.....out at the anchorage so there might not be any post until Monday (loud cheers) but we are planning to take some photos to post so perhaps I could say that the wait might be worth while.

As of last night we are more or less ready for a short excursion and to shake out both Nelleke's and our own kinks after being dirt bound for so long. Not that one hour up the harbour, probably under power the whole way is a major remedy but it will allow us to sort out what equipment still works and what doesn't. Barb spent most of yesterday getting the larders stocked while after work I sorted out the lazzarettes and brought the storm sails out of their hibernation. We had only just finished for the evening and had retired to the deck to watch the club racing from a position of comfort and for a libation and relax when we noticed that there was a strange boat entering the harbour, As she drew abreast of the club she hailed for dock space to await customs and we ran down to take her lines. It was the M/S Guildive out of Castine Maine and is currently cruising the Canadian Maritimes. Check out their website. Apparently they both built and sail the vessel.

As for our little jaunt it would appear that we will have some rain tonight but the weekend will be quite pleasant so our plan is for the three of us to go ashore on Saturday morning after breakfast and wander about. It will be Barb's first trip ashore on McNutt's and I am hoping that the beachcombing will be fruitful. By the time we get back the Saturday race will be over and I am really hoping that we will have been able to persuade some of them to finish the race and then join us at the anchorage. If so, then we will have a wee party Saturday evening with a pot luck BBQ and fun and frivolity by all. If not then we will simply have a BBQ and fun and frivolity by Barb and myself. In either case I am looking forward to it. For those of you who might not be aware, McNutt's Island is a large island at the mouth of Shelburne Harbour without which there would be a lot more ocean wave activity further in towards the head of the harbour. Here is a friend's website for their tourism business on the island. There are a few summer places on the island or camps as the locals refer to them and the Port Roseway Lighthouse at the ocean end of the island. This used to be one of the manned lighthouses so there are numerous buildings plus the navy put a couple of shore batteries out there to hunt u-boats and before that American privateers. Now, of course, it is all deserted and the lighthouse is automated. In fact, it is one of the ones on the Department of Transport chopping block unless some public group steps forward and is willing to put together a plan that would maintain it and make it available for the public to view. It is a seven kilometer hike from the dock to I don't expect that there would be a whole lot of folks queuing up to make the hike but you never know. In our case tomorrow we are more likely to only be beachcombing up and down the shore maybe one kilometer on either side of the Government Wharf.