I'm back!!

Hello all. Well after a month away I'm back on board the good ship Kalinka1. Transmission repaired and installed. Refridge repaired with aa new/old compressor now able to keep the beer cold. alternator rebuilt again! long story and not enough time to rell it right now as getting ready to leave Gaspe for the madeline Islands with Trollop. Trollop owns my very good friends Up North Ted and Marie. They have waited for me here in the Gaspe for the last week to make sure everything was fixed and ready to go. Most of the week was stand by because of bad weather and electric issues. Should be leaving within the hour (0500) maybe more from the magdelines if have internet access. but for sure more from Nova Scotia. by for now.

On hold but not by the finger tips!

Mon. July 4/11. Up early RB came by and off to the alternator shop. Alternator confirmed dead. Shop guy said he could bring it back to life hopefully by the end of the day. Went and picked up some ice did some boat chores and  waited and waited to the end of the day.,,,,,,, Alternator fixed hooray good to go. Our friend Ttim came up from baddeck checked out the wiring and regulator confirmed it was dead so hooked up the old one went out for dinner and at 2130 cast off the lines. Left the wall motoring out of the harbour in the dark. turned East and raised the sails. A very nice sail with the wind from the south so we were making very good time.
Wed. July 6/11. early morning. Motoring no wind!! Lots of this,this trip. Transmission quits transmitting!! dive below and open it up. Can not see anything wrong. Adjust it anyway, no cure. So here we are East of St. Pierre Miqulon in the fog and very little wind with a bad forcast for the East shore of Newfoundland! Whooppee. At this point I decided to cancel the trip and get back to Sydney or further. We turned around and after 5 days of no wind, too much wind from the wrong direction and some wind from the right direction we managed to reach Gaspe. Kalinka1 is on a dock. The crew have all returned to their homes. The transmission is out. I'm back at home trying to find someone to fix it in a short time so that I and Sally can return in august and move the boat to a Winter storage yard somewhere down East so that I can get some of the other stuff done and continue next year! I'll post updates as they occurr. thanks for reading.

Still here not by choice!!

Well!!! Quick update. We're still here in Sydney after going to bed early last night after Sally and drivers left for home. Up at 0500 kettle on tea and got underway. Motoring out of the harbour when heard the alternator Kick in under a very heavy load. The tachometer actually saw a drop of 1000 rpm. Voltage went a way up to 16 volts and could smell the batteries. Not a good sign!! Immediately decided to head back to the wall at dobson. Just as an aside when we left we didn't have much reverse gear even after or inspite of the adjustments the other day. Returned to the wall motored in slowly and had the crew doing the leap of death onto the dock and we were secure. I emptied out the Sail locker then took apart the engine box and started trying to figure out the problem.here it is 2115 our/not your time and I still don't know what's wrong! Changed out the alternator works fine on one position and then goes nut on the other. I'm confused for once in my life.(no sly comments from the readers allowed) Refridge guy was at the bar came down had a quick look confirmed that the compreesor was cooked and then left. My friend RB offered to drive us around in the morning to get the alternator checked out and whatever else we need. Will probably buy a cooler fill it with ice and get to St. John's NF' where my buddy Wayne now lives and the good thing he is a refridge expert. Other than that. We're all doing well and melding. Hmm Melding I think is a clingon thing. Crew doing Pork chops for dinner and I'm doing Captain stuff. Staying out of the way!! no pictures today but who knows about tomorrow. by for now.

Quiet time at last!!

hello all!! Crew off doing crew stuff as good crew should be doing leaving me with not much to do. So a short update. The New crew of Carl,Peter with Sally and Eleanor and Glen arrived yesterday after a 24 hour drive. Jez and Jill drove up from Antigonish and the party started!! Good thing that what happens in Sydney stays in Sydney. We all went out to the Goverment for dinner to bad the Government didn't pay! I had the last Lobster caught. Everyone else had a variety of seafood,Mamals and fowl. I won. Spent the night in a Days Inn where the bed didn't move. Still slept well the rest of the crew stayed on board good thing they were all tired or the party could have gon on all night hymm maybe it did as they didn't look too fresh this morning. some are off doing groceries and laundry while others are off doing boat supplies We'll leave tomorrow with the tide and in 3 weeks or less we'll arrive in Ireland or someplace else depending on my navigational skills. though with three other sailors on board we should be able to find somewhere. So until the next time.

Frankly Sydney I don't give a?

Good morning all! We arrived here yesterday (Wed June 29) at 1300 near the red Can at Cranberry Shoal. this is the outer limit of Sydney harbour. Sydney harbour consists of, Sydney Mines, North Sydney, Sydney and Westmount. Sydney was a busy fellow don't know where West came from?
Back to the story, Above notice that I said near. Near in this context means probably within spitting distance but the Bouy was wearing harry's invisibility cloak as was the whole coast of Cape Breton from Ingonish to 1 mile from our destination Dobson yacht club. But I digress. This happens when you have been on a boat for a long time.
We left L ans Beaufil on Sun June 26 at 1930 hours after waiting the whole day for the East winds to diminish and for the seas to subside. while we were waiting I checked the emails by walking over to the bar and plugging in. recieved notice that kanik was going to be on their way to here from Gaspe. didn't think much of that as they would have had to buck the Easterly and the Seas. (You can probably read more about that in their blog. this is our story) So spent the day wandering around in the rain collecting stones checking the weather and just waiting. Low and behold at 1530 who should arrive without so much as a clatter? Kanik. All smiles and greetings You would think it had been years since we last saw them! Told them of our plan to leave in the evening or early morning for the Magdeline's. Kanik thought about that for 2 or 3 seconds and said they would come to as safer with two boats. So, this brings us back to 1930 when we cat off our lines and headed out to Sea.
No wind and really lumpy for about the first 3 miles and then everything settled down to a motor boat ride through the night. Les went down until midnight. I stood the watch and saw some stars but the best was the Bio Luminesence Little watery fire flies sparkling in our wake. Let kanik know about that and hope they enjoyed the show.
Monday June 27/11 0400 I was back on watch to a Grey dull Misty day visibility 2 miles. wind shifted enough that we could raise the sails and motor sail so we did. started seeing shearwaters which are an open ocean bird so we knew we were off shore somewhere. Also a sparrow joined us for a couple of hours rest on the life lines. Arrived at E tang du Nord behind Kanik and rafted up to them as the little harbour was full of fishing boats. had a short visit got a ride to a gas station for fuel had dinner and.
Tues June 28/11 0400 (Just love these early mornings) under way Sun rising in the East where it is supposed to by the way. followed the fleet out and then began the dreaded Pot dance which we successfully survived coasted around the S/E side of the Magdelines and then set our course for Cape North on Cape Breton Island. We had a nice warm for a change ride and got a sunburn! It rains so much down here that the sea has turned green and the whales have hired the porpoise to mow it!! Motored down the coast to Ingonish, Where I thought my friends Jez and Jill lived they didn't they live in antigonish I figured they gave me the wrong address by mistake not because they didn't want me to find them! We arrived just after dark and the stress level went a way up as the entrance is very narrow and tricky made in ok after doing another pot dance motored up to the end of the harbour to a spot of water with 2 meters. Found it immediately after the 15 foot  spot! Stuck!! Tried pulling off with the dinghy but no cigar. dropped the anchor went to bed.

Wed. June 29/11 0300 Can't sleep anymore got up to a normal morning, dull and Grey. Still Stuck! Oh my what will we do went through my head. Got the second anchor out of the locker and rode retrieved the main anchor as we were not going anywhere. Made tea. waited a bit and then some more Boy it's hard waiting even when you have as much patience as me. Wait for it. here it comes. 0500 and no not tow USA. flood tide!!! have to love them they do all the heavy lifting!! Floated free sedadled to deeper water anchored made breakfast and departed Ingonish at 0600 Which after boring you this far brings us right back to the first paragraph. All is well will wait for the new crew to arrive tomorrow have a big party and depart Sun or Mon for Ireland.

Not where I was and not where I want to be.

Well it has been a while. So lets get caught up. We left Rimouski at 2030 and motored overnight to St. Anne De Monts. left because the Marina wanted to charge us an extra night!! if we stayed past 2200! even after buying $250 worth of fuel. Anyhow it was an uneventfull motor boat ride all the way. got to see the sun set and rise. Whoopie.
Tried anchoring at St. Ann De mont but informed we couldn't because of all the fishing boats in and out. So took a dock in front of Kanik. Crew's went shopping I did some mainenance and Bruce went up his mast to replace a broken halyard. glad it wasn't me.
Left St. Ann the next morning in the rain and motored to a little harbour called Bai Madeline a very nice well protected small harbour that I wouldn't approach in anything other than a flat calm or West wind.Just outside in the bay were 8 Humpbacks feeding and putting on quite a show.
 Kanik has an enclosure and they wer'nt seeing much, so I was glad that I could show them some whales. think they may have thought we were pulling their legs with all our sitings. Left there and you guesed it motored to Rivierre Renard where we anchored out in the enclosed harbour. More whales on the way in 12 Fin backs and maybe 3 Blue whales Lots of Caplin stinking up the beaches so that's what the whales are feeding on and getting fat. Lot's of calves around to which is a good sign for the populations.
Had dinner on board Kanik Fresh turbot cooked by Linda and I supplied the BBq'd Potatoes and carrotts and beer. Probably the last meal we will have together as they went into Gape and we will try and head east.

Fri. June24/11 0700 left Rivierre Renard. Kaqnik allready gone. dull cold gray morning. Motorboat ride East into headwinds passed the Gaspe headland across the gaspe to Perce rock where took some photos and on down to L ans Beaufil which is french for son in Law beach. where we are now and will be until at least tomorrow and possibly Monday as Strong Wind 20-25+ from the SE. When we get away we'll head for the Magdeline islands or Cape North on the tip of Cape Breton. Still having fun.

Not where you think. or not sure how we got from there to here!

Now that I have your attention! We're in SUNNY Rimouski Crossed over after the crew change. Left Tadoussac at 1030 saw some whales and seals on the way out and then one more of each on the S shore. Motor sailed the whole way fastest speed 12.2 knots We were about an hour behind the best leaving time but still made it to here by 1900. Spent most of it training the new crew member Les, who was immediately promoted from jr. bilge Rat to Snr. dogs body upon stepping on board and getting the anchor out of the bottom. today everyone went to the Empress of Ireland museum where they also have the submarine Onadaga. The others took a cab I elected a bicycle. nice ride, into the wind both ways just like canoeing and sailing. Pictures to follow at some point. have been fighting with a com1 issue on the computer when I turn on the nav program. Latest fix I came up with was to uninstall and then shut everything down and restart seems to work but will wait until the morning to see if it's permanent. If anyone has any other ideas let me know. Off about 0300 tomorrow for parts east. The two boats have been travelling together which does offer a little bit of security but that might end at St. Anne Des Monts if Les and I head back North across the river to the Mingan Islands Time will tell.

Tadoussac or still here in the Sunny East.

Well we're still here in Tadoussac. New crew will arrive tonight and underway tomorrow. Went for a walk about yesterdeay Cold wet and gloomy. A very nice Whale centre spent the better part of two hours there learning all kinds of neat stuff. Today hope to ride the flood up the river and the ebb back down but fog has to lift first! Can't figure out how come when you go to bed at 2130 and get up at 0800 your sleepy and need a nap by 0930. (No it's not because I'm old the trest of the crew is worse). attached are some more pictures isn't digital great. Hope sailpast goes well today and looking foreward to seeing Sally later.

Pictures

Tadoussac and how we got here from there.

good morning all. Think the last tale was from Quebec City, where we left on Wed morning at 0500. left with two other boats one of which hit something a mile outside the club. both turned back we continued motoring down the river. The River was a dirty Brown because of all the rain and very high because of the tide (18+ ft). We lost the ebb at Ile aux Coudres so had a slow 3.5 knot trip through the passage. Then found some eddies and the tide turned so back up to 6+ Bonus was that when we exited the East end we saw a pod of baluga whales. They stood out like sore thumbs against the brown water. arrived safely at Cap l aigle at around 1730. checked in dinner and sleep. A long day! Thurs morning we left at 0500 (seem sto be a pattern) flat calm motorboat trip speeds to 12+ knots. Water changed colour to a deep blue and the high shore made for a very scenic trip. approached Tadoussac at the mouth of the Saguenay river saw a lot more baluga's a couple of Minky whales and two Big seals. They all said hello to us and then they had to go off and entertrain the Whale watch boats. Arrived at Tadoussac and proceedde to anchor the boat. Charts say two metres of water a low tide. well that two meters is 6 ft off the low water beach Found that out when we bumped into the bottom! exticated ourselves and finally anchored in 45 Ft. Lauched the dinghy. installed the motor, didn't start (phooey had to get my hands dirty again) In short a ball was missing from inside the hose connection so I had make something to work to depress a pin that allowed the gas to be pumped up to the motor. used a cut off rivet. took the crew ashore. I did some boat chores went back and got them. Then we all went ashore and had a very nice dinner of mussells and fries. Back on board and all slept like bricks. Now awake have internet and raining so probably not much going to happen. Will try pictures later.

Here are some more photo's of our stay in Quebec city, .

                                                                    High tide QYC

                                                                  Low tide QYC

                                                          Down town Old Town Quebec

Rowing Boat QYC

Here are some pictures of the trip so far.

Will be here in Quebec city at least until tomorrow evening 15-25 out of the East!

Quebec City not the Province or how I got here from there.

Welll,,,Let me start off by saying I hate this stuff but in the interest of all my fans I'll continue doing it. So since the last post we have arrived in Quebec City. Today at 1700.  We left the Royal St. lawrence on Wed morning at 0530(have to keep the crew on their toes) Motorboat trip all the way to Contrecoeur where we spent the first night on the hook. A place I have passed by a couple of times and would never havfe thought of entering. However Bruce from Kanik had been in there and insisted that there was lots of water. A very narrow entrance but lots of water. the official charts show very little. Once in we dropped the hook in 12 feet or 3.543234 metres for you metric folks  well protected. went ashore to inflate dinghy(would not let crew go ashore as desertion a strong possibility! Not that I'm a bad Captain you understand) Cookie (me) prepared a BBQ Salmon, Potatoes onions mushrooms and carrotts for dinner Let the real cook Sheila have a break .A very good nights sleep after dinner. early to rise means first into the head with no wait!! Kettle on tea made and decided to put new cape horn oar in the water to test it during the day. I know what your all thinking right now but I normally have all my oars in the water! bent over felt a couple of snaps in the lower back region of my anatomy and new i was in trouble!! Managed to get back over the Pushpit and into the cockpit before the next spasm and that was me done. Had to give orders from the prone position in the cockpit for getting underway.
     Everything went splendidly and we cleared the anchorage with no problems. motoring out the east passage I was disturbed by running aground! The first bump got my attention, the second made me leap up to see what had happened and where we were. I immediately forgot about the sore back took command ordered too and frowing with no avail and then called Kanik for help. Kanik arrived toots sweet dropped an anchor and offered assistance. We laid out a long tow line tied the two boats together and I had my crew winch the line in. Woe and behold we popped out of the mud like cork out of Champagne! and away we went. (have to pause here as dinner ready on Kanik, back soon Back now, so to continue, As a result of all this I jumped up with an Adrenilin rush and my back though sore I've been able to function rather than jus lay around and complain.(not that i would do that anyway.) Motored the whole day to Batisan where we entered a narrow passage up into the river (another place I would have never considered without other knoledge) A real nice anchorage and again we all slept like babes. Left there this morning June 10  and motored all the way to Quebec City. Arrived here at 1630 dropped a hook but swung around too much so went into the club and got a docki. Shower, draft beer and off to Kanik for dinner and now to sleep.

Mimico to Montreal

Thing this might work now! Started the trip in Grand style from Mimico with a short quick sail to Hyland YC for another send off. Finally got away early Thurs morn 0500 Sailed to Cobourg 7-8 knots then on to Main duck on Fri. This is where we ended sailing and everything became a motorboat trip ! Easy long trip through the lock at Iroquois and stayed at the marina. then through to Dorval where we are now at the Royal St. Lawrence YC waiting on a repair to the self steering gear. Will be back under way early tomorrow morning. so far has been a very good trip.