Canada

In order to get to Canada, I had to do a few long days. I left Rockland and made it to Northeast Harbor where I fueled up and filled the water tanks. The next day I pressed on to Eastern Bay. During my 2017 cruise, I didn't go any farther east than Northeast Harbor - this was new cruising grounds for me.

Once past Mount Desert Island, the already sparely populated shoreline really thins out. I saw few buildings on shore and few boats other than the ubiquitous lobstermen.

My next stop was Hall Cove on the western side of Steele Harbor Island. I needed a quite place to anchor that wasn't too far off the rhumb line to Canada. Bold granite formations mark the entrance to a narrow cut into the bay. One side is the wild North Atlantic but the other side is calm and sheltered. Once anchored, I could see the fishing village of Jonesport through the binoculars which probably explained why I had excellent cell coverage.

I left early in the morning for the leg across Grand Manan Channal to the island of the same name. My first time taking Tanqueray to a new country. As is so typical of Maine weather, I started in dead calm and was soon ensconced in thick fog. Before long, I heard thunder and noticed darkening skies.

North Head inner harbor, Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada

My fellow sailors and I regularly bemoan the frequent bulletins broadcast on the common radio channel by the Coast Guard. They speak so fast and enunciate so poorly that we can't understand much of that they say. On our 2016 sail to Bermuda we had the occasion to hear and talk to Bermuda radio. Every sailor on board was impressed with how easy it was to understand every word they said.

Bermuda is a small island and the Bermuda Radio station was atop a near by hill so we paid them a visit. The man operating the radio explained that the US Coast Guard was much like a military organization with many people cycling through positions which require them to speak on the radio. Bermuda Radio, on the other hand, had long term, full time radio operators.

I'm grateful that the Coast Guard risks their lives to save mariners like myself but I can't help but think there must be some way to train radio operators to be intelligible.

Lest I point a finger only at the USCG, as the skies grew darker, the Canadian Coast Guard broadcast a weather warning several times. Canadian broadcasts are made in English and repeated in French so I had two opportunities to decipher what they were about. Just like their American counterparts, they speak impressively fast but they are almost impossible to understand. All I could garner was that there was severe weather in the Bay of Fundy - probably not far from where I was.

Sure enough, the skies continued to darken and the thunder became louder. Suddenly the wind shifted and strengthened spurring me to drop all sails and continue under power. Moments later the skies opened up and it started to rain hard. Fortunately, I had plenty of time to don my foul weather gear so I was ready. A squall at sea can be frightening but they are usually short lived. This weather was a little different. The winds lightened but the rain lasted for hours. I was happy Tanqueray was getting a fresh water rinse and was amazed to feel the temperature rise from the high 50s to the mid 70s. The warm summer rain and light winds were even pleasant.

The western shore of Grand Manan Island consists of 400 foot cliffs which were completely hidden by the fog until I reached the northern tip of the island. The fog lifted, the rain turned to a light drizzle, and I had an impressive view of the North Head light house. As I past the tip of the island and turned south I was startled to hear whales blowing on both sides of Tanqueray. The enormous Finback whales stayed with me for quite some time as I made my way the last few miles to North Head Harbor. I dodged the departing Grand Manan ferry, grabbed a mooring and called Canada Customs. It was good to be back in my adopted home country of Canada again.

Flying my Canada courtesy flag