BCC PHALAROPE

Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

I left Shelburne hoping to go straight offshore to Maine.  But the wind and current around Cape Sable, the corner of Nova Scotia, slowed me way, way down and I decided to bail to Clark's Harbour.  The next day, yesterday, I motorsailed to Yarmouth, on the southwest corner of Nova Scotia.  Maine is now much closer, 80 to 110 miles, depending on my landfall.  I might leave tomorrow, will see...

Leaving Clark's Harbour, 7 am:

Last light, Yarmouth waterfront, last night:

Swordfish bills, plus one marlin (with the red meat), on the wharf in Clark's Harbour, caught by long-liner fishermen:

They were scooped up by Ralph, a local character who is currently harvesting Irish moss for a living.  He took me to his summer trailer to see the swords that he makes out of the swordfish bills.  He is small and wiry and so his hands are immediately noticeable, swollen from years of frostbite as a lobsterman, due to a circulatory condition called Reynaud's syndrome:

Shelburne, NS, plugging away south

We arrived in Shelburne day before yesterday, after a 12 hour motor from Brooklyn Yacht Club.  Nice close-hauled sailing the last hour at sunset. The wind will be not favorable in the least to cross the Gulf of Maine, for the next 5 days, and so Tomoka is now on the fast ferry to Portland, Maine, to visit her sister in Miami. Alas, but, Bon Voyage Tomoka!

Some photos of Shelburne, sunset:

Just before sunrise, the Shelburne waterfront:

The dinghy, Herd of Moose, on the dark dawn water:

Details of Shelburne:

La Havre river bakery

Just south of Lunenburg is the La Havre river, and the famous floating dock of the La Havre Bakery.  We are waiting here a day in hopes of better weather tomorrow.  Yesterday was rousing 20 to 30 kt close-hauled, more than forecast.

The front of the bakery building:

Nice pilot cutter on the mooring off of the bakery, and Phalarope on the dock:

Shore house, with auxiliary second floor door:

The cable ferry across the La Havre river, and fisherman seeking mackerel:

Salmon pink Adirondack chairs:

 

Heading South Again

After a couple lazy weeks in Halifax, varnishing, drinking beer, I met Tomoka at the airport arriving from Japan and we are heaed south to Maine.  Below are four photos, two each from the past two daybreaks.  The first two are from Rogue's Roost, an anchorage south of Halifax and the nicest I have visited in Nova Scotia. The second two are from Tanner's cove, just outside Lunenburg.

Tomorrow, Le Havre river or, if the wind is good, Liverpool.