1300 Wednesday
By 0830 today we had moved Tazzarin over to the fuel dock at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. We had already topped up the water tanks; now we were topping off with diesel and get a couple blocks of ice to ease the work of our refrigeration system. As always, every staff member at the RNSYS proved friendly, resourceful and helpful during our 32 hours in port. It is amazing to think that this yacht club hauls, moves and stores 160 member boats each winter. Each winter half of the dozens of finger floats are hauled, scraped and painted; the others stay in the water, gathered tightly in a back cove inside the fuel dock. They can do this because with changing climate the Northwest Arm of Halifax Harbour has only frozen over once in the past 30 years.
With tanks full, we left the club shortly after 0900. A 20 knot breeze was blowing straight into Halifax. So, we motored into it for a few hours until we were far enough out to slant off and set sail eastward. Coming in or out of Halifax a prudent sailor stays on their toes. It is a big, busy commercial port. Coming in the other night a little before midnight I was in constant contact with “Halifax Traffic,” an operation similar to a control tower at an airport. I reported in with our position as we approached; Halifax Traffic told me they had us already on radar and AIS. They informed me of ship movements and I let them know that we would hug the shore to stay out of the way. They let each departing ship know where we were and what our approach was. It is an incredibly well managed harbor.
This morning as we left we went past some monstrous container ships anchored in the roadstead. One, the MSC Alyssa was stacked with 17 rows of containers from bow to stern. She is 890 feet long, abut the length of three football fields. When they get moving in the harbor they can steam along at 15 knots, even before reaching the open sea. I ca tell you I am cautious around these big vessels.
In the outer limits of Halifax Harbour, a harbor seal popped up along side for a minute, seeming to wish us well as we turned eastward to run along the Nova Scotian coast, headed east for the Cabot Strait and on to Newfoundland. The wind settled in out of the southeast and we are sailing close hauled and doing 6.5 knots. The forecasts suggests the wind will lighten; we are feeling that change beginning. We are on the move again.
Bill
