Bob's Choice anchorage (AKA "Pope's Harbor")

Friday July 31, 2015
44 47 769 N
62 39 955 W

We were up early – only to discover we were solidly encased in heavy fog. Underway at 6 AM using radar and the chart plotter on the iPad to get out of the anchorage. This was meant to be the “good weather day” but it was pretty lumpy when we got out, and 100% fog. Because of our autopilot situation, we really needed to see and follow Cavara, so we closed to 1/8 of a mile and even then had difficulty seeing her stern. Don had the brightest light he owned on the stern, and even then Cavara was in and out of sight.

It was a long and tedious day. Sea and visibility conditions varied all day from bad to worse. I would have not left the anchorage if we had known the real conditions. Visibility was an issue all day. The sea state was confused all day. Biggest wave I saw was probably 12 feet. Tide Hiker handled herself with great dignity. Deidre had the whoopee bowl out, but did not use it. It was a good thing that everything on deck and inside was tied down or otherwise secured.

We experienced some very strange light conditions - as if a Martian space ship was hovering over us and sucking us up into their hold with a bright beam of light. I can just surmise that the fog was thin overhead and the sun was penetrating down to us on the surface in the fog. Sort of "bright blindness"

We were underway for about 11 hours, and that is a long time to hand steer Tide Hiker, let alone in such robust conditions. Yesterday had a text exchange with the autopilot guy – yes the “new” compass has arrived, but the coming weekend is a long holiday weekend. He can come aboard Tuesday – OK! We expect to arrive Halifax Saturday, but cannot get a slip (the long weekend!) till Sunday. 

The two-boat and four-person anchoring decision is a long story, and a bit of a mess. Nevertheless, we entered the "Pope's Harbor" estuary (my strong second choice) in 100% fog. It was a relieve to get into shelter behind the islands, even if we could not actually see them. Could not see the rocky shoreline no more  than ¼ mile from the boat as we entered the narrow cut, but we could hear the waves crashing on the rocks. . We dropped the anchor with radar, chart plotter and depth sounder as guides. Amazing how the Captain Cooks of the world managed to do it. It was a relief to get the anchor down.

We anchored with 26’ under the keel, a bit deeper than usual for us. Add 5’ for the hull and another 4’ of tide makes a total of 35’ and so I put out all 200’ of chain (on the snubber) for scope ratio of just under 6:1. The recommended minimum in robust conditions is 7:1 but we were in good shelter and out of the wind. It would have to do.

Heading out of Tor Bay in the fog

How the anchorage looks on the radar. Tide Hiker is the point in the middle of the screen

The route in from the Atlantic to the anchorage.

All seems fine. I just took a walk on the fly bridge deck – could not see thing in all directions. There is still no local or Sat TV, but we have ONE radio station – CBC.