4 Sep 15

Another calm, cool night; we slept well. The wind was very light from the N this morning and the forecast was good - N 10-15 - so we got the anchor up and departed Jeddore Harbour at about 08:00. We motored and motor-sailed all the way to the entrance to Halifax Harbour, under N/NE 8-12, with a very light chop. At the entrance to Halifax, the wind strengthened for a bit and we tightened up to a close reach, so we actually sailed into the harbour for about 20 minutes until we were abeam of McNab Island. We were tied up at the Halifax Waterfront Marina by 13:30. Then, it was off to a late lunch, followed by a run to the grocery store. Neither of us was hungry after our late lunch, so, after Happy Hour, we skipped dinner and walked up to The Old Triangle pub for a pint o’ the black stuff and a bit o’ craick and a listen to “Sweeney and Roach”, guitar and fiddle, playing old folk songs and Irish traditional songs. We got in a few good dances and did not get back to the boat until well past 01:00.

http://youtu.be/pAmGSYiuNxY

44-38.847’N, 063-34.188’W

5 Sep 15

We slept in till 09:00 and went up into town for a hot breakfast and a good cup of coffee. Then, it was time for laundry and a quick run to the grocery store. After lunch, we went for a walk around town, but neither one of us felt like taking in a museum or gallery, so we just walked around town a bit and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Back to the boat for Happy Hour and dinner aboard.

6 Sep 15

Sunday morning dawned warm, clear and beautiful. After breakfast, we walked over to the Historic Properties, spent an hour in a bookstore, then up past City Hall and the Anglican Church. Back to the boat for lunch, although I picked up a Donner kebab to go. After lunch, we went back to The Old Triangle for the Sunday afternoon Irish session. There was Irish set dancing going on and I got dragged into the group for an hour of very vigorous dancing. As I was recovering, with a pint of the local IPA, into the pub walked Simon and Ben from “Meltemi”, who we last saw in Gaspe, at the end of July; they left their boat there for 3 weeks to go home to take care of some business. They have had quite an adventure getting here, including a dismasting just south of Escuminac. After recovering the mast, they had it shipped here and motored the boat around to Dartmouth Yacht Club (in Bedford Basin), where they found a guy to repair it. They are hoping to be a sailboat again by Tuesday. We had a couple of beers and swapped sailor stories. I joined the end of the session to lead the assembled host in a rousing rendition of “The Old Triangle” (seemed like the appropriate closing song, given our location), accompanied in 4-part harmony, no less. We have been invited to an Irish dance workshop next Saturday and a ceilidh Saturday night, so we will have to see how our buddies from Vancouver feel about that. Then, it was time to walk across town to have dinner with Kate and Alec; she is the sister of our old buddy Bernie O’C and we had promised to stop by for a visit. They cooked us an excellent meal and we had a grand time enjoying the evening from their patio. We walked back to the boat just after 22:00 and went straight to bed.

7 Sep 15

The only problem with the Waterfront Marina is that it is a bit noisy, especially between 02:00 and 03:00, when all the waterfront bars empty out and all the young folks stagger noisily past on their way home. School has just started at Dalhousie, so all the students are back in town and enjoying their first weekend of freedom away from the prying eyes of Mom and Dad. Ah, to be young again. My calves were sore from yesterday’s dancing exhibition. We spent nearly all day dressing ship (washing deck and topsides, cleaning the salon and prepping the guest suite for Rolf and Lissa from Corpus Christi, who join us for a couple of days starting tomorrow). I also addressed an urgent issue with the forward head; I believe the holding tank is simply full - and overflowing with each incremental use - so, it appears that our offshore pump-out was not completely successful. I gotta get some gauges for the holding tanks so we can tell what is going on, because overflowing is bad, not to mention the stress from thinking that it may be a far worse problem. I got a haircut and a shave late in the afternoon, then, after Happy Hour, we went up to The Old Triangle for dinner.