Monday-Friday. September 12-16.
We are sailing in the “ Gulf of Maine”, the strait between Canadian Nova Scotia and the U.S coast of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
My topographical knowledge will get quite a boost on this trip. After the troubles in Halifax concerning our visa and customs we leave the capital of Nova Scotia Tuesday morning. Monday morning we visit the American Consulate and the U.S Customs at Halifax airport to check if our Esta documents are as required. Now we have confirmation of three independent sources that our documents are correct. We will see…
The wind is the second reason for our late departure. A continuous southerly current with wind force 6-7 Bft at sea, caused by a low-pressure area east of us, kept us (land locked) in Nova Scotia. It’s no bad deal. The weather is nice, sunny and lots of sight seeing. From Halifax we sail to Herman’s Island, 40 NM west of Halifax. Here we visit our new Canadian friends Bruce and Joan. After touring the beautiful surroundings and a visit to the Canadian Historical Fleet, including the old flagship of Nova Scotia in Lunenburg, we end the evening with a nice dinner in a local restaurant.
Wednesday we return to sea. The forecasts still show high winds. And that appears to be the case. After one day we decide to take shelter, this time in Liverpool… A friendly reception on the fish auction quay. We moor between fish trawlers brown aged by corrosion. Opposite the road free Wi-Fi from the “ Privateer”, a traditional local establishment with public terrace. That’s all we wish for. Here we check the weather forecasts again. At last they show improvements. A to the north veering and decreasing wind. We experience it already the same evening. A heavy rain shower. Nice to take the salt off the ship and cosy to sleep with.
We are 36 hours en route with a splendid deep blue sky. At night the full moon is our pilot. But the south point of Nova Scotia is a tough cookie to digest. Colliding currents, swirling and rotating waves try to eject Peters’ just prepared Indonesian meal all over the pantry. Empty egg boxes and kitchen towels work very well to stabilize the pans…
The delay in Nova Scotia makes us reschedule our trip planning. We skip Boston, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. We sail a direct track to Newport, Rhode Island, where we will have landfall tomorrow. The intention is to declare here at the U.S Customs. This might take some time, as our previous experience taught us. Then towards New York, the city that never sleeps.
We plan to arrive during daytime as it’s no joy to enter an unknown harbour in the dark.
Meanwhile the on coming night brings us past the shoals of Nantucket, shallow areas along the coast identified by buoys. We have to be alert. At the time you read this, you’ll know we succeeded! This story will be uploaded in Newport.
