Category Archives: 2010 – Down East Cruise

Ananda’s Down East Cruise in 2010

Waiting For Spring

It’s been quite a while since my last post late in August. September through the first week of December was very demanding at the project site in Kuwait. After a long rehabilitation period the station was finally ready to start up and there were many, many things left to do–and not enough people or hours in the day to get the work done.

The last 6 weeks I was in Kuwait I worked 7 days a week. I returned home to Canada on December 9th–sad to be leaving my friends and colleagues who I had worked so closely with for the past 9 months, yet ready to come home and be with my family.

Part of me wanted to return to Kuwait for another 3 months but it was not the best choice for my family–so I have returned to work in Canada and the USA. I will stay on the job until late May/early June and then I will be getting ready to head off on my cruising adventure–the one that I postponed last summer.

Ananda is waiting patiently for me on the hard in Maine. I am anxious to see her and get back in the sailing groove. I took this photograph a few years ago at my marina in Goderich. I didn’t like it at first because it reminded me that the winters got in the way of sailing. But as time passed I have grown to like the photo and it is “re-teaching” me about the importance of patience and the rewards that come from it.

Wednesday, September 1 – Destination Achieved!!!

I left Grand Manan for St. Andrews at 7:00am. Most of the trip was against the tide, so my progress was slow—about 5.7 knots most of the way. I took the route between Grand Manan and the mainland – Maine. I was motoring dead in to the wind—so no sails up today.
As I approached the passage to the Passamoquody Bay I saw some whale watching boats but I did not see any whales. The passage in to the Passamaquody Bay is close to Letete, New Brunswick. It is fairly narrow and the current was very swift in places. My speed jumped up to almost 9 knots as I went through the narrowest part of the passage. Once I entered the Bay the water was a flat as a board (no wind at all) and the heat haze was so dense that I could not see the other shore (and St. Andrews) until I was better than half way across the bay.
Jane and Blaine called me on my cell phone and told me that they were at Indian Point (in St. Andrews) and watching for me. I could see the point as I approached St. Andrews harbour and gave a couple of toots on the air horn to send my greetings to Jane & Blaine. The tide was falling and the final channel in to St. Andrews harbour is narrow, so I switched my focus to arriving safely in the harbour and not running aground. 
Blaine’s brother “BB” is the Town’s Wharfinger (harbourmaster). I had called his office earlier in the day and left a voice mail for him with an estimated time for my arrival. I was only a couple of hundred yards away from the Town wharf and I saw this small motor boat coming my way—it was BB coming out to greet me. 
I asked him if I could tie up to a spot on the wharf for a few minutes so I could get off the boat and see Jane and Blaine and he directed me to a temporary mooring spot. As I approached the wharf I could see Jane and Blaine there waiting for me. This was one of the most exciting moments of the entire trip for me!
It was cool on the water but as soon as I got off the boat I could feel the intense heat of the day—over 30 degrees C! After exchanging hugs we jumped in to their car and headed for an air conditioned spot to visit and cool off.
Ananda and I had arrived safely at my destination. After visting with Jane & Blaine I went back to the boat and then took Ananda over to Birch Cove for a well deserved rest on a mooring ball in front of my sister’s home.
Here are some additional photos of my time in St. Andrews
  • Fogged Inn - Blaine & Jane's Home
    Fogged Inn - Blaine & Jane's Home
  • Fogged Inn Annex - My Temporary Home
    Fogged Inn Annex - My Temporary Home
  • Blaine At St. Andrew Market Day
    Blaine At St. Andrew Market Day
  • Sunrise Over Birch Cove
    Sunrise Over Birch Cove
  • Ananda Bundled Up For Hurricane Earl
    Ananda Bundled Up For Hurricane Earl
  • Map Showing Where I Anchored Ananda For Hurricane Earl
    Map Showing Where I Anchored Ananda For Hurricane Earl
  • Ananda's Hurricane Anchorage At Low Tide
    Ananda's Hurricane Anchorage At Low Tide
  • Hurricane Earl Approaches
    Hurricane Earl Approaches
  • Ananda Back On Her Mooring After Earl Had Passed
    Ananda Back On Her Mooring After Earl Had Passed
  • Low Tide At Birch Cove
    Low Tide At Birch Cove
  • High Tide At Brich Cove
    High Tide At Brich Cove
  • Another Sunrise Over Birch Cove
    Another Sunrise Over Birch Cove
  • Blaine Wally & Jane Sunday Brunch
    Blaine Wally & Jane Sunday Brunch
  • Jane Gives Ozzie A Spa Treatment
    Jane Gives Ozzie A Spa Treatment
  • The Wine Drinking Laptop Undergoing Surgery - It Didn't Make it :(
    The Wine Drinking Laptop Undergoing Surgery - It Didn't Make it 🙁
  • Friend's Sailboat
    Friend's Sailboat "Beltane" On Mooring At Martenon
  • Martenon Yacht Club Clubhouse
    Martenon Yacht Club Clubhouse
  • Super Low Tide In Birch Cove
    Super Low Tide In Birch Cove
  • Wally Jane & Blaine St Andrews Wharf
    Wally Jane & Blaine St Andrews Wharf
  • Wally Jane & Heather
    Wally Jane & Heather
  • BB Betty & Blaine
    BB Betty & Blaine
  • Ed Betty & Wally
    Ed Betty & Wally
  • Hank Isabel & Wally
    Hank Isabel & Wally
  • St Andrews Harbour
    St Andrews Harbour
  • Firsherman's Wedding St. Andrews Wharf
    Firsherman's Wedding St. Andrews Wharf
  • A Few Casts Before The Wedding
    A Few Casts Before The Wedding
  • The Wedding Begins
    The Wedding Begins
  • Ananda Haul Out At Eastport Maine
    Ananda Haul Out At Eastport Maine
  • Ananda Haul Out At Eastport Maine
    Ananda Haul Out At Eastport Maine
  • Ananda Ready For Jackstands
    Ananda Ready For Jackstands
  • Drying & Folding Ananda's Sails
    Drying & Folding Ananda's Sails
  • St. Andrews Blockhouse
    St. Andrews Blockhouse
  • Wally St. Andrews Beach
    Wally St. Andrews Beach
  • Low Tide At The Blockhouse
    Low Tide At The Blockhouse
  • Algonquin Hotel In St. Andrews
    Algonquin Hotel In St. Andrews
  • St. Andrews Main Street
    St. Andrews Main Street
  • St. Andrews Main Street
    St. Andrews Main Street
  • St. Andrews Main Street
    St. Andrews Main Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, August 31

The marina in Yarmouth does not have a fuel dock. Paul, the Marina Manager was kind enough to drive me to a nearby gas station so I could pick up some jerry cans of diesel fuel. I added 60 liters in total.
I left Yarmouth at 9:00am and arrived in Seal Cove on Grand Manan Island at 3:30pm. The trip across this part of the Bay of Fundy was very exciting. I had anticipated this part of my journey for several weeks. I had timed my departure from Yarmouth to allow me to take advantage of the outgoing tide on my way to Grand Manan Island. There was absolutely no wind and the sky was very clear.Once I passed the tip of Nova Scotia and entered the Bay of Fundy my speed picked up dramatically—from about 7.5 knots to over 11 knots.
My destination at Grand Manan Island was a small fishing village called Seal Cove, on the south end. This is a commercial fishing harbour with no facilities for pleasure craft. As I was entering the harbour I called over to a person on the main wharf and asked him if there was a place where I could tie up for the night. He told me that the harbour master was away for the day so just tie up anywhere and it would probably be fine. I tied up on a lobster raft in the harbour basin.
Morton Benson, a local fisherman came over to the raft to meet an incoming lobster boat. He said it was fine to stay tied to the raft but asked me to move to the other side so the lobster boat could have room to dock and unload his catch.
Morton asked me where I was going and I told him St. Andrews. He smiled and said “you missed!”. We both laughed and I told him that it took me 58 years to make it to Grand Manan so I did not want to pass it by (on my way to St. Andrews).
He asked me if I intended to tour the island. He said that he would drive me around the island but he had a meeting to go to. He then offered me his truck so I could drive myself around the island. More incredible Maritime hospitality!
We had been talking for all of 5 minutes and I am offered loan of a vehicle. But then again, Ananda is tied up to “his” raft in a small village on an island—so the likelihood of me taking off with his truck was pretty small.
I accepted Morton’s kind offer and spent about 90 minutes touring the island. I then dropped his truck off at the wharf and, per his instructions, left the keys in the ignition. Its such a beautiful place—I certainly will be back to spend more time. Thanks Morton!

Monday, August 30

I departed Shelburne at 7:00am and headed to Yarmouth. The swells coming in from the open ocean were huge, but very gentle. No whitecaps or “sheep”, just giant rolling water. Apparently these swells were generated by Hurricane Daniel. Each swell coming towards me looked like a mountain of water and when I was in the “bottom” between two swells I was not able to see the land on my starboard side.
An hour or two from Shelburne the wind began to blow steadily towards the shore so I put the mizzen sail up and the jib out about 50% of the way. The sailing was awesome! I then picked up the current and was motor sailing at speeds consistently over 10 knots and often passing 11-11.5 knots! 
This was a great ride for about 2 hours until I turned north to go around Cape Sable Island, which is the southernmost point of Nova Scotia. Now headed north, I was headed straight in to the wind, so down came the jib but I left the mizzen up for stability. My speed slowed to less than 7 knots as I “climbed” against the current and the tide. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
I arrived in Yarmouth around 5:00pm. A great day on the water and I was now getting very close to “home”! I tied up at the marina and went in to town for dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner I walked around the downtown and enjoyed a fantastic sunset.

Sunday, August 29

I departed Liverpool at 7:00am and headed towards Shelburne. The Town of Shelburne is 10 miles inland but it is a beautiful and historic area so I thought that I would take the extra time to visit it. I am very glad I did.
Shelburne claims to have the 3rd largest natural harbour in the world and judging from how long it took me to get to the yacht club, it’s easy to believe. The cruising guide states that Shelburne was founded in 1783 and shortly after that had a population of 10,000—the 4th largest city in North America at that time. Today Shelburne has a population of about 2,000 and has an economy based on tourism, fishing and ship repair.
The movie “The Scarlet Letter”, starring Demi Moore was filmed in Shelburne in 1994 and the movie production company refinished many of the buildings on the waterfront to suit the movie production. It is a great place to have a short walk in history and to get a sense of what things must have been like back in the late 1700’s.
The Yacht Club in Shelburne was also great. It had offices, showers and laundry downstairs and a huge bar and meeting room upstairs—overlooking the harbour and the marina.