Getting back from Newfoundland?

[nicholson31]

Sully75; Can you expand a bit on your cruising plans for NL? Your allotted time doesn't give you much wiggle room to in case your weathered in for a few days, which you will be!!
If you can get around to the North coast, July is your best month for cruising weather and you can usually bank on winds having South in them for the most part, 20-30 knts during the day is the norm. Late Jun and into July is great for Icebergs on the NE side especially Notre Dame Bay.
Aug can be a crap shoot on the NE coast of the island , winds can be from any direction so I would say it’s better to be back on the South coast by late July into Aug visit some areas, Francois, MCcallum, Grand Bruit, St. Pierre. Fog is usually not such an issue and be ready to catch a window south.
Airville seems to have some good knowledge on your intended route back.
As mentioned previously, if you don’t have a heater get one!

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by deblen

This popped up on my F book & I am passing it along. Enjoy your trip!

The 10 Best Restaurants In Newfoundland & Labrador

Cheers/ Len

While there are some the good ones on that list it is definitely not the complete list of the best here. Some are not particularly great others are the best you'll find anywhere. Bonavista Social Club is the best value for great food I've ever had.

[nortonscove]

Again this would be erroneous. Icebergs are in their greatest numbers further north. This past July saw one small growler off Twillingate but numerous large bergs further north. Some bergs will make it to St. John's and in fact there are a couple there now. In June you can still have pack ice in northern locals and this is more serious than the Icebergs.

[sully75]

Thanks for all the great info. Hugely helpful.

Random question: are the green camping gas cylinders (1lb propane) generally available in Canada? Like could I get them in Port Aux Basques?

My boat is not fast, unfortunately. Pearson Triton. I'm living on her now in Baltimore, so I think I'll be ok in Canada this summer, I have a propane heater if need be (that's one of the reasons I use the camping gas).

I'll be installing radar this spring hopefully. I already have AIS.

I have piles of charts, originals and copies I've made. I have not really inventoried them, but copied everything a friend had from a previous trip. I have yet to figure out what I'm going to do for GPS (I have a GPS unit currently but don't have a Canada chip, I may end up using Open CPN on a laptop, at least partially, and supplement with tablet and phone but I'm not totally sure yet).

I'll be single handing unless I find some woman with low standards in toilets in the meantime. On March 1st I'll start outfitting the boat, will most likely leave the week of June 1.

If my goal was to be back in Baltimore on September 30th, would that be a more rational time frame?

My dream was to get to Port Aux Basques, sail the west coast, touch Red Bay and then come down the east coast. But I'm pretty sure that's on the irrational side and might just be super fatiguing if not impossible. If I got to Port Aux Basques and saw a bit of the South Coast I would be satisfied.

If I suck it all and do the Maine Coast for the summer I'll be ok with that too.

Spring projects are building a hard dodger top (with removable Windows), a sea hood, installing the radar, lazy jacks, figuring out the navigation situation and some interior work. It's going to suck!!! (I've rebuilt most of this boat over the last couple years but it's amazing how much there is still to do).

Thanks again, this is great.

[sully75]

Also just wondering, are charts floating around in the area? Canadian charts are horribly expensive compared the US. I have sailor friends in Hallifax and I'm guessing I may be able to beg/borrow/steal/buy what I"m missing.

[sully75]

Considering too the single handing and my relatively primitive radar situation, I'd really like to avoid icebergs entirely. How would I do that?

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by sully75

Considering too the single handing and my relatively primitive radar situation, I'd really like to avoid icebergs entirely. How would I do that?

You'll have no problem finding the propane in most towns and especially in PAB. Don't worry about the big icebergs. The small low to the water pieces that calf from them usually downwind of them would be of greater concern. They are usually very easy to spot even at night. The larger ones will appear on the horizon hours before you reach them. Good binoculars are one of the most essential pieces of safety equipment.

Don't trust the gps as it will start lying half way up the Northern Peninsula and not stop until you pass Englee on the Eastern side. Best charts for the historically French towns on eastern side up north are from 1850s and 60s. They can be printed from the Rooms website which if you are unacquainted is the provinces museum, art gallery and archives in St. John's.

Fortunately the water is usually very deep and the locals knowledgeable and friendly. If you have more specific questions I don't know my father in law is a master mariner who has done that coast for nearly 50 years. We did it in our 400 Beneteau last year and it isn't bad at all even though we had the worst July on record here in Newfoundland.

[Kalinka1]

Circumnavigated NL a couple of times. No real issues even with the fog! On the West coast you also have the option of The Quebec coast and in Westerlies they're off shore so flat seas! Lots of anchorages stunning scenery. You can wait out weather in Harrington harbour then make jump to the Magdeline Islands, PEI Canso Strait etc etc. Most are day sails port to port so no need for overnighters unless you want to do them. Radar is almost mandatory! GPS positions can be up to a 1/2 mile on shore! Charts are accurate as to depictions. Probably do all right with a tablet and navionics or just paper. Hand held gps and Open cpn also good. Only thing that has changed over the years might be the positions of buoys and light characteristics. Or the lack of buoys as some have been removed. Have fun!

[deblen]

A series of videos of a trip from Halifax -with icebergs & bergy bits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj-YqwDZzrM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LqVWC_bY-w

[barboak]

Originally Posted by sully75

Considering too the single handing and my relatively primitive radar situation, I'd really like to avoid icebergs entirely. How would I do that?

Sailed New England to Nova Scotia for years and dreamed of getting to Newfoundland, never had the time off in the summer! Don't want to damper your unbridled enthusiasm but in a Triton (quite familiar with the boat) a trip this summer heading down east will be quite an adventure especially once you get to the Bay of Fundy and on to Nova Scotia. Loads of good anchorages and great people! Have fun and be safe

[hpeer]

Just wondering what the regulation are for leaving a boat in St Pierre? Pretty much an ice free harbor. Now that Canada has gotten snotty about leaving boats there over winter maybe St Pierre is an alternative?

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Just wondering what the regulation are for leaving a boat in St Pierre? Pretty much an ice free harbor. Now that Canada has gotten snotty about leaving boats there over winter maybe St Pierre is an alternative?

It might be worth checking how much tax you would actually have to pay to leave your boat in Canada for the winter. American built boats are exempt from duty, but are subject to 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST). So a lot depends on how they would determine the value of a Pearson Triton (probably more than 40 years old?). Yachtworld show asking prices between $8,900 and $35,000. So if $20,000 is a reasonable value, the GST would be $1,000. Not cheap, but I think winter storage in Canada is quite a bit less expensive than in the U.S. Once you pay the tax, you could leave her in Canada as often and for as long as you please.

[hpeer]

I think I last paid $600 in Lewisporte, lift out, store, lift in. But you have to rent stands.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Just wondering what the regulation are for leaving a boat in St Pierre? Pretty much an ice free harbor. Now that Canada has gotten snotty about leaving boats there over winter maybe St Pierre is an alternative?

It surprises me that you would have to pay any tax to store your boat in Canada-except perhaps 15% HST on the storage fee of $600 = $90
All goods & services in Canada,other than food & a few other items, are subject to 15% sales tax.
My understanding is that foreigners can get a rebate of any sales tax paid while in Canada.
Also,at present,a $US is worth about $1.30 Cdn
It really wouldn't make sense if you were to have some (minor?) work done while it was stored. Our shipyards/marine services would be up in arms about the potential loss of foreign business I would think.
Could be wrong-please elaborate.

Cheers/ Len

[sully75]

I live aboard this thing so can't leave her in Canada. I was just thinking that I could leave her in Maine for a month if I needed to wait out the weather.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk