Day 22, July 9 -- Isaacs Harbor to Yankee Cove in Whitehead harbor -- 26 NM

Today started as did yesterday, heavily fogged in. Yesterday we waited until the PM and then surrendered and stayed. It is easy enough to set out on a nice day, only to be caught in fog; there is no reason to head into it intentionally. Rain can be unpleasant but fog is dangerous. During the day, several people, both locals and tourists, stopped for ice cream and stayed to ask about ILENE. We even invited some aboard for a "Cooks Tour" of the boat's interior.

This morning Patsy and Randy were there fishing with grandkids. They took us for a half hour drive to see their lovely home, from which they can fish off the back patio. They invited us for a pot of tea, but we declined and offered them tea aboard ILENE. Their daughter in law came back with us and Randy, stopped at the local market to let Lene buy country fresh eggs.

Back at the boat the fog was clearing so we never did get to make that tea. Randy helped cast off lines, and we set off at noon. But at the red buoy marking the exit of Isaacs Harbor a wall of fog came up. We dropped the main and ducked back into Webbs Cove, pictured in yesterday's post, anchored without snubber, ate lunch, and, it having cleared as seen in this photo of me raising anchor, we tried again.

And once out, again fog, though not as bad as on the passage from Lunenberg to Halifax. We had only 26 miles to get to Yankee Cove, and deliberately used only main to keep our speed below seven knots. When the wind got light, we used small jib as well, and when even lighter, engine instead. The sea threw six foot rollers at our starboard quarter so we kept the main up, though amidships, to reduce rolling.

I am very pleased to report that Lene has gotten into the sailing. She asked, and was of course permitted, to furl the jib, a task of about six consecutive steps that requires some thought and some effort. I think this was the first time she has done this, in our 21st season together!

Almost the whole passage was on "instrument flight rules" -- our chart plotter showed us where we were, but we could not see the rocks, islands and buoys that we skirted.

Yankee Cove, is described in the cruising guide as difficult to get into, with a 50 foot long spot with unbuoyed underwater rocks on both sides, and, if you can believe it, a dispute about exactly where those rocks really are. We went through with sails furled, in neutral, pushed by the wind, as slowly as possible, at near low tide. We never saw depths of less than 20 feet. This shows, our track through the narrow spot, marked with pink arrows I drew.

We anchored, protected by three small islands, in sixteen feet at low tide, the only boat present. Here is the view as we were leaving, next morning. Anchored around the corner, between the  near and farther islands.

While this is not a food blog, Lene cooked a unique dinner: Lunenberg sausage and fresh sauerkraut. The sausage is strongly spiced, though not at all like hot or sweet Italian sausage. And another good night of sleep under our warmest quilts. Next stop: St. Peter's in the Bras D'or Lakes, our destination, only 40 miles away!