Exciting Times in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

We arrived in Lunenburg on Sunday September 12th late in the evening, so we anchored outside the harbor to sail in Monday morning.  There was a nice crowd on had to see us come in to Lunenburg under full sail! We used the engine only in the final docking process.  The permanent crew is now extremely busy doing what seems like an impossible list of repairs. To name a few, both heads on one of our 350 HP Caterpillar engines have to be removed checked, new gaskets put on, and re-installed, the lower of the three wood masts on the foremast must be replaced. This necessitates that all the lines and stays be removed from that mast so that the top two masts can be removed and the third mast replaced.  All four Yamaha outboard engines have been sent out for routine maintenance. Several large pipes carrying water for the air conditioning/heating system in the cabins need to be galvanized.  4 back stays on the main mast must be replaced also… and 30 or 40 additional tasks which are too number to give. Once everything has been taken out/down/apart, it must be repaired/replaced ASAP.  We sail for Brazil on the 22nd of September (actually the morning of the 23rd).

Now for the exciting times…. As we passed by Quebec City late in the evening, it grew quite a bit colder. The next morning, well out into the Gulf, we came upon a large group of whales, seals and birds, feeding on large schools of small fish.  We spent 45 minutes circling and whale watching. It was very interesting.   Further out into the Gulf, as we were exposed to the open ocean, the real fun began. The forecast was for winds in the 30 kilometers per hour, with gusts to 50 KPH.  This turned out to be an understatement.  By the end of the day the waves had built to 20 to 25ft and the winds were at force 8 to 9 on the Beaufort scale.  Many waves washed over the bow and onto the foredeck.  It was very difficult to get anywhere on the ship with it rocking and rolling in such a grand manner !!! Welcome to ocean voyaging!!!  The Captain changed the course a little to the south, and by morning the seas were once again tolerable.  No one will forget this part of the voyage soon.  As I said, we are safe and sound in Lunenburg 3 days ahead of schedule, thanks to a low pressure area which followed us across Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the Gulf of St Laurence. The next leg of the trip will be a quiet one for this blog since I will not have any internet access. Will try and report on the trip to Brazil when I get there.  I may also post an article in the Bark Europa’s Ship Log. There is a link now on my blog to the ship’s log for those that wish to follow the ship. If all else fails I will finish this off when I return around December 1st.

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4 Responses to Exciting Times in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

  1. Tom says:

    Hi Garry, I’ve been keeping tabs on your travels, but just signed up today so I could leave a comment. It sounds like your having a great adventure. See you when you get back.

    • thekirkpatricks says:

      Going all the way to Ushuaia, Argentina now… Lee is arriving today here in Lunenburg for a visit. Leaving on the 23 according to current schedule. After that you will have to go to the ships site to keep track of us. Stopping in Brazil in Mid October for a few days. Hope to have internet there. Thanks for the call.

  2. marythek says:

    Dad,
    Hope you have a Happy Birthday at sea. Didn’t know where to send a card, so hope you have a great day on the 25th. Be careful on the ocean…those waves are big, and watch out for those hurricanes!!
    Love you,
    Mary

  3. Dan from MI says:

    Hey Gary

    I too have been following your adventure since we last spoke in Muskegon. I’m so jealous of the great sailing you’ve had! If you get a chance before you depart for Brazil please drop me a note. I would love to know who is still on board that I might know from my Marquette to Duluth trip.
    I sent an e-mail to Andy but never got a reply. The address was .
    I hope you have a great trip – can’t wait to see photos!!

    Dan

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