8/19/04 Baddeck, NS
Cape Breton Boatyard, aka Henry's Place
Zipped out to the Iles de la Madeleine (Magdalens) on Monday. Cap
aux Meules Monday night. City like with tourists ferried in from PEI and
Quebec. But needed and got: gas-for-dinghy, ATM-cash-for-diesel-fuel,
food-pour-moi-et-chein (French in Province of Quebec), and water-for-boat-tanks.
Did a boat tour of the islands Tuesday and anchored in Havre de la Grande
Entree. Giant lagoon with beaches and light winds predicted. Pup in
dinghy we headed for shore. Problem. Most of huge bay anywhere near
shore was too shoal for dinghy with me [and dog] aboard -- we would bottom out
on bars about 1/2 mile from shore.
Finally found an island to anchor dinghy and wade in to beach where Polarlys
frolicked -- he could run free since isolated and empty. Happy dog!
About an hour later got him back aboard dinghy and re-floated. Now
unpredicted winds and breaking waves in the shallow bay. Got back to the
big boat no problem, but tricky getting Polarlys aboard. Waves would
alternately pick up the whole dinghy and place it on the swim platform and then
sweep it off again. The summer water in the shallow bay proved a
pleasantly warm bath.
With dog back aboard and dinghy re-secured, I tried bending an extra line on the
anchor chain to get the boat to sit at a set angle to the seas with some
success. Still uncomfortable (rock and roll), so about an hour before dark
I hauled up the anchor and tied to a government wharf in a nearby fishing port
for the night. More comfortable and no worry about the anchor dragging.
In season (June or July), the port would have been already over-crowded with
fishing boats, but there was room enough. Lots of drive-by gawkers though.
Folks would slowly drive their diesel pick-ups out to the end of the pier we
were tied to, gawk for awhile, and then slowly reverse back off the pier.
Weather prediction for Wednesday morning was light and diminishing winds.
It appeared accurate, so we got underway back to Nova Scotia. About 35
miles out with 20 miles to go to Cape North, the "diminishing
winds" became undiminished and kicked us around for several hours until we
got around Cape North. The dog gets unhappy when the coffee pot takes
flight. My course was SE and the winds were SW with breaking waves and
gusts right on the beam -- not so good. The autopilot is helpless in this
situation, so I steer by hand and tack, alternating between a southerly course
(in to the waves, crash, bang, smash) and an easterly course, surfing down-sea
and trying to catch her before she broaches. I still use the pilot to
yield an average course, going about 0.1 miles up-sea from the course line,
picking a momentary lull to make a 90 degree tacking turn and then going about
0.1 miles down-sea before picking a lull and turning back 90 degrees the other
way again. My technique for handling breaking seas on the beam.
Better ideas happily entertained.
Once past Cape North and into Aspy Bay (Dingwall), everything was sunny and
smooth again. Took on 200 gallons of fuel by pre-arrangement with the
fish-coop in Dingwall. Somebody else was at Hamilton Carter's dock and
Hamilton was still in Newfoundland. Since the winds seemed finally to be
truly diminishing, I headed on down to Baddeck, another 6 hours or so. Had
a smooth afternoon and evening and arrived at Henry's at about 10PM Wednesday
night after a fantastic evening cruise into the Bras d'Or lakes up through the
channel under the huge highway bridge.
Adventure part of the trip is now pretty much over. Lots of cleaning -- in
and out -- and catching up with stuff while here in Baddeck where it is easy,
then on to Halifax and Maine. Probably won't get out of here until late in
the weekend (besides the catching up, the weather is again looking
uncooperative). Weather depending, should be home in ten days to two
weeks.
This is probably the last transmission from this trip other than maybe a quick
update upon arrival home.