46° to 48°N: Nova Scotia to Newfoundland Crossing

The weather was predicted warm, sunny and largely without wind. I decided to go anyways, even if it means burning some diesel - a calm day on sea suits me right now. In fact I like the idea of motoring a bit to get some data for the Northwest passage (NWP). Usually when I motored in the past it has been a mixture of wanting to get there and filling in the time to new wind. Motoring to make distance is a bit different, more speed is demanded. I reckon 6 knots is kind of the minimum, maybe rather 7 knots for the NWP. Also a calm day at sea will permit me to get sorted, catch up on office work, get calls done.

I leave Kelly’s Cove at 0630 and motor out of the Bras D’Or Lake through the narrows with the strongest current. Speed over ground drops from 6 to 4 knots - piece of cake, one engine is enough to push through. Curiously, the currents here are so unpredictable that no ordinary current tables exist. The lake with all its sidearms and resonance chambers forms a complex system with chaotic behavior.

Once out of the lake and after a couple of hours into deep water and away from all lobster pods, life calms. The fog goes, the sun wins, the boat heats up to 24°C. We are slicing through smooth sea at 6 knots on one engine, 2.1 kRPM. So nice! I get my stuff done and also push the planning horizon ahead. I now know where to anchor next, I have a nice pattern of possible anchorages and harbors on the west coast of Newfoundland marked out on the chart. Thanks to Hugues of Vanuily, who sailed that section about 2 weeks ahead of me, for sharing all the tips on WhatsApp!

It turned out to become a long day got up at 6am got to bed at 1am. 21 hours at sea, all on one engine. I do the math, not sure I can trust the numbers - my consumption seems about twice as high as anticipated. I have to run more experiments here. Anchored out of Codroy I fall to bed.Read more