Racing into the Eye of the Storm

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Nov 22, 2008
3,562
Endeavour 32 Portland, Maine
So, there we were on a waterfront deck on a beautiful day in Lunenburg planning the rest of our cruise. We would go down the coast and take at least a quick tour into every harbor. What happened, you ask, if you have been watching the tracking page.

Our next stop was the WiFi coffee shop where we learned that Irene had formed and was predicted to run up the East Coast and hit either New England or Nova Scotia. There are few good places to ride out a major storm west of the Lunenburg area and none that I know of. Staying so far east until the storm passed would sink my planned time with Barbara in the St. John River system and Dave had a boat that needed tending in a major storm as well. The Saint John River is well protected and any storm which hits there will likely have lost most of it’s strength along the New England Coast so our cruise turned into a delivery; 63 nm the first day from Lunenburg to Lockport, all under power, bucking into head seas that created a mist of salt spray. The whole boat feels like a Margarita glass rim today. Today, we did 80 miles from Lockport to Yarmouth but with several nice sailing and motorsailing legs. Cape Sable is a lot less fearsome out by the bell.

Earlier, we started the trip with a beautiful sail from Halifax to Schooner Cove in the head of Saint Margaret’s Bay. I hereby declare the cove off Roost Island east of Prospect where we stopped for lunch to be the most beautiful place I have ever deployed an anchor from a sailboat. The surrounding few miles take second place. I’ll be spending a lot of time there next summer. We then had a warp speed broad reach sail across the bay and back and then up to the cove where we were invited in for drinks by a delightful cruising couple who I’m sure I’ll see next year as well. We spent the next day on their mooring stormbound. This cove is about as snug a spot as you will find along this coast and Strider was heeling sharply and jerking in the gusts coming over the high hill.

The sail to Lunenburg was about as good as it gets and we got there in time for lunch ashore and the trip to the WiFi connection that ended the cruising segment of this Nova Scotia adventure.
 
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Sep 24, 2010
23
Hunter 31 RKYC
Roger, I'm on the St. John River System and I live in Saint John very close to the Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club. If you need anything or would like a personal tour of the city let me know.
 
Jul 20, 2011
4
Cape Dory 25 Maine
Roger,
I'm envious of all your fun and adventure.
Love reading your posts--so interesting and informative. Sadly I hauled my boat yesterday in anticipation of Irene. Stay safe and keep these wonderful posts coming!
Linda
 
Aug 1, 2011
8
Tanzer 26 Saint John
With the tropical storm fast approaching New Brunswick and recognizing that Roger will be hunkered down in his "hurricane hole" and unable to post until the storm's passing, I wanted to pass on that Strider did win the race to the Saint John River after arriving in Saint John in heavy fog this morning. Leaving Yarmouth early in the morning in lumpy conditions, Strider worked her way north through St Mary's Bay and along the eastern shore of the Bay of Fundy arriving in Digby in time to pick up ice and another great feed of seafood (Digby Scallops). As we have done most of the week, the day started early and we departed our anchorage below the Digby Pines Resort in heavy fog at approximately 0300 in order to make the afternoon slack at Reversing Falls in Saint John. When I last saw Roger, it was this afternoon and he was on a mooring in Brother's Cove on the Kenebecasis River, but checking back on him this evening I see that he has moved on to another location to ride out the storm. I am looking forward to his post on the next couple of days when he likely gets back to WiFi on Tuesday.
 
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