Sunday was a day off for Barb and I and our friends Pat and Lisa were kind enough to take us out on Noonan Knight, their Tanzer 7.6 for an afternoon in the harbour. We got sun on our skin, wind in our hair and a little salt spray in our faces. In short, we got a boating "fix" that was becoming long overdue. We began the day with a brunch at AYC and then loaded snacks and beer aboard their boat and set out for the day.

Having spent the last two years sailing south of the boarder, I had forgotten what a great sort of micro cruising ground our home "turf" is. McNab's Island is only 20 minutes from the mouth of the Northwest Arm where both the Yacht Squadron and Armdale Yacht club are located and it has several great places to anchor and relax. You can go ashore on the island which is becoming a National Park as fast as Parks Canada can buy up properties or just sit on your boat and relax in the sun. There are several private moorings that no one seems to mind if you borrow one or you can anchor if they are all taken. Best of all, unless you crane your neck and actually look, it would seem that you are out in the middle of nowhere, in the midst of nature with ospreys, gulls, porpoise and seals for company. Very nice but it definitely made us realize the impact that the steadily warming temperatures was having on the ecology. In some ways it was an improvement with an increasing amount of wildlife but you have to think, what is the impact elsewhere? Is it positive there too?

We have heard from the marina in Deltaville that Nelleke is almost finished the repairs that I had asked them to make. If it wasn't too expensive I might be able to add a few more small things to the list. That would make it less for us to do when we get back. We have begun to plan for our cruise next spring including a stop in Washington to seen the sights and one in Annapolis to see our friends that we met in the Bahamas before heading on home. We still haven't decided if we'll be heading into the St John River in NB or coming straight back to Halifax to cruise up to the Gulf of St Lawrence and Quebec before heading back down to the States again.

I know that Barb would probably like a winter here in Halifax but I am missing Nelleke and the lifestyle and have begun to fantasise about winning the lottery and being able to get back soon that we'll be able to if we have to earn the money honestly. Ah well. It doesn't hurt to dream.