Nova Scotia – Exhale on the Water

Changes in Latitudes – Au Revoir Canada

Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia

Entering the well-protected bay we could see the picturesque village was colorful, as advertised. It’s no surprise that Hallmark likes to film here.

We could have stayed for several days, like Doug did, but a weather opening dictated that we moved on. See that blue sky!

Shelbourne, Nova Scotia

Another one-night stay, we were greeted by Kermit

Local inn-keeper, Cooper (love the name, Jim and Susan), gave me permission to take a photo of him watching the sunset from his private oasis.

Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

At the entrance to the marina you are greeted by a life-size replica of a record breaking shark caught in Yarmouth. The unwritten message – Don’t Swim Here, Jim!

Record Shark Stats: Female 21-years old, 1,084 lbs, overall length 11.2 ft – tip of snout to tip of tail. Short-fin mako shark, caught August 21, 2004.

Yarmouth is proud of its historic buildings. With Gail B as our guide and narrator, Susan and I sincerely enjoyed our walking tour.

Built by the master shipwrights.

I think this one belonged to John Fitts, but maybe not.

Eatery recommendation: Immediately above the marina we found Rudders – the meal was hearty, and the Red Ale delicious.

Cribbage – Dating back to the 1600s a gambler named Sir John Suckling (what a name!) is attributed with the invention of Cribbage. If you dig a little, you learn it was just a rip-off of a British game called “noddy”. Cribbage grew in popularity during World War II. My Dad (WWII vet) had a board made from a carved antler; if you find yourself in Girdwood, go ahead and challenge my brother Sam to a game, be forewarned, he’s a bit of a shark. Cribbage is also a great way to hone your math skills. I can still hear my Dad counting his crib, “15-2, 15-4, there ain’t no more.”

Jim Merritt, Susan Merritt and Capt. Rick

Thanks, Jim and Susan, for the Cribbage lessons.

This unique board is a hand-carved swordfish bill, scrimshaw by a Nova Scotia artist (Bluenoser for Tumbleweed).

Au Revoir Canada

That’s not daylight, Dave Lubs, it’s a Super Moon at 6:04 am

As we departed, heavily loaded Commercial Fishing Boats were inbound, after a beautiful night under a full moon.

Back in the USA!

We crossed the Bay of Fundy into the Gulf of Maine (it’s all the same water, with an invisible border crossing). It’s BIG water, to my delight it was smoother than expected.

Jim and Susan Merritt have been a good luck charm, for sure. In addition to calm seas we saw more than one whale – sorry Commodore Greg, it all happened so fast!

Roque Island, Maine

Safely arriving at our second favorite anchorage (#1 is Pelican Bay / Cayo Costa), Buttercup sets four grateful feet onto American soil!

Another Time Change – as we entered Maine the clocks changed to Eastern time. Thanks Jim and Susan for making the crossing with us!

Inhale on the beach at Roque Island. Photo by Jim Merritt

Although the weather was chilly enough for long pants, Capt. Rick is happy to be back in the USA.

Morning stroll with Buttercup on Roque Island. Photo by Jim Merritt

Celebrating Milestones

Birthdays: September 5, Susan Merritt; September 9, Connie Kello Berardinis

A Tribute for the Parrot Heads

Saddened by the news of Jimmy Buffet’s passing on Friday night, September 1, we now know he will not be performing live in Fort Myers Beach when his newest Margaritaville is completed. We do expect the Grand Opening tribute will glorious, a perfect opportunity for a hologram appearance. Fins Up JWB!

First, a special Jimmy Buffet video, with an intro by the legend, who explains it’s really his truck, his first Boston Whaler, and his soon-to-be-wife, the inspiration for the song, Come Monday, is in the video! click here!

YouTube link to Come Monday. Take the time to enjoy this 1970s gem.

A few things even Parrot Heads might not know about Jimmy Buffett.

James William Buffett (“JWB”) was Born on Christmas day in 1946 in Pascagoula, Miss.

Son of a Son of a Sailor is a tribute to Jimmy’s seafaring grandpa, okay Sideways, maybe you knew that factoid.

Married in 1977 to Jane, The Eagles played at their wedding reception.

His debut album, Down to Earth was released in 1970 under an Andy Williams label. It sold 324 copies. Yep, 324. Since then, JWB released 50 albums, 19 music videos, and nearly 70 singles that collectively sold more than 20 million copies, so far. Let the counting continue with a $ boost in sales around Christmas 2023 as nostalgia kicks in.

Changes in Attitude.

The common perception that JWB was a bit of a pirate who squandered away his wealth was a ruse. Yes, he sang about how he “pissed away enough money to buy Miami”. And yes, Jamaica Mistaica really happened. An accomplished pilot, his plane, Hemisphere Dancer, was shot at by the Jamaican police – also onboard were his wife, two daughters, and U2’s Bono. The police, chasing drug smugglers, later apologized.

Paul Harvey’s Page 2: In the early 90’s Buffet got sober. Like Elton John, JWB loved to perform live, it soothed his soul; and like Taylor Swift, he owns his music. He was also a brilliant marketer. By 2023 (this year), Forbes estimated Jimmy Buffet’s net worth is, drum roll please, $1 billion, that’s a “B” for Buffet. No commodores, he is not related to Warren Buffett, but they were friends, and JWB wisely invested in Berkshire Hathaway. Forbes also reported he had 6 homes, four planes and a yacht. Most recently he lived in St. Barts in the Caribbean, Palm Beach, Florida and Sag Harbor.

RIP Jimmy – your musical legacy of love and laughter will live on!

Bonus for our Boaters – here’s a video of the unique design and delivery of Jimmy Buffet’s 42-foot offshore fishing boat. Hey Trevor, I hope you watch the video, it’s impressive!

Last Mango

A fabulous collaboration of Freeman Boatworks and Merritt Boatworks. Enjoy!

Next Up: Now, we are actively dodging Lobster pots in Maine as we head to Southwest Harbour. Sept 3 – Caryl and Ray arrive; Sept 8 – Craig arrives – wee you in NYC Carly and Mija.

Halifax Mooseheads, Nova Scotia

By now, I really expected to see at least one live moose, but nope.

On Monday the weather lifted just enough to leave Fisherman’s Harbour. We made a long, long run to Halifax – traveling a total of 92 nautical miles, over 12 SLOW hours.

As the waves grew higher and the wind got stronger little Buttercup buried her head.

Do you know why ostriches bury their head in the sand? Unlike a frightened puppy who just wants the rolling nightmare to stop, the ostrich is not actually submerging her head out of fear. Myth buster: an ostrich lays her eggs in the sand, like a turtle. Fun fact – on a regular basis the mama ostrich sticks her beak into the sand to rotate the egg(s), perhaps she has an internal “egg timer” that reminds her to warm up the other side. The head burying thing was just a bad wrap.

Arriving in Halifax around 6pm, within easy walking distance we found a delicious meal of Chinese and Szechuan – Great Wall, 1649 Bedford Row, Halifax, NS. Capt Rick said it was one of the best meals so far!

Still on the lookout for a live moose, the local hockey team is called the Mooseheads, this week, in a preseason home game they were royally trounced by the Charlottetown Islanders. 6 to 1. We like Charlottetown, PEI.

Holding still for longer than usual, David B rented a car so we could do some touristy stuff.

Cobequid Bay – the Bay of Fundy

Gail B spent some time researching the Tidal Bore at the Bay of Fundy. Reported to be a 17 m change (that’s nearly 56′) we were expecting a dramatic rush of water. In reality, it’s a gradual change without any “waves” to speak of.

Bay of Fundy, dry flatlands, photo by Capt. Rick

Waiting for Godot

This gentlemen amused himself as he said it was “boring” waiting for the tidal bore.

To me it was more like Waiting for Godot. If you can’t recall the play, and you have way too much time on your hands, here’s a link to the wiki page:

Peggy’s Cove

More touristy stuff included a drive to the picturesque Peggy’s Cove. Boater’s Tip: if you see a tourist bus don’t eat there, drive away from the light house along the freshwater lake, and enjoy a local restaurant.

The Press Block – Historic Rehab and Renovation. Mixed Use

Halifax is a bustling city, with an appreciation for historic renovations. This set of pics is for Ryan Mendoza, notice how two exterior walls shown in this photo were carefully preserved. The Press Block will soon be a mixed-use development, with retail on the ground floor. The top floors will be high-end apartments, with spectacular views.

Architects rendering of the future Press Block

My favorite meal in Halifax was an amazing Lebanese experience at Au Liban, 1460 Lower Water Street

More about the Blue Nose

Following up on the comical responses from our Commodores, what is a Bluenose? More than a person from Nova Scotia, Wiktionary definitions include a variety of potato grown in Nova Scotia, naval slang: a person who has crossed the Arctic Circle; and an Australian definition: an Antarctic butterfish! Blue nose was also a fishing and racing schooner, built in 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Special Guests on Board:

Hello to Jim and Susan Merritt – so happy to boat with you in Canada, again!

Next up: We are headed to Lunenburg. So far, Nova Scotia continues to exceed all expectations!

See you VERY soon Caryl and Sideways.

Celebrating a Legend – A deep bow of respect for the passing of Bob Barker, age 99. The beloved host of “The Price is Right” from 1972 to 2007. Alisha and I went to a live show in her teens. Standing in line from the crack of dawn, it was worth the early rise, Mija.

Moose and Mussels

Say hello to Buttercup – Our sweet little mascot is a Cavichon – that’s much easier to say than Cavalier King Charles Bichon mix!

We are Heading North!

Our home port is in southwest Florida, but as the heat and humidity rises, we morph into waterbirds, migrating north to cooler weather. This year our long-range boating destination includes two Canadian Provinces: Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Islands – visualize this: a quest for moose and P.E.I. mussels.

Once again, we will cruise with our close friends Gail and David Bernstein, Tonto’s Reward, that is as soon as they overcome their A-SEA power board issues. By now, David probably has a more colorful name for the mother board challenges.

First, a little music trivia quiz related to our destination: Can you name this Carly Simon song and finish this line “you flew your learjet up to Nova Scotia to see …”. Music Trivia Answer at the end of this post :-0

Here’s where we are headed!

Before departing FL, we took a little side trip to visit family in Cleveland for the Passover/Easter holiday. Our youngest grandson, Tyler, turned 7!

Happy Birthday Tyler

Thanks to Scott and Cindy for visiting – our regular followers know that Rick loves ice cream; it’s official, the quest for the best soft ice cream has begun!

Buttercup said a quiet goodbye as the sun sets over our community in Fort Myers.

With this I am sending a little note to my very first friend in Fort Myers, who is always listening. Wishing you a wonderful new journey in your new life adventure!

HURRICANE IAN UPDATE

We were extremely fortunate – sustaining very little damage compared to so many of our friends and neighbors. With that said, here’s an update on our oak tree that David Bernstein was confident would be fine. He was right.

EXHALE IS HEADING NORTH

We started the migration north on Tuesday, April 11. First stop: LaBelle – formerly known as the Rivers Edge motel, they recently rebranded as the LaBelle Yacht Club, seriously!

Thank you to Caryl and Ray who met us on day two in Clewiston – to ensure our journey begins in style. Say hello to George, the resident mascot. Photo by Caryl.

MUSIC TRIVIA ANSWER

“Then you flew your Learjet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun” refers to the total solar eclipse of July 10, 1972, visible only in Nova Scotia as well as Alaska and the Canadian Arctic.

In 1973, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” was a No. 1 hit in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; it reached No. 4 in Ireland and South Africa.

A MESSAGE TO OUR FOLLOWERS

Whether you are a loyal follower, or someone new, we encourage feedback. On occasion please indicate you “like” the posts – to let us know you are reading or viewing the photos! AND, in the event that you find our random research incomplete, like the six-conch limit, please share your insights.

Thanks for following us! Capt Rick, Mary and Buttercup.