11August 2017: Gaspe, Quebec.

Marc-  Lucy III was hauled out at 07:00 by Doris and his crew without complication (30 minutes).  The winter Preparation took me the remaining part of the day to complete.  It did make me appreciate my fiends, John and Mindy Donnelly, as well as my niece Autum, who were there to assist in this process last year (it only took three hours).  I slept on the boat on the hard so to speak.  No problems.  We were fortunate to get a one year extension on our cruising permit.  We leave to come back to Lake Champlain, Vermont, at the end of June.  Richard ,aboard our sistership Indian Summer, will do this journey with us.  I really hope to get a current atlas before going back up the St. Lawrence.  The second hope is for a working autopilot.

29 July 2017, St. Therese de Gaspe - Gaspe.

Marc-  We awoke to sunshine and fair winds with minimal seas:  10-15 knot West winds with 1-3 foot seas.
The sun comes up here at about 05:00 here at this time of year and sets late.  Sara made her toast special with maple syrup for breakfast and we were off.  This day would prove to be perfect for sailing conditions as the wind veered each time we needed to make a course change.  We did have a two knot current against us between Perce and L'Ile Platte.  As soon as we turned the corner into Gaspe Bay the current backed us moving our boat speed up to 8 knots.  The East winds continued to build as we approached the town of Gaspe so we reduced sail to only a small furled genoa.  Gaspe Marina looked to be full as we approached, as would be expected on the weekend.  The Atomic 4 started right up as we finished furling the genoa and we went to the service dock.  I checked with the staff and there was no way that they could haul us during the weekend.  We made arrangements to just leave Lucy III at the service dock until I could return for a haulout in two weeks.

Perce

Gaspe Marina traffic on arrival.

28 July 2017, Shippagan, N.B. - St. Therese de Gaspe.

Marc-  Shippagan Gulley was a great stopover with our anchorage just south of the drawbridge.  We pulled up the anchor at 07:00 hoping to make it all the way to Gaspe (dream on).  The incoming tide flows South to the inlet so we moved along at 8 knots coming down the narrow channel.  The only difficulty was the rough inlet since the wind was still out of the South but we managed well in the confused seas.  Sara came out of the cabin once we were clear and took a look around.  "What was that all about ?"  She must have been tossed around the cabin a bit.  We now followed the Eastern side of Miscou Island taking advantage of the now Southwest wind of 15 knots.  We did well until we reached the end of Miscou Island where we were exposed to the 75 mile fetch of the Baie des Chaleurs.  Somehow we now had waves coming from both the South and the West. It was like being in a "washing machine" with confused seas and diminishing wind.  We motersailed toward the mountainous Quebec shore and Perce Rock.  Sara did not feel well.   As we approached the Gaspe Penninsula the wind shifted 180 degrees to the East.  This meant that our desired port of Anse a Beaufils would be exposed.  We still had time to alter course for St. Therese de Gaspe, a medium sized fishing port with a protected entrance.  Another boater in Shippagan had noted this was a good port in a storm with no frills and no charges.  We had no difficulty sailing to this fishing port with its clear and protected entrance.   Fortunately for us the snowcrab fishing season had ending a week earlier and the outer harbor was half empty.  We pulled in behind one of these large steel fishing boats and tied up to the pier.  I checked with a local fisherman who reported that we were fine and that the Harbormaster was not around.  This port is all about fishing.  It is a designated fishing port created by Canadian Fisheries and Oceans.  There were two fish processing plants here as well as a inner harbor devoted to lobster fishing boats.  Bathroom and showers were also available here.

After tying up we went exploring.  Our first stop was a nice restaurant in the port facility.  Sara suggested a hike afterward and we discovered the nearby village and returned by the railroad tracks (not currently in use).

27 July 2017: Shippagan, N.B.

27 July 2017: Shippagan, NB.    Waiting out High wind and Wave warnings.

Aquarium visit.

Marc- Today is a day to stay in port and regroup and replenish.  The Environment Canada Marine Forecast was foreboding so we decided not to venture out.  It is hard to believe that it is nasty out there sitting here in the harbor but we do hear gusts every so often.  Winds have been 15 to 20 knots since 12:00.  It appears that the worst of it won’t get here until tonight. In hindsight we may have been able to outrun the nasty stuff but who knows. No inlets are fun to run into when the wind is 15 to 20 knots with a hundred mile fetch to build up waves. 

So far we have taken the Zodiac to the Marina and filled two Jerry jugs with gasoline.  The 10 gallons filled the tank that we had run on yesterday.  We also bought of few food items at the nearby supermarket.  Our fun today was visiting the local aquarium and the marina restaurant.  The first had most of the local species in tanks while the second had them on the menu.   There were some notable exceptions like the friendly seals in the outdoor pool.  There was a film about the local fishing industry (a very big deal here with a least a hundred fishing boats and most of the large trawlers out of the water for the season).   

Lobstering season starts up on August 10 but those boats are in the 45-50 foot range. Glad we missed having to deal with all of the lobster trap buoys offshore.  Lunch was really fine.   

26 July 2017 Richbouto, N.B.

26 July 2017:  Richibucto, NB – to – Shippagan, NB

Acadian Pride

 Shippagan.

Marc-  Now this was a day and half of sailing.  We departed the Richibucto River in the Fog (the Radar worked fine) along with a few fishing boats.  No problems getting out into Northumberland Strait.  Light wind for 2/3 of the day but both wind and seas built out of the South East as we approached the Shippagan bar and entry into the Shippagan Gulley.  The Gulley was nothing compared to the inlet.  Luckily a fishing boat came out just before we entered the passage and we also had out previous tracks on the chartplotter to guide us in.  The fishing boat created a lot of spray and seemed to be pounding on its way out.  The tide was against the incoming wind created a mess at the bar.  We had the calming effect of the mainsail and the mizzen sail to stop the roll.  All was calm as soon as we passed the breakwater.  Current in the gulley was 2.5 knots against us so we kept both sails up and used the engine to enter the harbor.  We dropped anchor near the bridge and let out 90 feet of rode.  Unfortunately that placed us on a sand bar if the wind shifted to the West so Sara and I reset the anchor in a better location.  The wind is blowing 16 to 20 knots and expected to rise during the night before calming down in the morning.  We seem secure on one anchor.  It really digs into this mud.  Total miles today 68.1 nautical miles.  We are currently 78 nautical miles from Gaspe but we hope to take two days to get that done.

Sara cooked up a wonderful vegetarian dinner of baked beans and tufo.  She knows just what to add in terms of spices.  

25 July 2017 Bouctouche, N.B.

25 July 2017  Bouctouche, NB –to- Richiboucto, NB

 Bouctouche.

Marc-  The morning started well.  I went  ashore for the bath facilities at this beautiful clubhouse at Sawmill Point Marina.  Jean, the manager, was still asleep when I arrived.  I was soon followed by several other boaters from Michigan on their way to Florida.  I used the quiet time to check on my emails and office business.  This could be called a working vacation from all the work I do except on weekends. 

 Sara awoke  at 7:30 at we went over to the fuel and pump out dock.  We encountered our Michigan friends who were just leaving for Summerside, PEI   I handed them a pile of travel documents that we still had onboard. We filled one tank and emptied the other.

Calm conditions at departure as we headed down the 6 miles or so to the sea.  Winds were light out of the Northeast after rounding the Beach buoys.  We raised the Main to stabilize the boat and headed for Escouminac 48 miles away.  Unfortunately the weather forecast calling for rising NE winds to 15-20 knots and building seas was spot on.  We made it as far as Richiboucto offshore when we called it enough.  Just as we entered the bar ( the waves were breaking over the bar  since the tide was going out and the winds were coming into the inlet) the engine stopped.  We continued onward under sail alone as we found our way through the zigzag channel with breaking waves (they do have a warning about coming into this inlet in these conditions on the chart).  I called the Canadian Coast Guard with a Pan Pan message of need for a tow to get into the marina.  I knew we could sail 90 % of the way in but that last stretch of docking under sail is a bit much.  Fortunately the seas calmed once we were through the inlet and I took a look at the engine.  I guessed that it might be a clogged fuel filter and I was correct.  After the engine restart, I contacted the Coast Guard Officer at Sidney, Nova Scotia to advise that we no longer needed assistance.  She had dispatched a Coast Guard auxiliary person to come out to assist us.  We did see a 45 foot fishing boat check us out on the way in but he just continued on.  He called some time later saying that he was looking for a yellow boat.  I guess Yawl could be mistaken for yellow but what about the boat name.  All ended well and we were greeted at the Municipal marina by several locals and staff.  Just your basic marina but right in the middle of a little town.  We found the best Ice Cream place and then walked around a bit.  Sara cooked up pasta and yellow squash with some special sauce:  very tasty.

 Richiboucto.

We hope to get an early start in the morning to make up for today.  Winds are due to be light tomorrow.

24 July 2017: Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Summerside, PEI

24 July 2017 Summerside, PEI –to- Bouctouche, N.B.

Marc-  We awoke to what appeared to be favorable conditions and departed after bringing Sue to the Moncton airport and returning the rental car.  All went smoothly on the land side.  As soon as we were past the Summerside breakwater the winds and waves began to build from the Northwest (the direction we were going in of course).  I gave up on motoring alone and decided to motorsail and tack toward our general destination.  This worked much better than just crashing into the waves.  We made our way over to the NB shore and then the seas and winds dropped off and we motored the remaining miles to Bouctouche arriving at 18:00.  Jean was there to greet us along with a Michigan boater on a 38 foot Ericson sailboat.  Sara and I both really like this place.  We decided to walk  to the IGA for a few food items.  There are lots of nice shops along the way and we returned by the boardwalk along the river.   After dinner we went to the Clubhouse where boaters were planning the next days travels.  Jean informed us of the pending weather conditions.   I was reluctant to believe him at first since the previous forecast was for light winds only.  Sara and I then watched a movie on board Lucy III. 

23 July 2017: Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Summerside, PEI

Marc-  Today we went back to discovery of Prince Edward Island.  We took the car North to the Prince Edward Island National Park in Cavendish.  This is the home of Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables.  We arrived in Cavendish

and missed the Park entrance but found the entrance to the Montgomery family home site.  This consists of a welcome center and bookstore for the many books written by Mrs. Montgomery and the remains of her ancestral home.  The farm fields and paths remain.  The receptionist of course had red hair.   She explained that we could access the National Park from a winding path by the Village Church, cemetery, and old Schoolhouse.  We followed a beautiful path through the "haunted woods" to the Parks Canada creation of the fictional home of Anne of Green Gables.  The site was wonderful set in 19th century PEI with a farmhouse, barns and outbuildings all as described in the works of Mrs. Montgomery.  They even had staff in various costumes imitating the various characters from the books. It was fascinating that fiction was more real here than the reality.

Our next stop was the Parks Canada Cavendish Campground.  This is a first rate facility with welcome center, modern bathroom with showers, and great campsite in a forested area near a beautiful white sand beach.  There are also trails on the bay side of the park going into the local farm fields.  We took the medium length trail and loved it.  Half of the trail was along the bay , through the marshes and over creeks, while the second half was in the forest. Just beautiful.

We also went along to the Beach to see a sand castle competition.  It was then onward to Charlottetown to see the Musical "Anne of Green Gables" at the Confederation Center.  This was an outstanding performance with excellent actors comparable to a Broadway show.

22 July 2017: Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Summerside, PEI

 Road trip to Halifax.

Marc- We took the rental car over the Confederation Bridge again but turned left into Nova Scotia this time.  Our first visit and we proceeded directly to Halifax.  The Capital City is built around the large harbor with lots of large commercial shipping traffic.  The entry is over one of two very high suspension bridges (smaller versions of the Golden Gate Bridge).  Our first stop was the Art Museum.  They had a phenomenal exhibition of painting by local artist Maud Lewis.  Her folk style painting are renowned and really grasp life in this Province in her lifetime.  Her house has been transported and is a permanent exhibit.  She painted it in her own way to come and grab the onlooker.  She suffered from childhood onset arthritis and suffered much of her life.  It did not prevent her from being a prolific self-taught artist that sis well commercially.

Next stop was lunch.  Sue had dreamed of a broiled seafood meal and the watertfront had mostly expensive fried seafood.  We found a wonderful restaurant two blocks back from the harbor with various broiled options.  even a vegetarian could be happy here with wonderful salads at the Bluenose II..  Further exploration at the harborfront brought us to the famous COW"S Ice Cream and then the Marine Museum of the Atlantic.  The focus here was on the many shipwreaks including the Titanic.  This was the closest port to the sinking and ships left from here to do the grim task of retrieving the dead and whatever else remained.  Most of the deceased were brought back to Halifax and buried in local cemeteries after all receiving proper funerals.  Another exhibit showed where pirates were hung in this seafaring town (yes there were pirates even this far North).

We had hoped to visit Grand-Pre, the memorial to the 1755 deportation of the French Acadian population in 1755 by the British.  Whole families were loaded on ships, their villages were burned, and they were sent to the 13 Colonies to the South (later to be the United States) where they were not welcomed.  Eventually deportations occurred in other French colonial areas including Cape Breton Island (Ile Royale) and Prince Edward Island (Ile St. Jean).  Some returned years later when the British allowed some migration back.  They found there lands had been given to others by the British King and they had to lease there old farms.  The Acadians survive today in some of these provinces and are united behind the Acadian Flag:

 The flag is the French flag with an additional golden star in the left corner in honor of the Virgin Mary.  We did stop to visit one Acadian museum.  Our return trip was marked by thunderstorms and a ferry crossing of Northumberland Strait back to PEI.  The ferry crossing is free and we ate dinner aboard.  Both ends of the Ferry open up (roll on roll off design).  sue discovered that one of the ferries had been built in the Quincy Shipyard in Massachusetts.  The ferry leave a small fishing community Pictou and crosses to another small fishing village on PEI. The trip across the Strait was smooth with a beautiful sunset.

PEI and beyond

19 July 2017:  Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Summerside, PEI

Marc-  This day  we were off to discover more things to do in Summerside.  We visited the local museums and historic houses.  This region was known for its silver foxes that were raised here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  This brought much fortune to the region as fox furs were in style in Europe.  A single fur could cost $ 50,000.00.  I did see two  foxes crosses the roads in Summerside at night.  The highlight of the House tour was the home of Wanda Wyatt.  Dinner was at Sharky's seafood on the harbor.

20 July 2017:  Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Summerside, PEI

Marc-  With Marie Bedard's help we obtained our rental car early and went off together to visit Charlottetown, PEI.  This is the Capital of PEI and its only city and a fine one it is.  The downtown is full of shops, restaurants, the Provincial Parliament, a performing Arts Center, major port facilities including the Cruise ship terminal and several marinas. We walked all over and enjoyed lunch with Marie.  She departed for Halifax and we drove down the coast to the small fishing village of Victoria.  Victoria is a gem.

It has two fishing piers and is an active fishing port. There are two restaurants on one pier.  It has a lighthouse to guide the mariners into port.  The water is quite warm and the village beach is bright red.  One shop did a big business of renting kayaks and paddle-boards.  I noticed lots of people swimming here, old and young alike.  We walked up and down the several streets stopping in to see local artist's shops, a coffee house, and a general store.  There was even a used book shop and an Antiques shop.

21 July 2017:  Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Summerside, PEI

Marc-  Another car travel day today with a trip back to New Brunswick over Confederation Bridge (this huge structure is 9 miles long). We went south to  Fundy National Park.  Headquarters indicated the best camping areas:   Chignecto and Point Wolfe.

The view coming down from the mountains of the Bay of Fundy was stunning. You can see clearly over to Nova Scotia.  We decided on Shiphaven as it had good hiking trails as well as a noted campground (Point Wolfe).  We first stopped a beautiful waterfall trail (Dickson Falls).  The 3 kilometer hike was well worth it.

Next stop was just after the Covered Bridge.  This was the location of a sawmill in the gorge.  The tidal river through here is very impressive with 40 foot tides.  We took the hiking shore trail from here along the cliffs to the campground.  The abundance of  yellow birch and fir trees kept us in the shade on this very warm day.

 The Shiphaven campground was very well done with bath facilities with showers and shaded campsites.  We toured an Otentik site with a Ranger.  This is a rather large tent that sleeps 6 in real beds and includes a wood floor with furniture. It even has electric heat.  This all comes at a cost of about $ 100 (Canadian) per night.  Back to the trails and the beach.  We found several ravines with water flowing down small streams.   Cairns had been built in a few of the streams.  The vegetation in the ravines has everything from lime colored mosses to flowers and the ever present fir trees.  The trails were narrow but well maintained and they went all the way to the Sea.  The beach was rather elusive as we arrived at low tide and it was about a mile away.  The river bed was mixed of red sand and gray stones.  The shore was high and rocky.  I ventured all the way to the Bay to find cool water.

Our last stop at Fundy was near the fishing village of Alma. Here we found what a New Brunswick fisherman does with his boat at Low tide.  The harbors all dry out here so boats are built to withstand sitting on the bottom.  We found a local eatery for Oysters and other fine food.  

Our next stop was the Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park nearby.  This rocky shore is outstanding for its cliffs, caves and very interesting giant rocks.  We walked along the rocks that towered above us, through caves and into the sea.  Near Moncton, NB we found a roadside restaurant:  Log Cabin Family restaurant with excellent seafood and fair prices.