Carter's Beach to Lunenburg

Hi everyone,

Yesterday we sailed from Carter's Beach to Lunenburg.  It was a great sail, more than making up for the miserable motor to Carter's Beach in thick fog.  It was a 40nm passage mostly in sunshine with a good sailing breeze.  We again sailed in company with Falklands OCC sv Kelper.

Morning Departure

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

We departed at about 0630, motoring out of the lee of the land before setting sail.  We had full sail set on a broad reach.  The breeze gradually increased and we furled the yankee in steps.  We eventually gybed N towards Lunenburg.  We put a reef in as we rounded the headland at the S end of Rose Bay.  By then the wind was 24G28 and Zen Again was flying.

Crossing sv Kelper's stern

We anchored immediately E of the mooring field in the harbour.  For several hours it was a little rolly as the S wind outside the harbour gusted to 30 knots.  But the temperature had risen dramatically to 22C!  Happily the wind died down during the evening.

Anchored in Lunenburg

Lunenburg is a pretty looking town.  It is home of the famous schooner Bluenose II which we can see in her dock.  Looking forward to exploring the town!

Shelburne to Carter's Beach

Hi everyone,

We had a miserable 40nm passage from Shelburne to Carter's Beach.  The wind had moderated, but as we cleared the Shelburne channel we discovered the swell had not.  We sailed for about an hour then gave up as the sails were slatting in the light apparent wind and uncomfortable swell.  And then the fog closed in!

We sailed in loose company with Falklands OCC sv Kelper.  They too didn't enjoy the passage.

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

The swell was 2m+, quite short and on the quarter, making for a rolly ride.  The water temperature was 7C and the air 11C.  And just to add a little fun it rained through the fog.  It was a good test of our new wet weather gear.

Into the fog

Carter's Beach emerging from the fog

On arrival we anchored W of Carter's Island in 6m over rock with sand patches.  It was impossible to see the bottom due to the low light in the fog.  It took a little work to get the anchor set.  In the evening the fog lifted and we could see the bottom easily.

Fog lifting that night

Broody Carter's Island

Sunny Carter's Island

The next day the weather improved and happily winds were light so the anchor's set wasn't tested.

One nice thing about Carter's Beach is the clear water.  It'd be nice to swim in if it weren't 7C.  We dipped a camera to have a look at the hull and the PropSpeed-treated propellor.  All amazingly clean.

Carter's Beach would be a nice stop in sunny weather.

Sunset at Carter's Beach

Trust all's well where you are!

Shelburne

Hi everyone,

We spent four nights at Shelburne.  We explored the town and waited for a reasonable weather window to move on.  Mike the OCC Port Officer had held a parcel for us which at last gave us fuel filters for our engine.  Thanks Mike!

Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club

The yacht club is very friendly and offers not only pens and moorings but also access to club facilities when anchored off.  This includes a free dinghy dock and paid-for showers and laundry.  Good beer at their bar too.

The town is fairly small but has several cafes and pubs and a good supermarket.  Pub food and beer prices are much lower than in the US or Australia.  The waterfront has various memorials.  Many of the buildings there were renovated or rebuilt in period style for the movie "Scarlet Letter".

Fishermen's Memorial

Waterfront buildings

There are a set of three museums alongside each-other on the waterfront.  Interesting to learn about the settlement of Shelburne and the building of the local style of dory - a flat-bottomed rowing boat - historically used in fishing the Grand Banks.

Museums on the waterfront

Inside the museum

Military memorabilia

The street that Scarlet Letter Productions built

Militia memorabilia

The Dory Shop museum

Dory under construction

We provisioned at the local supermarket and filled with water at the yacht club.  We visited the weekly Farmer's Market.  We serviced the engine.  And we waited for the fog, rain and windy weather to pass.

Zen Again anchored off the town

While in Shelburne we met the crew of OCC sv Kelper.  Their home port is Port Stanley in the Falklands.  Interesting chatting with them about South Atlantic sailing.

Southwest Harbor to Shelburne

Hi everyone,

On Wednesday morning we departed the US towards Canada.  The forecast was for S-SW winds varying from 6G10 to 20G30.  Overnight we'd have a nearly full moon.  It would be a 170nm passage to Shelburne in Nova Scotia.

Rugged Up!

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Departure from Southwest Harbor was simple with no fog and a light breeze.  The breeze filled in as we cleared the lee of the nearby islands.  Most of the passage was under a blue sky.  The night sky was dominated by the bright moon.

We had a nice reach SE towards our waypoint off Seal Island.  Tidal currents of up to 2 knots played an important role  What would have been a beam reach became a close reach as we held high to stay on our route.  We then had positive current rounding Seal Island but by the time we passed Cape Sable it was against us again.

Last sunset in the USA

Goodbye to Mt Desert Island

Close reaching SE before sunset

We rounded Seal Island in the dark amongst quite a few fishing vessels.  Some were on AIS, and they appeared to associated with pairs of AIS buoys.  One Vietnamese vessel had over a dozen AIS buoys nearby.  Other fishing vessels weren't using AIS.  We stayed well clear of them all!

The most wind we had was 18G25.  Sail varied from full down to 2 reefs and 3 furls.  Zen Again loved it and we enjoyed the ride.

Reaching SE at dawn

Passing Cape Sable we noticed the sea temperature had dropped to 7C.  That's pretty chilly!  In Maine it was around 14C.  As we closed the coast the temperature went back up to 14C.  At Shelburne it is 17C due to the rivers flowing into the channel and the current heatwave inland.

We had a great sail up the channel towards Shelburne past several large fish farms.  We motored the last couple of miles while handing the sails and preparing to anchor.

Canada Ho!

Passing Sandy Point on the channel N to Shelburne

On arrival we anchored off the town then called Canada Border Services.  They informed us we needed to call them with the boat moored at Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club.  So we weighed anchor (it's still heavy) and docked at SHYC, where happily there was a free spot alongside.

We called Border Services and after providing all our details we were told 'Welcome to Canada' and no inspection would be required.  Excellent!  Down came the Q flag.  We went up to the club and had burgers and beer put on for their Thursday Twilight event.  Lots of friendly folks.

Alongside at Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club for clearance

Back on the boat and settling in for the evening we were instructed we had to move immediately.  Apparently another boat had just booked 'our' spot.  We'd erroneously presumed we had the spot for the night.   We needed their workboat to haul us off the dock since we were pinned against it by the wind.  Once off we anchored just as light was dying.  The drama saved us the overnight dock fee.

Anchored off Shelburne

Today we've started to explore Shelburne.  We arranged to use SHYC's dinghy dock and amenities for C$15/night plus a little more for showers and laundry.  Found two pubs and a good supermarket within walking distance.  It's a pretty town.

Sampling Boxing Rock's fine products

Shelburne's clearly a friendly place.  Looking forward to exploring more over the next few days.

Trust all's well where you are.

Southwest Harbor, Mt Desert Island

Hi everyone,

We're spending three nights in Southwest Harbor.  Our to-do list here including topping up fuel and water, showering, laundry, provisioning, eating Maine lobster and seeing at least a little of Acadia National Park.

Zen Again in Southwest Harbor

Yesterday morning was spent watering, showering, laundering and fueling at Hinkley Yacht Services.  In the afternoon we dinghied across the harbor to Dysarts Marina's dinghy dock.  That took a mile off the walk to the supermarket.  It was still over a mile to the shop.  The distance and the prices led us to limit our shopping to the bare minimum.

Hinkley Yacht Services jetty

Office

Showers here!

Back near Dysart's we had an early dinner at the Upper Deck.  Maine lobster at last, complete with bibs.  Yum!  The Maine craft beer was good too.

Upper Deck bar

Lobsters at the Upper Deck

Upper Deck balcony view over the harbor

Where the BAD lobsters go?

Hinkley is a famous yacht builder - both sailing and motor.  The moorings in Southwest Harbor are full of them.  Very pretty boats.  Not all those below are Hinkleys...

Today we dinghied back to Dysart's and walked into town for coffee.  From there we walked to the Causeway and onward to Acadia National Park's Flying Mountain.  Pretty buildings, waterscapes and landscapes.

Church in Southwest Harbor

At the Causeway

Into the National Park

Climbing

View from the peak

Nice Cabin

Nice House

Nice Mini-Mansion

Our entire cruise up the US New England coast has been fantastic.  The OCC Port Officers have been great.  Below is a graph of our 2024 US East Coast Cruise.  The left column of speeds and wind are interesting.  Note the oscillating boat speed on the tidal Connecticut River at Essex.

Graphs

A key upgrade during our mini-refit in Deltaville was adding a 1600W inverter, induction hob and kettle.  They've transformed cooking aboard, hugely reducing propane usage.  The graph below shows electrical usage over the last two weeks or so.  The large negative spikes in current show when we're cooking (or just boiling the kettle).

Electrical

We're now preparing to depart for Canada.  We've twice called US Customs & Border Patrol and been advised we don't need (and basically can not) clear out of the US.  Their instructions are to 'just leave'.  So that's what we'll be doing.  Hopefully the Canadian authorities will let us in without any documentation!

Along the way we've passed 50,000nm logged during our 14 years aboard Zen Again - twice the equatorial circumference of the Earth!

Trust all's well where you are.