A Real Scorcher!

Some readers, more acccustomed to hotter climes, may smirk at my title. Yet, in my part of the woods, a 30C day is what we like to call a scorcher.

It was early ashore for a shower. While waiting for the staff to open the Club House, Skipper Derrek and myself started to talking. He had freshly arrived from a passage originating in Cape Cod. It had been a solo overnighter.

Like my practise coming across the Gulf of St. Lawrence last fall, he would take 30 minute breaks. Mine were limited to 20 upon entry to the cabin below. He suggested that a good AIS system may provide better confidence for me to take longer breaks. 🥱

AIS : The automatic identification system is an automatic tracking system that uses transceivers on ships and is used by vessel traffic services. When satellites are used to receive AIS signatures, the term Satellite-AIS is used. AIS information supplements marine radar, which continues to be the primary method of collision avoidance for water transport. Although technically and operationally distinct, the ADS-B system is analogous to AIS and performs a similar function for aircraft. - Wikipedia

If one is heading south then a shortest route scenario is Shelburne to Cape Cod. It's an overnighter. My thought had been to cross the Funday at Digby and hug the US coastline south. When Derrek was asked about Maine's coast, he said that he had spoken to some that said they were glad they had sailed them yet would not do so again.

That was primarily because of the full season lobster fishermen who lay out their pots willy-nilly with no care of passage to others. We had issues with fishermen when sailing south of Lunenburg. Once spilling over to channel 16 on the VHF, yet by and large passages were left open.

VFH : Very high frequency is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves from 30 to 300 megahertz, with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted high frequency, and the next higher frequencies are known as ultra high frequency. VHF radio waves propagate mainly by line-of-sight, so they are blocked by hills and mountains, although due to refraction they can travel somewhat beyond the visual horizon out to about 160 km. - Wikipedia

My Creature of Habit MO had me returning to the BeanDock Cafe to sample more of their menu. Today it was sausage and egg muffin with a side order of hash browns; with a two brownie take-away..

Back on Makina it was pretty hot and the sun wrong to find any shade for laying out in the cockpit. Nap time came early. By about mid-afternoon it was a little cooler so thought to give the upcoming passage more planning.

There is an electrical issue, which may be a failing Inverter, which has been a bit of a mystery, so it was decided to take the laptop ashore to ready this entry.

The first stage of the upcoming passage is planned to be from Shelburne to Port La Tour, as outlined in the screen capture of the chart below.

Passage from Shelburne to Port La Tour

While looking over the charts in Nautilus Derrek came into the Club House after having taken a rest. Bought him a beer and we resumed our chat. He brought some seriousness to the planning. Like me, he was somewhat of an old schooler when it came to navigation. He liked to have a chart in which he would record his position every half an hour if possible.

He gave a harrowing story of fog closing in on he, his wife and 2 year old daughter some years before and reminded me of how expected it should be, even though good fortune had not totally blinded us up to this point.

Considering that the full passage could be 100 NM it was something that needed factoring in. At least an AIS hack which James had been able to do using his mobile somehow.

[Note to Self: Contact James re AIS]