July 29 and 30, 2013 Ballantynes Cove - Havre Boucher - Port Hawksbury, Cape BRETON

we were surprised to see our  sailing friend Al Fraser on Deliverance, coming in to Ballantynes Cove, we met Al in Pictou, and he gave us very good advice for Bras d'Or Lakes and Iles-de-la -Madelaine,  hey Al text us at 519-379-0544  or email us at modaki@rogers.com ......... we want to keep in touch with you !!

OK we left Ballantynes Cove knowing it was 10-15 on the nose, and building later ...  the Skipper and I had 2nd thoughts ... there is a reason that there is no pictures of the  porpoises and the pilot whales, the Northern Gannets diving to catch their morning snack .. and the Black Back Gulls that are so beautiful .

.. this is why we zing zag back and forth ... okay we get so far and think .. we made a mistake the wind has picked up and it is too late to turn back ... the 5 hour trip, felt like a 10 hour trip ... we were soaked with salt water,  and just wishing the day would come to an end !!

In Havre Boucher, a new anchorage for us ...   mud bottom and we held on the first try and the wind was up so we really dug in ..

this is a big harbour and there is only one other boat, in our area there would we 15 or so boats

it was misty and raining a bit and  we were full of salt every were , it is hard to clean anything with out fresh water ..    

we hung life jackets in side after dark, but the air was still damp

no way of drying everything .. 

July 30, we left the anchorage at 6:30 am and headed to the Canso Locks, ahead was a bank of fog .. we put on the radar, just thinking it was a bank of fog ... ??

okay this is the area that you always see the pilot whales, and we did a fews weeks ago, when we saw 50 to 100 feeding on the Mackerel

okay  no whales and soon no land either , we radioed the Canso Lock to say we were one mile away ... we were slowly motoring  to the lock .. thank goodness we had a track from a few weeks ago, and we know what was ahead of us ...

getting close to the lock .. we asked the lock master about the fog .. and he said "oh ya lots of fog"

entering the lock ... we had to radio, because we could not see the green light to go into the lock

\

we asked if we could wrap our middle line around the steps, so we did not have to stand off, MODAKI, does not like to stand off ..  good with the lock masters ... hummmmmmm 

still tons of fog, bridge open .. where do we venture into ??  skipper ??

after this we were completely engulfed  in fog, we could not steer our self,  we could follow our other times thru this passage, but we over corrected and just about went in circles ... had to get auto out and he had a better hand than us ... this is the 3rd time that this has happen to us .. one  was going into Toudaussa, Quebec ... (and first with Jamie and Martha Nicol coming home from the North Channel) 

..... oh no HALIFAX, Nova Scotia is coming soon !!!

okay before this picture ,... we got to Port Hawkberry about 3/4 hour after the locks, in the fog, at 8am, we filled with fuel and waited until noon to see if it would lift, and then we headed out, and we got to the bouy and said no way, we can't see anything and don't know the area ... lets stay put ..

at dock we can do many projects .. the skipper installed a fan for me, my skipper does know electrical works, and he carries extras on board, this will help with the mold problem we are having in this humid environment.

train is  arriving  in Cape Breton

to the left is a fantastic bakery, in the old train station

for LILY, who never reads her mama's blog, ha ha ... but she is doing a great job

at Joe's house cutting the grass and maintaining the house while we are away !!  there fore the lawn mower joke !!!!

special supper, zucchini, mozz chesse, pizza sause !!

July 28, 2013 PEI to Nova Scotia

When we left Souris Harbour, we were met by a large Pilot Whale and about 30 dolphins, they swam around us for a while, then like magic disappeared ... on the horizon we saw what we thought was two fishing boats, as we got closer it looked like one boat and an island .... water was splashing up on the island, and we checked the charts and no island in this area.  As we got closer it turned out to be a tug pulling a barge full or sand or gravel.  The tow line must of been 500 ft plus.

the mysterious island, 

our days trip 35 km, 6 1/2 hours to Ballantynes Cove, Nova Scotia, sailing most of the way

this is were are are planning to go in the next few days ... we are at the top left, then down thru, Canso Locks and to Canso, at bottom of page just out of sight.

Skipper's notes - 2013

It's just over a month and half, into this years adventure and time for some notes from the skipper.

Over the winter there was much discussion about this summers travels and also how we would get back to Modaki.  It was decided that we would stay in the Maritimes this summer which led to travelling back to New Brunswick by car.

Leaving June 3, 2013, this portion of the trip took three days, leaving Owen Sound heading east on the 401, crossing the St. Lawrence at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, and then along Hwy. 20 in Quebec, stopping the first night in Drummondville.

The second night was spent at our good sailing friends, Pierre and Manon in Rimouski.  Always the wonderful hosts, it was so good to see them.

On day three we headed inland through Quebec, into New Brunswick and along the south shore of Cheleur Bay, an area we didn't get to explore last year.

Upon arrival in Shediac it was a drive around to see Modaki, then into a motel for a much needed rest.

The next few days were spent at our friends Dave and Mary Lou Bath (who looked after our boat wonderfully during the winter), while we prepared Modaki to go in the water.

A lot of the usual spring jobs, wash, wax, start the motor and get parts from the storage unit to install.  One of the startling things we found was a mouldy deck (likely from old gelcoat and not providing enough ventilation under the tarp).  We are still trying to get some of it off !!!!

Jacques Landry launched our boat off the back off his trailer.  Quite the experience.  We climbed up the back of a pickup truck and onto Modaki, then he backed the trailer into the water, tilted the bow up, using hydraulics on the trailer, until the water intake was submerged, we started the motor then backed us further into the water and gave us a gentle shove, we were floating once again.

It was 10 more days of preparation.  Load everything from the storage locker, raise the mast, install some motor insulation, repair leak in freshwater tank, and get a new water pump flown in from Atlantic Georgia, USA.  The Yanmar dealer in Moncton was quite helpful on this. (the leak in the old one was found while replacing the impeller).

oh yea, car had to have a new starter motor installed under warranty, and then we put it into storage. (forgot to unplug batteries, so we will need a boost when we return)

Our stay at the Pointe du Chene Yacht Club was great.  The facilities are top notch and the staff and fellow boaters went out of their way to help, but finally it was time to get underway.

On June 21, we motored out of Pointe du Chene (Shediac), early in the morning and pointed the bow towards PEI.

(to be continued)

July 26 and 27, 2013 Souris and Sea Glass Festival

as we walk our way up to the Sea Glass Festival, we see a motor home with a motor cycle on the back, 

now that is the way to go ....

18 years ago a lady found the left hand side glass door knob and a few days

ago, the skipper found the other ... see how the ocean has worn our's, to the perfect specimen  !!!

She has been looking for the other side of the door knob, since then ... nice to have met the lady on the other side  ...

Richard La Motte, author of Pure Sea Glass, and behind him is Romeo Gallant, (we met him beside the bouy, to the entrance of Souris, and he radioed us, said the ferry was leaving at the same time we were to entering ... and life got very interesting from that moment on ... in a very good way  ....  with Romeo and his cousin Eric Gallant.

this is Eric Gallant, the Marina Master and the lender of the yellow sports car, and the truck for two

day to explore the island, and a guy full of knowledge  ... next time we want to go bar clamming with you ...

tons of people at the Sea Glass Festival ... demonstrations, free lobster, scallops, fish, we now have to buy a dremel  tool with diamond bit to drill our sea glass ....

this is were we are collecting our sea glass, the edge of a dump some 50 years ago ... this is what happened back then ... dump it into the sea

Debbie kept the place clean, and the guys in order too ... we got all the info we needed from her to do our exploring by Eric's truck for the eastern end ... she is full of local knowledge and we recommend Souris to all sailors.

one last look out at the Light house !!!

this is for my daughter Lily, she never reads the blog so I am safe, but Joe and I both agree this one is for her !!  sorry my love

July 25, 2013 part two

Our sea glass finds from yesterday, left side a clear glass door knob, rare orange piece, pottery, blue pieces, 4 inch by 1/2 inch clear tube, bottom of medicine bottle

SOME TRIVIA ABOUT LOBSTER

Lobsters navigate by smell: taste with their feet: listen with their legs

Their  "brains" are in their throats, and their teeth are in their stomachs

They will eat each other in a pinch.

They can "throw a claw", meaning discharge it from their body and grow a brand new one.

Long before they were a delicacy, lobsters were fed to prisoners and servants.  The law limited the number of days lobster could be fed to prisoners before it became abuse.

A female is a "hen".  A male is "cock, a little guy is a "chicken", "pistol" has no claws, and 

a "cull" has just one.

Typically lobsters are a dark colour when they are pulled from the water but their shells turn bright red when cooked.

There are about 1,300 lobster boats in the province of P.E.I., which is higher per capita than any other province with a commercial fishery.  Lobsters account for 2/3 to 3/4 of the annual PEI fishing income, with a total catch of approx. 20 million pounds each year.

PEI  BLUE MUSSELS

Cultured mussels are grow in PEI's 19 sheltered salt water rivers, bays or estuaries

Mussels are important to PEI.  More than 1,500 people are employed in the industry annually and exports exceed $30 million.

Cultured mussels are a protein-rich seafood product which provide many nutrients and minerals, while being low in fat, sodium and cholesterol. They are one of natures perfect food sources since they contain Vitamin C, iron, zinc, and omega-3 acids.

There is more than 125 growers who cover more than 10,500 acres of water on PEI.

Cultured mussels are grown on mess socks suspended from buoyed rope longlines, strung tight and anchored in the water.  The socks are filled with seed mussels, and suspend from the longlines.

Cultured mussels have shiny blue-black shells.

A mussel is cooked when the shell opens and you can see the delicious meat inside.

Mussels can live up to 50 years but cultured ones are typically harvested around 28
months old.

The byssus on the mussel is the beard (fine hairlike threads found at one end of the shell)
that the mussel uses to attach itself to surfaces.

July 25, 2013 Happy birthday Harriet Parker, Joe's Mama !!!!!

with light winds we lowered the head sail and Joe cleaned and liberated everything, we redirected it to the port side !!  we put 2 - 20 litre jugs of diesel and a 2 litre jug  - gasoline to starboard side ... we had to balance the boat out.   SIDEWAYS ...  and .....  anyways .. the BOW is still too low

1800 tombs 

I keep thinking of Dave Manner's, every time I see a red hull !!

lots of artwork of old lobster traps

Joe and I had Eric's Vehicle and we drove then walked to the lost beach ... we went at low tide 

lots of beautiful rocks and snails,  and ...

bar clams we think !!

they have to be 4 inches before you can harvest them

okay did not have enough time too look up birds, terns , we think

the skipper walking back from the secret  swimming hole

thank you to Eric Gallant, from Souris Harbour Authority, Eric lent us his truck to explore the island ... 

Eric gave us the keys for two full days, to go exploring  .... this will never happen back home in Ontario...  thank you PEI, and Eric

the skipper and I hit a few other beaches to look for sea glass and .....but nothing compared to 

 .. just behind our boat ...  skipper heading out and around a corner ... thank god you did ... look what he found !!!!!! 

(picture to come)

okay these are the plate full of rounded and so full of colour and history, not our treasures, but that is coming soon

supper of fresh salmon, rice and salad , soon to be followed with 

quahogs .. a type of clam, I think   we bought these for 50 cents each, very good .. we are still looking to dig bar clams !!!!