August 12, 2011
We have had no Internet since Rimouski so this is being posted from Charlottetown, PEI (Prince Edward Island).
We left Rimouski at 0700 hrs this morning for Riviere Au Renard: distance 180 nm. There was very little wind to work with so we motor sailed using the big foresail (Genoa or Jenny) and set the main sail later on. The wind was out of the NE @ 5-10 kts but this was an unfavorable direction for us as it was almost head on. It would have taken too much time to tack back and forth to make distance. In the high latitudes you have to make time in the good weather window forecast or you'll get smacked with a strong wind/gale warning. Winds from the NE come off Labrador and are cold, cold , cold.
Although the day was spent motor sailing, the seas were calm and we saw several whales and seals. The Gaspe coast is ruggedly beautiful. Fog started to set in around 2000 hrs. We were behind another sail boat "Auburn Angle" and couldn't see them in less than 1/4 mile.
August 13, 2011
Still sailing towards Riviere Au Renard. The NE wind and fog produced the coldest night I've had on watch. I was layered with a flannel shirt, fleece jacket and Gore Tex foul Wx gear and I was still cold. I should have put on some boots because my feet were cold too. Fog started to dissipate around 0300 hrs and I could see the last of the great Appalachian Mountain Chain ending on the rugged coast. It is along this stretch of Gaspesian coast that we reached our highest latitude at the Mountain of Gros Morne: 49 deg 18 minutes North and 65 deg 32.6 minutes W. From here it's all downhill and getting warmer by the day!!:)
We made Riviere Au Renaud Marina @1645 hrs today (Saturday). This is a small marina with limited facilities. Fortunately, I was able to buy three 20 liter jerry cans of diesel: total 16 gals. I calculate that I burn about 0.75 gals per hour. The price per liter of diesel in Riviere Au Renard is $1.50 CAD. This is $5.96 per gal. Americans should be happy with our fuel prices because gas is even more expensive. It's Saturday so Sunday will find us in a fishing port with everything closed. This being so..I plan to sail for Charlottetown, PEI tomorrow: distance 280 nm.
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