We have had such a cold wet spring here that Jim frequently remarks, "We came back too soon!!!" Not so really, because we've been having a fine time being back in our own house, seeing family and friends, playing host to visiting sailors.

About those sailors ...

We know that Henrik and Anders (Fri Inspirasjon) whom I mentioned in the last posting, are on their way from Newfoundland to Ireland and then on to Norway. Find their blog at http://fri.caty.com) After they left, another couple of Norwegian sail boats arrived. We met Ann Christin and Christian (Ella) in Puerto de Vita and again in Varadero and told them to look us up if they came up this far up the coast (they thought they might go to Bermuda and home from there.) Sure enough, we got a phone call! They had hooked up with Henning, Marius and Gustav (Sjarmen) and were at the Armdale Yacht Club for a few days. Jim drove them all over town as they gathered up cold weather clothing, provisions, and dozens of things on their lists. They visited the Binnacle - our local chandlery, the Army/Navy Surplus store and IMP Marine in Dartmouth - where they found the best boots! Ann Christin commented that they were able to get not only the essentials at great prices, but some of the items on their wish lists too! Nice feeling.

In the evening, they all came for dinner. We had a great time, and introduced them to fiddleheads and dulse and solomon gundy (along with bbq'd pork tenderloin and roasted veggies) and around about 10:30, we decided they could not leave town without visiting a local pub or two. So off we walked to the Lower Deck where we listened to some good music and downed a pitcher or two of beer. They showed no signs of fatigue so we left them there sometime after midnight and Jim and I walked back home. We found out later that they really took to Halifax nightlife and arrived back at their boats about 5:30 the next morning!

They ended up being in Halifax for over two weeks while they waited for weather for their crossing, spending most of their time tied up on the waterfront where they could walk most everywhere (including a few more visits to pubs and clubs where they enjoyed music and cold ones). We were delighted to have them around for longer, and they seemed to enjoy our home and our company - and our showers! It was a treat for us to pay forward some of the assistance others have given us over our years of cruising.

We learned that lobster in Norway costs about $75. per kilo and only Henning had ever eaten the northern variety so we decided that we must have the first of our summer lobster feeds while they were still in town. They started off the evening watching the Norway/Portugal soccer game on TV and finished it watching game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals with us. It was just like our old days of having a roomful of our children and their buddies watching the games. We were joined by our daughter and her boyfriend, and our neighbour who works for Coast Guard so it was a fabulous crowd. The lobster went down well and it was a wonderful grand Nova Scotia evening.



They finally got the weather forecast they needed, and after one last lunch and a round of showers, prepared for departure on June 6. We went down to the wharf to see them off - in the pouring rain - and so waved good bye to another group of hardy sailors. That's the pic above. (Kristen, thanks for sending us the pic of Henrik and Anders leaving! It was fun to share that goodbye with you.) The two boats, Ella and Sjarmen, headed off across the North Atlantic for Ireland, bypassing Newfoundland because of time constraints and weather. We've been following their blogs (using Google Translate which makes for some hysterical reading!) Just for the record - we are not elderly and we did not take them to a strip bar! This will make sense if you find Sjarmen's blog posting of their first evening with us!! (http://sjarmen.wordpress.com) and (http://ellapaatur.com). They both have some good pictures too. As of this morning, day 14, they are over halfway there and have finally been able to set a course straight for Ireland. They have just come through a rough stretch but he weather has been mostly favourable - and by times a whole lot warmer than here!

Jim and I have been so impressed by all these young sailors - their courage and pluck and enthusiasm for the sailing life. They are all returning to jobs or school with a years' worth of fabulous experiences tucked away in their memories. It keeps us enthused about pushing our edges too!

We had one more evening with sailing folks this week. Jeff and Tessa Evason (Inamorata) were in town to do a show and came for dinner. We met these two in the Abacos 2 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed their company then - beachcombing and playing dominoes - so we were really happy to have another chance to visit with them. They brought along Jeff's Uncle Ronnie and we all had a thoroughly good time. Although we know Tessa and Jeff as cruising friends, they are impressive entertainers and we'd sure love to see them get bookings that will bring them back to this area. (www.evason.com)

That's the update for now. We are speaking and showing pictures in a couple of places this summer - a beachside gathering of Cumberland County power and sail squadron members, and Trident Yacht Club near Gananoque, ON where we first started this adventure. We are excited about sharing our stories!