Author: sailheartsdesire

Sailing, learning and having fun.

Trip Log – Bras D’or Lake

The Bras D’or Lakes, Nova Scotia, referred to as “Canada’s Largest Inland Sea” were a pleasure to sail around. We spent almost two weeks enjoying nice weather, flat water, and the cruising life. The danger in these lakes is the phenomenon of lathargia; where days somehow don’t start until noon and sometimes you forget to go sailing… (more…)

Trip Log – Liscomb to St. Peters, NS

We had our first bout with the true Nova Scotia Fog as Jess described upon leaving the Liscomb river, thick as heavy rain clouds and just as wet. After 6 hours of it we ran for Fisherman’s Harbor, 90 odd miles along the Eastern shore from Halifax. It had been an exhausting day; glued to the radar we ran deep down wind under fore sail and jib alone in a steep 6’ sea and a steady 20-25 knots. Fisherman’s Harbor is wide and clear of hazards and very easy to enter from seaward. Once inside the main bay, the harbor proper is made up of a government wharf that is well protected by a small island and offers excellent holding in sticky mud. The pilot guide recommended anchoring on a line between the government wharf and the green light on the western shore of the island. What it should say is anchor “anywhere in the bay avoiding the power line that runs directly between the wharf and the light on the island!“ The following morning I had a hell of a time pulling up our anchor as I was also dragging a heavy inch and half diameter power cable out of the mud. Thank god the insulation wasn’t breached or I would have been smoked mackerel! (more…)

Finally Fog!

I recently mentioned to Matt that I think the idea of fog on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia was a hoax, a big conspiracy to keep this wonderful cruising ground all to themselves and the brave few who decided to venture up despite warnings.

Well, I definitely jinxed us because on the 16th day of the trip (July 2nd) we found out what it is all about. (more…)

Trip Log – Broken belt and river sailing
A group of 10 or so dolphins joined the boat for almost half an hour playing at the bow and jumping around beside the boat as we sailed along

A group of 10 or so dolphins joined the boat for almost half an hour playing at the bow and jumping around beside the boat as we sailed along

Eastershore: Halifax to Liscomb River

With Ethan left on his own adventures in Nova Scotia, Matt and I left Halifax on June 28th, a beautiful day, and made our way approximately 40 nm north to Owls Head bay where we found good holding and dark coke coloured water.

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Trip Log – Friend filled Halifax

I had forgotten how much I really enjoyed Halifax until on June 24th we sailed down the peninsula on which the city sits, and many memories of my four years of university there came flooding back to me. I had often wandered the waterfront while living there and thought of how much I would like to be on a sailboat out in the harbour. I left in 2008, and so six years later finally got to sail in. (more…)

Trip Log – Mahone Bay and great people!

Where to begin? This is my first attempt at writing a blog post. In fact it’s my first attempt at writing, other than the chicken scratch time-cards I fill out for Michelle at Gannon and Benjamin, that I’ve undertaken in years! At lest four years to be exact, as that is when I bought Heart’s Desire, and the point at which everything in my life other than boat work ceased to be. Almost everything… So get on with it. We have now been in Nova since June 18th and have been bit lax about keep up this blog so I’ll be flexing what brain cells I can to remember back some 150 Nautical miles to our time in Lunenburg, and our introduction to cruising in Nova Scotia. It couldn’t have been better.

In Lunenburg, Heart's Desire, and (sailing) Fo'get About It.

In Lunenburg, Heart’s Desire, and (sailing) Fo’get About It.

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Trip Log – Gulf of Maine to Lunenburg- A Wet Warm Welcome in Lunenburg

061614_0043Well our last 12 hours of sailing was an adventure. I was asked by the Lunenburg Librarian (not a sailor) if I was afraid for my life when I told her we arrived on Wednesday by sailboat… Well, I answered, not really afraid I would say… A little nervous I suppose. (more…)

Meet Ethan!

I have mentioned him a few times but never really introduced our crew extraordinaire Ethan! Ethan met Matt working on the sailing cargo ship project the Kwai based out of Hawaii/Cook Islands. They re-met when Matt started visiting Ottawa since Jessica is also from there.

Ethan at the helm of Heart's Desire, entering Lunenburg harbour.

Ethan at the helm of Heart’s Desire, entering Lunenburg harbour.

Ethan has been working for the Canadian Coast Guard up in the arctic on ice-breakers and on the St. Lawrence ships. With extensive sailing experience in the south pacific and throughout the Atlantic he has been a great asset. Without him we would have been hoving-too out in the Atlantic for many more hours than it took for us to enter Lunenburg on Wednesday.
He’s been keeping us in drinking form in Lunenburg so far and will continue with us around Mahone Bay and up to Halifax.

Ethan has been the main engineer for the Kwai and designed their rig & construction plans. The Kwai is three-quarters of the way through the conversion from a powered cargo vessel to a sailing (and powered) cargo vessel servicing islands in the south Pacific.

Heading North – Summer 2014

WELCOME! The following map illustrates our sailing plans for June to October, 2014. We hope you will follow our posts as we make our way around the Canadian Maritimes over the summer and Maine in the early fall.

Travel plans for summer 2014. Depending on timing and how things are going the most northern part of the trip has a couple options. We plan to go straight from Vineyard Haven, on Martha's Vineyard, MA, to Lunenburg, NS. After that we will hop the coast into the Bras D'or Lakes, NS, exit to the north and cross the Cabot Strait to Newfoundland. We will travel up the west coast to Gros Morne National Park and assess the situation from there. We plan to try to go to the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, QC on our way south. We will go through the Canso Canal and hop the coast back down to the Yarmouth area. Across the Bay of Fundy we hope to meet with friends and family in northern Maine then continue home to Martha's Vineyard by mid October.

Travel plans for summer 2014. Depending on timing and how things are going the most northern part of the trip has a couple options. We plan to go strait from Vineyard Haven, on Martha’s Vineyard, MA, to Lunenburg, NS. After that we will hop the coast into the Bras D’or Lakes, NS, exit to the north and cross the Cabot Strait to Newfoundland. We will travel up the west coast to Gros Morne National Park and assess the situation from there. We plan to try to go to the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, QC on our way south. We will go through the Canso Canal and hop the coast back down to the Yarmouth area. Across the Bay of Fundy we hope to meet with friends and family in northern Maine then continue home to Martha’s Vineyard by mid October.

Rockin’ and a Rollin’

Well after the first few calm nights the last one was a rocking one. It was a gentle rock, just enough to lull you to sleep but not enough that your shoulder is rocking side to side and keeping you awake. I tend to sleep on my stomach on the boat, so I feel like I can brace myself to the bed, in case of a large wave… Apparently this isn’t how you’re supposed to sleep but I’ll worry about that when I get the back problems everyone tells me I’ll get. For now, I’ll just worry about actually being able to sleep while the boat moves. (more…)

Moving Aboard

If there is one thing that will help you reduce your load, it is moving aboard a small wooden boat. Matt and I have spent the last 4 winters (3 for me) looking after a bed & breakfast in Vineyard Haven. While we live in a relatively large house during that time, due to the nature of it being a B&B, our stuff is limited to our one room. Despite this however, it seems every winter we accumulate more stuff, that then has to fit onto our little boat. (more…)

Post #1 – On Making this Website

Well if you are reading this it is because I am finally satisfied with the set-up of our website and felt ready to present it to the public and all the people I keep telling about it.

This is my first website and I have learned a lot, some of which I thought I would share here for those contemplating making their own website. I know this is supposed to be about the boat, and our adventures, but so far my adventure has mostly involved this site and sewing, so we’ll start here. (more…)