My dad decided to join us at the last minute. As I write, I'm back, yet again, at the Sweet Indulgence Cafe in Lunenburg, waiting for him to arrive by taxi from the airport. Isbjörn is on anchor in the harbor, with Mia and Rachel aboard just chilling out. Matt is somewhere in town doing a last-minute wander.
Because we've been here since Friday night, it feels like were behind schedule in leaving, but in reality, the goal was always to leave by noon on July 15 (today), so it's only a few hours. The boat is ready to go - we filled up on water and re-provisioned yesterday - so once we collect my dad, we'll weigh anchor and be on our way.
Right into the fog. Mia and I took the opportunity just before lunch to get one last run in around town. We meandered over around to the south side of the harbor and jogged along the golf course there. The Bluenose Golf Club, which has to be one of the most picturesque courses on the east coast of North America, and it's immaculately maintained. I walked up onto one of the greens overlooking the harbor and the town, and what a sight! The grass on the putting surface was smooth as a pool table. Curiously, the guys playing down the fairway were using bright yellow, day-glow golf balls. Which, upon reflection, makes total sense. It's overcast and warm today, with a southerly breeze blowing off the ocean, bringing with it thick fog. Probably the only way the golfers will ever find their ball. So we'll have a challenge tacking out through Lunenburg Bay in the thick air, but then that's what you get sailing up here.
Yesterday, back at the fisherman's wharf where we took on water, we met a local lobsterman who chatted us up for a while. He runs whale-watching tours on the side, and mentioned that if we headed out past the fairway buoy off Cross Island, we should encounter a pod of minke whales, and perhaps a humpback or two. For the last four days they've been there each day, he said. Normally we'd be able to cut the corner and sail more to the south, but I think it'll definitely be worth it if we could start the trip with a whale sighting!
Tropical Storm Claudette is well on her way across the Atlantic now, so no longer even something to think about. The weather looks light and variable for much of the next few days, but I'm crossing my fingers than we'll have enough breeze to sail, even is slowly. It's forecast to shift to the north overnight tonight and into tomorrow, which should blow the fog offshore and give us some spinnaker weather, so I hope we can make some miles before it goes light again.
As I mentioned before, we will have email at-sea this time, so we'll be posting on occasion in real-time from the boat. Rory Finneran will be managing the website, so big thanks to him for his help (all the way from Bejing!). Track our progress via YB Tracking on 59-north.com/tracking.
Until next time...
