August 24, 2015:  Grand Manan to Oven Head, Passamaquoddy Bay

      After breakfast we dropped our mooring and slid into the dock again to make a foray for some ice. After the ice was secured and owing to the fact that the tide had not changed yet, we had a couple hours to kill, so we gathered up all our remaining Canadian cash and headed to the diner for lunch. Reading from right to left, we decided to split the plate of fish cakes and have a side of fries, but what? No fish cakes available? Okay, two burger plates will have to do. When the check came we plunked down our $22.78 and told the waitress that was all we had. She smiled as she scooped up the change.

      We headed out just after noon, once again in a near calm sea, and of course thick fog. We took a swing in by Swallow Tail to see if I could lure the Lighthouse gal to come along, but only heard the blare of their fog horn. I guess our girl maybe had hearing protection on so didn't hear my invite.

      About halfway across the bay we were greeted by clear sky and visibility. Our intention was to go right to Head Harbor on Campobello Island, but the day was still young and the call of Passamaquoddy Bay to strong for us to stop. We passed thru the seven commercial whale watch boats that were all CHASING one finback whale. Risking an international incident I chastised the whale watcher skippers on the radio, and was paid back by one of them challenging us by making a close pass at us. Look for my next book,  "How to win friends and influence people", by Dan Pease.

They literally corralled one whale, pinning him between them.

      We continued on up thru the islands and up Letete Passage with a favorable tide, at times making 9.5 knots. Once in the open bay the current subsided and we took a tour of the muffin shaped rack formations on the East side of the bay. A nice little downpour provided a great rainbow. Even tho it rained quite hard for 5 minutes we were never out of the sunshine!

      Our destination was the harbor way up into Digdeguash Bay, and the cruising guides say to take the Western Passage in, so naturally I chose the Eastern passage, and halfway in it looked so good that we decided to stop right there.

      As we ate our grilled stuffed pork and fresh beets, we were treated to the company of Osprey, Bald Eagle, Loons, Surf Scoter, a Red Phalarope (that elusive little bird!  We figured out what it was!) , and on a nearby island, a WhiteTail deer wandering around.