Louisbourg III: Tues 27 Jul – Still Here, But …

We intended to depart yesterday afternoon for Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, the small French islands off Newfoundland’s South Coast, a distance of some 172 NM. Although “GRIB” weather maps promised favorable conditions and fair winds, those winds could have gone to 30 knots according to Newfoundland fisherman Hank, so we decided to wait. We are comfortable and there are purchases and repairs we can do in Louisbourg so the delay is no hardship. The delay also offered up new cruising friends.

Monday afternoon the French ketch “Kurika” (at left in the left photo) entered Louisbourg harbor with Jean and Josiane on board (photo below at right). Hank and I helped them secure alongside a fishing boat and Jean immediately broke out the wine glasses. He and Josiane had just sailed coastwise from Shelburne NS en route to Saint-Pierre. Since we are also headed there, perhaps having French speaking friends nearby could keep us out of trouble. In addition Jean and Josiane are delights in their own right. They have sailed “Kurika” over from Brittany and completed passages along the US East Coast via Bermuda, so we traded tales on places along the way, especially Bermuda. As we spoke I remembered spying “Kurika” in Shelburne at the yacht club floats but we didn’t meet there, so a warm welcome to Jean and Josiane.

While walking up to the “Command Center” this morning I met a lovely 80 year old Dutch woman exercising her German shepherd on the boardwalk She has been living in Louisbourg almost 60 years and could not praise it enough. She was so enjoying the morning that some of her energy must have transferred to me. It will come in handy when we depart this afternoon.