It was a rough rainy sail the next day, and we almost missed the planned 8:30 a.m. departure! Canadian time is one hour ahead of EST, and while I was good about resetting the clock in the main saloon, I completely spaced about setting the one in the forepeak, where we sleep. So when I woke at what I thought was 7:30 and looked around, I saw both other boats raising their mainsails and pulling anchor. It was really 8:30! A bit of scrambling ensued, but we managed to leave with our small fleet--sailing right into more fog which became one of the hardest rains I can remember. One of the other boats decided to sail through it, but we fired up the old "iron topsail," put the autopilot on (which C can drive from his nav station below), and had a toasty warm, albeit LONG and very rocky motorboat ride to St. John Harbor. It's been said (and I relay this with all modesty) that I could cook in a washing machine and I guess that's right. On one particularly memorable trip, and while in near-hurricane conditions during which most of the crew was on deck tossing their cookies, I was below happily putting the finishing touches on a roast chicken dinner). Anyway, I spent part of this nasty ride backing chocolate chip cookies which I presented to the crews of the other boats on arrival in St John.
Next on our list that day was navigating the Reversing Falls of the St. John River. This is an amazing place (see photo at slack tide, when the water at the falls is even on both sides). When tide is high or low, this literally becomes a waterfall, with a drop of as much as fifteen feet.
After successful navigating this tricky bit, we motored the final hour of hour 10 1/2 hour "sail" to the Royal Kennebecassit Yacht Club, arriving in time for this lovely sunset.
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