Nova Scotia in August

[Student_Driver]

Does anyone have recommendations for cruising guides or other resources for Nova Scotia? Thinking of going from Nantucket or Plymouth direct in early August. Any hints welcome. Will be on a well equipped an seaworthy 20 ton boat (7' draft) and I have offshore experience but never sailed north of Mt Desert Island. Anyone else headed there?

 

[Bagheera]

The one published by the Cruising Club of America (CCA) is the best one in my opinion.

CCA Cruising Guides to the Canadian Maritimes and Maine | Cruising Club of America

CCA members have authored a set of four cruising guides to the Canadian Maritimes.

cruisingclub.org

It is written by members for members and any CCA member cruiser who wants can add pages or corrections or pictures to it. They continuously get updated and expanded.

I'm not heading there, but had my boat in Dartmouth for about 7 years before I moved to Alaska.

I really liked Mahone Bay in the winter and the coat north of Halifax in the summer.

 

[Jim in Halifax]

August and September are probably the best sailing months in Nova Scotia - the fog is scarce and the water is (relatively) warm. The best cruising guide to Nova Scotia, ignoring Maine and New Brunswick, is Peter Loveridge's Cruising Guide to Nova Scotia. It will be difficult to find a print copy (1st edition is out of date anyway) but you can get a revised 2nd and maybe 3rd edition electronically from the author himself. Highly recommended. (PM me if you can't find it) https://cruisingguidetons.blogspot.com/

 

[accnick]

August and September are probably the best sailing months in Nova Scotia - the fog is scarce and the water is (relatively) warm. The best cruising guide to Nova Scotia, ignoring Maine and New Brunswick, is Peter Loveridge's Cruising Guide to Nova Scotia. It will be difficult to find a print copy (1st edition is out of date anyway) but you can get a revised 2nd and maybe 3rd edition electronically from the author himself. Highly recommended. https://cruisingguidetons.blogspot.com/

The other thing, of course, is you start to get some fronts going through in September, giving you a shot at getting back to the NE coast without beating your brains out.

 

[DDW]

By September things are starting to close for the season. Late September it is almost shut. Doesn't mean you can't still enjoy it though. The Bras d'Or are quite lovely.

 

[Jim in Halifax]

The other thing, of course, is you start to get some fronts going through in September, giving you a shot at getting back to the NE coast without beating your brains out.

The prevailing Southwesterlies always make getting 'back down' a challenge - never waste a wind with East or North in it. I think that the same probably applies when cruising Maine.

 

[Cruisin Loser]

Been there a couple of times. The CCA guide is good, there are a couple of others, but they’re on the boat, in Maine. We are likely to run up there after the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta in August. I’ve sailed the Bras D’or in early October, of course that’s perfect with a zillion well protected all-weather spots. The coast of NS east of Halifax is just wonderful and amazing. Ecum Secum West is a favorite fall anchorage.

We may head that way after the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta.

 

[Rude Dog]

Good topic & info! I am thinking about a similar cruising trajectory...even as far a Newfoundland. Would love to read more views and commentary about sailing in these waters.

 

[dougweibel]

We have sailed the east coast of Nova Scotia twice and this past summer continued to the Southwest coast of Newfoundland. Newfoundland is a completely different experience with amazing people and scenery.

Provincetown MA to Shelburne NS is about a 250nm run. If your goal is NS I'd sail there direct from Plymouth, Nantucket, Provincetown, etc., rather than sailing up to Maine and then across. Shelburne is a great port to clear in. The yacht club there is very helpful and it is far enough up a wide river to make entry easy even in fog and heavy seas.

Don't count on fog being gone by August. Make sure you have a working radar and know how to use it.

 

[accnick]

We have sailed the east coast of Nova Scotia twice and this past summer continued to the Southwest coast of Newfoundland. Newfoundland is a completely different experience with amazing people and scenery.

Provincetown MA to Shelburne NS is about a 250nm run. If your goal is NS I'd sail there direct from Plymouth, Nantucket, Provincetown, etc., rather than sailing up to Maine and then across. Shelburne is a great port to clear in. The yacht club there is very helpful and it is far enough up a wide river to make entry easy even in fog and heavy seas.

Don't count on fog being gone by August. Make sure you have a working radar and know how to use it.

...and AIS.

 

[sculpin]

As a native... absolutely some opportunity for fog, usually early in the day. We run an AIS and find it useful.

August - keep in mind a couple of dates:
- Aug 16-19 is Chester "race week" (I know, it isn't a week, don't argue with me about it). This will keep Mahone bay busy, you won't find an available mooring at Chester Yacht Club.
- labour day weekend at the end of August is the end of summer 'round here and the usual haunts are packed. Rogue's Roost, for example - great midweek but will be jammed for anchoring on the weekend.
So pick destinations around those constraints. Any specific questions - pls ask. I'm sure Jim and I can help you out.

 

[KramN]

We are moving out to the East coast this summer and looking forward to the sailing. Thanks for the info on cruising guides.

 

[TradingUp]

Weather wise, the “air” usually changes mid August. Clear, cooler at night with winds more Northerly. Before this the winds can be painfully light—my friends usually schedule their cruises accordingly—unless you wait for a sea breeze to set.

The usually part failed last year—it was mid September before it occurred.

 

[Dilligaf0220]

Get drunk. Leave.

Try to smuggle some seal skin couture across the border.

That's the only high points you'll get visiting Canuckistan.

 

[Student_Driver]

A few years ago, I sailed on a similar boat from Edgartown to Boothbay Harbor direct. Is sailing to Halifax materially more difficult or dangerous? I'

We have sailed the east coast of Nova Scotia twice and this past summer continued to the Southwest coast of Newfoundland. Newfoundland is a completely different experience with amazing people and scenery.

Provincetown MA to Shelburne NS is about a 250nm run. If your goal is NS I'd sail there direct from Plymouth, Nantucket, Provincetown, etc., rather than sailing up to Maine and then across. Shelburne is a great port to clear in. The yacht club there is very helpful and it is far enough up a wide river to make entry easy even in fog and heavy seas.

Don't count on fog being gone by August. Make sure you have a working radar and know how to use it.

Thanks. Will look into Shelburne.

 

[Jim in Halifax]

Is sailing to Halifax materially more difficult or dangerous?

Not at all. The tidal currents coming out of the Bay of Fundy have to be respected, but once past Barrington, there are plenty of good harbours where you can clear in, including Shelburne, Lockeport, Brooklyn, Lunenburg, Chester, St. Margaret's Bay and Halifax. Consult Canada Border Services Agency for more info: https://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/provinces/ns-eng.html

 

[Bryanjb]

Love Shelburne and Halifax. North of Halifax is pretty remote. Sailing there is easy, sailing back you'll be going upwind.

 

[CapDave]

We did this cruise in 2019. We found the navigation pretty easy, not too much fog.

We sailed direct from Brunswick GA to Halifax, arriving June 8th, 2019. We left Halifax June 13th, went through the Canso canal, visited PEI and the Madeleines, and entered the Bras D’Or lakes from the North. There are overhead wires on the Southern entrance which technically we cleared, but the power company told us it was too close, don’t do it. We crossed Cabot Strait on July 8th, and rounded Cape Bauld on July 20th, sighting icebergs in the distance. That was when we had three days in a row with a high of 45F; it was cold! The East coast of the Northern Peninsula was amazing, very remote. Notre Dame Bay and Fogo Island were really the highlights of the cruise. August 26th we were back in Halifax after 75 days and 2,500 miles.

Great cruise, just go!