April 21, 2024 -
Armdale Yacht Club, Halifax August 30-31, 2024 has been substituted in for Inner Sambro Island Harbour.
Webb's Cove September 6-7, 2024, as you approach/enter Isaac's Harbour, has been substituted for Isaac's. Harbour Island and Fisherman's Harbour are alternate anchorage if wind direction dictates.
On 2025 return, if we stop, Cape Negro Island is out August 10-11, 2025. In its place, Ingonish or Port La Tour to the south 10nm.
Post trip - Markland Beach Cottages in Dingwall. Hike White Point. St Paul Island Museum. Or Keltic Lodge in Ingonish. Middle Head Trail. In Baddeck, Bell Museum.
January 27, 2024 -
The most current updated cruise itinerary has been posted on the registration page for this event. For those registered on the "Event" registration page of this website before a crew meeting zoom to be scheduled the 3rd or 4th week of March, you should receive notice of that zoom so you can join it. Itinerary, customs procedures and anything else that comes up for discussion will be on that zoom discussion..
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In terms of cruise events and potential proposed itinerary changes, those who are on the cruise are encouraged to contribute their ideas, do their own research and join this conversation both in the pre-trip period and underway. Some of this will happen at our pre-trip crew meeting.
On the itinerary, we may want to discuss as a group where to pencil in an extra day of cruising. I have taken off the itinerary Cape Negro Island in Nova Scotia as the rules require us to proceed directly to Shelburne (port of entry) when entering Canadian waters. Maybe we hold that day in reserve to be used, for example, if we want to venture in to Halifax for a really attractive event happening in that city or an easier crew change (currently viable at Inner Sambro Island harbor) or unexpected repairs to a number of boats or more complete provisioning. Maybe we want to add an anchorage in the Bras d'or Lakes.
Maybe we prefer Monhegan Island to Matinicus. This makes the first day of the trip 15 miles instead of 36 miles. Monhegan is always a beautiful if often mildly rolly spot. Monhegan adds 19 miles for a total of 196 miles to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Depending on our numbers, perhaps we split the fleet on the first stop. Sherman is the harbormaster in Monhegan. 207-594-9342. Although Monhegan is a no anchoring area (fouled bottom) and is busy in mid August, Sherman has 4 or 5 moorings and is standing by if we call him a week or two in advance. There is a gentleman who he calls a pirate (shuttles Island Inn folks to Manana and back) that poaches some of us on the other moorings for $50 (Sherman is $30). Avocet wrestled with this newly minted pirate a few weeks ago - in mid-October. (A negotiated settlement about which I have informed "Sherm"). There are also a few moorings north of the harbor entrance and ferry wharf that will be open for overnighting. I can touch base with the (very nice) Captain of the Port Clyde ferry. He'd control one or two of those moorings. A couple more moorings belong to somebody we indirectly know who owns one of those cottages. Rafting up is not viable.
In Newfoundland, maybe we want to sail directly to Squid Hole (as suggested by a BWSC seminar attendee) and strike Port aux Basques. We'd need to be fully provisioned leaving Nova Scotia to do that. Maybe we want to substitute Ramea Island in for some other spot on the itinerary. Ramea gives us exposure to the locals and is a spot recommended by some of our BWSC members. Maybe bring in Rose Blanche (daily ferry and road access) for the Basin. Lots of options. Wind and weather conditions will always potentially generate itinerary changes. Miquelon is viable via ferry from St Pierre or can be visited on our boats - tied up on the lee of the inner breakwater as per the cruising guide. We have time, a generous weather window, built into the existing itinerary for those who want to extend the French experience.
On the event side of the trip, we have obvious opportunities for group BBQ's and/or other things to do on land in Boothbay, Shelburne, Lunenburg, Mahone, Chester, Liscomb St Peter's Marina and Baddeck. With your help and some creative research, we should be able to be both vigilant and opportunistic in capturing the best that these spots have to offer!
Let's get this started right here on the Forum page.
Underway, we have group cellphone texting, VHF radio with maybe a group DSC channel or chosen open channel, and daily chat. Maybe on the 2025 return we extend comm to InReach satellite texting and SSB (either a cruise network pre-determined or SSB DSC)... if others have SSB. To comply with the rules, your MMSI ship's station number should be FCC issued to be legal in international locales. The Cruising Club of America has an interesting 2020 article which makes this statement and explains DSC and group calling below. My VHF manual (Standard Horizon) explains group calling in an easy-to-understand manner.
https://cruisingclub.org/communications/dsc-groups
Sagona Island, 47 21 810N, 55 46 821W, slightly north of Fortune and south of Jerseyman's Harbour, Newfoundland appears to to be too good to miss. Remote. If substituted for Fortune, this will impact provisioning plans on either side of that stop. Jack Maul's photo appears in some of this cruise material. I have also heard good things about it from a friend who sails out of Baddeck. John Slingerland 12/14/2023