In 2010 we sailed from Rimouski,
Quebec up past Nain and then South to store the boat in Port Saunders, Newfoundland. In 2011, we sailed from Port Saunders around Newfoundland via St. Anthony and St. John's and then over to Nova Scotia.
I'd recommend
- Cruising Guide to the Nova Scotia Coast,
- Cruising Guide to Newfoundland,
- Cruising Guide to The Labrador,
available at
http://www.puffin-press.com/index.htm- Canadian Hydrographic
Service Sailing Directions.
- A new series of charts was released in the last two years for the area North of Nain.
I'd advise checking your chartset for the complete
route as I had
Navionics Chart set and a complete set of charts was missing. My Lowrance 5200C
chartplotter also had problems loading a chartset, Had to baby the zoom to get it to load.
As as per a previous post, bug screens are a necessity if you
anchor inshore. We had lagre pieces of screening and laid them over the hatches. A few bites! Plus it was big enough to build a
cockpit enclosure. If you do no have a bug proof encolusire, a bug proof dining tent may do the trick. Trips ashore, especially near dark or prior to rain can be your ticket to mosquito and black fly banquet, your their feast. If you plan on hiking, a good bug repellent is necessary and a bug jacket is useful (it just slows them down).
In Late July
water temperatures were 4 degrees C (40 deg F). That meant the
cabin without a
heater could cool down to 6 deg. C overnight.
A
heater is nice. As one sailor who went to Greenland on an unheated boat said, "you can do, but you do not want to"
We were lucky in July 2010, we enjoyed temperatures (Hopedale & Makovik Labrador ) in the mid 20s C (68 F) in the bays and inlets (away from the coast). We sailed in shorts and T-shirts most days (We had a permanent
dodger to shelter behind). At Hopedale, the
water temperature was 15 deg. C (59 F) at the wharf and 4 C out along the coast.
A visit and a tour of Battle Harbour, Labrador (restored buildings and interpretive centre) is a must stop.
Draft is not usually an issue. In the tickle a mile North of Hopedale, I tacked when the bow was 10 feet from the cliff;
depth 90 feet!
Watch the Northern night skies for the
Northern Lights.
The father South you are or the larger the community, the better the selection and cheaper prices for
food. A good selection is available in most communities.
For us it was whales and icebergs and good times!
Sail On