July 29 - 30, 2014 … Mosher Harbour back to LaHave River …" Man Plans and God Smiles "

this one is for Lands and Forest Consulting , back in Ontario … a Red Oak, healthy at 4 ft diameter 

in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

heading out the LaHave River and scaffolding on a float to do work on a fishing vessel .. not what you see every day ….

we head out the river after an afternoon of computer problems … heading into fog and the temperature keeps getting colder and colder … 

we were hoping to head out the next day to Liverpool, so we got to an outer island so we could make a good escape to the ocean and head south west  .. the fog came and went and the seas rolled us side ways most of the night . and by morning we were socked in with fog  ….  there is a saying Man Plans and God Smiles ….

we were up at 6am .. fog … up 7am … still foggy … up at 7:30 the anchor drag alarm beeped (for no reason) ….   "what the heck"  get up  … we put 20 litres of diesel from a jug to tank, we had breakfast, cleaned and organized boat … still foggy .. can't see past the bow … we hear a motor   .. an outboard raced by us,(2 people on board), we waved, they waved … 15 minutes later the boat came back only one person on board … I waved, he waved .. ha ha  .. I waved him over to us …

Tom Drew was taking his wife a veterinarian to work and was racing back to milk his goats, only a few miles from us as the crow flies, that is … he came aboard and we found out his was the last light house keeper at Moshers Island, which we are anchored at   ….. he gave us lots of history of the island .. he invited us to come for fresh veggies and goat cheese …  

we were listening to the marine weather and it was calling for thunder storms this evening and wind shifting to the east .. which was not good for the anchorage … so we headed back up the river … this picture was a fishing processing plant at one time and now is a permanent resident

this is a wide opening from LaHave River to False La Have ,,, we checked the charts and we could go thru this  channel … it is only deep in a small winding path .. depth sounder would get you thru it ..

days one hour trip back up to LaHave Bakery

we had just planned to stay for a few hours and then head out to anchor, the other boats are wooden and schooners,  our hull was build by Grampian out of Oakville in 1973, then Bruce and Betty Mitchell

of Missassaga did the rest of the work to get her in the water and sailing …  we are young ones next to these 50 - 75 year olds

tonight was pizza night … having wheat issues is not easy … but thanks to these products it is possible… anchovies for me  … thank you !!!

love the colour scheme of this house and lack of deck too … don't open that door !!!

no sunset tonight … completely fogged in on the LaHave River

to be continued ….

July 27 - 29 … part two LaHave Yacht Club to Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

we were at anchor out side La Have Yacht Club … the wind howled all night long and our 150 ft of chain tugged this way and that … by the morning it was still raining and the fog rolled in … we had an appointment with  a Yamaha Dealer for our outboard, in Bridgewater, so we had to move … radar on and slowly entered the channel up the 15 miles to Bridgewater.

past the Snyders Shipyard, which is one of the few remaining shipyards in N.S. that still build and repair wooden vessels of all sizes

in places on the river it is 1/2 a mile across, but this is the safe channel and we just about could reach the trees with the whisker pole

old tugs, just before we reached the Bridgewater Marina, a new facility just 2 years old, we were hoping to dock over night to get the outboard fixed and as it turned out our Mac Book Pro, pooped out on us, luckily a computer shop, a taxi drive away fixed the first problem, then another problem occurred and another taxi drive and the 2nd problem got half fixed …  so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can limp along until we get to a Mac Dealer ….

our trip up the river

at the marina there is a vegetable garden that was put in by the local garden club, we were asked to take what we want … what a great idea .. the garden was surrounded by chicken wire to keep the deer out

Modaki at dock .. it was about a 10-15 minute walk to the grocery store

this is Frank, the volunteer at the Marina … he took us with our outboard, to the dealer, then picked it up, drove us to the grocery store, arranged a pot luck in the evening, went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of at Bridgewater Marina

to be continued …..

July 27 - 29, 2014 … part one

we left Mahone Bay at 7am, and waved our good byes to some great friends, Peter and Mary for the use of their mooring ball,  Christine and Gregg Little for dinners and getting me hooking again, Don and Trisa Barr, for use of their mooring ball, Jo-Anne for the fine food from her deli …

we toasted the Sea Gods Neptune, for a safe journey this sailing season … a little bit of rum !!!

the weather turned really cold the closer to the ocean we got ….  3 layers on the top and 2 on the bottom, and socks for the first time this summer

we started with a reefed main and foresail but had to furl in and down the main, as we rounded the corner to the ocean, the wind was on the nose, as usual … we passed some beautiful homes on the rock cliffs, and as we sailed past the big ones we looked back and tucked into a cove was one even larger 

we entered the LaHave River, oh my what a winding path we had to follow to keep in the middle of the channel .. thank goodness for red and green bouys …..  we passed the LaHave Bakery .. little did we know we would be on their dock 3 days later, waiting out a thunder storm

the LaHave Ferry has the right of way and we had to power back, to let her cross … last year we took this ferry with our car, on our way home to Ontario ….  the cables extend out the front and back, and once it is passed the cables drop to the bottom of the 30 ft channel, so it is safe to go ahead

we put the foresail out and had a great sail up to La Have Yacht Club where we anchored for the evening …. this was a beautiful church from the water

our days log was the outside line, from the top of the screen, Mahone Bay to West LaHave, the other line was last years when we went into Lunenburg

we are seeing lots of loons here, and listened all night to them, so nice

also had a half a dozen seals looking us over as we passed by them

this is Ruffian 34 ft .. Fiona and Iain Lewis, they have sailed all the way from England, to the Caribbean, and worked their way up to Nova Scotia, and are now heading back south … their wind generator is interesting .. when they came to anchor they put it up, but when they crossed the ocean, they dragged it behind the boat and it produces (I might get this wrong) one watt/one mile … we met again in Bridgewater and again soon I hope … also they met our friends Paul and Sheryl Shard on Distant Shores in the Caribbean ….

I guess I should say what our plans are for the next month … the line shows what we hope to accomplish … sail from Mahone Bay, LaHave River, Liverpool, Lockport, Shelburne, around Cape Sable Island Yarmouth, Brier Island, Digby, Annapolis Royal …. then cross the Bay of Fundy to St. John, New Brunswick, down to Grand Manan, N.B.  .. then Sept cross to Maine, U.S.A. and head south ….

what we love to do the best is after a long day of sailing, make popcorn and have a good game of Crazy Eights (with our Nova Scotia paying cards) Joe won this game .. "what the heck "

to be continued ….

July 26, 2014 - part two Mahone Bay

finally back to posting we found wifi in  Rebecca's Cafe … this is a good use of an old sail, it is covering on a veranda over looking the Bay of Mahone

we have some old sails at home and will give this a try

right down to cleats holding it up

our farewell dinner, hosted by Christine Little, owner of Encompassing Design Rug Hooking, lady with apron on …. her Aunt, in orange top … Mary Doig, another fabulous hooker and her husband Peter Redden, he does fine sculptures, very simple, graceful and unfettered   www.finesculptures,.com

absent is Gregg Little, we skyped him in Alberta

Thank you Christine for all of your fine food and company .. hugs to the puppies too !!!

July 24- 25-26 Mahone Bay ……… part one

our trip from Sandy Cove to the town of Mahone, about one hour away, the fog started drifting in and chased us all the way to the entrance to the bay

one of our first stops was Jo-Anne's Deli …  they make the best sweet bread in the area, Joe's treat ... to our surprise Jo-anne has sold her business and is spending her time on her boat in Bahamas

the weights to the swinging doors are carrot bags, one was 2 lbs and the other a 5 lbs bag

we were aware of a storm coming, and later the day it rained and washed all the salt off our decks

Mahone Bay is famous for its 3 Churches … a local winery made some red wine and bottled it and our friend Mary Doig hooked a picture of the churches and it is on the label

our next stop was to see our friend at a great hooking shop, Encompassing Design

Christine Little the owner, designed the rug that I hooked last year, called Tri Relaxing … 

this old dinghy is a herb garden

we met with Tutti and Pat (niece of Bill and Anne Taylor, GYC), they spend their winters in the Bahamas, and we got lots of good info from them

we have been having a lot of trouble with our outboard, the local Yanmar dealer, could not help us for 3 weeks … so off we go by boat to Bridgewater, for Monday

a cat boat, built by Peter Reddon, we are on his mooring ball

its time to get the solar shower bag out again

so now we are rowing to shore, so we take the shortest route and walk to town

this old Chevy reminds me of my 46 3/4 Ton Chevy

…… part two coming when ever we get wifi again

July 21 - 23, 2014 exploring islands on Bay of Mahone

our last night at Gold River Marina, chatting with fellow boaters

our first trip out of the marina, we decided to only go to Round Island, which is about one hour away, it has a fantastic sandy beach with about 20 mooring balls .. since it was a Monday, it was not crowded

this 1923  50ft steel schooner Hershoff Design, built in New Zealand and represented New Zealand in the tall ship regatta …... came into a mooring ball next to us …  " Perception ", they are from Martha's Vineyard, we made contact and he gave us his info, so we can connect when we head south

the fog was starting to roll in, love this picture

at low tide we went for a walk on the island, we had a Bald Eagle and Blue Herons fishing the shore,

2 Pilot Whales swam past 

looking for sea glass

some sea grass

the next day we headed out to another island, this is the Tancook Ferry

the entrance to Deep Cove, this cove was formed by a cleft in the hills extending right into the 500 ft Aspotogan Mountain.  The inlet extends almost a mile into the mountain and expands to a small basin at the head were we moored on Eric and Ellen Haynes mooring … they are good friends with Janis and Cam Albright, Annapolis Royal friends … both of them winter in the Bahamas … once again we got some good info of this area and Bahamas  .. they also treated us to supper 

our trip from Round Island to Deep Cove, we had full main up and reefed foresail, and it was just about too much …..  it took us 2 1/2 hours to cross the bay

our first sea glass collection .. the clear glass one looks like a sail boat

the view from Eric and Ellen Haynes home, looking out the channel

looking out the channel from the water view, we hear that Morgan Davis, blue's player lives in Deep Cove .. he is to be playing in Lunenburg this Sunday, not too sure if we can make it

laundry day on Modaki

the next day we are off to Sandy Cove, a beautiful horseshoe cove, lots of people swimming, the water here was ten degrees colder than Deep Cove … 11.8 C   we put out 125 ft of chain, but in the middle of the night Joe got up to let the other 25ft down too  … we are now looking for anchorages with wind, so the generator can supplement our power supply

our tack this day is the zig zag line .. we had a double reefed main and single reef foresail, on one of our last tacks the sheet hooked under the Whisker Pole (that is strapped onto the mast), and unlatched the bottom hook, thank goodness the top one stayed in tack … lots of lines got tangles and it was impossible to tack back so we did the next best thing  … made out first 360 this year

to be continued …..