All good things must end and unfortunately so must our Newfoundland visit. We departed Ship Cove on Ramea at 0730 local on Sunday 15 August, bound for Baddeck on Cape Breton's Bras d'Or Lakes. Conditions were tame, with calm winds and seas, bright sunshine, and unlimited visibility. The distance of 164 NM meant we would spend a single night at sea and arrive Baddeck late Monday afternoon. That's exactly what occurred.
Although I hoisted the mainsail for technical reasons, we never encountered any wind while crossing Cabot Straight. Only rarely have I seen such calm waters (photo left). The diesel ran well for the entire 32 hours of the passage. The way we usually handle situations like this is to shut the diesel down every 12 hours to allow checks of fluid levels, connections, possible leaks, make fuel transfers, etc. This we did twice, and in each case all went well. That's fortunate, because without a breath of wind, an engine malfunction would have meant sitting out at sea for a very long time.
In calm conditions the routine at sea is a bit unusual. Regular "housekeeping" of a type not possible in rougher waters can be attempted. One does not have to hold on for 24 hours a day, and projects requiring two hands and some dexterity are possible. One of these is planning future aspects of the cruise, sorting charts, getting computer records up to date, and the like (photo right).
A sunset at sea is always something to behold, and I will admit that I could have done it more justice with a few camera adjustments. For those who have not enjoyed such an event, feast your eyes (photo left). Once the sun has disappeared, the remaining light plays tricks with the horizon and offers up visual treats simply not available on land (photo right).
Finally when it is dark and the skies are clear, it is never really dark because the starlight is sufficient to allow surprising colors and images (photo above).
We entered the Great Bras d'Or channel at about 1030 local time (Atlantic Daylight Time) and were officially on the island of Cape Breton, itself a part of Nova Scotia. Since we were still in Canadian waters and had never left them, there was no requirement to contact the authorities and we simply proceeded toward Baddeck, about 25 miles further on. We reached Baddeck at 1530 and after a bit of dock socializing decided it was time for some real rest. After all, the great Bras d'Or Lakes adventure was about to begin.
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Although I hoisted the mainsail for technical reasons, we never encountered any wind while crossing Cabot Straight. Only rarely have I seen such calm waters (photo left). The diesel ran well for the entire 32 hours of the passage. The way we usually handle situations like this is to shut the diesel down every 12 hours to allow checks of fluid levels, connections, possible leaks, make fuel transfers, etc. This we did twice, and in each case all went well. That's fortunate, because without a breath of wind, an engine malfunction would have meant sitting out at sea for a very long time.
In calm conditions the routine at sea is a bit unusual. Regular "housekeeping" of a type not possible in rougher waters can be attempted. One does not have to hold on for 24 hours a day, and projects requiring two hands and some dexterity are possible. One of these is planning future aspects of the cruise, sorting charts, getting computer records up to date, and the like (photo right).
A sunset at sea is always something to behold, and I will admit that I could have done it more justice with a few camera adjustments. For those who have not enjoyed such an event, feast your eyes (photo left). Once the sun has disappeared, the remaining light plays tricks with the horizon and offers up visual treats simply not available on land (photo right).
We entered the Great Bras d'Or channel at about 1030 local time (Atlantic Daylight Time) and were officially on the island of Cape Breton, itself a part of Nova Scotia. Since we were still in Canadian waters and had never left them, there was no requirement to contact the authorities and we simply proceeded toward Baddeck, about 25 miles further on. We reached Baddeck at 1530 and after a bit of dock socializing decided it was time for some real rest. After all, the great Bras d'Or Lakes adventure was about to begin.
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