Captain Watson

20nm SE of Liverpool, NS

Good Evening,

Bluenose II left Lunenburg at 1600 this afternoon with a small crowd of tourists on hand to wave goodbye. Things have been a bit foggy and damp over the past several weeks and the weather has been trying on everybody, guest and crew alike. The cruises that we did manage to do were the equivalent of sailing inside of a ping pong ball with the foghorn going every two minutes.
As we make our way down the coast tonight toward Bath, Maine we are passing through patchy fog and the visibility comes and goes. We can see the moon and some stars which helps. Just now we are passing the coast guard ship Edward Cornwallis. We spoke on the VHF radio as we approached and agreed on how we were to pass. Hopefully we won't see each other at all. As we meet, the cruise ship Carnival Triumph is 14nm further out to sea overtaking me at just under 20 knots. I can also hear another freighter broadcasting her position. Of course there are the usual scattering of yachts and small fishing vessels as well.
We are currently under sail as well which is as always a great treat for the crew. We are under the four lowers, fisherman and flying jib. This is all the sail that we can manage from deck with out sending somebody aloft. As tonight is our first night at sea for the year I felt it best to be conservative until I am certain the crew has their legs underneath them and their wits about them. The wind is just barely able to hold the main boom out and it occasionally comes in board and crashes back on its sheet. Can you imagine a 3500 pound, 81 foot pole crashing around above your head in the dark? Needless to say this puts tremendous strain on the ship and the captain and my tolerance for it is very low. We will however carry on under sail until we are forced to motor.

Hope you are all well, Now that we are underway I hope to write more frequently.

Best Regards,
Phil Watson