NYC to Halifax, NS, in June or July 2021

[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!

[Argyle38]

I sailed to NS in 2016 and loved it. Was planning on going back this year but COVID happened.

Halifax is a fair bit up the coast, about a 24 hour sail or so from the southern most part of Nova Scotia. I started out in Long Island Sound and hopped our way out to the south coast of Cape Cod in Hyannis. We waited for a calm weather window there before a roughly 50 hour passage from Nantucket Sound to the southern end of Nova Scotia.

Landfall was at the small town of Shelburne, which was a great place to stay with a very cool little yacht club. Clearing in was also done there. The coast was great, very similar to Maine, but no lobster pots (season started on September 1st in 2016), a lot cheaper and a bit less crowded (at least comparing to southern Maine).

Halifax was a great city to visit. We went up a stretch of water called the "Northwest Arm" I think. We anchored up near the end of the arm and it was fantastic. The Armdale Yacht Club is there and the folks there are super friendly. They had slips and fuel available and they let us use their showers there even though we were anchored out. There's a dinghy dock nearby that is a short walk to but bus lines that go downtown. Also a shopping mall about a mile from the dinghy dock as well as a great marine store about 1/4 mile from the Yacht Club.

As far as small cities go, we found Halifax really quite accessible. Looking forward to going back there either this year or next.

[Halifax Sailor]

Hello, as you can see by my handle, I am from Halifax. I use Dartmouth Yacht Club as my home.

https://www.dartmouthyachtclub.ca/

gm@dartmouthyachtclub.ca

We are situated at the end of the harbour in Bedford Basin. The "basin" is famous for both world wars as many convoys gathered here before transiting the sea to Europe, Lots of areas to explore and areas to anchor.

DYC has a new club house with all facilities, washrooms available from outside access as well. Laundry on site, showers, fuel dock, dingy dock, club owned mooring balls and some guest marinas. There are restaurants and pubs within walking distance, groceries about 1 mile away, and transit to take you downtown at the driveway entrance. It is a little out of the downtown area but very protected by two islands and 2 floating breakwaters. Full power and water available at marinas and we have a pumpout station.

And of course lots of advice in what to do, how to sail and how to fix your boat!!

I have included club website and gm's email for more information.

Happy sailing and good winds.

[pcmm]

I think the first question you're going to have to settle is...Will the trip even be allowed.. Land boarders between U.S. and Canada are still closed and crossing by boat is currently treated as the same. Hopefully by then borders will be open for that type of trip, but given last year I suspect this might be a 2022 trip.

[hugosalt]

Will follow thread with great interest as would like to do same/similar cruise to NS from western Long Island sound.
Have sailed to Maine in spring (early May) and was a bit "chilly".
Installing a diesel heater now.
Sailing LI sound all winter, hopefully will help condition for cruise which will most likely have to wait to '22.

[OBT]

Facebook Group - Cruising & Sailing: Maritime Canada ahas a lot of good information. May see you there next summer if the border opens up.
Stay on the deep side of the buoys,

Thom
sv Oriane

[Mike Crothers]

Suggest using the cape cod canal to avoid the shoals. We jumped off shore from Bar Harbor Maine at first light and motored overnight arriving in shelburne at first light. I recommend radar and AIS and go in late July or better August.

You will love how friendly people are there. Getting a guide book is a challenge so look before you go.

[Cool Hand Luke]

That's some great feedback from all you guys... thank you!

[Lazy Jack 32]

There are enormous tides up that way, not so? Do they factor into your cruising plans?

[Scrimshaw4]

Is your plan to go direct offshore to Halifax? If so you might want to check out the Marblehead to Halifax "Race" and see if it will take place this year. Then bump back down the coast of New England. Unfortunately so many "plans" for 2021 are COVD dependent.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by Lazy Jack 32

There are enormous tides up that way, not so? Do they factor into your cruising plans?

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!!

[Kd9truck]

Love the optimism!! My marina in oyster bay had all there transient moorings
Booked by April. It might be in your best interest to make plans early, also I am imagining a 30 foot tide swing might force you to extend your anchoring calculations significantly. Thank you for posting (following)

[Halifax Sailor]

If they open the border, keeping finders crossed, then on your way to Halifax try Mahone Bay and Chester. Both beautiful, lots of little islands, lots of places to anchor and lots to see within walking distance. Except for 1 week, Aug 11-14 there shouldn't be issues being full up. Chester race week however is really busy and not much room even for anchoring.

https://www.chesterraceweek.com/

[jen1722terry]

Hi,

The worst tides are in Fundy, and the worst of those are in the northeast end of the Bay.

Tides along the south shore of Nova Scotia are about the same as mid-coast Maine. Maybe 8-10, feet more or less.

We're Yanks but we also have a home in Mahone Bay, NS, about 40 miles south of Halifax. Not sure if we'll be there this summer (covid). We have sailed our boat over there, but we've summered the last few years in Maine. We'd love to sail back over to NS and keep her there for a few years, but covid may change those plans.

Marinas along the south shore tend to be small, and some lack fuel. Do stop at Shelburne if you can, a pretty historical restoration with a very friendly little yach club.

Landfall Navigation has some NS cruising guides, though they tend to be not as detailed nor up-to-date as the US guides. Check out Acvtive Captain also.

Lunenburg is a great place to stop for an overnight, but a bit out of the way if you're on a tight schedule bound for Halifax. Eat at Magnolia Cafe on Montegue St. (no reservations - go early).

Mahone Bay, a bit further in the bay than Lunenbug, has a public marina with moorings and tender service. If you plan to stop there, PM us. We live right on the inner harbor.

The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron on the the Northwest Arm of Halifax harbor is another nice place to stay.

That's about all we can think of. It will be a great trip if you do it.

[NSboatman]

6 ft tides(max) in Halifax. Similar in lunenburg/mahone bay...