Forgot it was the weekend and the height of summer vacay around here. Too crowded so I left there and started back. But wait! There was a sign on the highway for Hammond Plains Road and I remembered the restaurant where we had the incredible Grilled Caesar Salad, so I took another detour. Great food, but unfortunately they were only serving the brunch menu, so no Caesar for me this time.
The car ride back to the boat was uneventful. The highway looks like all the highways you’ve ever been on, with fast food and gas stations at most of the exits.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned the boat trip from Isle Madame Boat Club (where everyone spoke French) to Port Hawkesbury. There was a lot of wind and when we hit open water, we had a roily ride. I laid down to ride it out. Somewhere along the way, we had an engine conk out, but made it on one engine. When we got to Port Hawkesbury, there was a large boat with POLICE in large letters at the dock. He came over to us right away and wanted to know where we had come from, and when we had entered Canada and took pictures of our passport. We offered the dog’s paperwork but he said he didn’t care abou the dog (no offense, Jackson). Tim asked if he was Coast Guard, and he explained that they were some other branch and the Canadian Coast Guard couldn’t enforce the law, but he could. Slightly threatening and wanted to know why I got seasick. But he did suggest I take something for that. A real charmer.
While I was on my bus adventure Tim took apart the boat again, but put it back together before I got back.
So now we have the car, did some shopping at Walmart and grocery, hit the DQ and Tim Horton’s. Seems like Tim Horton is as visible as Dunkin’ in Boston – on every corner – but we discovered this morning Tim Horton has good internet.
Meantime, every restaurant meal seems to be a version of fish and chips. I ordered a fish burger the other night, thinking it would be a fish cake on a bun. She brought a deep fried piece of fish hanging out of a bun with a pile of fries. They really need to work on cuisine.
We are going to leave on Monday to start into the Bras D’Or Lake. We have been told it is beautiful there with many quiet anchorages and calm waters.
Of course, at some point I’ll be coming back for the car so we can travel the Cabot Trail, but this time it’s only scheduled for a 2 hour trip. What could go wrong?
Wednesday July 26 2023
We are in Arichat, Cape Breton, NS tonite. Have had calm seas and good winds and no rain. Stayed on the hook last night at Yankee Cove off of Whitehead. Another beautiful evening, but a little treacherous getting in there. There is also a mussel farm there that you have to navigate around, and the water is very deep so finding good anchorage was tricky, but Captain Tim managed it all. It was a clear night and we had a sailboat come in but they didn't seem to find a good spot so they moved on. When we awoke in the morning there was some fog, but we persevered and got out to open ocean. Had a pleasant ride to Cape Breton. We are at the dock at the Isle Madame Boat Club. Lots of Acadian French spoken here. Tim and I decided we could walk to the town, which turned out not to be muc, the town, not the walk - a few stores along a highway and a church. We got ice cream but were so worn out from the 3+ mile walk in the sun that we actually hitchhiked back to the boat. The boat club member who greeted us when we arrived at the dock has offered to take us to the supermarket tomorrow so maybe there's an actual town somewhere. The woman who picked us up hitchhiking was very nice. She said she has a 16 and a 19 year old and is always driving them around so she didn't mind taking us back to the Boat Club. She also showed us which house was hers as we passed by it along the way. Would you ever a.) pick up hitchhikers, and b) show them where you lived? Kind of a different vibe here. Anyway, no internet, but a couple of bars on my phone so syncing to that. Should have better connectivity tomorrow and will post some pix.
Monday July 24 2023 Part 2
I feel I have given Liscombe Lodge short shrift in my previous comments. Yeah, needed better internet (and food) and was a bit run down, but it was an interesting property. There were tennis courts, a recreation room, shuffle board, a hiking trail, and outside the dining room windows, were hummingbird feeders and so there was always a show from the hummingbirds while dining. There was a bird feeder as well with large blue jays and other birds in attendance. A bird got in the dining room somehow at breakfast this morning and the staff didn’t know what to do. They opened a door so he could find his way out, but he kept bumping into the window. Staff went to get maintenance, but who showed up instead – Mr. Owner. He snuck up on the bird and tried to grab it. The bird got free but moved closer to the door, and on the next attempt, escaped out the open door. Great entertainment for all and the bird did not wind up on the menu.
There are also a number of rabbits on the property and they are black. I’d never seen a black bunny but there are at least a half dozen black rabbits on the property. And a white rabbit. (Go ask Alice, I think she’ll know…) There is also a screech owl who sounded like I felt on a Monday morning when I was still working.
I also didn’t mention one of the other boats that was in port with us in Liscombe. It was a 42’ Grand Banks Europa model (not a wooden boat. “Plastic” as Tim would describe it). The couple on the boat had come from Cleveland. They also lived in Florida. About 15 years ago they had lived on Long Island somewhere and kept their boat in Greenport. (Orient readers, Do NOT tell Carol Gillooly about this “small world” encounter.) They were heading west with a plan to go up the Hudson and leave their boat in Syracuse (which Tim did several years ago). (We’re heading east.) Anyway, they mentioned they were going to stop in Halifax Harbor next stop. I mentioned to them about the busy waterfront, and many people walking around till late and they told me it wouldn’t be a problem because they had coverings for the windows that would give them privacy. They could see out, but outsiders couldn’t see in. I mentioned the lights, and they had blinds for that. I mentioned the noise, and they told me they had a white noise machine on-board so they wouldn’t hear it. When Tim and I were cleaning up some dishes, I suggested we bring them over to the other Grand Banks as they probably had a dishwasher. And air conditioning, and a sauna, and a manservant.
My other comparison for Surus is Jackie Kennedy Onassis on Aristotle’s yacht. Whenever I have to do some unpleasant task, I suggest that Jackie never had to do that when she was cruising on Ari’s yacht. It hasn’t gotten me out of any unpleasant tasks yet, but I’ll keep trying.
We left Liscombe around mid-day and had a short cruise (about 3-4 hours) to Fisherman’s Harbor. The ocean was calm enough and the wind was in our favor so I did not have to lay down but stayed up top with Tim for the trip. Fisherman’s Harbor has nothing here but natural beauty, and it’s a protected cove. Will make for a pleasant evening and overnight.
Monday July 24 2023
Good morning Sunshine! The rains of biblical proportion have finally cleared out and we awoke to sunshine today. We spent the last couple of days here at the dock at Liscombe Lodge. Poor internet, no cell phone, not great food, but at least a hot shower and some respite from the rain. On Saturday we got a ride into Sherbrooke Village with a former employee of the Lodge, Chester. He is an old timey kind of guy and gave us the history of everything – the lodge, the town, where the miners lived (there was a gold mine in Sherbrooke), lobstermen, etc. We got more than just a ride to town. We spent Saturday exploring Sherbrooke Village which is a restoration of the village from the 19th century. There was a blacksmith – he made us a special ornamental hook – there was a chairmaker and a woodworker. All the docents were dressed in period garb and were eager to show off their skills. The printmaker made us some paper, and printed Tim a card on the printing press. The postmaster, the general storekeeper, the potter, the jailor (which was still operational until 1969) – all knowledgeable about their posts and their crafts. It is a well done restoration. The buildings are on original foundations and you really have a sense of the village. Of course, towards the end of the day, we had a torrential downpour, but luckily they provided us with umbrellas. Then they announced that they were closing early due to the monumental rains and we called Chester to fetch us. We stopped at the local grocery store but the fresh food offerings were minimal. But we got what we could and headed back to the lodge. Or so we thought. Chester wanted to show us more of the area, and took us around to show off his town.
We hunkered down on Sunday for the most part, and contemplated the foamy river. The water is dark like the water we encountered on the Intercoastal in Albermarle Sound so long ago. The color is from the pine tar and something else about the river makes it foam. At first it was just a stream of foam that they said was from the fish ladder upstream, but with the heavy rain, the babbling brook by the dock was pouring water out like a firehose and more foam was building. The rapids up river from us were also producing a lot of foam and now the river looks like there are icefloes on it, but it’s all foam. It’s like the foam that you see at the ocean when the waves break, but in a large quantity like shaving cream. Wonder what’s really in the water…
On my way back to the boat from the pool a man stopped me to chat about how fast the river was flowing. Then two women he was with came up as well. Then Tim came along. I thought they were from one of the boats at the dock, and when asked about which boat they were on, he said he wasn’t on a boat, he owned the place. Should have complained to him about the bad internet.
So I am posting this before we leave the Liscombe River and Lodge. We will be on the hook for the next couple of days so there won’t be any updates. Not expecting cell service and probably won’t have internet, but the adventure continues.
Foamy River (Liscombe River)
Tim at the working sawmill at Sherbrooke Village
Friday July 21 2023
Rise and shine – well, no shine. Foggy morning but we headed out of Shelter Cove. Running one engine for some reason that Tim will explain if he ever writes the Captain’s Log. I just laid down with the dog because there was nothing to see but fog and it made me a bit whoozy. The fog did eventually burn off and there it was again – the fragrance of Christmas! There is certainly no shortage of balsam trees here.
Even on one engine, Captain Tim got us to Liscombe River and up to the Liscombe Lodge. It’s the kind of place Tim really likes. Old. Rustic. Homey. There is an indoor swimming pool, sauna, hot showers, clean bathrooms – making it a winner in my book. We’ll try dinner there tonite.
Unfortunately, there is no cell service and the internet is not all it was advertised to be. I’ll probably try to find myself a place in the “lobby” and see if it works better from there than from the dock – but we really are remote here. To get to a grocery store is about a 20 minute drive. We are going to stay here a couple of nights because there’s supposed to be rain the next couple of days, so we thought being at a dock with power and being able to get off the boat for a period would be a good idea.
Tim still needs someone to look at the engine issue, but that will have to wait for an actual marina. We are thinking about retrieving the car soon as it’s getting more remote, and we also may want to explore more interior on Cape Breton. We’re about halfway there from Halifax.
News did travel to us that Tony Bennett died. (thank you, Kathy Duffy) One of my favorites (as well as Kathy Duffy). I saw him at Radio City Hall for my 30th bday. He was such an entertainer, really brought the audience with him. And did a whole set unmiked. Had no problem projecting his voice throughout the hall. Saw him again in Newport when I worked in Rhode Island – a lot older (both of us) and a little less mobile, but still had that great voice. RIP, Tony. (aside, what do you think Lady Gaga will wear to the funeral?)
Shelter Cove
and moments later, Shelter Cove in Fog
Thursday July 20 2023
Tried to leave Jeddore on Wednesday. After much rain it seemed to clear, and we began to head out thinking we’d get ahead of some of the weather and work ourselves a short way up the coast. But when we got out to the opening to the ocean, it was more fog than we cared to see, so another night in Jeddore. At least it didn’t rain this time and we had our own berths to stretch out in.
We left Jeddore Thursday morning with a little fog, and calm seas. All seemed to be moving all right, although, even with 2 foot waves, it was too much for me. I was laying down, and then it happened. An engine went out. And then the other engine went out. And now we were in the ocean, not too far, but not too close, to land. And we had no power. And even at 2 foot height, that’s a lot of rocking for me. Tim took apart the floor and went down to the engine room. I took a picture of our GPS coordinates in case we had to call for assistance, and tried to find the closest inlet we could get to. Tim tinkered and made several attempts to get an engine started. It was looking bleak and I suggested we radio for assistance. “I’m close,” Tim said. So I continued to fight off my “mal de mer” while Tim continued to bang around in the engine room. You may recall we had this same scenario last year, but at least that time we were inside the harbor already. Lo and behold, Capt. Tim tried again and got an engine working. We plodded along on one engine and took shelter in Shelter Cove. A lovely and sheltered cove, it is. All the surrounding property is owned by the Canadian Land Trust. I’ll post some pictures. An eagle flew by, close to the water, and then landed in a tall tree ashore. I was able to watch him through the monocular.
Tim proceeded to work on the engine, which somehow involved transferring much diesel fuel from one motor to the other. Maybe he’ll write a Captain’s Log and tell you all about it. Suffice it to say, it took a long time. He missed seeing the eagle in the tree, and we stayed a peaceful night in Shelter Cove. A couple of other boats did come in for the night so we weren’t alone. Actually the first time we’ve encountered other boats in the water since Halifax!
The craziest part about the fog here is that it comes and goes quickly. I took a picture of Shelter Cove and it was a sunny day, and literally minutes later, it was foggy. It cleared again for awhile and the next time I looked up, fog was rolling towards us from the ocean. Does anyone understand fog? Is there a book about fog? It would be helpful if it could be predicted.
Tuesday July 18 2023
Sitting here on the boat in Jeddore on the eastern arm. Sun was out for awhile but now it sems to be clouding up. A beautiful harbor with many vacation homes along the shore. No one else is here save a few kayakers who came in from one of the homes and headed further up the arm. We can’t go that way except by dinghy as there’s a low bridge for the road there. We left Halifax this morning in a lovely fog around 9am and got to Jeddore around 1pm. I laid down through most of it as the ride was a bit rough. It was cold and damp and I was wearing my watch cap and had the hood of my sweatshirt up. Shortly after I laid down I felt something on my head. I reached up and found it was Jackson resting his head on my head. Guess we both needed some comfort.
We left the Armdale Yacht Club on Monday afternoon after bussing ourselves to a laundromat and getting the laundry done. The attendants in the laundromat were friendly and helpful while they worked their way through mountains of laundry left for “wash and fold”. We got a pastry and latte at the adjacent store run by a guy who had emigrated to Canada about 5 years ago and now has three stores in Halifax. He sold a lot of Greek products and Indian products.
On the walk back to the boat from the bus stop it started to rain a little. Tim stopped off at the Binnacle boat store. I’m sure there were many sorrowful tears when he told them he was pulling out. He was certainly a frequent flyer for the few days we were at Armdale.
Back at the boat I took the usual precautions against the rain leaks and we prepared to go. The old yacht club guys were sad to see Tim leave, and Tim told me again how much the old guys appreciated old Surus. I suggested he come back on the way home and give them the boat for keeps.
We decided to spend the night in Halifax Harbor at the waterfront. It’s a very active waterfront, a bit like Faneuil Hall in Boston. Shops and restaurants and tourist attractions. It was less than 2 hours by boat to get there from Armdale (probably 20 minutes by car). The services are limited – the bathroom is the public washroom - but we did get an opportunity to get take out from a Thai restaurant and eat along the waterfront with the rest of the tourists. When we first pulled up to our berth, I took Jackson off the boat for a walk and he started to bark wildly. I looked around and saw a mink skulking along the dock! With all Jackson’s noise the mink finally went off the side into the water. We had a mink on the shore at Armdale but it was surprising to see one in downtown Halifax.
The waterfront was active with walkers and gawkers, so we put up a curtain for the night for some privacy. A large cargo container ship passed by and made some wake. Tim looked it up on the Marine Traffic app. The ship had come from Liverpool five days ago and was now on its way from Halifax to New York. Due in New York in two days.
The rain subsided for the night, but we slept up in the salon just in case. Nothing is worse than waking up in the middle of the night in a wet bed.
And so here we are in Jeddore. Tim is working on the boat. Old boats, like old houses, always have something that needs doing. There’s no internet available to us but I do seem to have 5G service. Maybe I’ll see if I can post from the phone.
Tim crisping up some stale crackers.
Haligonians following the rules
Everyone's local favorite?
Halifax Harbor
Halifax at night
Giant container ship going bySunday July 16 2023
Tim was right about Nova Scotia – many people really do have an appreciation for old wooden boat Surus. But I’d like to point out that those people are all in the same category as people who like rum raisin ice cream – over 80 years old.
While we’ve been docked here at the Armdale Yacht Club in Halifax, two of the members have come by several times to admire the boat. There are any number of boat parts they can talk about and compare and reminisce about boats they have known. Yesterday the electrician came up from Chester to do some work, and Tim had the boat at 6’s and 7’s while they happily toiled away. And that brought the other guys over to ask about what was going on. It was an old boat guy convention here on the dock. Tim couldn’t have been happier.
The tangible outcome of it all was that we now have a working radio (the antennae needed to be replaced. It was original to the boat 52 years ago.) and the refrigerator will work even when we are not hooked up to shore power (yay for keeping the food cold) (it was a fuse at the back of the refrigerator, for those who want to know). And the AIS (some system that identifies the boat to others) is also working. All good.
While Tim and the old boat guys were jawing away, I was reading through the cruising guide to Nova Scotia. It may be a long way to the next laundromat from here. But it does look like we will have some incredible anchorages and scenery…if the fog burns off. We did have a nice day yesterday, but then it rained in the evening when we went to dinner, and we had to sleep in the salon again to stay dry.
We dined at the club last night and it was surprisingly good. A pan-fried Haddock that was really tasty and Tim had a Seafood Pasta with all the good stuff in it. We’re going back for brunch this morning.
For some reason the yacht club must have decided to spend their money on the chef instead of the shower, as there is only one stall shower available for the entire club. Since we wake up with the sun before 6am, I zip up there right away before most people show up. There’s also no laundry facility here which is unusual for a marina. And there isn’t one within easy walking distance. So that may be the challenge for today – getting laundry done and provisioning up. We’d like to set off tomorrow (Monday) for parts unknown.
After many trips to the Binnacle boat store yesterday, Tim was able to come up with the correct CO2 cylinder to arm my PFD and his. So we do seem to be in good shape. Even I can agree with that.
Of course the internet may be few and far between as we venture out to the less populated areas, but I will do my best to upload whenever it is available. And from my reading, it seems that, although sparsely populated, there are resorts and vacation homes throughout, so it’s not as remote as we think, I suspect.
Have I mentioned the Immigration Museum? On Friday we took the bus downtown and strolled through the Public Gardens (very Victorian) and then down to the waterfront to the Immigration Museum. It is the equivalent of Ellis Island. More than 800,000 people passed through Pier 21 from 1928 to 1971 when it was closed. Arriving by ship with the unknown awaiting them, maybe with a trunk or suitcase with all their belongings. After disembarking they had to be screened by a customs agent and could be turned away for a multitude of reasons. Making a good impression on the customs agent was paramount to being allowed in. The museum does a good job of capturing the immigrants’ experience. There is a large oral history exhibit as well as a short film with many of the immigrants discussing why they left home and why they are here in Canada today. I haven’t been to Ellis Island yet so I’ll have to schedule that and see how it compares.
July 14 2023
Happy Bastille Day! So you missed the trip from Chester to Halifax (July 12). It was uneventful and, for me, that's a good thing. So maybe we WERE in good shape. The best part of the cruise was that along the way, it smelled like Christmas. The area around Chester is the self-proclaimed "Christmas Tree Capital of the World." Probably cutting down this year's trees as we speak. It's Balsam Firs as far as the eye can see, and the wonderful part of it is that, with an offshore breeze, the smell of the balsam wafts over you out at sea. There were no other boats out there with us, which I find puzzling. Everyone lives along the coast, and there are a lot of boats, but no one actually seems to go out on them. As we finally got close to Halifax (about 6 hours later), we passed a couple of pleasure boats. And then we turned into the Northwest Arm towards our destination. First we had to maneuver around a sailboat race. Wednesday night is race night. As we headed up the channel, there was a plethora of water sports happening - sailboats, motorboats, jet skis, a crew team, an inflatable full of boys pulling along another boy on a board. And we had great weather, sun was out, and no fog.
Heading out of Chester
Smelling Christmas!
The Open SeaWe checked in at the Armdale Yacht Club. After a little searching, we found our slip and settled in. But, wait - no water! Back into the hole goes Capn' Tim. We'll need a hose, but we'll deal with that tomorrow. It stays light here very late, but my dream of seeing the aurora borealis could not be realized. It clouded up again, and there was a lot of ground light at the yacht club. Oh, well.
On Thursday we walked the 1/4 mile to the Binnacle - a boating store - where Tim had the best time examining all the goods down to the smallest clamp. Tim got the needed hose, we got a new canister for my PFD (personal floating device) (lifejacket, you landlubber) and Jackson, who was welcomed in the store, got his picture taken. They also had PFDs for dogs (Jackson has one). But these went beyond the usual dog PFD and had auto-inflation. I decided that my dog's PFD should not cost more than my own, and didn't succumb.
Back from the Binnacle we had some lunch on the boat, and then headed into the city. We took an Uber downtown and spent the afternoon walking around the waterfront, and visiting the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The Maritime Museum has some interesting exhibits including one on the Cunard Line and its ships (the Lusitania and the Mauretania). There's also a guy to teach you Morse code, a man working on a large ship model, and the CSS Acadia is docked outside. This was a ship used for hydrography (charting the ocean floor) but also served in WWI and WWII and was also present for the Halifax Explosion in 1917. My favorite feature was an oak-paneled dining room and a picture of the hydrographers dressed for dinner and being served by a steward - just like dinner on Surus.
It's an interesting museum but the current exhibits leave you a bit depressed - You know the Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915 killing 1198 passengers and crew and brought the US into WWI; then there's an exhibit about Shipwrecks off the coast of Halifax, mostly in the 1700's; then an exhibit of the Halifax Explosion of 1917 when two ships collided (one was carrying explosives) creating the largest human-made explosion prior to Hiroshima. The explosion obliterated nearly all structures within a two mile radius including some local communities. Nearly 1800 people were killed by the blast, the debris, fires, or collapsed buildings and 9000 others were injured. The anchor shaft of one of the ships was thrown approximately two and a half miles from the point of the explosion. The shaft weighs 1140 pounds. It's part of a memorial now. They still find bits of twisted metal around whenever there's an excavation or building project.
After that exhibit you can wander into an exhibit about the Titanic. Here you can see the only remaining deck chair from the Titanic, and the shoes of the "unknown child" who was later identified from his shoes. Lots of info about recovering bodies from the water and trying to identify them. Jeez. Feeling saddened and concerned about the maritime heritage of Halifax, we decided to head back to Surus and to our dog.who was left behind. But how to get home?
It was now rush hour and Uber premium pricing was in effect. Tim decided to decode the bus system. First we waited at one stop for a while, and when several busses came, but not the one we were waiting for, we moved to another bus stop. At that bus stop, our bus wasn't listed on the sign, but it came anyway. But Tim didn't tell me that we would then have to transfer to another bus. All ends well, however, and we got to see more of the city on our way home.
We dined on the boat, but no one got dressed and the steward didn't show up to serve. A couple of locals came by to comment on Surus, and one guy wants to show us his boat. He built it himself. Took him seven years. Tim's next project?
Today Tim has again wandered off to the Binnacle, but we are going to sight-see a bit more this afternoon in downtown Halifax. Halifax reminds me of White Plains. There's lots of new high-rise apartment buildings going up, and there's a diverse population. Lots more to explore!
July 11 2023
Tuesday evening – Still in Chester. There was adverse weather, as in fog and rain, so we didn’t head out today. New plan for tomorrow, Wednesday. Meantime, on last year’s trip, the phrase, “What’s a hawser?” could elicit an easy smile or laugh. This year it has been replaced by “We’re in good shape.” Tim has been telling me that we’re in good shape since I got here, despite evidence to the contrary. I suppose we each have our own definition. I’ll post a few pictures of Tim at work in the engine room to support my case. Last night we were in “good shape” because he happened to bring along the part he needed to replace (the heat exchanger for the port engine for you mechanics in the crowd).
We weren’t supposed to get rain last night, but rain it did, and the cabin leaked in the usual places forcing us to move sleeping quarters to the salon. It rained most of today, too, so I abandoned ship and drove out to the Costco about 20 miles away. Laid in a goodly supply of paper towels, got a jar of pesto, and most importantly – a rotisserie chicken! Just like home. There was also a Walmart in the same area, so I hit that up too. Well, it was prime day or something, wasn’t it? Had to do some bargain shopping. I do regret missing the free slurpee at the 7-11 store today. Always a highlight of the summer.
As I write tonite it is not raining, but a thick fog has settled in. We had such nice weather last summer, hope this is just a passing front. If this keeps up we will definitely not be able to see the aurora borealis tomorrow night. There is some geomagnetic field activity from the sun that is supposed to make it visible further south, but that will mean we need a clear sky and it’s not looking good this week.
we're in good shape
because we have the right part!July 10 2023
Monday morning update: the starboard engine also started up so maybe we won't only be going in circles. Grey day as most of them are up here, not exactly raining, but not dry. Tim keeps saying we're in good shape but we haven't left yet. We do have the next stop mapped out though so that's something. And if the clouds ever clear, we may be able to see the aurora borealis on Wednesday night thanks to a geomagnetic storm this week. Can't wait to see which direction my compass will point us!
July 9 2023
Sunday evening – Still in Chester, Nova Scotia at the East River Shipyard. Not great internet, but I’ll try to upload tomorrow when the office is open. So we have been hard at work since my arrival: cleaning the boat, stowing equipment and supplies, and Tim is attending to repairs. On Monday the electrician is coming over to check on the radio and keeping the refrigerator going when we are not plugged in somewhere.
Picked up some provisions today, and found ice, but not block ice, for the cooler.
Slept on the boat for the first time last night, then took a nap this afternoon. Must be the gentle rocking of the boat makes you sleepy. Had breakfast in Chester at the Kiwi Café. Had dinner at Fo’c’sle – the oldest pub in Nova Scotia (they tell us). Had our first Fish n’ Chips, but sure it will not be the last. They are very pet friendly and Jackson tried to take on a Golden Retriever at dinner, but eventually calmed down (did Tim slip Jackson some beer?)
The water system is running, the stove propane tank has been refilled, and Tim just started the port engine – and it came on! So maybe we’ll spin in circles for a bit. Stay tuned.
Fish and Chips at Fo'c'sleWe are hitting all the Canadian hot spots. While Tim was working on the boat (going in the water today) we were staying in an Airbnb in Hubbards. We ate dinner one night at Tuna Blue (which oddly enough does not have tuna on the menu, but the pan seared Haddock was quite good) and the next night we had the lobster dinner at the world-renowned Shore Club.
doing that lobster dinner thingNow you may not think that the Shore Club is world-renowned, but we chatted with the great-grandson of the founder (built 1936) who told us all about it. It’s a family-run business and his Father works there, and his uncle, and, well, there’s a lot of family. But that’s not enough to make it renowned. There is actually a TV show on CBC called Moonshine that takes place at the Shore Club filling in as the resort called Moonshine. And it’s about this family-run business and its dysfunctional family. I managed to get it on CBC, and it’s on CW in the US. It’s a bit Schitt’s Creek, a bit Succession-lite. But watching it, we saw the Shore Club, where we ate our lobster dinner and where they have live music and dancing on Saturday nights; we saw the beach road we walked down to see the ersatz cottage that the TV people built to be used as the homestead, and there really are beautiful views from the beach. But, uh, there’s also a campground on the premises with decked-out RVs packed in like sardines. The show may be coming to Netflix in the US. It’s on Canadian Netflix we’re told. Plus The Shore Club had a special beer made for them this summer and there is a playlist on spotify that goes along with it. We're told they are Canadian musicians that Canadians recognize.
So. I’ll include some pix here of the boat being moved from the tent to a staging place closer to the water.
Surus in the tent
Surus moving down the road
Surus in staging areaTim has reported today that SURUS is now in the water several hours and not leaking – all good news, so we may move along in a couple of days. We will begin sleeping on the boat at the shipyard starting Saturday night, though.
While Tim attended to the boat I attended to Jackson. Got his nails done at PetSmart and looking good!
Last night we ate at a restaurant called Edible Matters. We had a grilled Caesar Salad – the romaine was grilled. Really tasty. May be the only way to eat Romaine, And there are several DQs around here. Also a Costco, a Walmart, Marshall’s and other US fast food and box stores. Being this close to Halifax seems a lot like the US. I suspect as we get underway away from the big city, the retail offerings will thin out. But gotta love a DQ Blizzard!
Orca Rams Into Yacht Near Scotland, Suggesting the Behavior May Be Spreading
Orcas have been ramming into ships off the coasts of Spain and Portugal and making headlines worldwide, but until now, the behavior appeared contained to that one population. Last week, however, one of these black-and-white mammals slammed into a yacht between Scotland and Norway, some 2,000 miles away from the Iberian orcas.
Though scientists don’t quite know what to make of the recent incident, they say it might mean the behavior is spreading. This is believed to be the first known orca-boat encounter in northern waters, as Philip Hoare and Jeroen Hoekendijk report for the Guardian.
On June 19, Dutch sailor Wim Rutten spotted an orca in the waters of the North Sea while traveling east from the Shetland Islands of Scotland. Rutten, 72, was using a single line off the back of the boat to fish for mackerel, when seemingly out of nowhere, the orca rammed into the stern of his seven-ton, aluminum hull yacht.
The creature then proceeded to hit the vessel multiple times. It swam behind the boat and appeared to be searching for the keel, or the main structural support that runs along the bottom of a boat’s hull from front to back. The orca got so close that Rutten could hear its “very loud breathing,” he tells the Guardian.
“Maybe he just wanted to play,” he adds to the publication. “Or look me in the eyes. Or to get rid of the fishing line.”
Though the incident shook him up a bit, Rutten made it home safely.
Scientists are intrigued that this behavior occurred so far away from the Iberian orcas. One possible explanation is that the North Sea orca was a juvenile that simply got curious about the fishing line coming off the back of Rutten’s boat. However, the behavior could have spread from the Spain and Portugal subpopulation, perhaps transmitted by very mobile orcas.
“It’s possible that this ‘fad’ is leapfrogging through the various pods/communities,” says Conor Ryan, an independent researcher who advises the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, to the Guardian.
Meanwhile, off the Iberian coast, the boat-ramming behavior is still going strong: Last week, a pod of orcas slammed into a yacht as it got near the Strait of Gibraltar during the Ocean Race, an around-the-world sailing competition. The group on the yacht took down its sails and slowed their vessel as much as possible, and the orcas stopped bashing the ship soon after.
In a statement, Jelmer van Beek, the team’s skipper, described the incident as a “scary moment.”
“[It was] impressive to see the orcas, first of all, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment for us in the team,” he says in a video by the Ocean Race.
June 21 2023
Prep for Departure
First Day of Summer and we are in high gear trying to figure out how to get all this stuff up to the boat in Halifax. Tim has loaded his car to the roof,and we were going to ship some stuff, but it seems that even for personal belongings you have to supply an inventory list (2 pairs of jeans, cotton, country of origin, etc.) Really? I thought we were trade friendly with Canada. Anyway - anyone heading to Halifax let us know and we'll have you take a few boxes...
June 10, 2023
Hello! We are heading out again in friendly Canada. You'll recall that we left the boat near Halifax last year (Chester, actually) and we are heading back this July to continue north up the Nova Scotia coast to Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island. We'll be updating regularly - or as regularly as a good internet connection can be found - so you can follow along. Looking forward to calm seas and fair winds. Check back early July for an update. (Meantime, just like a streaming service, you can catch up and read about last year's adventures below before the new season starts.) (If you are chronologically inclined, scroll down. The trip starts at the bottom, and the most recent info is at the top, You'll thank me when we're underway and you don't have to scroll down to get the latest.)
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North to Nova Scotia: July - Sept 2022
Hello to all our family, friends, and followers! I’ll be using this site to chronicle our journey from Greenport NY to Nova Scotia, Canada. I look forward to bringing you all the excitement of sea travel as we go coastal.
In preparing for this trip, I have benefitted from many people who share tips and helpful info on the internet for others living on boats. They blog provision lists and cooking tips and what gear you'll need. That is not what this is. If I happen to say something useful, take advantage of it. But generally this is just a place for personal rumination on our voyage and a way to keep you posted on where we are and how we are faring. Stay tuned!
Here's a fun little game we play.Day 39 Saturday September 3, 2022
Making our way home first by The Cat ferry - which is a giant catamaran that crosses between Yarmouth and Bar Harbor Maine. Then a seven hour drive to New London CT for the next ferry across Long Island Sound. We did a quick stop in Freeport ME for our last lobster roll of the trip at LL Bean. No time to shop. But made good time and arrived in time to be the last car on the 8:00pm ferry to Orient. (we were scheduled for the 8:45pm) Felt good to be home and open all the windows and sleep in a real bed. Of course mounds of laundry to do and boat stuff to put away, etc. But happy to have travelled and happy to be home.
Tim and Jackson on The Cat Ferry
We were not abducted by aliens in Shag Harbor. This is the bow lounge of the Cat Ferry.
not our boat. some cruise ships in harbor in Bar Harbor. really, a cruise from Boston to Bar Harbor. fun.
Tim and Jackson crossing Long Island Sound.Still Day 38
We stayed at a very nice B&B in Chester last night called The Gray Gables where it turned out the dog wasn't allowed, but Jackson won her over and we stayed the night. This morning we drove over to the boat where Tim tinkered around all day putting things away while the shipyard prepared to put the boat away. Jackson and I went about Chester and saw the sights - a couple of old churches and cemeteries (told you I know how to have a good time) and the library which turned out to be more of a museum. Chester is a nice town with lots of old houses and shops, and not too touristy the way Mahone Bay is. It's on a peninsula. Ask Tim about it when you see him and he'll explain the peninsula to you.
I took a drive while Tim was busy with boat stuff and happened past the Interment and Memorial Site of SwissAir Fly 311. I had a vague memory of that, so stopped to find out about it. As I approached the parking area, it seemed like a lot of people were present for that kind of monument. It turns out that today is the anniversary of the crash. It happened on Sept 2, 1998. There was a local woman there talking about how all the townspeople in the neighboring towns were part of the recovery mission. It was a subdued memorial with a nice view of the ocean.
A bit further down the road I saw some other roadside plagues and got out to see what those were about. They were mostly talking about the whaling and fishing industry in Blandsford, the local town. And then there was this:
a plaque commemorating a visit by Yuri Gagarin in 1961. I'm seeing commies everywhere!We are in Yarmouth again tonite after a long drive. But here you can see Jackson is ready to come home, and Capt Tim has lost all decorum and ate a giant ice cream cone of Rum Raisin ice cream. (I've told him repeatedly that no one under 80yo eats that flavor.)
Jackson dreaming of his Orient porch.
Tim eating an ice cream cone bigger than his head.Day 38 Friday September 2 2022
Where have we been? Not anywhere on the boat, unfortunately. We waited around last weekend in Brooklyn for the boatyard guy to get home from his vacation and make a decision about whether he could keep the boat for the winter. On Monday he told us he would know Tuesday or Wednesday. Tim found another place up the coast in Chester, so we drove there to check it out. It's the East River Shipyard - a huge facility with all the services. They can keep the boat in a covered facility. We went back to Brooklyn and prepared to leave. But now we have a car and a boat. Tim would have to make the trip alone. On Tuesday I drove up to meet him at a place we had read about - a bakery with overnight docking. Sounds idyllic.
It took me only about two hours to get there, while it was going to take 5 hours for Tim to get there by boat. Along the way I stopped and checked out a few old churches and cemeteries (I know how to have a good time.). I also found a Marine Museum on a place called Bush Island. It was near another Crescent Beach. There were kite surfers and families in the surf and you could drive on the beach. I didn't, but you could. The museum was interesting with a history of lobstering and lots of artifacts of the island and the seafaring life thereabout.
I also went to Bridgewater, which bills itself as "The Main Street of the South Shore" which seems to have strip malls and includes a DQ, a Wendy's, and other chain-type stores. Guess that's Main Street. There's also a ferry to Lunenburg that is on a cable that takes you across the LaHave River.
Eventually Tim showed up but the bakery was closed. We spent the night there. In the morning we did indulge in the bakery goods and had some good coffee. There weren't really any facilities at the Bakery, so we moved up river to the LaHave River Yacht Club. There we had showers and internet (intermittently). It rained that night and got windy, but calmed down in the morning and Tim made his way to Chester from there. Again, he had to take the boat alone, and I had to take the car to meet him.
I spent some time at the Bridgewater LifeCenter before heading off - the LifeCenter is a large facility in a park with a hockey rink, an olympic pool, and the library. I had the dog, who was not allowed in, so could not spend much time there. Just got directions to the next destination. (Waze works sometimes here, but other times, we are just a dot on the screen with no known roads.)
There was more traffic on the roads on this trip, but it's also a holiday weekend in Canada, so maybe that's why.
We had booked a B&B in Chester for the night. I had to meet Tim at the Shipyard. He didn't get in until 4pm, so Jackson and I found a park on Graves Island where we spent a pleasant afternoon.
When Tim arrived, the boat was hauled out and we found rope from a lobster trap around the starboard prop. Must have been carrying that since Maine as it's no longer Lobster season in Nova Scotia. The rope is now part of Tim's permanent collection.
Oh, I forgot the best story. When we were moving the boat from the bakery to the yacht club in LaHave, I was on the boat getting some stuff to move to the car. Tim started the engines on the boat, and then pushed off. I said, "um, I'm supposed to get off the boat." Tim had forgotten that I needed to take the car to the next destination. Because of the wind, Tim didn't want to re-dock, so I took a ride on the boat. Tim hitchhiked back to the bakery from the yacht club after we docked at the yacht club and retrieved the car. Guess he couldn't stand the idea of being parted from me.
how the boat started to look as we prepared to put it away for the winter.
Our final sunrise on the boat
Surus being hauled out.
Capt. Tim and the errant lobster trap rope.
Day 33 Sunday August 28 2022
Had a nice visit in Yarmouth to pick up our car. The car service was a van with a couple of other people in it who seemed to be coming from medical treatments. (Wondering if the government contracts with private groups to provide transport.) Anyway, no one minded Jackson in the van and he slept the whole way. We checked into our hotel in Yarmouth and Jackson was welcomed there too! Such a charmer.
We discovered two things we had missed in Yarmouth on our first stay there - a Saturday farmers' market and a Dairy Queen! Got some delicious croissants from the farmers' market. And who can resist a DQ?
As much as I love sleeping on the boat when we are anchored in a calm harbor, it was quite nice to have a full bed with sheets and pillows and blankets and a nice hot shower and a flush toilet. Even Captain Tim had to agree that it was a nice change after a month on the boat.
We left Yarmouth Saturday afternoon and drove the highway back to Brooklyn. The crazy thing about the highway here is that there is no traffic. It's a lane each way, and sometimes expands to a passing lane. There's very little in the interior, it seems. We cut off the highway and did the "Lighthouse Route" after a time. It took us along the coast, which was great, and we saw some of the places we had passed on the water. We stopped at the sandy beach in Port Mouton, which is where we had been slightly stranded when the engines gave out. There were lots of visitors to the beach and it was a hot and sunny day. But you could tell they were not accustomed to beach life. They didn't all have real bathing suits on, and no one was using sunscreen. Bet there were a number of lobster-red Canadians heading home Saturday night. These are very white people.
Another stop we made on the way back was at Shag Harbor, famous for a UFO sighting in 1967. The UFO museum was open and one of the original witnesses to the event was there to tell the tale. See the pix. His name was Laurie (Laurence) and we promised to come back next year to check in on him. Quite a character and told us his tale and swears to it.
Back in Brooklyn and hanging out this Sunday. I discovered a "Taste of Nova Scotia" site and we are going to a nearby restaurant for dinner. After we do laundry. There aren't any facilities at the marina, so we have a short drive to the "Wash your Stuff" laundromat in Hunts Point. We should find out tomorrow about leaving the boat here, and then start the trek back to Orient by automobile.
Laurie telling the tale of the UFO sighting.
The whole story as it's told locally.
Aliens in Shag Harbor! OMG!
Day 31 Friday August 26 2022
Still hanging around Brooklyn - Nova Scotia, that is. We believe we will be leaving the boat here for winter storage but the guy is on vacation and can't give us an answer until Monday. We walked over to the storage facility yesterday and met Colin and Amanda. Colin is a boat builder and is working on a custom yacht. The layer of the hull he is working on is wooden, so we had a long chat with Colin about boat building and wooden boats. There is a large enclosed space and we are hoping that Surus can rest there for the winter.
Meantime, we took a cab into Liverpool, which is nearby. Not much to recommend it - several churches all looking a bit run-down, several old cemeteries attached to the churches, a very good bakery and specialty shop called 5 Girls Bakery. The cab driver, Lorraine, kept telling us how crazy it all is as she is the only cab around and needs another driver. The other cab company takes a lot of trips to Halifax, so that leaves Lorraine to handle the remaining calls. Back at the Brooklyn Marina a giant Cat boat came in with a family on it. They are Canadian and seem to be taking day trips. Another Canadian sail boat came in and they're headed to Florida. Don't they know how hot it is there?
There is no public transportation on Nova Scotia, so today we are taking a car service to Yarmouth where our car is waiting for us. We'll stay overnight in Yarmouth and then bring the car back to the boat to start the process of taking stuff off the boat that will come back with us.
This isn't a particularly interesting part of the journey but sometimes you just have to attend to the details.
oh, here's an interesting item - there used to be a paper mill across the harbor from Brooklyn Marine. But it closed 10+ years ago. Some of it has been repurposed to a company called Aqualitas which is a cannabis company that seems to make bath products. Huh? Anyway, frequently throughout the day you get that skunk smell of marijuana. Lorraine the cab driver told us that there isn't supposed to be any smell and there didn't used to be, but now there is. Maybe we haven't moved because we're just high all the time. Well, it's brought jobs to the area all the Canadians say, but no one seems that happy about it, eh? Take a look at the product line:
https://aqualitas.ca/en/products/
Day 29 Wednesday August 24, 2022
(continued from Tuesday.) There really isn’t anything Tim loves more than a mechanical problem. He got out the manual, crawled around in the engine room, banged on some parts, and declared the problem solved. He was ready to call SeaTow and the agent and tell them he figured it all out and we’d be on our way. I suggested maybe a run around the harbor?
He got the engines started and they didn’t conk out this time, so we declared victory, Tim made his calls, and off we went. We only planned to go about 12 miles to Brooklyn Nova Scotia. And…we made it. No drama and it does seem that Captain Tim resolved the problem. Guess he earned his Captain’s cap today.
The Brooklyn Marina is a tiny place with a little fish and chips take out and a shower and a bathroom. What more do we need? We are winding down and closing in on our final days on the water. We’ll spend this afternoon mapping out where we’ll be for the next 5 days or so.
Capt. Tim going to the engine room
The engine manual diagram
SUCCESSDay 28 Tuesday August 23, 2022
Well things have taken a different turn here. We left Shelburne Harbor in the morning and headed up the coast. Once out of the harbor however, the fog set in. We, of course, steamed ahead, but the Atlantic was not flat this time. There wasn’t much wave action, but it was rollie enough and more than Jackson and I were comfortable with. We both spent most of the day laying down. There were no whale sightings or other fun stuff along the way. Tim abandoned our plans and we looked for a closer port.
Captain Tim headed into Port Mouton where there was to be a lovely sandy beach and not much else, but it is a protected area. As we entered the harbor, one engine went out. Captain Tim said, “That’s why we have two.” And then the second engine went out. (Really perfect comic timing.)
That’s right – those engines that Tim has repeatedly said never quit, quit. Hmmm. Well, at least we were out of the ocean and had made it partway into the harbor. We dropped anchor and assessed. It was 4:45pm. We were not going to get help at this time. (Businesses all seem to close precisely at 5:00pm in Canada from our experience.)
Captain Tim would like to add a technical note to the blog at some point for those who care about the engineering aspect of this malfunction, but I’ll continue without it. After crawling around in the engine room, the Captain has decided that it’s a fuel issue (and not the obvious ‘we ran out of gas’) Apparently there are 3 tanks, but they are not equalizing and one tank has fuel but the others don’t and the fuel isn’t getting to the other tanks. That’s as technical as I’m getting right now.
Tim discovered that SeaTow covers this area in Nova Scotia (probably something we should have checked out before starting this adventure, but, like my cell phone service here, we’re winging it.) SeaTow was very responsive but their only authorized agent is six hours away in Chester. There was much back and forth between Tim and SeaTow and Tim and the agent; and then Captain Tim decided he was going to tackle this problem on his own and we would just stay here for the night and deal with it in the morning.
Day 27 Monday August 22, 2022
Arrived safely in Shelburne Nova Scotia on Sunday. Although Tim did an excellent job considering winds and tides and currents to get us around Cape Sable; and although everyone told us it was like the Cape Horn of Canada and we'd be facing rough waters, we made it with little upset and found ourselves around the Cape and heading north in some of the calmest seas I have ever seen. We cruise along the coast several miles out, and there were a couple of guys in a rowboat all the way out there fishing. I suggested to Tim (and have continued to suggest to Tim) that maybe that wasn't so treacherous after all if two guys in a rowboat were hanging around out there. (My humor doesn't seem to be appreciated.)
On that stretch we also saw a couple of whales surface - probably about 15 feet long. They were swimming near the surface and only broke for a breath and went back under. Couldn't get any pix. Did take a pic of the calmest Atlantic seas I've ever seen.
Atlantic Ocean?
Shelburne Harbor sunsetOur Weather window is tomorrow morning (Sunday) at 5:00am. We will be heading south around Cape Sable and then up the east coast of Nova Scotia towards Halifax. Our first port will probably be Shelburne. Winds are flat today and skies are clear. Good weather for us to make the move with a favorable tide. Today was the culmination of the Shark Scramble which is a fishing competition for the largest shark. It is done for research purposes, they say, as they must report the types of shark, the water temps, etc to the DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans). We watched a bit of the weigh-ins but it just made me feel sad for the sharks. Pix below. When we left, the largest shark had weighed in at 347lbs. The shark has to be at least 8' long.
Yesterday we went out to The Cape Forchu lighthouse. The agent at the Visitors Center told us it was a great view of the Atlantic. It was. (Canadians are so honest.)
Meantime Tim found a long lost relative at Frost Park. Guess he missed that one doing his genealogy.
Not sure when we'll get a good internet connection like this one at the public library here in Yarmouth, but will update when I do.
just a balloon among the crowd at Shark Scramble
Atlantic view from Cape Forchu
Cape Forchu lighthouse
Captain Tim and Jackson pointing the way.
Day 23 Thursday August 18, 2022
After a two day drive and a couple of ferries, I finally joined Tim on the boat in Yarmouth Nova Scotia. Our luck on the weather may have worn out. It rained yesterday and has been a bit blustery today - strong winds and cloudy skies. We are at the Killam Bros Marina - a nice enough accommodation but with weak wifi. I'm at the public library as I write this. Tim and I did the historic walking tour of Yarmouth this morning. The heyday for this town seems to have been 1880- 1890. Some nice old places and some in need of love. Out on the highway (which we know because we now have a car here) is the usual - Walmart, Staples - but two real finds - an A&W rootbeer establishment (rootbeer floats, anyone?) and a store called "Canadian Tire" - the name is misleading as I didn't see any tires there, but there is a well-organized melange of everything else. Today we got a garden hose and some clothes pins (really, clothes pins, to keep our drying clothes from flying off the rail of the boat.) Tonite we may go to the Cineplex and see a movie. Plain old suburban living here, unless you are at the waterfront where the fishing fleet went out the other day and is supposedly coming back on Saturday after a shark competition. We have been told there will be much rowdiness and drunkeness on their return. (wait, wasn't that just my high school reunion?) A large fishing boat came in the other day and proceeded to off-load a tanker truck load of herring into a... tanker truck. There is some pump system that pumps it out of the boat into the truck and off it goes to be processed for fertilizer, pet food, and whatever else. The seagulls go wild during the process. A seal went swimming by the boat yesterday just ambling along. Tim saw whales in his crossing but I haven't had that experience yet.
We are waiting for a weather window to move from Yarmouth up the eastern coast of NS to Halifax. Looks like that could be Saturday or Sunday. There are strong currents here due to the tides and we need to time it so that we aren't fighting the tides and the wind. Meantime there's the Firefighters Museum and the Fishery Museum all within walking distance. There's also Frost Park. Some long lost cousin of the Frost family, I suppose...
I'll get some pix, but send me some good weather. Right now I'm happy to have my cozy warm Wooden Boat sweatshirt that I picked up along the way. More soon.
Day 18 Saturday August 13, 2022
Tim and Jackson have made the crossing of the Bay of Fundy. It was reportedly a bit hairy but he went with a companion boat and they managed to get to Nova Scotia safely. Tim reports that he is rafted up in the breakwater at Westport Nova Scotia. It's a prosperous fishing town with spotless and well fitted-out lobster boats. Pots have been pulled and stacked for the break of lobster season in the summer. Crossed Bay of Fundy on an ebbing tide - not for the faint of heart, he said. Tim sent some pictures of Westport which are below.
(I'm in NJ at my high school reunion. When did everyone get so old?)
Those are whale bones around the cottage below.
Day 14 Tuesday August 9, 2022
Left Tim having dinner with the ghosts of the Roosevelts in Campobello and I'm now in Round Pond ME with the Frost bros and Anne who is again making us a great dinner, being sure we get a hot shower (needed) and a little laundry. Will be heading home to Orient in a couple of days to gather up some stuff and head to NJ for my High School Reunion. Tim and Jackson will hang around Campobello for a bit. The journey will continue next week.
Head Harbor Harbor, Campobello - look out for the mosquitos!
Day 13 Monday August 8, 2022
First rainy day we’ve had. We have been so lucky with weather this trip. We are at Campobello Island. (Roosevelts’ ghosts did not invite us for dinner.) We had to officially declare ourselves as we crossed into Canada. Well, we actually crossed into Canada last evening and stayed in a less desirable place called Head Harbor on Campobello. Head Harbor is a working port, with lots of lobster boats, fishing boats, and logging boats. BUT, lobster season is over in Canada, so it was just kind of a deserted cove with lots of working boats and seagull poop and mosquitoes. It was also Sunday, so it was really quiet, which was a good thing. We tried to call border control last night and report in, but found out we also needed a number from another Canadian department that cleared us for Covid vaccines. You could get that online, but we had no internet connection, and the phone connection was weak and wouldn’t upload the pictures of our vaccine cards. This morning we moved over to Welshpool Landing where we were able to make contact and upload our documents. The person we got on the phone this morning was not as nice as last night’s border control and kept saying he had to check on things and leaving us on hold. I think he was just annoyed because he answered the phone speaking French and we responded in English. Things went downhill from there. He was annoyed that we hadn’t followed the proper procedure and said, “You came to Canada without doing any research?” To which we replied, “Yes.” (I mean it’s not like it’s a foreign country, eh?) He kept going away and leaving us on hold, probably to get his café au lait warmed up. Anyway, we got it straightened out and are now legally in Canada.
We walked over to the Roosevelt grounds and toured the “cottage”. On the way we got breakfast, but there isn’t much around us or on the Island, in general. Tim and his brothers have left to go to the grocery store. The bros and I are leaving Tim tomorrow. They all are going home and I’m going home too, but will rejoin Tim next week (after attending my high school reunion.)
The trip from Roque Island to Campobello was one of our worst days on the sea. Lots of swells and rough water. I had to lay down for most of it. It was also very cold on the water, but when we got into land, it was terribly warm. Roque Island in Maine has a beautiful cove with a mile long sandy beach, very unusual for here. The family that owns that Island asks you not “to advance” off the beach, but it was a nice beach walk. There were a few other boats in the cove, with a couple of rowdies all rafted together. It was Saturday night, I guess. We moved further away from them and had a peaceful night.
Before Roque Island we were in Northeast Harbor Maine at Mt. Desert. That’s where we were docked next to another Grand Banks. They had nice public facilities there for showering, laundry, and restaurants.
There is forecasted rain for the next few days, but Tim will be on his own, so he can move away from the leaks as they happen!
Brothers Captain Tim and Mike
Margaret and Capt Tim
Brother Chris and Capt Tim
Everyone's support Dog - JACKSON
Osprey Nest
Beautiful scenery
Tim's dream pick up truck
My favorite Cormorant pose
Tim diving for whatever that part was
Oh, well, back empty handed
Captain Tim
a little of the fog
Day10 August 5, 2022 FridayArrived today in Northeast Harbor ME near Mt. Desert. Had a harrowing night last night as we ran into fog after leaving Rockland Me. Wound up anchoring near some small island, hopefully out of the way of other boats, and listened to the fog horn every six seconds. Woke up around midnite, and could see stars, so the fog had lifted and hoped for the best in the morning. Then woke again around 3:30am when the lobstermen all started work and came by us in their lobsterboats checking their traps. Rumbling of engines, and lots of wake to rock the boat.Yesterday we were in Rockland ME and it happened to be the start of the Maine Lobster Festival weekend. Had to have a lobster roll. Then checked out the Farnsworth Museum in town. Has large collection of Wyeths' (all the Wyeths) art. Wandered around and couldn't find an ice cream shop. There's a missed business opportunity. After our night in the fog, it was good to wake up to a clear day. Stopped in Brooklin Me, home of the Woodenboat School. Tim ran into a guy who works there that he knew in Newport. We found good shirts and hats in the store there and then headed off. Beautiful scenery among the islands as we made our way to Northeast Harbor. Took a slip for the night, but can't get on the damn internet service. No pics loading tonight but I'll try again in the morning. We are docked next to another Grand Banks, about 20 years younger than our boat. Not wooden and only one engine (that detail is for David Air). Got showers (yay!) and went to eat in a restaurant. I had to have lobster again. It's Maine. Had a lobster BLT. Yum. Also, finally found an ice cream vendor.Oh, forgot a good detail when we were in Tenants Harbor the other day. Anyway, Captain Tim did dive for the missing howser ring, unsuccessfully unfortunately. But it was an heroic attempt. Pics to follow.We are in the shadow of Mt. Cadillac at Acadia National Park. May stay here another day and hike around. I'll let you know. Or if I find better internet, I'll upload the pix.
Day 8 August 3, 2022 Wednesday
Day 5 July 31, 2022 SundayArrived Round Pond Maine today. Home of the eldest Frost Brother, Chris, A welcome site to see Chris out on the dock, ready to spring us from the boat. Happy to be welcomed by his wife, Anne, with a hot shower, laundry, and a great meal. Will be here a couple of days to provision the boat, visit with family, and sample the famous Thirty Acre Farm ferments and other delights. Then will resume heading north up the coast of Maine.
Day 4 July 30, 2022 SaturdayFrom Stage Island Harbor across Casco Bay to South Port Island and moored in Love Cove. close to Boothbay Harbor. Calm seas and fair wind. We are so lucky.
Great to hear from you guys…I await with bated breath for your next installment!! See you back in orient…jeff
ReplyDeleteTim will definitely end up on one of the yachts. Hopefully he brought proper attire.
ReplyDelete