The trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon did not go as planned... It started out all right, with a nice following breeze. However, tuesday, the second day, didn't bring a breath of wind. So I motored a long way. By the end of the day I'd had enough of it and tucked into one of the fjords on the very East end of Nova Scotia. It is quite a spectacular coast, with many rocks and off lying dangers, and all very poorly marked with only an occasional buoy. I made my way in through a labyrinth of rocks, escorted by many seals, and tied up along a small floating pontoon in a village called Whitehead. The place was utterly idyllic, but for the mosquitos. They were extraordinary noisy and blood thirsty, and over the bay hang a noise as a Dakota coming in. I realized this too late and had all my doors and hatches open, so before I knew there were hundreds inside.

That night a light wind came up from the east, and fog set in, all according the forecast. It seems that summer is over, here, and a long train of tropical depressions is making it's way north along the gulf stream. Strong easterly and northeasterly wind are expected in the area of Newfoundland. Not very appealing... especially as easterly winds invariably bring a lot of rain and fog.

So I decided to set of from Whitehead. But before I could, I wanted to do some more shopping and also have a haircut. The nearest place with anything of a shop (and a barber) was Canso, some 35km away. So early morning, in thick fog but only a light drizzle, I set off on foot. Within five minutes a car came past and he gave me a ride all the way to Canso. As we went along the roads, I started to realize that this was a bit risky. All the way we only passed a single car going in the opposite direction! For the rest is Nova Scotia (New Scotland) the Christmas tree capital of the world, for as far as you can see.

So I did my shopping in the local supermarket, and met a couple from South Africa, camping in a tent. By that time the rain had set in and it rained like hell all morning. The Southafricans didn't have much else to do in this weather, with their tent pitched at the bottom of a mud pool and an air bed floating around inside, and accompanied me to the hairdresser. The place was most interesting, with all sorts of memorabilia up to original items off Titanic. He also had a passion for hats, and there were hats everywhere.

After me having had the haircut, the three of us had lunch in the local motel, and then they brought me all the way back to Whitehead. We had coffee on board, and while drinking this, the front came through. the wind veered from east to southwest, the rain stopped and the fog lifted (a little). I had to go! I said goodbye to the Southafricans and went up to the house of one of the locals who had helped me the night before with an internet connection for the latest weather forecasts. At his place I could have a shower and filled up some bottles with water.

Back on board, the southwesterly wind started to build and I knew I had to be quick, otherwise the wind would be too strong. I had hardly left my pontoon as the fog came back. As there is fog almost every day in this area, and the strong easterlies forecast, I carried on, carefully finding my way between the rocks. Visibility was less then 100 meters. But I made it safely outside, and started my Southeasterly course in the fog.

This morning I passed to the east of Sable Island, and now I am at 43d46N and 58d31W. Out into the Atlantic, in deep water now, the fog has cleared. But the wind died, too...

Bart

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