Northward Bound from Lacaya via Gulf Stream to Nova Scotia

After waiting out bad weather for over one and a half weeks in Lacaya, Grand Bahama's, finally 31 May 07 we had a green light. The sea's were rolly... but do able...providing you weren't prone to sea-sickness. Fortunately neither Ted, Topaz or myself had any worries there. Within about 80 miles (30 hours later) we were surfing the Gulf Stream with a push of 4-5 knots.

Just off Cape Canaveral, Ted finally got a big catch on the fishing rod. A beautiful 42" Mahi Mahi female, this making our third all total. The first two were caught on hand reels with a fish attracting device (FAD). All those dollars wasted on expensive rod and reels....who knew! We had full intentions of bringing some fillets home for friends to enjoy. However, the one time the freezer froze contents was now. We ended up in Southport, North Carolina, due to auto helm failing after getting wet. The Mahi Mahi ended up thawing and a few new friends were made on the marina, after they feasted. Days later, Ted and I thought we should have canned the fish. Oh well...the memory failed us.

During our stay in Southport, there had been a couple of stormy days which made Cape Fear inlet rather rough on the day of departure. Therefore, we headed towards Masonboro on the ICW, anchored for the night and departed early in the morning. Accompanied shortly after by a barracuda (who played about for a couple of hours). This making fishing impossible. Shortly after a few bottle nosed dolphins swam our bow (they don't stay long).

Cruising along nicely for a couple of days just south of New York when Chris Parker our Caribbean Weatherman, said we need to tuck in somewhere as a nasty front was about to hit. So thirty hours later we grabbed a mooring ball at Block Island, RI. Quaint spot as it reminded me of Scotland with the rock fences around the properties. Not to mention everything was uphill.

The common dolphins often came to visit, you could see them approaching you miles away as they came by the hundreds. Unlike the bottled nosed dolphins, the common dolphins had more energy and enthusiasm, as they played for hours. Topaz was quite entertaining during their stay.

From Nantucket Sound to Shelburne we were entertained by the fishermen. Their radios must have a radius of 200 miles...all they did was fight like small children. So often I wanted to get on the radio and tell them "Time Out...Go to your corners!!".

As usual the winds are on our nose at 30-35 knots as we approach Nova Scotia waters. The seas are sloppy, we have two reefs in the main and a small handkerchief for a jib. Fighting these conditions for approximately thirty six hours...it felt as though we'd take a step forward and ten more back. Finally, 2200 hours (10 p.m.) the 18th June we arrived at Hotel Bravo bouy, approximately 20 miles out of Halifax Harbour. We radioed Halifax Traffic, to see about the commercial traffic situation for the next six hours. Our reliable engine had failed us once again....therefore we would be under sail with no wind. Story of our lives coming into Halifax. Finally, 0630 and we have arrived at Sandwich Point with a large container coming out of the harbour and us trying to get further west out of their way, only to get headed and have to yet tack one more time. The pilot on the container sends the pilot boat over to ask us to move a little faster. The pilot boat explains our situation of no wind...no engine. Pilot expresses his concern by replying "Well, they best get out their oars". It was suggested we might want to go into Herring Cove and tie up there for the day, Only problem there is no way out without an engine. We tacked across the harbour to Majors Beach and laid the anchor at 0730.
Exhausted at this stage of the game. Approximately 1330 (1:30 p.m.) a friend and DYC member came out and towed us the remainder home to DYC. A fitting way to come back home.

I will post pictures just as soon as I am able to download them....keep tuned. There are some awesome photo's but we are without a computer presently. The salt environment finally killed the computer.