46:05.98N 60:44.91W Baddeck, Cape Breton Island

Cantilena returns from North America
Des Crampton
Sun 1 May 2022 13:17

Cantilena is currently in storage at Baddeck on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Terry and I committed to this in September 2019 with a view to returning the following spring to complete the third leg of our Down East Loop cruise. Alas, that was not to be as Covid restrictions prevented our return in both 2020 and 2021. With access to Canada once again possible, we will be setting off for Baddeck next week to prepare Cantilena for the water once again.

Baddeck is a quiet town on the western shore of the Bras d’Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, where we were happy to leave Cantilena in the capable hands of Stuart Germani and his team at Baddeck Marine. You may recall we had shipped Cantilena to Baltimore, Maryland back in June 2018 planning to do the Down East Loop over three successive seasons. After a pleasant cruise in Chesapeake Bay, we entered the Atlantic by the Delaware River and sailed north to New York City. From there we headed up the Hudson River and navigated some 100 mile north, entering the Erie Canal at Waterford. The first leg of the Loop ended on the southern shores of Lake Ontario with Cantilena safely in storage at Sodus Point, New York State. On our return the following spring we set off on an anti-clockwise tour of Lake Ontario and into the St Lawrence Seaway. Having navigated the giant locks Cantilena returned to sea level at Montreal and proceeded via Quebec City outwards into the St Lawrence estuary and along the southern shore. We sailed through the Northumberland Straight between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick returning to the Atlantic by the Canso Straight. >From there it was a northward turn to Cape Breton Island and into the Bras d’Or Lakes at St Peter’s.

Over the lockdown period Terry and I mulled over our cruising plans at considerable length and eventually decided not to complete the Down East Loop. We have instead decided to return Cantilena to the UK. So, on arrival in Baddeck next week we will commence preparations for an Atlantic crossing via Newfoundland and probably, the Azores, Northern Spain, and South Brittany. We invite you to visit this blog from time-to-time to follow our progress.