Category: 2019 Down East Circle Route

Caught the first lock through the St Peters Canal. As I’m solo I had to manage the boat with only a single line amidships. Luckily almost no wind so it was a pretty timid affair. Lovely sunny day and it felt good to be underway on our voyage again. BUT the swells were creating a washing machine effect and the winds were right on our nose. Partway across Chedabucto Bay (between Madame Isle and Canso) Ramble On had some engine problems and had to stop. After some inspection they were able to carry on but did so for awhile at lower rpms just to be sure. After rounding Canso we were able to motor sail and even sail w/o the engine for awhile. Lots of rolling creates tired sailors so we were happy to pull into Tor Bay just before 6pm and be protected from both the SW winds and swells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A nondescript motor back to St Peters while Tarja drove Ben to the Sydney airport for his flight home. In St Peters got fuelled up and water tanks filled for our jaunt down the south coast of Nova Scotia to Halifax. Final dinner with Tarja (she returns to Kingston tomorrow) at the Bras d’Or Lakes Inn. Usually one hears of Cape Breton folks moving out west. Our waitress from BC has settled on Cape Breton. From one beauty spot to another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a warm and sunny day for our visit to Louisbourg. We got there shortly after 10 and left around 4:30. It was well worth the visit. We did tours that gave a lot of background on the reconstruction of the fort. We were surprised to find out that much of construction work was done by retrained coal miners who lost their jobs when the mines closed. In fact, one of the reasons for federal funding of the reconstruction was to provide those jobs. Ben signed up to fire a cannon and we had lunch 1700s style, pewter dishes and a spoon was the only cutlery we could use. We finished the day with dinner on the water in Sydney.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After breakfast on the balcony facing the water that we shared, we started the drive back to Baddeck. Two more stops at craft shops. Bob and

Tarja picked up a gorgeous glass bowl that turned out to be made by a Finnish artist who had moved to the Cape three years ago. She was doing a glass blowing demo on site so Tarja got to practice her Finnish, the artist told her Cape Breton had captured her heart. At the leather shop Peter and Ze got the leather bucket, yes leather bucket, that Peter had been eyeing for a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The forecast for today was not great but mostly it was very light rain on and off which didn’t deter us at all. Ze took us to several lovely little fishing villages on the east side of the Cape, which we would not have known about if we had been touring on our own. We also stopped at several craft shops, Bob and Tarja were able to resist the $1,000 quilt. Our final tour stop was a hike that started at the Keltic Lodge and went along a narrowing piece of wooded land ending at a point. It was an up and down hike in very pretty woods with lots of wet tree roots from last night and today’s rain. Luckily by the time we started the hike, the rain had stopped. After dinner at a nearby restaurant recommended by the owner of the Driftwood where we stayed that night, we drove to the Keltic Lodge and stayed for about an hour to hear a wonderful local singer and fiddler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loaded into the two cars (Peter & Ze’s, Bob & Tarja’s) to start our two day tour of Cape Breton planned by Ze, our local knowledge tour guide. Our first stop was a tour and tasting at the Glenora Inn & Distillery – a beautiful place with a stream running through the property and a high hill behind the buildings. We then drove to the Cape Breton HIghlands National Park along the iconic Cabot Trail with its amazing views. Our specific destination was the Skyline Trail, about a 40 minutes walk one way on mostly well maintained gravel paths ending at a headland with wooden steps and platforms to make it safe to climb down. Ze told us she used to walk the trail as a kid when it was just a goat track. The views of the Cabot Trail from the headland were spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After breakfast at Bean There we walked to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. It sits on a hill with a wonderful view to the Baddeck lighthouse. The museum provides an excellent portrait of Bell’s amazing accomplishment which are so much more than just the telephone.

After the museum Linda and Tarja walked the town’s main drag checking out all the great craft shops while the guys relaxed. Linda was getting reports from Peter & Ze who were enroute from driving from the Halifax area to join us. They were caught in a huge rainstorm that was tracking towards us. The rain hit us not long after Peter & Ze arrived but at least we didn’t get thunder & lightning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a fine pancake breakfast on Ramble On we left the dock about 9:30. Linda joined Finnish Line 2.0 as crew today and kept the sails well trimmed as we clipped along under variable winds and beautiful sunny skies. Passed under the Barra Strait bridge … the operator is a real pro and has the bridge opening timed to the boat’s pace so no time is lost.

Arrived in Baddeck mid-afternoon. It’s a very pretty setting with many boats anchored out or on mooring balls. Tarja had arrived by car and had enjoyed a good local lunch in time to meet us on on the dock. Very hot here in the high 20s with a feels like in the 30s. Gives us empathy for the suffering folks back home. At dinner spoke briefly with a chap from Kingston whom I met playing bass in the LaSalle Adult Band. It IS a weird world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off the anchor at 7am — it took taking the boat up to 2500 rpm to break the anchor out of the mud —— oh the mud, great gobs came up in the chain and on the anchor. Maybe we do need a deck wash. Tarja and Chris M off about 8am …. Tarja driving Chris to his car in Shediac and then picking up Ben for Ramble On at Moncton airport before returning to the boat. A lobster mac’n’cheese awaits the travellers. For those remaining on the boats it was a workday hosing off mud, filling water tanks, doing laundry and the many other boat jobs that are always on one’s list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lovely Finnish pancake breakfast followed by another lovely sail. Our friend Chris from St Petersburg is heading home tomorrow so we anchored just two miles from the marina where our car is. Pleasant evening with a steak dinner followed by very good scotch. Cruising is just brutal.