Greetings from Canso Harbor Nova Scotia, at the southern end of the Strait of Canso in the Atlantic Ocean. Those weather fans out there may be watching the big low that just came across the gulf of maine to greet us. Current forecast is for winds South 20-25 knots with 13.5 ft waves till overnight then down to 10’ from the south. We’re 130 nm from Halifax and need a 24 hour hour window with winds in our favor, N, NE maybe NW to get there in one jump. This time of year only anchorages between here and Halifax. Once we get there, we need one 50 mile jump then a 85 miler to get to Shelburn where we’ll wait a 48-56 hour window with favorable direction for winds and waves to make our run to Cape Cod.

Oh and it seems a certain Joaquin a current cat 4 hurricane is rallying for a run up the east coast. The US Hurricane tracker has it hitting Connecticut on Tuesday as a tropical storm with 65 gusting to 75 mph winds. We are getting mail updates from Boat US about its path as well as from our insurance company announcing its a named storm (has to do with losses and a deductible) and for us to be sure to secure our boat, their liability and our home with everything we own.

Surprisingly, we’re not alone. There are WONDERFUL people surrounding us in Canso, including the Marina/RV park manager, Mike and an old salt Don, who I have been leaning on for advice as the 79 year old “back in the day” made the Canso Halifax run weekly on his 48’ motor yacht. We also have boating companions including a pair of 40 footer single handers (Horizon and can’t remember the other) we met in Summerside PEI and another 48’ motor yacht Irish Ayes that was waiting parts in Summerside on Monday before pushing on. We heard from Horizon that they are in Port Hawkesbury just behind us waiting for the same weather window as they are heading for the bahamas via FL.

Our best guess at this point is to wait the front passing that will change the winds to something out of the north and see if the seas change directions as well and then make a run for Halifax. We’ve had some sporty winds on the way here including a steady 30 knot with gusts higher on a beam reach just before we arrived here. Took the main down facing those winds which was deafening from the flogging sail as we furled it.

Safely tucked into Canso Harbor in the only spot big and deep enough for us listening to the rain and wind howl outside. We were blessed with a ride hitched on the way to town from a lovely couple for the market yesterday and then ride back with Mike and his mom as they passed us walking with our bags. Don loaned me his truck for a run to the NSLC shop on the outskirts of town for some beer, wine and spirits. We split a bottle of wine (theirs) and rum from Newfoundland we picked up along the way with a cool couple of 24 year olds, Debbie and Rico on holiday for a year from Switzerland. They arrived in May to Key West and did most of North America till November then heading to South America. We met them in a rented RV out of Halifax here in Canso and they were heading to Cape Breton. We’ve got a few things to catch up on and another trip to the market while we wait for the weather to pass. Not completely out of things to do but are concerned to make the right weather selection for our next weeks journey, pray for fair and favorable winds for us. For our friends along the east coast keep a weather eye out….