M 1: Make New Friends But Keep The Old

"Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver, but the other's gold"

Old friends spark sailing memories like having a bonfire on Island Point Harbour beach, with adults roasting their marshmallows that had been loving cared for in an ice box for a week. This after the boats had been sent back to the anchorage by powerful head winds in East Bay of the Bras D'or Lakes.

Or hiking (almost) to the lighthouse at the top of the bluff at Ballantyne's Cove, before realizing we would delay our boats' departure if we didn't hurry back down the hill.

Or having the Barrachois Harbour Yacht Club host an evening social for us and then see our fellow boaters standing in the rain to wave goodbye as we left port. We will miss our BHYC family (and our real family, don't get me going on that...). However, we are only three days into our trip and we have met such interesting souls.

Like the boater who caught our lines in Ballantyne's Cove - turned out to be the brother of the man who had Elizabeth M before us. He seemed like such a kindred spirit - we sailed together across George's Bay the next day.

Judy Chatting Across The Deck With Jean LaBrie, Skipper of sv Eventide in Ballantyne's Cove

And the happy 15 year old babysitter who was splashing in the water with a totally naked 5 year old charge. There's a job with lots of perks on a hot day.

And the family in the 35 foot sailboat besides us at Port Hawkesbury - the boat skipper was a farm girl from a family we have known for years, with her 10 year old daughter as first mate. The 10 year old challenged me to a fishing competition and promptly won, by catching a tiny mackerel which she left on the hook and used to catch a big striped bass. BAM!! She doesn't plan to take up fishing professionally though, she plans to be a farmer (and a sailor) like her mom. 😀

Or the older gentleman who caught our lines at Canso. When asked if Canso was having a good summer he said "No, we never have good summers, but we're ok."

I hope the rest of the trip will be filled with interesting people and places. I plan to talk to everyone we meet along the way.

Life's too short to do anything else.