Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Hopping along the Eastern Shore and an unwelcome close encounter

We got the anchor up around midday on Monday 7th July and headed out of Shelter Cove about an hour behind our new friends Sam and Kelder on board their 37 foot steel Cutter, 'Tonks'. We headed up the coast for Spanish Bay, Liscomb about 40 miles away to rendezvous with Tonks once again. The light-moderate breeze was on the starboard quarter and for the first 6 hours or so we enjoyed pleasant sailing in warm sunshine. Then the fog rolled in and visibility fell to perhaps 200 metres. We had had an AIS contact overhauling us at about 10 knots from astern for a couple of hours at that point. To our concern it showed no sign of altering course when a mile off (which one would expect any reasonable to do - the international collision regulations clearly state that the vessel being overtaken is the stand-on vessel). There was still no change to her course at half mile, nor even at a quarter of a mile. At that stage Gary started the engine should we need to take evasive action. The issue in such circumstances is which way to alter course. There's the very real possibility that whichever way one chooses the overtaking boat may when it at last realises you're there, alters course in the same direction. Gary's AIS wasn't showing a vessel name, just it's MMSI number, which meant hailing them on the VHF a less reliable course of action than it would otherwise be. The watch keeper was clearly not on the ball and so the odd's of them recognising the vessel's MMSI number were not great. Finally at around 200 metres she hove into view through the fog and turned sharply to port. At least someone was looking out of the window! As she passed us it was clear that she was a modern expedition type motor vessel of about 60 feet. Later Gary managed to identify her through her MMSI; she was and perhaps still is MV Love Machine 7. Here's a photo of her...

As you can see she bristled with Radar and other antenna, so unless she inexplicably had all her instruments turned off (perhaps due to technical difficulties) she really had no excuse for nearly running us down. Our collective nerves on board Symphony gradually subsided but shame on that skipper. Somehow the fact that she flew the red ensign made the incident even more outrageous!!

After another couple of hours the wind died and we motored the last few miles to our anchorage in Spanish Bay.


Being of no help at all on deck, I hopped into the Galley and prepared dinner so that we could eat shortly after arrival. A chilli-concarni!

After the wildness of Shelter Cove we were slightly disturbed to find the shore line around the Bay dotted with quite a few (large to very large) properties. 

The chilli was well received by the rest of the ship's company.

After a rather late breakfast the following morning we took the dinghy initially over to Tonks where we received an invite to return later for  beer and then on to explore the bay. We couldn't find anywhere obvious to land. There were a number of landing stages but they all appeared to be private. The one next to what we thought might be public slipway had a barrier across it and a plastic skeleton hanging on a gibbet. All our contact with Canadian's had hitherto been very friendly, but it seemed to us just possible that these might not be and so in the absence of any friendly waving arms, we eventually decided not to risk a landing and headed back to Symphony where Gary prepared a dish of home made humus to take over to Tonks. Inexplicably, the Purser had neglected his duties and as a consequence we only had one can of beer left on board! Gary's humus was therefore in lieu of beer. After much debate we decided to take our last can of beer, but our last bottle of red wine just refused to budge!

We spent a very enjoyable afternoon on board Tonks. Sam (a shipwright/welder) and Kelda had bought her as a shell in a Cornish field in 2021 and fitted her out themselves. Tonks is a most impressive craft - extremely well thought out with some really nice touches like her twin running poles that are attached to the mast at their base on swivels and via a haliyard through the pole to a block half way up the mast with the fore and aft guys permanently attached and with the headsail sheets running through deadeyes that can be pulled out to the pole ends or left loose inboard for when sailing 'normally'. This all means the poles can be deployed easily within minutes rather than the hour plus it takes me to rig Bonny's twin poles.  

Sam and Kelda then left Falmouth in 2023 around about the same time that Mick and I left in Bonny. After Biscay they sailed down the Spanish coast and then like Bonny and Symphony, crossed the Atlantic via the Canaries and Cape Verde, but landed in Tobago rather then Barbados (Bonny) or, Caricau (Symphony). Tonks visited many of places that Bonny did but were always a week or so ahead of her. Both Sam and Kelda are very hands on and practical and can undertake most boat jobs. Sam's welding skills are of course especially valuable. They both found work in Antiqua and other places during their travels. It turned out that they know many of the same boating personalities that Gary does. Their slightly different take on some of them was a source of great amusement to all of us! They spent last winter in Maine and then headed up here. Gary, noticed Tonks in Halifax before we left.

On Wednesday, 9th July Tonks and Symphony motored round the corner to the mouth of the Liscomb river where the two crew minus yours truly went ashore for a walk. I spent the day on board lazing around as only a one legged sailor is entitled to do and wrote most of this post. The lack of an internet connection here means that it probably wont be published until we get to St Peters's canal. That where we head for tomorrow - Thursday, 10th July. It's almost 80 miles and so even with an early start - which will be something of a novelty for us -  we won't arrive until the evening. The winds are forecast to be very light and so we'll probably be motoring all the way!       

Return to Shelter Bay

We got the anchor up from the muddy bottom of the NorthWest Arm at about midday and headed down the arm, into the main arm of Halifax Harbour's approach and then out to the open sea. A following wind, blue sky and warm sun gave us the perfect conditions for commencing Symphony's cruise up the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.

Vince in Symphony's cockpit

Last year when I arrived in Shelter Bay in Bonny, it was deserted and so I was lucky enough to have this wild place to myself until the following morning when an unexpected email landed in my inbox to apologise for disturbing my solitude and to invite me for coffee and homemade cake! Rather surprised I peered out through the mist and shore enough there was another boat in the bay. It was 'Zen Again' with the intrepid Australian couple on board, Mike and Nikki. Nikki's carrot cake was delicious and it and their company more than made up for the 'disturbance'. This year on Saturday 4th July it was Symphony's turn to disturb the solitude of others; Sam's and Kelda's  on board 'Tonks'. See my next post for more on them and Tonks. Brain failure means I wrote that we met them in Shelter Bay and forgetting I had written nothing about Shelter Bay....

After a while Sam and Kelda came over to say hi and of course we ended up yarning away for hours over coffee.

Later, Gary and Vince went off to explore in the Kayak.  The dinghy was still out of commission due to the glue's long curing time. I declined the opportunity to be ferried ashore in the Kayak. We had tested the practicalities of getting me in and out of it in Halifax but the thought of an accidental capsize was enough to put me off. Besides there was little I would have been able to do if ashore and I wanted Gary and Vnce to enjoy the experience without having to worry about me.

They enjoyed the outing and even spotted an American Porcupine - initially thought to be a tree climbing Beaver by Vince because of its large wide tail!

No eagles or osprey were spotted this year but the Porcupine made up for that. 

On Monday 7th July we followed, about an hour behind Tonks, out of Shelter Bay and headed for Liscomb.

  

Saturday, 5 July 2025

Halifax and Symphony




Symphony

On Sunday afternoon, George from the Marina/sailing school arrived in his Rib and accompanied by his son to take Bonny out to the mooring. Pascal came out as well and with their help Bonny was soon secured to the most sheltered mooring in the harbour. 

After getting Bonny moored up Chris and Amy hosted drinks for all the crews I had got friendly with whilst at St Pierre. The photos are crap due to facing the sun but....



That's Rorik and Jenny from Amsterdam who are now on their way to the Azores. I met them a couple of weeks ago in Baddek - Rorik gave me a knee pad ....


.....that has proved invaluable for getting up and down docks and ladders etc) 


Above (left to right) are Ali (with Andrez out of shot) from The Falklands whom I met last year in Shelter Cove, East Shore Nova Scotia). Then Pascal (his partner Loranne not there) then our hosts Amy and Chris. Out of shot were Michael and Sabina.

I stayed on board Bluaberre on Sunday night as the guest of Michael and Sabina and the following morning - Monday 30th June - Katy who manages the Marina/Yacht club kindly took me to the airport - it was 12 C. 

The view from the plane above St Pierre

The 1.5 hour flight to Halifax went without a hitch and the very helpful flight attendant arranged for a wheelchair attendant to get me through the airport at Halifax. I almost declined the offer but was very glad I didn't because it would have been an extremely slow trek on crutches.

View from the Armdale Yacht Club

After killing a couple of hours I got the Maritime bus to Halifax  town - about 40 minutes - it was 25 C - and then a taxi to the Armdale Yacht Club where I arrived just before Symphony hove into view. An hour and a half later Gary joined me in the Yacht Club bar for a beer and a very good fish and chips dinner after which we retired to Symphony for the night.

Symphony at the fuel dock

The following day, the 1st July was Canada Day (there version of the USA's 4th July) and so after rising rather late we took a local bus into town. On the bus a friendly local got chatting to us and it turned out that he was the drummer in a Blues Band and was on his way into town to play a gig. "Why not come along?" Subsequently that's exactly what we did. Before then however we explored the waterfront which was extremely busy. We had Canada's national dish, Puchine, for lunch. Chips 'n' Gravy with chunks of cheese.  Vince and I had it last year when we visited the waterfront. I found it rather more pleasant this time!

After lunch we split up for a couple of hours so that Gary could cover more ground. We both independently went to the excellent maritime museum. Then at about 6.30 we headed for the Blues Bar and enjoyed a great set by "The Relics". The evening set was by an extremely talented guitarist but despite his undoubted technical prowess he was not nearly so entertaining as his support act - 'The Relics'. The small crowd reveled in their ability to knock out classic Blues and Rock songs. The highlight of the set was Canadian, Neil Young's, 'Rockin in the Free World'. The crowd were clearly very proud Canadian's but there was non of the jingoism that one can imagine coming across elsewhere.

I'm not quite sure what happened to 2nd July - but Gary and I passed through it with very little effort certainly on my part. Gary must have tackled some of the inevitable boat jobs that are always hanging around.

On Thursday afternoon Vince arrived and Gary and I took Symphony across the inlet to the Yacht Club to pick him up and to fuel and water the boat. Well, I watched as Gary and then Vince busied themselves with all that. I did make a useful contribution on the way back by pointing out we were about to go the wrong way round a buoy and possibly run aground!

Later in the evening we took the dinghy to the Yacht Club for a couple of Beers and had a chat with locals who I met last year when knocking around with fellow OCC member Rhys. On that visit Rob arranged for Rhys and I to crew on his son's boat in the evening race. Well actually we didn't do much more than help the rest of the crew drink beer. Rob and Becky made us feel quite at home once again and later other locals came by and chatted with us.

Today (Friday) has been hectic. I managed to crash Gary's laptop and Vince spent a good couple of hours fixing it - good job he was here because it's highly unlikely that either Gary or I would have been able to fix it. Gary spent most of the day on repairing the dinghy - a job that will take a few more days to complete. The protective rubber strip around the outside is coming unstuck. The dinghy is now out of action for a few days whilst the new glue cures. Gary and Vince have therefore gone ashore to do the shopping in Gary's inflatable two person Kayak. Getting a week's worth of shopping back on board is going to be fun!!

Garry arriving back with the first of three Kayak loads of shopping


Tomorrow (Saturday 5th July) we head for Shelter Bay