The trip home

After two weeks in Cornwallis with the cadets we are on our way home.  We departed Digby on Saturday morning  at 5 am so we could make the out going tides.  Our first stop is going to be Yarmouth, NS.  It is 74 nm from Digby to Yarmouth. With the out going tides we averaged 7 knots or better from most of the trip.  When we went through Digby gut (passage between main land NS and Digby Neck) we reached speeds of 12 knots.
We arrived in Yarmouth at 5 pm and stayed at the marina right downtown.

Yarmouth light house

Yarmouth waterfront

Yarmouth Marina contact information

Yarmouth habour is very well marked with light buoys, light houses and channel markers. It's takes about one hour to reach the wharf for the mouth of the habour.  The marina has showers, fuel, water, wireless, washer, dryer and power.  The cost per night for a 36 foot boat was $64.00 which included everything.  There was also free wireless all along the waterfront which was provide by the town of Yarmouth.  The marina is right downtown and is an easy walk to stores and boating stores.

The next morning we departed early - 2 am so we could fallow out the rising tides which would provide us a push around Cape Sable.  The next stop for us is Shelburne yacht club for fuel and an overnight stay.  The trip here was pretty good with an average speed of 5 to 7 knots.  Total distance from Yarmouth to Shelburne is 78 nm.  We saw lots of marine life (seals, porpoise, leather back turtle)  around the area of Cape Sable.  There are also lots of sea birds as well.

Uncharted fish farms

Shelburne entrance light house

Shelburne Yacht Clubs docks

 Shelburne has a very night yacht club with all of the things a boat wants. Fuel, water, showers, wireless, pubs and a very night old downtown.  The only thing is that it is over 10 nm miles from the mouth of the habour into the marina.  The cost per night is $1.10 per foot.  Shelburne yacht club

We left Shelburne at 8 am and headed towards Lunberg which was our next stop on the way back to Halifax.  We had some great winds on the first part of the day but then they dropped and moved more on to our stern.  So we motored sailed the rest of the way. 

 Approaching Lunberg Habour

Light house marking Stbd side of approach to Lunberg Habour

The Ovens park

 

New Bluenose Schooner

We had a little bit of drama on our way in to Lunberg habour.  Just after passing the outer lighthouse we developed a major coolant leak on the top of our engine which caused us to rethink our approach to the wharf.  We came in under sail to almost the wharf dropped our  main sail and and just used the engine to give us a push towards the wharf.  The coolant issue turned out to be a crack in the metal coolant elbow just before the thermostat.

J P Weld is great stuff

Lundberg habour is now managed by the "Waterfront Development Corp" which has installed many floating dock along the wharfs.  Most of these docks have power, water and wireless.  The dock we were on (Zwickers) didn't have water.  Their are showers available the street on the east side of the town just passed the Boat Locker Yacht shop in a Red building.  There are many great stores in this town for repairing, storing or just plain shopping.  There is even a place that makes rum and vodka on site called "Iron Works"
The price for the dock was $30.00 for boats up to 30 feet and then $1.00 per foot after that.  Which is paid at the Boat Locker.

  Lunbergs visitors guide

Week Two on STV Tuna

After sailing around the Annapolis Basin for a week now.  We have gotten use to the tides and the currents.  Most days here are very hot with not a lot of wind.  But we have managed to sail almost every day so far.  The only thing that is really hard to get use to is the smell at the wharf.  Right now the lobster, scallop and hearing fisheries are in full swing.  Which means lots of smelly fishing boats.

Busy government wharf

Herring Boat

Herring Boat

We have made several stop in Annapolis Royal for coffee and lunch on our day trips.  It is 12.2 nm's from Digby.  There is another government wharf there that offers one floating dock to tie up too.  Every time we have been there the wharf has been empty.  There is a great farmers market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  There is also free wireless at the dock.  At low tide there is about 6 feet of water at the floating dock

Annapolis Royal (high tide)

Annapolis Royal (low Tide)

Annapolis Royal (low tide)

Port-Royal National Historic Site is a National Historic Site of Canada located on the north bank of the Annapolis Basin in the community of Port Royal, Nova Scotia. This National Historic Site is the location of the Habitation at Port-Royal.

The Habitation at Port-Royal was established by France in 1605 and was that nation's first successful settlement in North America. Port-Royal served as the capital of Acadia until its destruction by British military forces in 1613. France relocated the settlement and capital 8 km (5.0 mi) upstream and to the south bank of the Annapolis River the site of the present-day town of Annapolis Royal.

The relocated settlement kept the same name "Port-Royal" and served as the capital of Acadia for the majority of the 17th century until the British conquest of the colony in 1710, at which time the settlement was renamed to Annapolis Royal.

This is one of the best places to visit if you are interested in the history of this area.  I spend more then an hour walking around this fort and learning of the history in this area.

Main Gate

Dinning Hall

Week One on STV Tuna

STV Tuna at her berth at Fleet Diving Units Jetty, Shearwater Nova Scotia

STV TUNA

History
Two vessels TUNA (Halifax) and GOLDCREST (Esquimalt) were procured on April 1985. The Commander Maritime Command did establish a requirement to provide two sail training vessels suitable for offshore passages and races. Vessels of this type had previously been operated by Maritime Command (CFAV GOLDCREST, CFAV TUNA), but were disposed of without replacement in the early 1970’s. Sea trials were carried out 28 and 29 of Mar 85 at Port Credit, Ontario. Trials were carried out by NDHQ staff. On competition of trials the two vessels we move to the respective coasts.  Currently STV Tuna is dock at the FDU jetty (Shearwater).
C/S. CZJO
Sail #2372
MMSI 316015408
PHRF 132 (spinnaker). 150 non Spinnaker
MAIN TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Dimensions
L.O.A. – 36’6″
L.W.L. – 29’3″
Beam – 11’6″
Draft – 6’3″
Displacement – 15,500 lbs.
Sail Area – 822 sq. ft.
Ballast keel of approximately 6,500 lbs. is a lead casting
Engine Westerbeke 33 hp, 4 cycle diesel
Both Hull and Deck are glass reinforced plastic (G.R.P.)
The deck has a special nonskid pattern
Crew 8

Check us out on Facebook (STV Tuna) for more information https://www.facebook.com/groups/STV.TUNA/

Deliver crew from Halifax to Digby, Nova Scotia

Thursday, July 9th, 10am Departed Halifax for Liverpool, Nova Scotia.  After a safety briefing, tour of the boat and storage of store we set off.  After about 15 mins into the trip Mike realizes that he forgot his glasses so back we went to Shearwater.  We motored out of the habour and started down the coast towards Liverpool.  Our first plan was to anchor in a bay at Coffin Island but after a closer look at the charts and because our arrival was going to be after dark we decided to going into the yacht club in Liverpool for the night. Liverpool is 59 nm from Halifax.

Liverpool Yacht Club is located just in the habour on the right hand side just passed the rock break water.  This was my second time here and both times there were docks available, There were a few other boats here for overnight stay as well.  The price to stay here is $35.00 per night which include water, power (30 amp) and showers.  Its a small club and is located a distance from the town. So to get fuel you need to get one of the locals to drive you with Jerry cans.  I should add that there is a very small very well marked channel going into this yacht club.  We arrived at low tide and it show only nine feet of water in most places on our depth sounder.

Liverpool

Liverpool Yacht Club docks

Liverpool Yacht Club East docks

Liverpool Yacht Club, Club house

Friday, July 10th, departed Liverpool for Clarks Habour, Nova Scotia.  We left Liverpool at 7 am and headed back down the coast towards our next stop.  Still no wind and sea was like glass.  We saw a few other sailboat farther out to sea.  After looking on AIS we found out they were boats that were in the Marble Head race.  I guess they were all heading home.
We stuck close to the coast so we would have something to look at as the day went on.  We did see, Harbour seal, Minke whales, porpoise and a sunfish.

We ended up motoring a total of 74 nm to Clarks habour since there was no wind again.  We pulled into Clarks habour at 7 pm and tied up to the government wharf.  We found out there was no cost to spend the night there.  There was power on the wharf, but no water or fuel.  To get fuel you had to walk up the road to the gas station.  Which was just a 5 min walk.  There is also a well stocked corner store there as well. The corner store also sold propane.  The channel going into this habour is well marked and the habour is very well protected.  Lots of people we on the wharf fishing squid.  You could see them swimming around the wharf pillars.

Baptist Stone Church Clarks Habour

Clarks Habour

Clarks Habour Information

STV Tuna at government wharf

Clarks Habour

Lobster holding pens 

Saturday, July 11th.  We departed the Habour at 6 am on low tide so we would could make it to Digby Neck on rising tide. For the first few hours we were fighting the currents but by mid-morning the currents turned and we got sucks up along the coast.  Again no wind and the water was like glass.  But Terry Scott made some great meals for us so all was not lost.

When we got to Digby Neck we motored through the gap.  Before we entered the gap our water speed was 6 knots.  Half way through the gap our GPS speed jumped to over 10 knots.  With the Bay of Fundy still flooding we got a push all the way to Digby.  Average speed was 7.5 GPS. We arrived at Digby just before midnight.  Total distance of this trip was 242 nm's

The first week of cadet training went well.  We took 7 cadets and 1 escort officer out each day.

Government wharf Digby - high tide

Government wharf Digby - low tide

The tides in Digby habour is normally 22 feet. So docking on a floating dock is a must.

I was surprise by my wife RaeAnn a few days after I got here.  We decided to stay at the Digby Pines hotel while she was here.  I is a grand old hotel with great rooms, very clean and has a great restaurant. The rates per night are not that bad either at only $142.00 per night.  The history of the hotel is very interesting.

Digby Pines from the water

Main Hall

Main door

Outdoor chess set

ReaAnn and Todd enjoying the Digby Pines

Week Two on STV Tuna

Week two started slow.  All the cadets went to CFS last night so they ate breakfast late today.   So we go a slow start this morning.  The weather is foggy and no wind.  But we anchored off a waterfall in the Bay of Fundy for lunch so life is good.

Day two was a great day on the water.  We had a good wind all day.  We even had the spinnaker up for a good down wind run.

Day three was canceled because there so much foggy that all we could do with the cadets is jetty approaches all morning.

Day four was a great day in the water with the cadets.  That night we took part in the Weds night racing at the Digby yacht club.  We had a good start but after 2 hours the winds died so the race was called.

Day 5 was the last day for training for the cadets and Tuna.  We had alright winds and it was sunny so who can complain to much.  

Friday we stored the boat and departed Digby at 9:44 am.  We passed through Digby neck before the tides changed.  Bay of Funny reports 44 feet of tides in some places.   We motored sailed all night and arrived in Shelburne around 1 pm.   We took on fuel 66 liters and also enjoyed a nice hot shower and some good food.   We will leave here tomorrow early in the am for Chester. 

We motored into the wind from 5:30 am till 8:30 pm at which time we arrived in back habour of Chester.   It was a great day to finish off the trip.  The Tuna will be staying in Chester for a week to compeat in Chester race week.