Thursday, June 17, 2010

"Stuck" in Nova Scotia

The wind from the west and southwet will make a departure from Nova Scotia impossible until Wednesday or Thursday. It is a 3-day passage across the Gulf of Maine from here in Mahone Bay with decent wind fronm anywhere other than the West or Southwest. Normally the prevailing summer wind is from the south. The jet stream, however is farther north than usual, blowing constantly from the direction we want to go.

Bill Hickman did not check emails this morning before heading by bus to Logan airport in Boston. He did not think to turn on his cell phone all day to get our numerous attempts at reaching him. He flew from Boston to Halifax with never turning on his cell phone. After waiting in Halifax for his link with Alice, my wife, who was to be his ride down from Halifax to Mahone Bay, he finally turned on his cell phone not to check messages but to call his wife, Joyce. We had been hoping all day that he might check in with Joyce, and Joyce, who also had been trying to reach Bill all day, knew the situation and then Bill called me in Mahone Bay. I had to tell him to get the next flight back to Logan as there would be no sense coming to Mahone Bay to wait for a week for good weather. When the weather clears I'll get a local here to sail with me to Portland and I'll pay for his return flight. I also will be paying for Bill's return flight.

There are few place I would rather be "stuck" in than Nova Scotia. This is a fabulous place. Everyone is friendly. Everyone knows everyone. They are cheerful and generous. The town of Lunenburg is informal and just a bit touristy. My friends Bill and Kerstin Gilkerson are warm, hospitable, and have offerred their guest house to me for the duration. Meantime, with Kerstin's help, I have gotten agreement with a local electrical rigger to come work on Jubilee Saturday so I have left her in Lunenburg. I plan to sail her over to Mahone Bay Sunday.

Time to relax some. The major part of the passage is done. I view making it to Nova Scotia was a major goal accomplished.

This does, however, change everything regarding the return to Beaufort. The wait until next Wednesday or Thursday means my plan for Portland to Newport is postponed, and Newport to Centerport cannot be completed before July 4. So I figure to have lost my crew partners on these legs. Also probably New York to Annapolis. Loss of my crew partners means a re-assessment of the whole return trip program. I'll be figuring this all out in the coming days.

Woody
Mahone Bay, NS