We hope you have enjoyed our blog across the eastern coastline of the US, through Cape Breton to Newfoundland. We have provided places for mooring, dockage, fuel, water and local hotspots for fellow cruisers that have not yet experienced this area. We sailed out of Baddeck in Cape Breton Island and headed to Shelbourne, Nova Scotia. From there we waited for a good weather window and head back out to sea.

Adagio is a Hallberg Rassy 41 center cockpit ketch; a self sustained offshore cruiser with an HRO 250 gallon/per day watermaker that provides full-time clean water; 2 Kocera solar panels and an Air X wind generator. Heat is provided from a Webasto diesel furnace that keeps the enclosed cockpit warm and allows for sailing in the elements of cold rainy weather. She has 2 air conditioners for the tropics. Our stove is diesel (we do not carry propane for safety) and we use mineral spirits or kerosene, both of which can be found easily.

We chose a Hallberg Rassy for being one of the best boats built in the world. She is a hard core seaworthy vessel that we can attest will handle the inevitable hardships of wind and sea. The ketch sail plan is without a doubt the most valuable. Being able to use the mizzen and inner jib (jib and jigger) in strong winds and sea is "safety at sea." This sail plan was used in Newfoundland. Adagio has twin poles for sailing downwind in the tropics. A well balanced sail configuration with so many options in a ketch is a plus and allows for ease of being sailed single-handed.

Adagio only requires diesel fuel and groceries.

If you are reading our blog and dreaming of cruising have comfort in knowing there is no better place to be than on the ocean with all your friends of the sea, the marvels of what our beautiful earth has to offer and the wonderful people you will meet along the way. Have confidence in the most seaworthy vessel you can afford as it is that vessel that will carry you to all those beautiful destinations safely, not your seamanship.

We admire those who are dreaming of travel by sea and hope we've been an inspiration. Like friends we are sure to see you out there by land, sea or air.

Follow your dreams!
Adagio.

We sailed through Grand Narrows at 11kts. The current was so strong that it was a challenge to steer. It was a great ride through. We stopped for the night in Baddeck. If you have never been to Baddeck before, it is a best kept secret.

Everything is in Baddeck from engine repair to major refit to haul out. There are numerous restaurants and shops galore. Our favorite pub is the BYC.

Tomorrow is off to St. Peter's.

Hurricane Ike was making its way up the coast and we decided if it was going to hit that we wanted to be in Port aux Basque. At times like this, it is reassuring that you have a good solid offshore cruiser. It was 2 days to Port aux Basque and Ramea to Port aux Basque was at the miniumum a 10 hour sail.

9/12/08 Arrive Francois
9/13/08 Arrive Ramea
9/14/08 Arrive Port aux Basque
9/18/08 Sail across Cabot Strait to South Ingonish Cape Breton

To all our new friends in Newfoundland, thank you for such a wonderful time. A special thank you to David Joe for making our time in Port aux Basque so special. We are so sorry that we missed you and didn't have a chance to say a proper good-bye. We are sure our paths will cross again, hugs and kisses.

We opted to sail to Grand Bank rather than Fortune. Fortune is where all the ferries dock. Grand Bank is only 4.5nm from Fortune and a much more peaceful harbor.

Grand Bank is a small very well protected harbor. We docked on the public wharf in front of a large dragger that was damaged from a rougue wave.

There were at least 15 people that greeted us at the wharf when we arrived. We were offered a ride by the harbormaster to Fortune so that we could clear back into Canada. We were able to clear in thru CANPASS, however, on the 888 number. We were cleared in by an officer in Ontario. We anwered some questions and received a new permit number over the phone.

We took on fuel from an Esso truck. Grand Bank has the least expensive diesel fuel that we have found anywhere in Newfoundland, Canada or the USA.

Everything is here. Laundromat, liquor store, small market, Sobeys, a minute ride by car, and a couple of restaurants. Grand Bank is also known for homemade cheesecake.

Everyone here has offered us a ride whether to the grocery store, auto parts store, Fortune, or anywhere we wanted to go. One gentlemen said his keys were in the car and we could take it because he had to go home for supper.

The Newfoundlanders in Grand Bank offered more assistance and checked in on us to make sure we were all right more than any other port that we visited. Of course, they also have a lot more people!

The forecast called for gale force winds and rain so September 9th was spent huddled up in the cabin. A much needed rest. We watched DVD's all day and read two books. The harbor is so secluded that the boat didn't even move in 35-40kts of wind.

We will be heading back to Ramea in the morning, a 12 hour sail.

The weather has already broken. The harbor is calm and peaceful, and there are white puffy clouds. I can already here the cars driving up and down on the wharf to see if we are still here. We would like to spend a lot more time here, but we must move on as the weather in the North Atlantic can change at the drop of a hat.

On September 11th we cast off our lines and set sail back Francois. We found ourselves in high seas with opposing wind, making barely 3.0kts. We beat ourselves for two hours when we decided to turn around and head back into Grand Bank. Tomorrow is a new day.

September 12th, we tried again. The seas in this area of the North Atlantic are 3-4 meter seas. One green wave slammed the side of us and we found ourselves in green water for a few seconds. It was kind of scray, but also kind of fun. We battled high seas all the way to Francois and were very glad to be tied up to the dock. What a work out!

TBP -

Whoever said that when you stop working you will be bored is surely mistaken! We do work a lot maybe not for money, but for something far greater.