TripSailor.com® Sailing Blogs

To the continued and (in our opinions) charming surprise of our Nova Scotian friends, the variable weather has lasted through August. Our departure from Iona was delayed for a night due to a good breeze (with rain) blowing us directly onto the public wharf. With our assorted collection of fenders this was not a problem when we were securely tied but would have made pulling away rather more exciting than needed. Since tying-up at that wharf was free and Wendy (our wind generator) was generating away happily this was not a difficult decision.

Early on Thursday morning (August 19^th) we slipped away easily and sailed comfortably northeast with a beautiful breeze on the beam (perpendicular to the direction of the boat) most of the length of the St. Andrews Channel of the northern Bras d’Or lake. This included tucking into the narrow channel between Long Island and the eastern shore of the lake. Although with suitably deep water, this channel is about 2 miles long but only 300 yds wide and Long Island is steep with forests towering above us and, predictably, playing havoc with the wind. Our goal was to avoid using the engine despite the much reduced wind which gusted from changeable directions. This was accomplished by making many short tacks into the wind which certainly kept us well exercised hauling in the jib-sheets (lines) every few minutes. Our slow, zig-zag progress was observed by at least two bald eagles and a few bemused people on the shore. Feeling pretty pleased with ourselves as we approached the narrow end of the sheltered channel, we were unaware that the strength of the wind on the main lake had increased during our light-wind, tacking-fest. Thus, as we left the shelter of Long Island, we were blown with alarming rapidity towards the steep, but rocky shores of the much smaller Mouse Island. Now, I have to take a bit of responsibility having let the mainsail out a bit more than Randall realized as the strong wind hit us, which reduced his ability to steer away from the shore. On the other hand, I was the one to get the engine started which gave us sufficient power to turn directly into the wind and away from the disconcertingly visible rocks just under the side of the boat. Somehow, considering all the rugged shorelines and treacherous headlands that we have passed on our travels, it would have been particularly galling to have smashed the boat on Mouse Island!

As we whizzed back down the lake in the freshening breeze we discussed the lessons learned during this sudden and sobering episode and reminded ourselves that this is why the stronger the wind the further from shore one needs to stay to have time to recover when things are not going as expected. To relax after this unexpected excitement we returned to Maskells Harbour ( just southwest of Baddeck) and spent a calm evening in the well protected bay. The next morning, after exploring the whole cove in the dinghy (again under the watchful gaze of two more bald eagles) we returned to the site of our previous berry finds and, this time armed with more suitable containers, proceeded to pick a large collection of wild raspberries. During this process a charming young man and dog walked by, and he transpired to be the guest of the owner of the house at the end of the road. Being somewhat uncertain about how favorably our activities would be regarded, we offered our harvest to him (specifically for the property owner) but were relieved to learn that they had just feasted on a large bucket-load and we were welcome to all that we could collect. For several days we indulged ourselves with delicious raspberry scones and fruit salad.

This excellent day, indeed, perfect day was concluded by sailing back to Baddeck and finding not only that our replacement part had arrived, but that the marina could accommodate us for a few nights as we fixed the windlass, reprovisioned, etc. And, during that sail in a modest breeze, we finally tested reefing the mainsail (tying part of it down to make the sail area smaller, as might be needed in strong winds) and sailing directly downwind "wing-and-wing". The latter is when the two sails are held out on opposite sides so that both are fully catching the following wind. One really needs a strong pole (a "whisker pole") that is fastened to the mast to hold the jib out (the mainsail is, of course, held out on its boom) but we had to make-do with an extended boat-hook pole taped in place. The conditions were perfect for both of these successful tests and this gave us added confidence about what we could do with Tregoning under sail. (Sadly, a repetition of the wind-and-wing tactic a few days later started well but disappointingly and mistakenly ended with the boat-hook being bent beyond any further usefulness…luckily, we had a second one…but hence the need for a purpose-made, strong, whisker pole.)

Baddeck treated us well again, especially as we ended up staying for four nights, longer than originally intended. By hoisting our cheap, "bunny-ear" TV antenna part-way up the mast, Randall even managed to catch the last days and closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. He is usually addicted to the whole two weeks of this sporting extravaganza so it was quite a sacrifice to have missed most of it. After spending the gloriously sunny weekend working on the boat in the marina it poured with rain on Monday so we delayed departure until Tuesday when it finally cleared up a bit in the afternoon.

We sailed north, downwind (hence the unfortunate boat-hook incident) to leave via the Great Bras d’Or Channel and more by luck that good planning, we were aided in our departure by the strong current that added 3 or 4 knots to our speed. On exiting the channel we motored over to the Bird Islands, a couple of steep-sided sets of grass-topped rocky ledges that are a protected bird sanctuary and nesting site for many marine birds. Because of the steep shorelines, one can pass by quite closely on either side and the birds seem quite used to, and unfazed by, the proximity of tour-boats and cruisers. We were lucky to arrive with clear, calm conditions, but were a few weeks too late for the most impressive sights. You could see old nests and areas of white, guano splatters on the cliffs but many of the species for which the islands are famous, had already finished nesting. So we didn’t (knowingly) see razor-billed auks, kittiwakes, murres, and black gillemots but we did see lots of cormorants…I mean lots! And at least 10 bald eagles in various stages of maturity which was very exciting. There were also many seals on and around the rocks. Most, I think, were grey seals but a few may have been hooded or harbour seals. We saw plenty of northern gannets over the following couple of days with many of the large and distinctive adults flying around the eastern coast of Cape Breton. We were about to leave the Bird Islands, rather sad that we had missed the nesting puffins when I spotted a solitary one bobbing on the other side of the boat away from our island-bound, binocular-enhanced gazing. It was very clearly a mature puffin still in full breeding colors and we are grateful to it for hanging around long enough for us to see it (I would have posted our photo but it is a bit blurry at the necessary magnification!)

Having satisfied ourselves that we had "done" the Bird Islands, we continued east towards Sydney where, arriving slightly after dark, we found a suitable place to tie up at a free wharf right next to the cruise-ship terminal. In one sense we had the best spot in town because for several hours after our arrival, cars pulled up beside us and tourists jumped out with their cameras. On the other hand, the reason why the dock space was vacant may have been because our much photographed neighbor was a floodlit, 8-ton, 40 ft tall fiddle and bow…from which Cape Breton music was played over loudspeakers for 24 hours! Or so our cruising guide would have us believe but in fact the music stopped at a reasonable 9 pm and after a quick walk along the waterfront we were able to sleep peacefully and unaccompanied.