Читать книгу Sailing In Newfoundland and to the Azores - Neil Hammond Bose - Страница 3

This is a book of days and moments spent sailing on the east coast of Newfoundland and over the Atlantic to the Azores. Newfoundland is a beautiful cruising ground, one of the best in the world for a short period of the year in July and August, perhaps from late June. Optimistically and romantically, the Bay of Exploits has been called the Caribbean of the north. Many cruising days in summer start from calm in the morning, develop into a strong wind in the afternoon, sometimes as much as 25-30 knots, and drop to a peaceful calm again at the moorings in the evening. It can be sunny and warm throughout. The effect is exaggerated by starting and ending at a really sheltered anchorage, of which there are many on the coast.

The book has some factual information on anchorages and passages, but this should be used with the usual caution of any cruising information. Newfoundland has a rugged coast for those who like to be self sufficient and it suits the cruising sailor who does not expect to find a shop, chandlery or restaurant in every harbour. There are places where one can sail for several weeks without seeing another sailing boat.

I bought my Contessa 26, Murphy’s Boat, in March 2003 and re-acclimatized myself to sailing after a break of almost 20 years. We kept the boat at Holyrood Marina in Conception Bay, Newfoundland. The first season we sailed amongst the inlets of the west side of Conception Bay, the second season we took the boat to Bonavista Bay and in 2005 we sailed up the coast to Notre Dame Bay. That winter we hauled the boat out at Lewisporte Marina. In 2006 we sailed to some of the western parts of Notre Dame Bay and then crossed the Atlantic to the Azores islands, part of Portugal.

This is a book of dreams and atmospheres. It describes a re-awakening after twenty years of looking after a young family and the exceptionally long hours required to build a strong career as an academic researcher. I thank all those who made it possible, the friends who sailed with me and the friends I have met along the way. But I especially thank Fiona Roe, who feels queasy on any boat even at the dock, who realizes the importance of sailing to me - probably the only activity that really gets me to switch off completely from everyday life - and who has supported all the voyages and has accepted the changes that have occurred along the way.

Neil Bose, Tasmania