NYC to Halifax, NS, in June or July 2021

[AiniA]

I doubt very much that international transits will be open for June or even later in the season, the vaccine roll-outs are just too slow for that. I agree that the Mahone Bay Area is wonderful with interesting towns and virtually no fog to deal with. No idea how much time you have but if you can get even a couple of weeks on the south shore of Newfoundland. We have done a circumnavigation and no places we visited were as nice as that coast. You even get the bonus of going to St Pierre which is part of France. Easy to get to, a little tougher getting back since the winds are agin you for the most part. All of this likely 2022 though.

[donpjr]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

I'd like to sail to Halifax from New York, NY, this upcoming Spring/Summer. I'm not in a rush and dates are flexible. It's more of a bucket list trip and will end up spending 3-5 days there, but may extend to 6-8 days.

Any tips on route planning, marina to stay in Halifax, stuff to do and things to see, etc.?

Any help will be greatly appreciated... and if you're there, I'd love to offer you a beer or two and talk sailing!

Cool Hand Luke,

Nova Scotia has a development group that will provide information to you on marinas, help with reservations etc. Assuming you can even go to Canada in 2021, here is a contact for Halifax. He will set you up with a marina info. I was working out a plan for 2020 before COVID decided otherwise. I will now do this trip in 2022 as I don't have much confidence that 2021 will have open border to Canada. Contacts as follows:


Nik Karbowski

Marine Manager

Develop Nova Scotia

Old Red Store, Historic Properties

Suite 301 – 1875 Upper Water St.

Halifax, NS B3J 1S9

c: 902 225 1714

e: nik.karbowski@developns.ca



Another contact for Developns.ca is Robin Scott. He is the contact for Lunenburg which is highly recommended to visit. Both Robin and Nik are good contacts to work out a plan.

Robin Scott
Lunenburg Property Manager
Develop Nova Scotia
Old Red Store, Historic Properties
Suite 301 – 1875 Upper Water St.
Halifax, NS B3J 1S9
c: 902-476-0752
e: robin.scott@developns.ca

[hpeer]

I have run Delaware to Shelborne once and Shelborne to Marblehead a couple of times. You will have cross currents on the Marblehead run but they will cancel out. Although I have seen them quite strong near Cale Sable. I think the suggestion to do the Cape Cod Canal to avoid the shoals makes a lot of sense. In saner times I knew a fellow who sailed back through the canal and only made landfall/checked in South of the canal in RI.

I recently read that Shelborne is not now a port of entry - covid. So you may be forced to transit direct to Halifax. But be sure to check that out.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Just wanted to thank you guys for all the replies and I'm very grateful for everyone that contributed. Let's hope COVID goes away a little faster and this is sounding more and more like a phenomenal trip

[psk125]

Being able to cope with the fog is important. A boat from our club on the Marblehead-Halifax race got hit by a fisherman in the fog and had 10' of their hull-deck joint opened - you could see inside. Tides in Halifax aren't as crazy as in the Bay of Fundy, but the currents can set you a good ways off your track.

[hpeer]

I find Halifax Control to be VERY good. I have come in while being passed by a freighter. I could not see him but could hear his engines. Control was spot on managing us and a couple of other boats. I guess they get a lot of practice.

Yes, fog is a very real thing not to be trifled with.

[CarlF]

If you go in June there's likely to be so much fog that all you'll see is grey. Go in the 2nd half of July.

If this is a bucket list trip, go a bit farther to Bras D'Ors Lake. Just amazing.

Be sure to contact Canadian Customs before anchoring, picking up a mooring, or docking. They have been known to seize boats who ignored this rule. And don't have too much alcohol aboard (without declaring it and paying duty). The limit is:

"24-12 oz. cans or bottles of beer or 40 oz liquor or 1.5 liters of wine - per person." (Notice that it is "or" not "and")

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

Hmmm... didn't check out the tides, yet. How would they affect or factor my cruising? Or how do tides affect other cruisers?

Thanks for the heads up, though!!

Okay, Luke.

Of course the tides will affect you profoundly. Since the border is currently closed, though, it makes it a great time to bone up on your tidal studies!

Learn about tidal streams, rise/fall of tides, how the *direction* of tide can assist your plotted course and how wind against tide can create dangerous conditions for a sailboat. Get yourself a Nova Scotia Cruising Guide and check potential harbours for their tidal restrictions (i.e. if a harbour would only be accessible at certain states of tide, considering whatever your draft is).

Here's a little anecdote - there's a place off Alderney (Channel Islands, UK) called the Alderney Rip. It gets 11knots of tide during Full Moon Springs. Once we were sailing to windward along the coast at a delightful 5.5 knots on a sunny day. Lovely sail! But when we visually marked our course-over-ground against the Alderney shore, for a time, we were going backwards at 4 knots!

Also keep mind that thr Bay of Fundy has the greatest tidal range in the world (58 feet) so the difference between high and low tide on the inside must absolutely be taken into account (although your intention seems to be planning to stay on the outside).

Hopefully this Summer our border will reopen and we can welcome back our American friends!

Good luck!
LittleWing77

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Here's a little anecdote - there's a place off Alderney (Channel Islands, UK) called the Alderney Rip. It gets 11knots of tide during Full Moon Springs. Once we were sailing to windward along the coast at a delightful 5.5 knots on a sunny day. Lovely sail! But when we visually marked our course-over-ground against the Alderney shore, for a time, we were going backwards at 4 knots!

Sorry, that should have been speed over ground.

Was drinking my first coffee of the morning while writing, so I was slightly undercaffeinated...

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Okay, Luke.

Of course the tides will affect you profoundly. Since the border is currently closed, though, it makes it a great time to bone up on your tidal studies!

Learn about tidal streams, rise/fall of tides, how the *direction* of tide can assist your plotted course and how wind against tide can create dangerous conditions for a sailboat. Get yourself a Nova Scotia Cruising Guide and check potential harbours for their tidal restrictions (i.e. if a harbour would only be accessible at certain states of tide, considering whatever your draft is).

Hopefully this Summer our border will reopen and we can welcome back our American friends!

Good luck!
LittleWing77

Thank you sooooo much for the great post, LittleWing77!! A lot of useful info. You're absolutely right about brushing up on my tidal knowledge.

My biggest experiences with tides are on the East River in New York City with my own vessel and while on a bareboat charter in Phuket, Thailand.

Hell's Gate in New York City doesn't have a huge tide, but the currents are also a little crazy. 4-6 knot current against you if you time it wrong.

As for Phuket, Thailand, I remember leaving a dinghy tied up at low tide and then when I came back, the floating dock almost sank my dinghy at the high tide. I believe it's 5-8 feet over there.

Thanks again for the awesome info!! Would love to visit it... we have 5-6 months for the situation to remedy itself. Fingers crossed

[duncan_ellison]

@Cool Hand Luke, I'm hoping to be making the same trip enroute to Ireland in August this year and facing the same uncertainty issues regarding Covid.

We are in the UK and 50% of the population has been vaccinated so far, so hoping some kind of 'vaccine amnesty' gets worked out.

I'll re-visit this thread if it looks like a go-er.

Duncan

[Sailor279]

If it were me, I’d consider timing my journey north of Boston with the Marblehead-Halifax cruising race https://www.marbleheadtohalifax.com/, assuming it goes. You’ll be in company of a few dozen other boats on the same route.

[Enfant Du Vent]

Ahoy Cool Hand Luke:


Halifax—and all of the N.S. coast—are great to visit. I'm a bit prejudiced of course, Halifax was home post for my boat.


I would depart Halifax, only drop in to Shelbourne—an all weather port—if the weather report was for adverse winds to cross the Bay of Fundy. (Never used Yarmouth because of tides.) Landfall / customs was always Gloucester, MA; then through the Cape Cod Canal.


Tides:
Generally the tide range along the coast is approximately 6'-8'--but the tidal flow flow for the Bay of Fundy....aah, that's another story.
On my first passage south I departed Shelbourne and the last sea buoy I passed at the southern tip of N.S. was laid over 45 degrees by the out going tide! Somewhere there's a tidal flow chart for the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, a very useful thing to have. (but not really critical)


Fog:

First trip north I had < 30' visibility the whole way, late in May. I saw only 3 things on the whole trip:
1-the light house of Gloucester
2-a fleet of fishing boats on George's Bank—fog had luckily dropped
3-the outer sea buoy of Halifax harbor.
Entering Halifax: Without a radar, I didn't need to run the engine for power; that meant I could just sail... and listen. I tacked away from the shipping lane until I heard the surf, tack back out to buoys, etc., etc. Once in the inner harbor the heat of land had dissipated the fog.


Alcohol:
When I was active—mid to late 80s—the allowable amount was 80 oz....whether it was beer or 150 proof. Hence, on departing Bermuda, had 80 oz of Black Seal rum to declare, 80 oz cut 50/50 with coke in 2 liter bottles (still as dark as coke, grin) and 1 small bottle for the passage. ONLY problem I had was fair winds and thus a risk of arriving with small bottle not empty. Solution: divide distance on rhum line (no pun intended) by oz left in bottle. Worked well at first, but soon found myself waking, having breakfast, checking dr position....and having an oz of rum with the last of the toast.


Covid:
If you're a Democrat you can probably get a “green passport”. If covid stops all cruising this summer the rest of my response will still be valid next year.


Fair Winds