Sailing 2020 From Chesapeake to Nova Scotia

[bicyclewriter]

We're a liveaboard couple planning to sail from the Chesapeake area up to Nova Scotia this summer (2020). I'd love to hear from others who have made the trip with any advice (route, best experiences there, etc). We're assuming we'd aim for Lunenburg with bailout options along the way should the weather forecast change. Probably late June or early July. Also, regarding the return trip, we're assuming that would likely be a coastal hopping trip since the likelihood of the right weather/wind window in that direction is low. We did a similar trip last summer, putting in at Block and hopping our way up to Acadia then coastal hopping back. Thoughts, ideas, and advice are welcome!

[slug]

Fog
Fog
Fog

And more fog

Consider this when scheduling and choosing ports, and Anchorage’s

Also remember lobster pots, Millions of lobster pots

I general the weather is settled that time of year

Days are long , Sailing is easy , the coast is beautiful , not too many boats

I tend to make Halifax my base port for a cruise

Many times north of Halifax is less foggy

[bicyclewriter]

Thanks slug. Yeah we learned to love the fog and pots last summer up in Maine. I hear that NS is lighter on the pots. In parts of Maine we could dang near walk across 'em. We're set up well for fog. And fog. And fog.

[slug]

The boats I sail are big and fast

We can cover miles

traditionally we skip Maine and sail directly to Canada ... something like Bermuda Halifax

In Halifax we provision , tidy things up ..then sail as far north a possible ... perhaps red bay

Once north the cruise starts ... we then only cruise in southerly direction ... back to the region of Halifax

The unique region is Newfoundland , Quebec Gulf of St Lawrence

The weather pattern is also better

This weather patten means that a week may have 7 useful days for messing around

[zippy]

Far fewer lobster pots than Maine and lobster season along the South Shore is closed from June to December so there are none. South of Halifax the bays are usually fog free by noon even though it may linger offshore.

[bicyclewriter]

Thanks for the info Zippy. And slug, I had also thought that getting directly to the most northerly point and then inching south would be better, so thanks for confirming that. I'm pretty sure we'd make the lake the furthest north this season, giving us time to enjoy the Maine coast again as we hop our way south.

A question about routing: Are there any specific areas in the fishing grounds between Nantucket and Nova Scotia that you try to avoid? I have to say by biggest nervousness during overnights is dark fishing vessels trailing nets.

[slug]

Gee. I can’t remember any particular challenge in that region other than fog and lobster pots



Halifax MRCC is well respected and helps out small craft ....alerts for hazards

Be sure to tune in and have their phone number handy

Halifax yacht club was very friendly to sailors I weathered a hurricane there

As with most parts of the world large scale commercial fishing is dead

I found Canadian charts to be very accurate and well presented

I can’t remember the cruise guide , coast pilot name

Read up on the history of cod fishing , seal fishing and WW2

Some of the greatest Canadian seamanship achievements are from this period

[fourlyons]

Slug mentioned the history of the coast; we really enjoyed the museums in Halifax and especially in Lunenburg.
Both museums are right on the waterfront, with docks you can tie up at.

[billknny]

Nova Scotia is way easier than Maine. The NS lobster season is in the winter, so NO pots!

Your worries about "dark" fishing boats is quite misplaced. All fishing boats are lit brightly with deck lights, after all they are working! All the commercial fishing boats we encountered were broadcasting AIS. Crossing the banks DO be aware of shallows. If there is a sea running there are places way off shore than can break. More hazardous are the buoys marking the long line gear. They DO have radar reflectors, but they are very hard to pick out, especially at night. They are not huge, and heavy, but still not something you want to tangle with.

If you are going to Nova Scotia, do NOT MISS getting out to Sable Island. It is an awesome experience. Fewer than a dozen boats a year take the trouble to go, but it is a place you will remember forever if you have any real interest in nature. Seriously.
https://fetchinketch.net/2019/08/23/...fog-and-bones/

Last year we ran directly from Annapolis to Halifax. When you get to Canada, be sure the FIRST thing you do is check in by phone at an official port of entry. Do not anchor out and check in the next day. They WILL look up your AIS track. They are polite (being Canadian, and all) but they DO expect you to follow their rules.

[copaco]

North of Halifax there is Lake Bras d'Or in Cape Breton and on to Magdelens Islands for Quebec and Golf of St Lawrence check out Ganymede log's.Fog usualy dries up by ten o,clock.But you do need a radar.https://www.cruisingworld.com/wild-coast-quebec/

[TBW]

Re Canada
BE SURE to post the number they give you in the window.
simple piece of paper with marker will do
post number!

[Mahayana]

Originally Posted by zippy

Far fewer lobster pots than Maine and lobster season along the South Shore is closed from June to December so there are none. South of Halifax the bays are usually fog free by noon even though it may linger offshore.

+1!

Here is the season by location.

[Nemesis33]

Originally Posted by copaco

North of Halifax there is Lake Bras d'Or in Cape Breton and on to Magdelens Islands for Quebec and Golf of St Lawrence check out Ganymede log's.Fog usualy dries up by ten o,clock.But you do need a radar.https://www.cruisingworld.com/wild-coast-quebec/

And the Bras D'Or Lakes are gorgeous. If you are able, sail through Lennox Passage and stop in at St-Peter's marina on your way. Say hi to Jerry.


Lots of info here: https://cruising-cape-breton.info/

[hpeer]

In 2012 I left DELAWARE and sailed straight to Shelbourne, NS. That is far enough East you also miss the big tides out of the Gulf if Maine. You still get current but that kinda cancels out. Took me 7 days.

I’ve come back down a couple of times. The trip home is a slog, mostly a beat if not windless. So. Would blast up and save the day trips for coming home.

Frankly there is just so much to see and do throughout the region that there is little reason to come home short of the short season. Much has been mentioned: the Cote Nord of Quebec is great, Battle Harbor in Labrador is a little North of Red Bay and I would not miss it. Once out of the Straights of Belle Isle things get real chilly real quick, but if you are early enough (late June or early July) you may well see ice bergs.

Then there is the South Coast which is just raw beauty with only a couple of out ports. St Pierre is a very interesting stop and a chance to fly your French Flag and stock up on high quality eats, wine and cheese. Their museum is small be very interesting.

We keep our small boat in Lewisporte, the best Marina/Yacht Club ever. IMHO.

[slug]

Originally Posted by hpeer

In 2012 I left DELAWARE and sailed straight to Shelbourne, NS. That is far enough East you also miss the big tides out of the Gulf if Maine. You still get current but that kinda cancels out. Took me 7 days.

I’ve come back down a couple of times. The trip home is a slog, mostly a beat if not windless. So. Would blast up and save the day trips for coming home.

Frankly there is just so much to see and do throughout the region that there is little reason to come home short of the short season. Much has been mentioned: the Cote Nord of Quebec is great, Battle Harbor in Labrador is a little North of Red Bay and I would not miss it. Once out of the Straights of Belle Isle things get real chilly real quick, but if you are early enough (late June or early July) you may well see ice bergs.

Then there is the South Coast which is just raw beauty with only a couple of out ports. St Pierre is a very interesting stop and a chance to fly your French Flag and stock up on high quality eats, wine and cheese. Their museum is small be very interesting.

We keep our small boat in Lewisporte, the best Marina/Yacht Club ever. IMHO.

It’s really difficult to do a Labrador cruise ....time and distance . Up and down that coast takes the whole summer

Typically when I have done a Labrador Newfoundland cruise we skipped the gulf of st Laurence , Nova Scotia