Cold Nights and Long Passages

On September 20, 2016, we left the whales in Tadoussac and entered the fog for the next 10 hours. The cabin temperature stayed between 7-12 C, so the kids stayed pretty bundled. 

Simon staying warm  

Trying to stay warm...love our new hat from Granny! Thanks Lois!

John catching some sun and zzzzs during a small break in the fog.

The fog was as thick as chowder when we arrived in Rimouski near dusk. We could barely see across the marina to get to the docks. Once safely tied up, we plugged our little space heater in to get the cabin above 10 C. 

Next day: Sun in Rimouski

In preparation for overnight passages, we decided to make up the bed in the salon for the kids to have a "nest" where they could play and stay warm while we sailed.  We piled the nest with blankets and they gathered books, devices to play audio books and toys.

Wavey having breakfast in the "nest"

We decided to fuel up in Rimouski before our overnight trip around the Gaspe Peninsula. As we prepared to cast off the lines, Simon went to the fuel dock with his homemade depth sounder and discovered there was not enough water for us there. Simon predicted using information from the tide tables that we should wait an hour or so for the tide to come in. It gave me just enough time for a quick trip via cab to get some groceries.

From Rimouski, we sailed for two days and two nights around the scenic Gaspe Peninsula. It was a fast, but lumpy sail with a steady 25-30 knot wind. 

We arrived in the middle of the night in a small village called L'Anse-a-Beaufils near the famous rock of Perce.

John and I had stopped here sixteen years ago with Spartina. Since we were here, the old fishing plant had developed into a cultural centre with an art gallery and bistro. We tied up next to a tour boat amongst the fishing boats. The kids thought it wild to scrambled over another boat and up the wall. We cobbled together enough power cords to reach to the outlet so we could get some heat. Since it was the end of the season, it was a quiet place to relax for a day. 

L'Anse-a-Beaufils

It is nice to tie up to other boats...no tending lines when the tide changes!

Tied up to the  Haligonian II

Simon took the video below with the camera strapped to his lifejacket to demonstrate how it looks to climb over another boat to Nahanni V.

When sailing overnight in cold weather, we must admit that personal hygiene slides on the priority list. When it is rough, we are lucky if we brush our teeth. Wearing the same clothes day and night is a good way to stay toasty, but makes for a stinky crew after a few days. Once on land, we all hanker for a warm shower to get the salt and sweat off. In my case, it gives the opportunity to peel off the toque that has been stuck to my head for days. I was slightly dismayed to find coin showers at L'Anse-a-Beaufils (the third time we have encountered pay-as-you-go showers). Eight minutes for $1. Sadly, we were running out of loonies, so we had speedy showers!

The kids were thrilled to have a beach with rocks to climb on, and had the chance to observe some researchers collect specimens of fish on the beach. 

We also spent an afternoon with Dave and Sheila (with their two cats) from Toronto on their sailboat The Full Monty sharing sailing experiences and cruising information.

After filling thermoses with warm fluids and stocking the fridge with snacks and sandwiches, we left L'Anse-a-Beaufils for more overnight sailing south to the Northumberland Strait and the beautiful Prince Edward Island. We left at noon so we would arrive to the Strait by dawn of the next day. From our last trip here, we remembered that it was lobster season in PEI and the waters would be filled with lobster traps with lines and floats that are hard to see, especially at night. For ten hours, we kept a vigilant watch for the lobster floats, dodging a few degrees here and there to avoid hooking a line in our propeller. 

The little white things are floats from lobster traps that we had to avoid running over!

 Again, we had winds between 20 and 30 knots which made for some exciting sailing!

Some sun before the rain came (notice Simon's winter coat)

Wavey at work

Testing harnesses 

Staying warm?

Sailing under the Confederation Bridge linking PEI to New Brunswick

(You may have noticed that I wipe out at the end of this video. No injuries were sustained. Another reminder to wear my harness and keep one hand on the boat while filming!)

We arrived in Charlottetown, PEI just as the sun was setting on our second day at sea. The seas were choppy and the rain was pounding and we were happy to see the friendly Charlottetown Yacht Club. We were also relieved that there was someone on site to let us in to the club to have long, hot showers.

Quick facts of passages Rimouski to Charlottetown

• Six days and 420 nautical miles
• Average wind speed 25-30 knots
• Two showers (each)
• All the warm clothes we brought were worn (sometimes all at once)
• Lots of peanut butter sandwiches eaten
• Four tabs of gravol taken (with minimal hanging over the side)
• Harnesses are all working (when we remember to wear them.)
• We have an awesome and resilient little crew!