August 29 - 30, 2013 boat haul out projects --- OH NO !!

first of all we have no pictures of yesterday..... because it was not a nice night or day ... winds gusting to 25 and from the north, which meant it was coming into the anchorage that we were at on Backman Island, and the mooring rode kept hitting one of our 2 anchors, that kept Joe up and down all night long, thinking that some one was on the boat ... BUT who in their right mind would be out in this weather ...  so that was yesterday ... 

I missed talking to this skipper of the " Junk" that was anchored close to us back in Mahone Bay, I am still kicking my self .. they are from the U.S.A. , we have seen them two times before on the water, this time they are sailing out past us at our mooring  ... and all I can yell to them is "you have a beautiful boat "... but I wanted more information  ...  I hope they are staying close this weekend !!!!

back to boat chores ... my job is to finish sanding and varnishing the back rail, the weather today was still not the best, but I did get one coat on ...

have you ever started a maintenance job and wished you had never started it in the first place ... well 

that was this job .....   then the skipper spied what I was doing and he said I did a fantastic job and I could continue  to do the rest of the scraping and varnishing on the rest of the boat's wood work . OMG no way !!!

while I was doing my outside work the skipper decided to finish up the motor insulation  ... but this one was above the motor ... which meant moving , tying, etc. pipes and hoses ... (I think he also wished he had not started this job) .....

side wall and top step insulated

another side wall insulated

okay it is our batteries for the refrigeration unit ..

the mess that the skipper made, to do his projects ... and it took 3 hours plus , 

the old lead insulation we took out .....  

salon back to normal ... we took another 4 bags of garbage to the dock, because of our jobs, we also paid for our fresh water showers,  .. but got to load up our gallon jugs of water for free.

we have a problem , our  fresh water tanks are not large enough,  another project Skipper !!!

August 27 - 28, 2013 Backman Island, Bay of Mahone

it was really hard to leave Mahone Bay, and our new friends Peter and Mary, Gregg and Christine ... but there is so many gunk holes to explore in the Bay of Mahone .... first we headed off to Backman Island, you can anchor or pick up a mooring ball, it took us about one hour motor , there was no other boats here at this time ... we had to take advantage of nice skies and a bit of wind, laundry day

then off to explore, it was low tide and the rowing to shore was quite pleasant, these are all protected areas, and signs to post the same "Leave only Footprints"... another couple of boats arrived, and they all went to other mooring balls ... so I guess so far we are safe on ours

the trees in this area sure have a hard time surviving, lots of harsh conditions and the salt air

we walked to the other side of the island .... no sea glass here either

it was a great day and night with a beautiful sunset, 4 boats in total in this small area, there was at least 6 more mooring balls available

this is the next morning, totally fogged in, all of the sailboats left in the fog, most definitely they know were they are going ....

the fog did lift around 1pm and we motored a mile to the Lunenburg Yacht Club, we had hoped to anchor in this basin, (as the 5 year old guide book said so), but it was so full or mooring balls, there was no way to swing a boat at anchor.  So off we went again back to the empty Backman's Island.

we made lists of the boat chores we had to do before the boat can be hauled, and started to do what we could do.  Here Joe is unzipping the binimi, and dodger and cleaning the stainless frame with Never Dull, then the BBQ and all the stanchion's too.  I continued my work on scrapping the wood and getting it prepped for varnishing ... it was getting too late in the day to actually varnish it.

maybe that was a good idea, because a fog bank started to roll in and it got quite cold and misty

we thought it looked a bit funny as it came up and over the island ... I hope tomorrow

we can head out and explore some more ... the winds are to change over night, lets hope the weather man it right !!!!

August 25 and 26, 2013 making arrangements for haul out and visiting friends

Sunday the 25th we spent most of the day on the boat, cleaning (inside and out), and getting our plans organized to deliver the car to Gold River Marina, were we are hauling out sometime the first week of September.  The skipper heading to shore for ice-cream cone and more fresh water.

we spent a lovely evening with Christine and Gregg Little on the boat.

www.encompassingdesigns.com    (rug hooking studio)

some colourful bouys, at our favourite hang out Jo-Ann's deli ....

www.joannsdelimarket.ca

Monday, we packed up the car with stuff we are taking home, and drove the scenic route to Gold River Marine, about 20 minutes away, we made our arrangements with Cindy (Customer Services Manager), with dates of arrival and haul out.  Then met the Darrin, (Yard Services Manager), and discussed leaving the mast up, and he showed us were we will be on the hard for 9 months.

Gregg Little kindly picked us up and then took us to his house for a wonderful BBQ supper, including fresh scallops..  this is Gregg and Christine Little (seated), and good friend Mary Doig (a fantastic rug hooker), and two of the 4 puppies.

Christine and Gregg, putting the final touches on supper in their completely renovated 1870 ish home, over looking Bay of Mahone.

August 24, 2013 --- ferry ride to Little and Big Tancook Islands

last nights sunset looking east ... out of the harbour

and what we saw looking west, into town

we had about one hour before the Tancook Ferry departed, so  off we went for some lunch

I had the sea food chowder, so good ...

the Tancook Ferry goes between the town of Chester and the Tancook Islands, and it takes approx. one hour to cross, it first goes to Little Tancook then to Big Tancook .. today it was loaded to capacity, and 4 people could not come aboard, so once they delivered the first 75-80 people they went back for the 4 remaining ... the cost round trip is only $5.50 each .. really cheap boat ride

all groceries, building material, plants, gas, diesel, cars, are all transported by this ferry

the metal boxes are also full, some with bicycles, coolers etc.

coming into Little Tancook, only a few residence stay year round

and Big Tancook ferry dock ... there is not much room to manoeuvre in here

we are meeting up with our friend Mike Ashmore, from Owen Sound

 we got to go sea glass hunting, and found some well aged pieces, Big Tancook, has one restaurant, a Recreational Centre, a School (one year there was only one student), a Post Office, Baptist Church and Cemetery, an old gold mine, Fossil Beach, and bicycle rentals ... 

the museum, library, and Wishing Stones Studio and Gallery

the home of our tour guide Ray ...

this is the outhouse, right on the side of the cliff ... when the tide comes in it washes everything out to sea  (not in use these days)

Ray Fardell and Mike Ashmore, I must say the view from that outhouse was spectacular 

saying good bye to Big Tancook, as the ferry leaves the dock, and Mike walking up the hill back to Ray's place

August 23, 2013 Ovens Natural Park and laundry !!!

well I think this boat needs a hair cut ...  not used much, I guess !!!

for the last 6 months I have been a friend with www.encompassingdesigns.com

some of you don't know that I (Yvonne) am a "hooker",  and I am looking forward to getting back to my pleasure  !!!

this is Christine Little in her beautiful retail store, full of hooked rugs, life rugs, cat's with hat's rugs, local history rugs, Christine has designed most of the patterns, her friends the rest ... today's visit was so fantastic for me .. I have ordered a kit entitled "Tri-Relaxing" which was named by Gregg (husband), 

sailor, racer, boat builder ... we hope to have you aboard soon !!!

Christine's son, Shane does all the dying of the fabric, Shane has published a few books on the "cook book" of dyeing ... this business is above all others .. Congratulations !!! ... 

on our touring we came across a Beat Breast Cancer, fund raiser ...this Greenhouse, wanted 1,000 bras, and they got it and donated the same in cash ... what a way to stop traffic ...  

next was the LaHave Cable Ferry, just leaving as we parked the car .. we walked the beach there and found some sea glass, and lots of live mussels, that we could harvest, it was low tide .. there was no warning signs of Red Tide, but ... 

a boardwalk, fund raiser, never seen this before, we set out looking for another sand beach, which are hard to find in this coast of Nova Scotia, turn right at the white church, then left at the red mail box, and around the cove to the mermaid on the front lawn of the first blue house on the right and go for 5 minutes then you are there .... and we arrived !!

what a fascinating beach, right on the ocean  .. 

we are walking at low tide, the sky reflecting on the beach

OMG, this is Canada ... we Canadians should come explore Nova Scotia, and the rest of Canada ...

the skipper won't let me bring any more rocks aboard, so now I have to take pictures .. this is a reflection of rocks and sailboats, with mast light's on ..  

this beach is good for the surfers

next we went to the Ovens Natural Park, and gold panning ...

these are the crushing stones, from the first Chilean Mill during the Gold Rush of 1861

heading down the first cave

down the cave and looking out to see, this one is at low tide and not much water ... 

the skipper at the top of the steps, out of the cave

this is one of the inlets into the caves, also used by rum runners

one of the look out points

about 10 caves, so close to Lunenburg Harbour

a walk way down to the cave

down here we heard the thunder of the waves hitting the back wall and bouncing back

looking out to sea

the rock formation and colour on the sides was so fascinating, and the water was so clear ... the first we have seen in N.S.

each inlet is a cave ... with falling rocks 

another cave ..

a man made steps to get to the caves

Blue Rocks .. sun setting .. get back to the boat before dark

Nova Scotia is so beautiful ... Ontario come and visit our Country !!!!!!