Halifax to Rogues Roost

 With a final trip ashore in the RNSYS tender to rid ourselves of our recycling and a settlement of our bill, we left our mooring in blue skies and sunshine, with a good weather and wind forecast for Rogues Roost.  Our resident seal popped its head up as we slipped our mooring and headed out to sea at 9am.

With a true wind speed of 16 knots we sailed beautifully on a broad reach with the solent and mainsail in gentle rolling seas.  It felt exhilarating to be back on the water after just over a week of being on a mooring.

By 12.45pm the ominous fog descended upon us.  We lost sight of the tall white lighthouse off the entrance to Halifax Harbour, the marker buoys marking the extensive shoals disappeared into the fog and we were left with the sound of the tolling of the bell marking our route.  The fog was damp and thick as pea soup.

And the fog rolled in ...

Clearing skies

Captain Charlie and Jeanie happy to be back on the high seas

We decided to head out to open ocean making sea room and gradually with the fog lifting, we could make out the coastline again. We enjoyed a celebratory lunch of our favourite crunchy peanut butter on toast and cuppa.  The watery sun lifted our spirits and we sailed a close hauled port tack up the coast doing a steady 6.5 knots.  The water was deep, 200 feet or more and the seas rolling but not too uncomfortable.

Our destination was Rogues Roost, 35 nautical miles away.  Our cruising guide book describes Rogues Roost as “one of the most beautiful anchorages in Nova Scotia”.  

We quietly motored up the southern arm where a Canadian Beneteau yacht lay on a mooring buoy so

decided to head to the northern arm which was scarily tight.

The Northern Arm anchorage is so seldom ventured, the chart plotter was not accurate. Trust visual and radar if needed!!

Anchored on land!!

The entrance to Rogue’s Roost is a narrow passage between the northern shore of Roost Island and two unnamed islands.  Even though Jeanie knew there was plenty of depth, she shied away from checking the depth sounder.  The entrance was tight in our 55 footer and limited swinging room once inside the passage.  This was “intrepid” exploring!!

 

The arm opened out into a stunning small hurricane hole and a local fishing boat with 3 experienced Nova Scotian’s onboard assisted us in setting the new Viking anchor in a depth of 25 feet.

This tiny anchorage was all ours. We opened up all the hatches to air out the boat and relaxed in the sunshine in the cockpit.  Photo’s just don’t do justice to the peace and serenity we experienced.  We watched as an otter swam across the channel then scampered over the almost vertical smooth rock face seeking cover in the underbrush.  We followed a solitary heron as it landed on the shoreline just off our bow.

Our tranquility was disturbed by the Chignecto Mariner, an authentic Nova Scotia fishing boat who called by to say hello.  The skipper seemed to be most impressed with the size of Paradigm sitting happily on anchor.  The helpfulness and friendliness of the locals has been one of the highlights of our cruising.

Just as the sun was setting, the hungry mozzies landed on us in droves! It was a quick close of the hatches and portholes and as true cruising folk, it was light's out at sunset.

Paradigm on anchor at Rogues Roost