Not much to reportafter replacing a fuel filter (probably dirty fuel in either or both Reykjavik and Nanortalik) we set off into the Atlantic again against the usual SW wind. Passed a fishing boat (unusually also flying a kite!) and a couple sailboats but otherwise alone. By nightfall fog set in quite thick, and we relied in GPS to get us in to Tor Bay. Fog so thick we only saw a couple flashing buoys, and others only on radar. Anchored by 2200, and then a big dinner of chicken and kaleplus anchor dram in keeping with Gunnars tradition. Tomorrow an early start, maybe to Tangier.

Anchor up before sunrise, feeding swarms of mosquitos as I cleaned the chain coming up muddy from the bottom. Totally calm, not a breath of wind as we left Owls Head behind, a one meter swell coming from SW. A few sail boats, a Norwegian cruise ship, a Canadian frigate, and a couple fishing boats were our traffic as we passed the Halifax shipping lanes and went around into Rogues Roost, a favorite tiny harbor in the granite shore east of Peggys Cove. Then we crossed St. Margarets Bay to Southwest Cove to show Bill its castle (built by our Swiss friend, Max Manger, years ago). Then on around into Mahone Bay, as a spectacular warm sunny day turned grey and the wind and seas increased, reminiscent of wilder weather we had in farther north latitudes. After dark we anchored in a small bay between two islands. Midway through making dinner Peter Bangay appeared on his boat with a mail delivery a bottle of scotch. After a restful night and some cleaning up (boat and ourselves), well raise the anchor and head for home, 3,145 nautical miles and 40 days since leaving Norway.

Between the two Rafuse Islands, a perfect anchorage for usthe strong winds that blew us into Mahone Bay diminished, even stars came out, no sailing around the anchor, and a deep sleep. This morning a leisurely start, first priority being showers, then French Toast for breakfast (needed to use up the eggs). Winching up the anchor at 10am, the chain came up clean (another point in favor of the anchorage, as we dont have a wash down pump up forward). Motoring out, first one, then twothen nearly a dozen boats converged on us, the word somehow having spread of our arrival (and a perfect sunny morning to be out and about). Though virtually no wind we set the main and staysail for mostly aesthetic purposes. Don MacKinnon deposited Linda and Jen aboard, and eventually we arrived at our wharfto have our lines taken by yet more welcomers, and thus the trip is at an end. Uncommon Loon is a great, very capable sea boat, all lines and sailsetting/furling handled from the cockpit. Virtually all our watch keeping was in the security and dry comfort of the pilothouse. As I wrote earlier, we were a mix of careful and lucky. We had the benefit of technology satphone for frequent weather forecasts and daily guidance emails from our route advisor/meteorologist, an autopilot that functioned flawlessly, chart plotters and electronic chartsaltogether making such a trip very different from 50, 100 or 1000 years ago. In a few days Ill post some thoughts and reflections, mostly of interest to sailors re what worked well and almost didnt, what it would have been good to know beforehand, what else we might have liked to do, etc. In a day or so Ill try to add photos to these daily accounts. (On our three cell phones there are thousands of pictures! So many stunning vistas.