Nova Scotia cruising advice

[davil]

Hi
as I continue my sailing North anticipate will get closer to a passage from the coast to NS.
As my postings in another sections am single hand more specifically I am a geriatric single hand.
From your local knowledge what are the most benign and less challenging areas taking into consideration tides,currents access to services.
Sailing my Cape Dory 30
anchor Rocna Vulcan 200 ft chain

[Shoalcove]

I think you’d enjoy sailing the south shore of NS between Halifax and Shelburne. The area around Chester and Mahone Bay is particularly nice for short jaunts, great anchorage’s and quaint towns.
I’m currently exploring the Bras D’Or Lakes which are also beautiful and protected. It’s a bit of a haul to get there is the only downside but the Eastern Shore also has its charms.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by davil

Hi
as I continue my sailing North anticipate will get closer to a passage from the coast to NS.
As my postings in another sections am single hand more specifically I am a geriatric single hand.
From your local knowledge what are the most benign and less challenging areas taking into consideration tides,currents access to services.
Sailing my Cape Dory 30
anchor Rocna Vulcan 200 ft chain

"sailing north" from where? Do you understand anything about the North Atlantic?
Anyway, get ready for Big tides and BIG swells. Have fun, newbie.

[KrazySailing]

Check out a previous thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tia-27205.html




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[davil]

[QUOTE=KrazySailing;2934817]Check out a previous thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tia-27205.html




A guide to sailing Cape Breton [url=http://cruising-cape-breton.info/]Cape Breton Island's Cruising Information Reso.............................................. ...........
============================================
thanks for pointing out this thread
exactly what I was looking for
take care

[Seighlor]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

"sailing north" from where? Do you understand anything about the North Atlantic?
Anyway, get ready for Big tides and BIG swells. Have fun, newbie.

And BIG fog unless you delay your adventure until September.

[Lionelsole]

I am also a newby, having sailed less than 40,000 miles in the last 5 years and visited fewer than 30 countries in that time.
Tides on the south coast of NS are in the order of six feet, which is hardly extreme. Do watch for currents crossing Bay of Fundy, however.
I have only visited 2 places, so far and they ate as described in the sailing guides mentioned. Shelburne is a lovely small town, take a mooring ball or anchor off the yacht club. Very friendly with good dinghy dock. They are in temporary accommodation, following a fire but very friendly and helpful.
Port Medway, nice little town. No dinghy dock, we anchored off and tied dinghy to inner end of eastern face of wharf - quiet out of the lobster season (which it is through the summer). About a 10 ft climb up a good ladder at low water. Friday night music at the store.

[Lionelsole]

Originally Posted by Seighlor

And BIG fog unless you delay your adventure until September.

Or you could, of course, look at forecasts and stay in harbour when foggy.

[GRIT]

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

"sailing north" from where? Do you understand anything about the North Atlantic?
Anyway, get ready for Big tides and BIG swells. Have fun, newbie.

Try to ignore posters who say things like this. Watch your weather, and enjoy the coast.

A jump from Bar harbour is quite normal for those from the USA coming to Canada. Bar harbour to Shelburne, or yarmouth. Yarmouth does tend to have a lot of fog, so if you're without radar, I'd suggest Shelburne, even though it's a little further to sail. As Lionelsol says, Shelburne is a very nice little stop. It's quiet and the yacht club folks are nice.

Mahone bay is a popular spot, as is lunenburg. Halifax (anchor up the Northwest Arm, just across from the Armdale Yacht club), is a nice stop too. We tend to leave the dinghy at the public dinghy dock, across from the armdale yacht club, not far from the rotary. From here, it's a 25 minute walk to downtown halifax, a 10 minute walk to a mall with groceries, and a 20 minute walk to North Sails. Gas/Diesel, showers and alcohol are available at the yacht club. Haul-outs too.

Liscombe lodge is located in a nice anchorage. They used to offer laundry and lunch, for a fee. It's a nice walk up the river too.

Bras D'or lakes is beautiful, and if you have time, I'd certainly recommend going.

Enjoy your stay, listen to the forecasts on the vhf, and go. It's no harder to sail in Nova Scotia, than it is in Maine, but I find it's a much more pleasant place to visit.

Cheers, and welcome to Canada.
Paul.

[davil]

Originally Posted by GRIT

Try to ignore posters who say things like this. Watch your weather, and enjoy the coast.

TRYING VERY HARD TO IGNORE IT.FEEL PROUD OF MYSELF. FOR NOT RESPONDING !!!!!!!!!


A jump from Bar harbour is quite normal for those from the USA coming to Canada. Bar harbour to Shelburne, or yarmouth. Yarmouth does tend to have a lot of fog, so if you're without radar, I'd suggest Shelburne, even though it's a little further to sail. As Lionelsol says, Shelburne is a very nice little stop. It's quiet and the yacht club folks are nice.

Mahone bay is a popular spot, as is lunenburg. Halifax (anchor up the Northwest Arm, just across from the Armdale Yacht club), is a nice stop too. We tend to leave the dinghy at the public dinghy dock, across from the armdale yacht club, not far from the rotary. From here, it's a 25 minute walk to downtown halifax, a 10 minute walk to a mall with groceries, and a 20 minute walk to North Sails. Gas/Diesel, showers and alcohol are available at the yacht club. Haul-outs too.

Liscombe lodge is located in a nice anchorage. They used to offer laundry and lunch, for a fee. It's a nice walk up the river too.

Bras D'or lakes is beautiful, and if you have time, I'd certainly recommend going.

Enjoy your stay, listen to the forecasts on the vhf, and go. It's no harder to sail in Nova Scotia, than it is in Maine, but I find it's a much more pleasant place to visit.

Cheers, and welcome to Canada.
Paul.

================================================== ===
thank you and Lionel
I think is looking very attractive,couple of years ago as was contemplating returning to cruising I called it the last frontier as opposed to the usual more frequented and crowded areas.
Tend to favor the beauty and natural surroundings so difficult to find on the more common destinations.
Also appreciated all prior positive posting including the older thread
take care

[davil]

Originally Posted by GRIT

Try to ignore posters who say things like this. Watch your weather, and enjoy the coast.

A jump from Bar harbour is quite normal for those from the USA coming to Canada. Bar harbour to Shelburne, or yarmouth. Yarmouth does tend to have a lot of fog, so if you're without radar, I'd suggest Shelburne, even though it's a little further to sail. As Lionelsol says, Shelburne is a very nice little stop. It's quiet and the yacht club folks are nice.

Mahone bay is a popular spot, as is lunenburg. Halifax (anchor up the Northwest Arm, just across from the Armdale Yacht club), is a nice stop too. We tend to leave the dinghy at the public dinghy dock, across from the armdale yacht club, not far from the rotary. From here, it's a 25 minute walk to downtown halifax, a 10 minute walk to a mall with groceries, and a 20 minute walk to North Sails. Gas/Diesel, showers and alcohol are available at the yacht club. Haul-outs too.

Liscombe lodge is located in a nice anchorage. They used to offer laundry and lunch, for a fee. It's a nice walk up the river too.

Bras D'or lakes is beautiful, and if you have time, I'd certainly recommend going.

Enjoy your stay, listen to the forecasts on the vhf, and go. It's no harder to sail in Nova Scotia, than it is in Maine, but I find it's a much more pleasant place to visit.

Cheers, and welcome to Canada.
Paul.

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Hi Paul
thanks again,I am in Montauk today and looks like by the end of the week should be in Cape Cod.
Been looking at distances and it seems like Cape Cod is the beginning of jumping points, as I look departure ports not much difference en sea miles to Shelburne, mostly because the shape of US coastline, and the way NS is laid out, and in extremes if well Maine shorten the jump then have to add the full length from P, Sable., of course coasting NS offers more places to hide in case of need? and shortens the time in open waters, on the other hand, selecting a weather window is within possibility.
Any ideas? suggestions?

[GRIT]

Hi Davil.

I don't know your experience level, but this is what we tend to do.

You're right about jumping points, and time. It takes quite a lot of time to follow the US coast, but that's often what folks do. The first hour or two, and the last hour or two, of each day, are usually wasted trying to get into, or out of an anchorage.

We usually anchor in Onset, for a rest, then leave when the currents are favourable. We usually sail directly from Onset, to either Shelburne, Lunenburg, or Halifax, depending on the weather. It's usually about 3 days, or so, to Halifax.

If I were to suggest a route, so as to see as much of NS as you can (though you're a bit late in the season). I'd go to Halifax, then from there about 36 hours to the Bras D'or Lakes. I'd say, spend a week or two there, then slowly work your way south, at your leisure. The nice thing about NS and the US coast, is that the trip south is a good sail, even (especially) in a NW wind, as it's coming off the coast. It'll be September soon, and NW winds will be more common. September is also the time when SW winds start giving way to West winds, which is a nice reach, down the coast, again, with the winds coming off the shore. This keeps the seas mostly benign, assuming you're not too far off the coast.

It's a slow sail North, this time of year, but your trip south will be pleasant.

The latest I've ever left from Halifax was Oct 31. But if you don't have heat aboard, it'll be darn cold offshore, hunkered down in the cockpit, with your hot chocolate. I would usually recommend leaving Halifax by mid September.

Cheers, and enjoy NS.

ADDENDUM: I just re-read your first post. Your single handing, so if you haven't much experience single handing offshore, watch the first 24 hours off Boston, as there's quite a lot of ship traffic going in and out. I was a single hander for several years, in my 20's, doing that route; but I can't stay awake, these days, as long as I used to; and I'm only 50.

Cheers.
Paul.

[davil]

Originally Posted by GRIT

Hi Davil.

I don't know your experience level, but this is what we tend to do.

You're right about jumping points, and time. It takes quite a lot of time to follow the US coast, but that's often what folks do. The first hour or two, and the last hour or two, of each day, are usually wasted trying to get into, or out of an anchorage.

We usually anchor in Onset, for a rest, then leave when the currents are favourable. We usually sail directly from Onset, to either Shelburne, Lunenburg, or Halifax, depending on the weather. It's usually about 3 days, or so, to Halifax.

If I were to suggest a route, so as to see as much of NS as you can (though you're a bit late in the season). I'd go to Halifax, then from there about 36 hours to the Bras D'or Lakes. I'd say, spend a week or two there, then slowly work your way south, at your leisure. The nice thing about NS and the US coast, is that the trip south is a good sail, even (especially) in a NW wind, as it's coming off the coast. It'll be September soon, and NW winds will be more common. September is also the time when SW winds start giving way to West winds, which is a nice reach, down the coast, again, with the winds coming off the shore. This keeps the seas mostly benign, assuming you're not too far off the coast.

It's a slow sail North, this time of year, but your trip south will be pleasant.

The latest I've ever left from Halifax was Oct 31. But if you don't have heat aboard, it'll be darn cold offshore, hunkered down in the cockpit, with your hot chocolate. I would usually recommend leaving Halifax by mid September.

Cheers, and enjoy NS.

ADDENDUM: I just re-read your first post. Your single handing, so if you haven't much experience single handing offshore, watch the first 24 hours off Boston, as there's quite a lot of ship traffic going in and out. I was a single hander for several years, in my 20's, doing that route; but I can't stay awake, these days, as long as I used to; and I'm only 50.

Cheers.
Paul.

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Hi Paul
thank you very much for taking the time, I do (did?} have experience offshore and because of that I been having a crew as much as possible for overnighters
in general coastal seems more stressful for mi and believe the days of single are coming to an end.
for the NS trip will be 3 people, the other 2 very experienced sailors friends, and although the boat is small I think will be able to survive each other and thought 2 0nly will be more tiring.
Just checked the pilot charts and the winds patterns look also good with the exception patterns are changing quite rapidly now.
Again, thank you very much.
David

[GRIT]

You're welcome. I'm happy to help, if I can.

I hope you have a great trip up here, it's a lovely cruising ground. Let me know if there's anything I can do.

Cheers.
Paul.

[Willie11b]

Originally Posted by davil

========================================
Hi Paul
thank you very much for taking the time, I do (did?} have experience offshore and because of that I been having a crew as much as possible for overnighters
in general coastal seems more stressful for mi and believe the days of single are coming to an end.
for the NS trip will be 3 people, the other 2 very experienced sailors friends, and although the boat is small I think will be able to survive each other and thought 2 0nly will be more tiring.
Just checked the pilot charts and the winds patterns look also good with the exception patterns are changing quite rapidly now.
Again, thank you very much.
David

Davil,

I just came across from near Portland to Yarmouth. The crossing was very smooth and easy with only one night. I looked at crossing from Cape Cod and if my crew was more experienced would have likely done that, though we had a great time in Maine as well. Nova Scotia seems wonderful so far. Fog is annoying but can be dealt with. Maybe we will cross paths.

Will McVay
SV Sherlock II