Annapolis heading to Labrador!

[SVAndante9]

My husband, Russ, and I live in Annapolis and are working on selling up and heading out aboard our Kaiser Gale Force '34. Andante's been our 22 year "project boat." We've cruised the Chesapeake for years and started sailing to New England. Then went further to Nova Scotia. Got intrigued with Newfoundland and then explored Labrador a bit. Heading back up that way this summer, 2013.

Cheers!

[Sailormantx]

Welcome aboard! Heading that way too this summer out of TX. If you see my infamous red sails on the horizon, give me a shout.

[Kache Walk]

Nice to hear of your plans. I purchased my boat last May and am planning to spend time exploring the Chesapeake while getting the experience I need to head North. We must be in a minority - most folks seem to head South. But I have a Canadian-made boat and would love, at some point, to head to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. If I could manage it, it would be great to get up to Cape Cod Bay this summer, but that mighty be too ambitious. What do you love about heading North?

[Kettlewell]

Went up to Cape Mugford north of Nain and back when I was in college, using a sextant, an RDF once in awhile, and a lot of dead reckoning. There were places then where we sailed off the charts, which was kind of interesting. Spectacular place, if you don't mind being alone and in very cold water! Have fun.

[SVAndante9]

Sailormantx - How far North are you planning for this summer? We’ll be leaving in early May and will keep a look out. Are you Annie Hill fans?

Kache Walk - My husband’s a lifelong sailor but I learned in the Chesapeake. I call it the Sailor’s nursery complete with bumper pads. But a Chesapeake Bay summer thunderstorm can be a very nasty thing! I have a write-up on some of our favorite anchorages in Cape Cod, New England and I’ll pm them to you.

We started going North because we could do longer trips in the summer when the kids weren’t in school. Who wants to head south in August?! Also have family on Martha’s Vineyard and Maine so it was a natural. Then you just keep looking over the horizon and suddenly you’re in Nova Scotia, then 10 years later you’ve made it to Newfoundland and Labrador. The further north you go, the fewer people, less crowded anchorages and because there are so few boats, you’re a rarity and local people come down to say hello. Wildlife is amazing too.

Kettlewell - This’ll be our third trip down the Labrador and there are still lots of blank spots on the charts and the chartplotter often has us on land. Good on ya’ for doing it without the aids to modern navigation! There's probably less people and less boats than when you were there due to the fishing moratorium. We went 2 weeks without seeing another boat or people.

Pictures of icebergs & polar bears on our blog S/V Andante

Fair winds!

[Sailormantx]

Would like to go north on the Greenland side then cross over and southbound Labrador side. This is to be a.test run for me, first time up there. All weather dependent of course. Will pm you later this week, doing sea trials on a new NOAA ship this week so will be out of touch for a few days. Should be leaving TX by mid may to keep from getting pressed for time, but then end of this job keeps.getting delayed and it is eating up my prep time( but filling the wallet!)

[SVAndante9]

Do keep in touch. We're pondering the Greenland leg of this trip too . . . we'll see how time works out.

[RDW]

What is the best time to be in Newfoundland considering fog, bugs and general weather.
RDW

[RDW]

What is the best time to be in Newfoundland considering fog, bugs and general weather.
RDW

[Kettlewell]

It's basically July and August up there, and maybe the first couple of weeks in September. You have to count on fog and bugs.

[KrazySailing]

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

[KrazySailing]

And now the bad news.

In both 2010 and 2011, once September hit the weather changed. We were either waiting out a tail end of a hurricane or a gale. In October it was sail one day, sit two for the next gale.

[Kettlewell]

We sailed back from Labrador to Newfoundland in early September in a nasty gale, but we had to get back. Offshore weather is a lot more uncomfortable when the water is so cold and you are getting sluiced with it frequently. We had a couple of baths when we were pooped, filling the cockpit right to the brim. And yes, you really do have to keep an eye on hurricanes--they start to move very quickly once past Cape Hatteras and can be in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland only a couple of days later, so it pays to watch what is happening further south.

[hpeer]

Ahoy Adante,

I'll be going back up this summer, I hope. To pick up my Chouette if nothing else. Perhaps we will cross paths again.

Was just sharing email with a couple who made Greenland last summer, they did not make it sound inviting. But they are in Canaries now.

[SVAndante9]

Hi Howard, Mick and Bee on Hannah said Greenland was very crowded compared to Labrador. We'll just see what time allows. Hope to share an anchorage with you! Hoping to leave Annapolis very early in May. Cheers!