We're planning for the Down East Loop in 2016.

[jen1722terry]

Hey CDers!

Jenn and I are planning to do the "Down East Loop" next summer on our CD 31. We're wondering if any of the members have done all or part of it and could share any advice or tips.

Our route will start in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia and continue down the Nova Scotia Coast to Yarmouth, where we'll cross the Bay of Fundy to Eastport, Maine. We'll then cruise down the New England Coast to NYC, where we'll turn up the Hudson River.

We'll take the Hudson up to Troy, NY, where we have a choice:

1. we can take the Erie Canal over to Lake Ontario and come back out the St. Lawrence, visiting the 1000 Islands and Montreal, or . . .

2. go from Troy up the canal into Lake Champlain then up the canal that connects Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence, skipping Montreal.

on either route we will eventually go down the St. Lawrence to Quebec City, on to Prince Edward Island, then down the Nova Scotia coast to our summer home in Mahone Bay.

So, if any of the members have done all or parts of this trip, we would love to hear any advice or memories you may have.

Thanks in advance

Jenn and Terry

[Jeff and Sarah]

My parents just did the NYC to Lake Ontario portion of what you are considering on their trawler. They documented it fairly well on their blog: www.lifeonaftermath.com

I hope that helps at least a small bit.

Jeff

[Loren]

Hey CDers!

Jenn and I are planning to do the "Down East Loop" next summer on our CD 31. We're wondering if any of the members have done all or part of it and could share any advice or tips.

Our route will start in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia and continue down the Nova Scotia Coast to Yarmouth, where we'll cross the Bay of Fundy to Eastport, Maine. We'll then cruise down the New England Coast to NYC, where we'll turn up the Hudson River.

We'll take the Hudson up to Troy, NY, where we have a choice:

1. we can take the Erie Canal over to Lake Ontario and come back out the St. Lawrence, visiting the 1000 Islands and Montreal, or . . .

2. go from Troy up the canal into Lake Champlain then up the canal that connects Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence, skipping Montreal.

on either route we will eventually go down the St. Lawrence to Quebec City, on to Prince Edward Island, then down the Nova Scotia coast to our summer home in Mahone Bay.

So, if any of the members have done all or parts of this trip, we would love to hear any advice or memories you may have.

Thanks in advance

Jenn and Terry

We did the loop over two summers in 2004-2005. Started in Lake Ontario, out Saint Lawrence, south of PEI, out by Canso, Departed Nova Scotia from Yarmouth, crossed to Mount Desert Island, through canal to Buzzards Bay, through NYC, up Hudson and back to Lake via Erie Canal.

Do you have specific questions.

Great Trip...I feel Erie Canal, Lake Ontario, and river to Montreal are worth it if you have the time. No experience with Lake Champlain route but sure it's very nice also.

Fair Winds,
Loren

[David Patterson]

I haven't done any sailing on the east coast, so I really look forward to your photos! David

[moctrams]

Where is the best place to go through customs when arriving in NS?

[Len]

Hi,
I did the Portland to Mahone Bay and back last summer. The westerly leg around Cape Sable which I did close to shore was way more exciting that the easterly route offshore. The currents up , down and around were a lot of fun. At times they were a handful ( I was single handing the whole trip). The weather was very cold (50*) as I started in early June from portland. I spent a lot more time going down the Maine coast than I did in Nova Scotia. In previous Summers I single handed my Robinhood 36 to NEw York City. I have no plans on going up the Hudson and around. Your trip will be great.
I have been to Canada six times ( 3 in Passamaquoddy and fundy bays). I am trying now to find crew to Go from portland direct to Mahone Bay and from there to the Top of NS ( maybe someday to Newfoundland ). I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the Mahone bay to NYC Part of the trip.
Good luck and great sailing .
Len Kovit

[Cathy Monaghan]

Where is the best place to go through customs when arriving in NS?

It all depends on where you're coming from. Here's a list of Canadian Ports of Entry by Province:

http://www.offshoreblue.com/cruising/ca ... -ports.php

[David Patterson]

Cruising now includes, for me, the process of getting to my cruising grounds and of the world surrounding them. Also, my readings enhance the richness. From mid-continent (Columbia MO) only the reading doesn't seem far away. A few years ago I transcribed a sailing journal lent by a friend. I have her permission to share it here, but have yet to get it scanned. Here is a representative page, from near the end of the cruise. Imagine you are 17 and inexperienced, while your buddy is 20 or 21 and can shoot a noon sight. Often, he gets it right. It's 1932 and a two month cruise from Long Island Sound to Jacksonville FL has been planned. The craft? A wooden 24' gaff-rigged sloop with a "balloon" and a small square sail, along with the usual rig. 23' on the waterline, 7 1/2' beam, 4 1/2' draft, and only about 3 1/2' of headroom. Age? Indeterminate. The route? Off-shore, east of Montauk and around Hatteras, one of the most dangerous capes in the world, against the Stream, then with the Stream on the return. No ICW available, I assume. You are signed on as the cook. Not that you can. Watch on watch leads to near sleep-walking states at times. ... Enjoy this page, and I'll work to get a link to the rest of the log.

[jen1722terry]

A belated thanks to all who offered suggestions and experiences for our upcoming trip.

Re: Loren's note about going out the Erie Canal to the lake, then to Montreal via 1000 islands: we may do this, depending on the timing. It will require a mast haul via truck, as our davits make carrying the mast on board a bit problematic. If we decided to do the Champlain route, it will require two mast unstep/steps, if we want to sail in the lake. Much to consider.

Re: best places to clear customs: Cathy's list is great. We've only taken the boat into Canada once, clearing at Grand Manan Island. It was just a phone call to tell CA Border Services we arrived. They gave us a number to post on a port light. We flew the Q flag, but were not visited by any customs folks. Not sure what to do, we kept the Q flag up until we got to Shelburne, NS where the customs folks visited, but did not board. They told us the Q flag was only necessary at the first POE regardless of whether or not we were boarded there.

You can apply for a cruising permit good for, I think, 45 days. We didn't get one, as we planned to keep the boat in Canada for nearly two years. Instead, we paid the import tax which is normally 15% of the purchase price plus new equipment. We paid 5% because we owned a property in Canada. If we wanted to sell or charter the boat in Canada, we would have to pay the additional 10% prior to sale/charter. We kept the US documentation so that, with the CA tax paid, we can go back and forth over the border as we please.

Cruising back to the US this year, we'll most likely clear US Customs at Lubec, ME, as we want to tour Campabello Island on the way. In the 13 years we've been traveling back and forth to Canada, we've never had a problem with customs from either country. However, we have heard a few horror stories from folks who were taking children over the border. There is documentation that you must have, or you will at the very least be refused entry, possibly prosecuted if there are custody issues.

Any other questions about cruising in Nova Scotia, email us anytime.

Jenn and Terry

[jen1722terry]

UPDATE:

Some of you already know that we aborted our "Downeast Loop" plans for the summer due to yet another transmission failure (related elsewhere in this forum). We're not sure if we will complete it next year, as we're now a bit gun shy about the ability of these little transmissions to withstand weeks or months of daily high-hour use. As many of you know, when you're trying to cover ground in the shorter northern summers, the wind is often not all that useful, so you motor away the days to cover ground.

So, the plan now is to just keep the boat in central Maine next summer and scour many of their lovely harbors and bays. We may stay there a few years, or bring the boat back to Nova Scotia in 2018, doing the St. Johns River and Fundy coast on the way back to our summer home south of Halifax. Not all that big of a loss, if any. If we do decide to do Champlain and the St. Lawrence, we may truck the boat over to central NY to save time.

Jenn and Terry