Homeward Bound

Hi everyone! Our apologies for the late delay in getting this [final *sniff*] blog post to you. It's hard to believe that Panta Rhei is actually back in Canada, and yet here she is, snug and safe in the Northwest Arm of Halifax!

Bar Harbor, Maine to Halifax, Nova Scotia

Day 1: After a whirlwind visit in Bar Harbor, we decided to leave for Halifax on Friday, June 24th. As much as we were enjoying our time in Maine, we found a weather window we just couldn't afford to pass up. Our goal of arriving to Canada by July 1st was actually within reach! Since leaving the Bahamas on May 13th, it seemed like we were so close to Halifax we could taste it. The morning of the 24th, we headed back into town once more to visit our friendly neighbourhood Harbourmaster. He helped us to 'clear' customs, by calling a CBP officer in Bangor who basically said we were good to go... no need to have our passport stamped or visit anyone in person! Easy peezy, squeezy lemons! Back on board, we decided to take advantage of our flat anchorage to make pizzas on the BBQ - so yummy. It was a good thing we did as well, because little did we know that there wouldn't be much opportunity for cooking on our passage to Halifax (more on that later!) We lifted anchor at 12:45 PM and bid farewell to Bar Harbor. As we departed, we needed to navigate through the many rocks and islands of the Maine coastline; the winds weren't exactly in our favour, and we needed to tack back and forth (always navigating those pesky crab pots) to get through the funnelling effects of headlong winds. Once past the rocky coastline, the winds started to ease off and we were able to hold a close reach, with winds slightly forward of the beam. With clear, beautiful sunny skies, we were happy to finally see the last of the crab pots - about 12 nautical miles offshore! We were passed by both the 'Zaandam' cruise ship, as well as the CAT - a high-speed ferry that reaches Yarmouth, NS, in 3 1/2 hours from Bar Harbor. Overnight on our close reach sail we reached speeds of up to 7.8 knots. Lots of fog and mist rolled in after midnight, making for a wet and chilly night shift.

Day 2: By 6:00 AM, we were 17 hours into our trip and had covered 90 nautical miles (nm); we were 7nm away from Canadian territorial waters! Yahoo! Only 176nm to Halifax! This morning we experienced some crazy currents pulling us towards the Bay of Fundy, both on the beam and on the bow. This, plus the changing direction of wind, meant that instead of being on a close reach, we were more-so on a close haul to port. Because of this, Paul dubbed it "The Bay of No-Funzies". The current was expected to change directions around 1:00 PM this afternoon, which would help propel us along towards Halifax. It was a pretty damp and misty day today, with not a lot of excitement. We didn't encounter any other passing ships or vessels, which was a blessing - with the heavy fog the only way we would've seen them in time was with the radar! Because we were heeled over to port, it didn't make cooking on the BBQ easy (our only option, as the propane was still out in the galley). We decided just to enjoy the foods we had on hand as-is, right out of the fridge, rather than battle the windy, foggy conditions trying to light the BBQ. Overnight on Paul's night shift, we were finally able to make our turn northeastward as we cleared the southwest end of Nova Scotia (Yarmouth area). After over 24 hours of heeling over to port on close reach and close hauled winds, it was a sigh of relief finally having winds on (and behind) the beam.

Day 3: Day three was a complete blur! Paul and I honestly didn't see much of each other (as hard as that might be to believe on a 39' boat). The dampness and mistiness in the cockpit wasn't exactly a joy to be in, so whoever's turn it was to take a break from watch was down below, cuddling up in our meagre Caribbean blankets (thin, thin, much too thin!) We took turns on watch, checking our course, as well as the AIS and radar for any passing ships. Still no crab pots to be seen, even though we stuck fairly close to the Nova Scotia coastline over the course of our sail. Panta Rhei kept plugging along at decent speeds of 5.0 - 7.0 knots, ticking the miles off slowly but surely.

Day 4: Land ho!!! Finally, we see bits of the Nova Scotia coastline!! Even through the heavy mist and the fog, it's definitely there. It feels almost surreal to know how close we are, and that we've almost reached this destination we've been striving for since the beginning of March, when I found out I'd been accepted into the Master of Information program at Dalhousie. We arrived to a misty, overcast Northwest Arm around 4:00 in the afternoon on June 27th, and were excited to see just how flat, clam, and protected the waters were. Cruising along the Northwest Arm (just under 2nm along from beginning to terminus), we gasped at the many waterfront mansions lining the coast, Canadian flags lazily flying from flagpoles abound. Upon reaching our anchorage area at the terminus of the Arm, we found a cozy little spot just outside a mooring field to drop the hook. We then made our way to Armdale Yacht Club by dinghy, the closest establishment for the boating community and also our checkpoint to clear Canadian customs. After meeting with two officers, who were SUPER helpful and oh-so Canadian in their politeness, we headed back to the boat to enjoy an absolute crash of a sleep.

It's hard to believe that we've made it this far. Even when looking at a map, those small islands of Curacao and Bonaire seem impossibly far away from Halifax. We're

so proud of what we've accomplished, the lessons we've learned, the obstacles we've overcome.

And, we've officially passed the 5,000nm milestone of miles under the keel! Traditionally, sailors would tattoo a swallow on their chest for each 5,000nm travelled. From AuthorityTattoo: "According to British folklore, sailors would get the swallow inked to commemorate the distance they had traveled across the

seas and as a talisman for safe travels. The sailors would get tattoos of swallows with the belief that it would help them return home safe, just as the swallows do every year." So, with that said, you know some tattoos are bound to happen soon! With 4,924.3 nautical miles clocked up until June 24th, we knew our trip to Halifax would push us over our goal. And now, having put 5,188.9 nautical miles under the keel in 1 year and 2 weeks, we've accomplished that goal!

We're on our third week living in Halifax, and absolutely loving it so far. Having officially cleared customs, as well as paid import fees on Panta Rhei (making her a Canadian vessel!), it is really starting to feel like home. Our anchorage spot in the Northwest Arm is incredibly protected, both from the winds and waves. We have met some live-aboard neighbours, including David on his trawler, and Ben and 12-year-old daughter Gracie on their Hunter 42' sailboat. And, of course, one of the highlights for me is being reunited with my bestie! We live about a 4 minute drive away from Natasha, and it's just been surreal being able to call her up and visit anytime. So far we've enjoyed excursions to the Halifax Waterfront & downtown, the Public Gardens, and Rainbow Haven Beach. It's also just been so refreshing being back in the cultural climate of Canada; it really does feel like home.

We'll be taking a bit of a break from posting as we enjoy our summer here in Nova Scotia, and adjust into the routines of being a FT student for me, and back to work for Paul. But we want to thank you so much for joining us on this adventure. We are very fortunate to have been able to have had it, and to have shared it with you has been a blessing.

Sending ALL of our love your way!

As always,

The Salty Beatons