I landed at Baddeck Marina and got a dock space. My battery situation took a turn for the worse and both batteries failed. So I have to wait until they got ordered and delivered. In the mean time I arrived during race week and the harbour is busting with sail boats of all descriptions. There were receptions and parties all night starting Sunday 3 Aug for the next week. This afternoon was the start of festivities with a sail pass in the harbour. The yacht club would greet the boats as they passed with canon salute. In the first boat to pass there were Bride and Groom on the bow celebrating their event coincidently.The town is very busy with tourists as this is the biggest week of the year for business. I ended staying the whole week and enjoying the festivities of race week. I had several items ordered for pick up, including new charts for Canada. As for the new batteries, they weigh 156 lbs each and are placed in the engine compartment where access is limited. It took 3 men to remove and replace them.
After new batteries and the repairs completed as best they can, I decided it was time to leave this ideal setting and start the trek south. I cannot imagine a better place to be stranded and the folks at the Baddeck Marina were tops. Leaving Baddeck and the Bras d'Or lake heading south. The lake was as smooth as silk the whole trip.
One of the many picturesque scenes along the lake.
I had to make a stop into St Peters Marina, to fill up with fuel as they had the best prices on the lake. I also wanted to catch up with the manager "Jerry" who was so helpful and gracious to me last year. Last year he offered to drive me around the island and do other bits which were certainly not of the ordinary. He is good people. Of course "Wilson" had to get in on the act.
Leaving of Friday, I made my way to the end of Bras d’Or lake and St Peters marina for fuel and the lock where I tied up to the wall for the night, after transiting the lock. This lock was originally a trail over the hills connecting the ocean and the lake. First the Indians hauling their canoes then the Europeans created a way where small boats were towed over the hill on log ways by oxen. Old Admiralty charts refer to this area as "Haulover Isthmus" The canal was finished in 1869.
Monument dedicated to the completion of the canal and brief description.
You can see the logic of the canal and the close proximity of the two water ways.
I went thru the St Peter's Lock before it closed at 6 PM and spent the night on the wall. I will get an early start tomorrow without having to wait for the boats transiting the lock with the morning rush (if anything can be said to be "rushed" here). The lock wall where I tied up for the evening.
Waiting for daylight, this picture was taken at about 8PM.
There were folks catching squid off the lock and walls. They would use a plastic lure without hooks or barbs and the squid would grab it and the fisherman would just flip the line to shore and the squid would flip off. Notice the black ink they are squirting, if you get it on you it won't come off easily. One squid changed its color as a defense mechanism, unfortunately it didn't work out so well. These will be dinner.
Departing St Peters Lock wall I passes the guarding lighthouse and headed across to Canso and beyond.
Can you guess what this is?
It is a Mora-Mora (AKA Sunfish), I have seen lots of them (3) during this trip. I must say that there are lots jellyfish about which is one of their food sources. Since these fish can grow to 800 pounds, it seems to me it take a lot of jelly fish to fill one of these guys.
From St Peters, I had intended on
stopping at Louse Cove as it was supposed to be very beautiful, however, I made
such good time as I had a 1 MPH push from the tides so I ended up in Yankee
Cove. It was well protected from
all sides and very secluded. The
only thing that disturbed my sleep were these loons with their calls all night
long. Soon though even I could
stay awake no longer and off to nod land did I go.
Three Top Island ahead. Wonder how they thought of that name???
I awoke to a startling morning and got a good start to my next destination Sherbrooke Village.
Sherbrooke Village is some 13 miles up the St Mary’s River. I cruised up the13 miles where the water of the St Mary River was skinny in spots but using care and great feats of intuition I managed to make the trip without a sudden stoppage.
Sherbrooke Village is Canada’s version of Williamsburg only 100 years later. The following pictures were taken there. It should be noted that all the buildings except 1 is original to the village. This is the village which was occupied in the past era.
Greeting center
Gift shop and general store
Original Blacksmith shop
Tony the blacksmith made me a hat hook while I watched. The hook demonstrates his craft with metal, i.e.: bending, shaping, trusting and flattening (I think that was what Tony said)
This is the hook, side view, cool!
Scott House
Brigley House
Print shop and Post Office, I checked and my picture was not on the wall.
Drug store with its hundreds of bottles of Pharmaceuticals.
St James Presbyterian Church
Pottery shop and Boat building shop
Masonic Hall
They built boats here, some very large ones according to the info. Although there is only these small ones on display. The river is just behind the building for launching.
A fine example of a dory, their shape was not only sea worthy, but allowed for stacking several on the decks of the schooners when headed out to the "Banks".
Pram
The main street
Rich Merchant home
Court House
Jordan Barn
What can I say:
Exiting St Mary's river
From Sherbrooke Village I travel down one river then around the conner and up another to Liscombe Lodge dock
The river gets narrow but the depth was always adequate.
Did I say narrow?
The dock, where I will be spending the night as soon as the boats leave.
The dock now vacant, note the pontoon boat, it is quite fancy and is used for tours on the river with Chester the dock master and local river authority.
The Lodge
Leaving in the late morning I set off for an anchorage 1/2 way to Halifax. It will be about 40 miles to the next stop of Shelter Cove (with a name like that what is not to like?).
Wilson had the helm for this part of the journey.
Arriving at Shelter cove we dropped anchor in 3 Fathoms of water and enjoyed the evening.
Company joining me.
Listening to the next morning weather forecast, I decided to leave early and make for Halifax lest I get caught here for several days. This is the sky treating me at 6AM. Off I head for Halifax.
Arriving at Halifax, I took an anchorage at the Armdale Yacht Club. When entering Halifax harbor you have a choice of two arms of water to travel one goes past Halifax downtown and the other goes to the south and is less traveled. I chose to take the south path for a less rolling anchorage. That section is the Armdale terminus. The next few pictures are of that area, which reminded me a lot of Boston's Charles River.
This is a rowing club house, I was greater each early morning with the sight of rowers out on the water getting their workout.
Looking down the inlet from the Armdale
I am told this tower and surrounding park is dedicated to
Sir Sandford Fleming who devised or established the standard time zones.
I was looking for the bus stop to go to downtown Halifax when a member of the Armdale Yacht Club offered me a ride . What a country, everyone is so friendly and accommodating. I started my second tour of Halifax (remember I drove here last year while waiting the weather change in Pictou) at the center of activity; the waterfront.
Sculpture of street lights
This is an ugly boat (sorry Great Harbor owners)
Lunch on the Boardwalk
The reason there is a low crime rate in Halifax is in front of you.
What a great sight seeing Theodore pass by while eating lunch.
This was the residence of a high ranking Canadian Official (what office I forgot) which was open for tours. I am told that when in residence, there are guards in those boxes.
Lord Cornwallis, after his defeat in the USA, he was given the task of laying out and establishing Halifax to counter the French influence in the area.
The founder of Cunard Steam Ship Lines
The only thing remaining of this building is the front walls. The windows were plywood and had these painted images in each opening. Can you guess who they are?
I went to the Farmers Market held at Pier 22 I think? It was good fun and lots of things to see, do and eat.
Another clever sign:
The boardwalk along the waterfront is interesting and well maintained.
A monument to Immigration.
This is the Lord Nelson, I will cross paths with this ship later on my journey.
Leaving Halifax I passed a container ship arriving in port.
