Griff, Auntie Ricky saw 101 Whales and he even named one after “Griffin the Minke Whale”. Hi Mike, we sure miss having a glass of wine with you too, I’m sure you don’t miss our swill though.
PS If my blogs are missing some F’s it is because the F’in F doesn’t work on the F’in keypad, some idiot spilled beer on it
July 29th, 2009
29
Jul 09
Qucick Notes
29
Jul 09
To the Gaspe
It is 4:30am on Wednesday and I am doing a quick update before we leave. We have made it to Gaspe in what can only be described as two huge days. Monday we made 90 miles into a 6 foot swell and made it to St Anne du Monts. Took about 14 hours. The country here is incredible and getting more remote by the mile. Boat handled awesome and has given us much confidence in her ability. Barely any places to hole up here, so you have to plan carefully or spend a night at sea.
Left at 4am again on Tuesday. Forecast looks good although there are alot of storm cells around and we are going to try or 123 miles to Gaspe through some of the most remote boating area any of us has ever seen. We had a day of everything, NE swells, a westerly following sea and fog, lots of fog. Barely saw anyone or anything on this leg. Few sailboats headed in the other direction. The appalachians come right out o the ocean here and the little towns are beautiful, it is like going back in time. Fog stuck with us on and off for most of the day giving the trip a surreal feel. We approached the Cap de Gaspe at 6pm and as we rounded it the fog dissipated and we had one of the greatest views of our life. Flat calm now and after 16 hours of intense navigation and concentration, one had to sit back as we set our course straight into the setting sun, and reflect on what we had just done. The final 2 hours up the bay to Gaspe were nothing short of spectacular, sun shining great panoramas and even whales(we thought we might have a day without a whale, but they came through).
Must be going now , even after 213 miles in 2 days we have to keep going while the weather lets us. Some big water to cross in Bay de Chaleur, but we expect next to no winds and a beautiful day. Feel like a true sea dog now, salty and wearing same clothes or 3 days, tired and windblown but as usual, feeling more alive than ever. Miss all y’all……………..Dave
29
Jul 09
Sittin’ in Rimouski
Well, we are having our first Sit-Around….After we left Jay in Tadoussac, we crossed from the north shore to the south as we headed towards Isle du Bic and onwards to Rimouski.We had a flat calm crossing, which I assume is rare as the river is over 12 miles wide at this point, saw a few whales and arrived in good time. With a blow coming in from the northeast we assumed we would be staying a couple of days.
We miss Jay, for a prairie boy he was great on a boat..come back to us you little scum, I have to mix my own rum now. Although, after our lovely steakhouse supper in Rimouski, we found out it was $1.50 Jagermeister shots, and we felt lucky that we did not have the JAGERMONSTER on our hands. Back to back to back bombs started the night off and after taking in some live music, we got home at 2 am. Good night except Blair noticed in the morning he had forgotten his sweater in town. Blowin and rainin next day so we slept in and made huge brunch. Quiet day o reading and sleeping.
We didn’t even have our first beer till 6 pm, a first on this trip as we usually start before noon. The crew is maturing we think? Well, after a lovely shrimp curry, which we needed a few bottles o wine to finish (spicy), we got into some story and joketelling and #1’s flask of liquer. I quote Blairs first words the next morning “This trip is turning into one big F#@*ing hangover”. Bad weather again keeps us stranded.
It is Sunday and we are getting restless. Well I am anyway. Weather window coming tomorrow so we will be up at 4am. Glad to be moving on. We met a really nice couple here Louis and Clemence, and they took us to get groceries and propane over the weekend and also gave us some advice on the trip to Gaspe from his 50 years of boating knowledge in the area. Great people.
The next leg to Gaspe is the most exposed and remote part of our trip and is over 200 miles. Wish us good sailing. This is the ocean now.
Have ye ever been to sea Ricky? Aye, and I’ve been Blown ashore………