Best North American Cruising Grounds?

[SanderO]

Tru stunning pics and I love Newport and sail there a lot. But the best cruising area that I know is Maine. I would like to cruise the Pacific NW because I suspect it might be similar to ME.

What I do like about Maine sailing is the following:

It smells like a spruce or cedar forest.

It has exquisite natural coastline and thousands of islands.

It is free of light pollution for night sailing.

You can anchor in harbors where there is no sign whatsoever that man has come to muck things up.

The water is not shoal.

There are many complimentary moorings for those who don't like to anchor.

Proportionately very few power boats for pleasure and wake makers. You see mostly sail, and lobsterman.

You can get great lobster allover.

The biggest towns are not crowded with traffic.

Regardless of the wind direction there is ALWAYS a great destination to sail to.

There is very little heavy commercial shipping traffic not air planes screamig over head.

Maine is peaceful

The water's too cold to go swimming so sailing it is.

Beautiful wooden boots all about.

Lots of marine and animal life around. Have you heard seals having a go at it? hahaha.

Things I don't like about Maine:

Fog

Short sailing season

Too far from where I live and keep the boat

Can't understand the locals when they speak.. just kiddin.

It's not called America's vacation land for nothing.

jef
sv shiva

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by SanderO

Beautiful wooden boots all about.

Overall, sounds great. But that parts a little weird.

[Gary M]

The NE looks very nice, I would love to make the trip down the Hudson and check it out. I know when my wife and I took a couple of vacations down there in the fall and visted places like Mystic Seaport it was a treat.
Of course she did point out to me that every one of the 1-200 pictures I took had a sailboat in it. Not my fault they are everywhere down there.

Scott if I announced the quiet places then they would not be quiet any more. Just get used to what the chart datum really is and then the 2 feet of water it shows might well turn out to be 6 feet and you can go behind that island and take a look.

Gary

[Cruisingdad]

My only comment about some of the places mentioned is that you can only sail half the year!!! Of course, it is beautiful. One question would be whether you would live on your boat or have a house and a boat. If you would have both, the NE is a bit of an option. If you are a live abord, it would be tough up north. Of course, with the cost of slips, s florida is about as steep as both, so I guess it is a trade off. But something has to be said for a comfortable sail in the middle of January and February!!

- CD

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

But something has to be said for a comfortable sail in the middle of January and February!!

- CD

Good time for a charter in the BVI!

[Cruisingdad]

The thought has crossed my mind. i would rather go there on my own boat though... and just go ahead and stay a few more years!!

HAHA!

- CD

[byrondv]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

My only comment about some of the places mentioned is that you can only sail half the year!!! Of course, it is beautiful. One question would be whether you would live on your boat or have a house and a boat. If you would have both, the NE is a bit of an option. If you are a live abord, it would be tough up north. Of course, with the cost of slips, s florida is about as steep as both, so I guess it is a trade off. But something has to be said for a comfortable sail in the middle of January and February!!

- CD

In the temperatures that they have down in Florida I could create my own little lack and go sailing on it from sweat alone he he he

But seriously - I could never convince the woman to live on a boat. So it has to be a house and a boat.

So far I am leaning to the PNW and something along the lines of this: http://www.boats.com/listing/boat_de...ityid=17459721

Of course the east cost peoples have some damn pretty towns on their side.

The Florida guy? He has a point about the sailing season - but I sweat enough up here in Michigan. I can't imagine how bad it would be down in Florida

[Sailormann]

If you are willing to deal with (mild) winter then Nova Scotia is the place to be. You can buy real estate very cheaply in, or close to, Cape Breton and sail the Bras d'Or Lakes, or if you have a bit more money to spend on a house, then you should really check out Chester - it's Canada's not-very-well-known version of Martha's Vineyard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester,_Nova_Scotia

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by byrondv

In the temperatures that they have down in Florida I could create my own little lack and go sailing on it from sweat alone he he he

But seriously - I could never convince the woman to live on a boat. So it has to be a house and a boat.

So far I am leaning to the PNW and something along the lines of this: http://www.boats.com/listing/boat_de...ityid=17459721

Of course the east cost peoples have some damn pretty towns on their side.

The Florida guy? He has a point about the sailing season - but I sweat enough up here in Michigan. I can't imagine how bad it would be down in Florida

Beautiful boats. I always liked the Tayana 37. Look at the Baba 40 too. Very similar, tad bit bigger.

- CD

[byrondv]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

Beautiful boats. I always liked the Tayana 37. Look at the Baba 40 too. Very similar, tad bit bigger.

- CD

Oooo... purdy... I will have to keep those in mind. Thanks