Passage Planning, General, Articles

Coastal Overnights—They’re Tough But They Get The Job Done

by Phyllis November 18, 2008
It was hard to leave our favourite Maine anchorage at Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island, but chilly nights reinforced the message that it was time to go.

After spending much of the last four winters in Maine and Nova Scotia refitting Morgan’s Cloud, John and I agreed that a winter in the Bahamas would be just the ticket. So when the blazing fall colours and chilly temperatures of early October indicated that Penobscot Bay, Maine wasn’t going to remain the balmy summer [...]

Don’t Get Caught In The Gulfstream

by John October 18, 2009
Jenifer's Clark's Gulfstream chart

It’s the time of year when many cruisers turn their eyes south and start planning a fall passage to Bermuda. I started sailing to and fro between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast some 35 years ago. Back then we often took lumps and did not even know why.

Watch Out For Whales—Part I

by Colin December 18, 2009
OVNI 435 Pèlerin with a friendly whale swimming close by.

Another race, another whale collision, yet again ending in the loss of a boat and injury to a whale. Thankfully no loss of life, although one day that may not be the case. What is happening out on the oceans? Pirates everywhere, climate change driven hurricanes, and now homicidal whales?

Watch Out For Whales—Part II

by Colin November 12, 2011
Lunge feeding humpback

Collisions with whales and dolphins are becoming an increasing concern for offshore cruisers, as I outlined in a previous post. But up until recently there has been no serious attempt made to quantify the level of actual collision events, or to plot their geographical distribution. Obviously, having some idea of where and when collisions might [...]