Before we talk about the Lobster Capital of the world, we should talk about leaving Miramichi. You know from the last post that its 28 miles out of the river and bay through a winding channel that traverses from
shore to shore. Its not like a road where you simply stay on the right or left depending on where you're reading this from but rather a series of bouys and ranges that you look for in open water and have to stay between. As we leave harbour red pointy ones are on the left and green flat ones are on the right. As we leave we note the wind is already 10 knots on our stern and this means a spinnaker run up the channel with time to practice our jibing. But before we have time to set sail, Bob notices a stranded moose calf on the shore. There is nothing that we can but get a little closer and grunt at it and besides it didnt look to be in stress. So on we go with setting main and then spinnaker until the wind picks up as we are crossing at the widest part and its more of a reach than a down wind leg. By this time Doug has cooked pancakes topped with peaches, apple sauce and maple syrup. This all makes for a best sailing experience ever; flying a spinnaker and eating pancakes. who sead we can't multi task! We decide to douse the spinnaker and take it in from the stern instead of bow because of the wind and set the head sail. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard / RCMP boat that was docked at Miramichi has left and is coming up the channel behind us. But they are taking their time and allowing us to leave safely. We sail out to open sea and set our new waypoint to round another series of shoals, meanwhile the coast guard follows the coast and cruises by all the fishing boats. Starting from Miramichi south, lobster season is in and there are hundres of traps all over the place. It's like walking through a mine field because sometimes you can't see the markers and they are on you before you know it. Now as we round the point the wind starts dying off again so we made the decision to motor around up to our around it and float for awhile and go for a swim. The water here is warming up again as its starting to get shallower through the Northumberland Straight. While we where floating I saw a jellyfish swim by. Doug and Bob are already in the water but then there are more jelly fish, one after another. Bob has know idea but I take some pictures and they are all around him. Its ok though, apparently these don't sting:). After pictures I jump in too and the water is absolutely gorgeous. We finish our swim and we are off again - just in time too as the wind is building once again and we can almost point to our destination of Richibucto. We are now sailing in 20 knots with two reefs and the head sail furled to a 100% from a 135. We keep going as long as we can before decideing to motor the rest of the way as the wind is once again on the nose to our resting place. Now with sails down we are cutting through short rapid wave and shaking the shite out of everything - I am down below typing as the floor is vibrating throught the waves. After 8 miles of this we are now entering another well marked channel. And good thing, as the guide book clearly states "do not follow the fisherman with local knowledge as you will be sure to hit ground". We approach the harbour and I call on the VHF channel 68 for birthing instructions but no answer. We enter the harbour and the harbour master is standing on the dock waiting for us. Once again, full service but wonder way no answer on the radio. Apparently, he couldn't understand my Richibucto said three times in an acaidian accent and thought it better to come to the dock anyways. The harbour is filled with fishing boats and at the office there is Norm, the harbour master and four regulars sitting as I am sure they do every day. We chatted for a while and I asked if there is a place to sample local refreshments. They all said the Legion is the only place in town and when I asked for directions, I got finger pointing over thier right shoulder and a polite "it's up over dare". Once we got things settled for the night and Doug and I decided to venture out into town, we reafirm the location with the night crew and got the same over dare instructions so we are off. Walking around, there is nothing near except a family restaurant on the commercial side of the wharf with no one in it and a pizza place again with no one in it. With a 45 minute walk completed, we return full circle and one fellow says: "you didn't make it, jump in my car and I will give you a lift". But by this time, its to late and we are off to bed. The next morning came in no time flat, shower time and we're gone by 6:30 am. Again not long before we are sailing and having another gourmet eggs omlette with pancake batter to thicken it topped with cheeze, onion, peppers, and seazoned with Italian spicing. Did I happen to mention, Bob likes to cook, with the three of us we're not going hungry soon:). Anyway with breakfast under foot and sailing out of the harbour, there is now a dredging machine being towed by a fishing boat with a long hose out the back. With little options, we alter course and sail behind them but not to far as we have to skirt the channels' edges and miss the hose. We are by and with room to spare at the end and now its time to round another shoal with another great sailing day all the way to Shediac. Because we have time to spare, we decided to again drop sails and go for another swim. The water is even warmer than the day before and Doug wants to try out the drogue that he got from Ed Smith. So while motoring at 4 knots we throw in the drogue and were immediately surpised to see 2 knots taken away. This is great if we have to use it in fowl weather to slow the boat down and keep her from pitch poling (prevents a boat from hitting the bottom of a large wave and rolling end over end). Once the testing and swimming is done, it a short meander to Point du Chen Harbour were we spend the next two days.
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