August 19, 2014 …. entering lobster pot nightmare …. Maine

we were off the anchor at 6:15 am to catch the tides properly … one thing I forgot to mention yesterday that the clocks go back one hour (Eastern Standard Time) … we had to enter Canadian waters to get around Campobello Island and into the Bay Of Fundy , then a few hours later we are back in US waters and the LOBSTER POT, nightmare begins …  at this time the outgoing tide gave us a 2-3.5 knot boost.

the seas were very rough, tide going out and strong winds on the nose, the seas were confused and 3-4 ft …. the lobster pots in this area are doubles, one small bouy is tied on the pot or trap and lowered to the bottom of seas (150 ft ) and a stringer goes off to a larger bouy, these stringers are 12 ft to 40 feet long ….  we spent 6 hours dodging the pots and the fishing boats …  we were mentally exhausted and visually strained by the end of the day.

at one point the seas were ugly and we decided to head inshore and go behind some islands for shelter, little did we know we were 5 miles off shore and it took us 1 hour to get to protection … this fisherman was kind enough to wave to us, with his black lab on the back of the boat

you can't see it from this picture,….. but picture a birthday cake with white icing … now sprinkle the colourful sparkles on it to decorate …   now add more sparkles ..ha ha … ugh

we anchored at a beautiful beach, with about 6 other boats and lobster pots mixed in … we were so tired, I slept for 2 hours and Joe one … never did go to the beach … this boat is Miss Conduct from St. John, New Brunswick, the family we met at customs… more on them later

our 8.5 hour trip … 48 km …. rough seas and lobster pots everywhere 

August 18, 2014 ----- Eastport, Maine .. entering USA

Joe putting up the quarantine flag, and took down the New Brusnwick flag … we tried to find a dock to tie to but the 13 American boats that we met at Grand Manan were here … so we risked a mooring ball … not knowing if it was inspected and who it belonged to …(we never did find out and the night was calm)  

we had read up on what was allowed into the states and we depleted our eggs, fresh fruit, meat, just about everything that does not come in a can ….

Joe changed and headed off to the dinghy dock to find the Custom's office .. he was back in a few minutes, the customs met him at the dock and said I was to come to shore with him … it turns out they were watching us scouring the docks for space and so on …. so we both went in and did the formal papers … we got our Cruising Permit for one year and there was no mention of a cost for it, (we were told it was $30 dollars) and no mention of food or liquor.  We met a fantastic family at Customs, they too were signing in .. more on them later …

we took a short walk down main street and found out the grocery store is about one mile away, and no taxies or buses in town 

fishermen of the sea

water view of EastPort

our track for the day from Head Harbour and into USA waters .. thru a lot of turbulent waters

very close to us was the "Old Sow" Whirlpool … it is caused primarily by the conjunction of two fierce currents .. one - the regular flood tide, where it rises to 22 ft to high water, flowing up the bay past Eastport northerly, and the other, a similar tide flowing in westerly from what is called Indian River, between Deer Island and Indian Island N.B.

The Old Sow is considered a tidal whirlpool because of the tidal currents which come together to form the whirlpool. A few hours before high tide on the incoming tide is the best to see it. 

August 17, 2014 …Grand Manan Island to Campobello Island, New Brunswick

leaving Grand Manan .. one of the active fishing weirs … there are many in the area, but most are not used and are a real hazard to boaters

a fishing boat coming  back to the harbour … we also let the ferry, to mainland New Brunswick, pass us around this point of land

the light house going into Head Harbour, Campobello Island … we saw two puffins in the water on the crossing.. the incoming tide only gave us  knot boost this morning 

it was a 3 1/2 hour crossing on a cloudy day with swells hitting us on the beam … not my favourite type of sea …. I must have my sea legs by know

when we arrived it started to really pour rain … and as usual we needed water in our tank, for dishes and clean up jobs … so out came the buckets and pots and pans, we managed to collect 4 gallons in a two hour period

another thing we needed to do was wash the boat with fresh water … so rain water is the best that you can get … here I'm out scrubbing the deck

during this rain storm this beautiful boat came in the river, and sent the crew off to look for a phone to call into customs, to enter Canada …. we found out later that there was at one time a phone here with customs, but not any more ….   85 ft.

it was not in season for these fishermen, but all of their pots were lined up neatly on floating rafts

Modaki tied to one of the rafts … we asked a fisherman were to spend the night and he pointed to these 

a different way of tying up

the skipper out scrubbing the waterline

August 16, 2014 --- Grand Manan

Saturday morning at the Farmer's Market , it wasn't too busy with venders, probably because the last few days have been rainy and cold, and this was the first nice day ….

there was a variety of local crafts, preserves, fishermen's rope mats, and only one guy that was selling a small quantity of vegetables … we got greenhouse cucumbers, tomatoes and field green beans … fresh vegetables are hard to come by on the island … and as it turned out this man was from Pickton, Ontario, and is returning to his 200 year family farm, and just turned the soil for the first time in 50 years, to start a market garden

all day long helicopters flew in and out, bring investigators in to view the horrible accident that happen this morning

we met a couple that have a boat, that looks like a lobster boat … as it turns out they have lived 40 years in Port Elgin, Ontario …. John and Rachelle MacDonald  .. such a small world

here is the skipper pulling the fishing boat in to the dock, so we can climb aboard it and then to Modaki

our sea glass find

one last visit to the Cafe, to get wifi and update the blog … little did we know at that time ,it would be 7 days until we get proper wifi again ….  my tea is Grand Manan Fog …….. (Earl Grey tea, steamed milk and Vanilla) …. so good, I'm making it on the boat now

August 14 and 15, 2014 … the island is in shock a plane crash this morning

I took a nice walk out to Swallow Tail Light house … this is looking back at the town of North Head

a fishing weir that is in use today

we were told that the storm the day before, washed a 30 ft Pilot Whale up on the beach …we found out that it was badly decomposed and must of been in the water dead for 30 days, it had bite marks on it from a shark, but not sure how it died … this is the tale

there were scientist there when we arrived and they were cutting it up, and buried the pieces in a 10 ft deep hole on the beach … the bones were put into a large lobster crate for the salt and sea life to clean them .. then they will be donated to the Whale and Bird Research Centre here at North Head.

Rowena and Bert Small, (related to our sailing friends from Annapolis Royal, Janis and Cam Albright)

lent us their car for a day to have a tour of the island

that was very much appreciated

this is Swallow Tail Lighthouse

this morning we were awakened by a low flying air plane … we thought this was strange cause it was the first plane we have heard while we were here …. a few seconds later it crashed, killing the pilot and paramedic and a nurse also aboard survived … this is a small island and the deceased were well known … so awful

August 14 and 15 2014 Grand Manan Island and pilot whale on beach … part one

we visited  Grand Manan Museum …it  holds the collection of Allan Moses 300 + bird specimens, which were found in the Grand Manan area … also displayed is the Second Oldest Fresnel lens from Gannet Rock (1831), once the second brightest lighthouse lens in the world … exhibits on dulsing and the sea vegetable industry …and much more … we were very impressed with this museum

and a great exhibit about the invention of radar, by Ernest W. Guptill , the slot wave guide and the Eye of the Radar … we sure have used ours on this adventure

Modaki at low tide … only about 12 feet of the mast showing … our wind generator only works on high tide … no wind down in the harbour at low tide

the fishing weirs, ferry and the light house we will visit 

this is low tide at Seal Cove .. everything is on stilts ..

it reminded us so much like Peggys Cove

this area is full of old herring smoke houses … not in use now

off we drive to Dark Harbour on the west side of the island … we went up the hill and around valleys and down again to find this jewel  ….

this area was used for herring fishing long ago, but now it is dulse industry …there was salmon aquaculture here but it is now abandoned

at the entrance to the natural harbour is this wooden structure, we thought it was a lighthouse, but was told it was used in the herring industry … 

the cliffs are about 200 ft high, and the rocks I'm walking on are rounded by the tides

some of these buildings are used for summer homes … and some are used by Dark Harbour Hermits … it would be impossible to get to this place in the winter

in the middle of the parking lot is a dory with motor on, tied to a rock … we found out later that at high tide, there is no parking lot, it is all under water  .. makes sense 

we found the dulse drying area, it is really amazing drying system

round rocks are laid on the flat ground and mesh over top, of that, then the dulse, kelp, etc is laid out by hand to dry … we understand that on a good hot day, it can dry in about 4 hours .. and when rain is in the forecast it is rolled up and tarped, cause fresh water will ruin the harvest

these workers are cutting the dulse up before drying

then there was this guy harvesting sea lettuce … it is dried the same way

once back at the boat, at high tide, the fishing boat and Modaki was about 20 feet from the dock, it took a lot of pulling on the fishing boat's lines to get it back to the dock …