Captain’s Log - September 20
 

Bluenose II is anchored in Liscomb, on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. We turned into the bay at about 5:00 this morning and dropped the anchor just as it was starting to get light. “Bet you can’t wait till you are out in the next storm eh Capt.?” Words spoken by a neophyte who has never had to manage a vessel at sea in bad weather. There is the physical strain of keeping yourself upright, always being in motion, and dealing with the potential argument between eyes and ears. There is the mental strain of keeping all the salient points of interest in the foreground. Are we on course? Is the speed safe? Is there any traffic around, or fishing gear? When is the next forecast coming? And of course, the worry for the crew and vessel. I have the greatest respect for those who go to sea and even more for those who do their work there. 

We have been poking around the coast lately spreading the good word and have spent some time hiding from weather. Our first stop on this jaunt was Halifax, after a delay of several days due to inclement weather we finally managed to push along to the big city. How the waterfront there has changed. It truly is a world class city, of course that comes with world class problems however we have great faith that over time these will be solved. In Halifax, it is so special to be nestled between CSS Acadia and HMCS Sackville. These ships are real, they did the work and carry their great legacy in a place of honour on the waterfront. I wonder what their crews would think to see them rolling easily at the wharf, duty done.

From Halifax we scooted up the coast to Whitehead, just Southwest of Canso. A small village with a great history in a wild part of the province. Here the crew were treated to a shoreside BBQ by alumni and a washer toss champion was crowned. The following day a bit of maintenance and the Whitehead Annual-Occasional National Crew Dory Races were held. With moving marks, boats tied together and other shenanigans, champions were named, and the crew retired happy and exhausted. 

Upon leaving Pictou, we had an important weather decision to make. With the remnants of Hurricane Lee heading towards the province, we had to decide where to place the ship. We were deciding between Pictou and Lunenburg. With the storm track predicted for the Bay of Fundy, Pictou seemed the answer. With gracious hosts, we weathered the storm and had a safe place to stay. This was the big weekend for the Ship Hector and the Town of Pictou celebrations. The mate and I attended the opening ceremonies and we got to hear Governor General Mary Simon, the premier and other dignitaries talk about the Hector, her past and her future. Pictou is growing as a town, and I hear there are many changes in the works for the waterfront. 

We had hoped that our trip home from Pictou would be quiet in the void behind Lee. Unfortunately, it was not to be. With another low-pressure system approaching the coast, we dropped our lines and zipped towards the lock at the Canso causeway and carried on down the coast. With the rain just starting and the wind swinging to the southeast, we anchored here in Liscomb to await the next window.