It’s time to leave Arabella for six weeks as Steve and Robin head back to the United States for the holidays—but not before getting the boat safely settled for early winter in Newfoundland. With the cover on, heaters set, and friends keeping an eye on things, Arabella is ready to rest while the crew visits family. This episode follows the transition from boat life to shore life and then dives into something special: a full behind-the-scenes look at the complete teardown, inspection, cleaning, and rebuild of Arabella’s feathering propeller at AccuTech in Dover, New Hampshire. From seized blades and marine growth to German-engineered brake rings and precision pitch tuning, you’ll see exactly what goes into a proper feathering prop service—and why it matters. Whether you’re here for winter prep, travel days, or deep mechanical nerdiness, this episode has a little bit of everything. In this episode: • Preparing Arabella for six winter weeks alone • Holiday travel on the ferry back to the States • Limited-run Arabella merch clean-out • Searching for affordable boat insurance • Full feathering propeller teardown + how it really works • Pitch tuning, brake rings, and expert maintenance tips • What causes prop damage—and how to avoid expensive mistakes • Before-and-after transformation of the prop -------------------------- Episode 374 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

Winter prep continues aboard Arabella in Corner Brook, Newfoundland—and this week it’s time to build a proper tent over the housetop before shrink wrap goes on. With help from fellow adventurers Lina Chu (a Vietnamese-Ukrainian photographer) and her partner Peter, Steve frames a structure designed to keep out snow while still letting light in all winter—using a clear tarp section in the middle and blue shrink wrap on the ends. After the framing is up and the plan is set, the crew takes a break for an off-the-beaten-path adventure: a windy hike to check out a nearby shipwreck—the MSC Baltic III— where an enormous cable-and-winch system has been rigged to move gear back and forth to the wreck. From sawdust and screw guns to massive chains and stormy coastal views, this episode is equal parts practical boat life and Newfoundland exploration—with the final stretch of the 2025 season coming fast. In this episode: winter tent framing • shrink wrap prep • keeping light under cover • harbor life in Corner Brook • shipwreck cable system • lighthouse trail walk -------------------------- Episode #373 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

The tide is high, and it’s haul-out day for Arabella—but only briefly. This week, Steve and Robin bring the boat ashore in Corner Brook, Newfoundland for a quick mid-winter inspection and to remove their feathering propeller for its scheduled 2–3 year service. After checking the hull, addressing a few barnacle patches, and learning a thing or two about worm shoes, Arabella goes right back into the water where she’ll stay for the rest of the winter. Steve installs a temporary anode to protect the prop shaft, gives the bottom a fast scrub, and walks us through what held up well (and what didn’t) after a season of cruising from the Keys to Newfoundland. With the holidays approaching, the propeller is heading to New England for a full teardown and regreasing—and with any luck, a behind-the-scenes look at the process is coming soon! This is a shorter episode while the crew is stateside for Thanksgiving, but next week kicks off the final big winter-prep push: tenting Arabella and getting her ready for shrink wrap. -------------------------- Episode #372 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

#BLUETTI #Elite100V2 #SolarGenerator #BlackFriday #BlackFriday2025 Elite 100 V2: https://bit.ly/49ppwcr Discount Code: ACORN5OFF (5% off for all series) Winter is closing in on Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and Steve’s in full prep mode aboard Arabella. This week, he tackles a few key off-season projects—starting with some repairs on the tender, Victoria, and then heading up the mast to strip rigging and sails before haul-out. From corroded hardware and creative DIY fixes to winter rigging prep and a few lessons learned along the way, this episode captures the satisfying rhythm of winding down a sailing season. Steve also shares plans for winter boat projects, a call-out for a Sailrite sewing machine, and dreams of upgrading Arabella’s gear before spring. 🔎 Watch to see: • Replacing corroded latches and hinges in the tender • How to strip and organize running rigging for winter storage • Removing sails and preparing for shrink-wrap • Tips for off-season maintenance and planning • Steve’s wishlist for winter upgrades (including that elusive bronze winch!) As the season slows, it’s all about getting ready for the next adventure—and keeping Arabella in top shape for spring cruising. -------------------------- Episode 371 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

As winter closes in on Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Arabella is almost ready to settle in for the season. With most of the harbor cleared out, it’s time for some of those quiet but satisfying projects that make cruising easier down the road. In this episode, Steve marks the anchor chains and rodes with red, white, and blue nylon tags, organizes the anchor locker for storage, and gives the boat a little extra attention after a busy season of sailing. Along the way, he reflects on what’s ahead—from off-season maintenance to winter adventures to plans for the spring journey down to the South Coast. Watch as Arabella transitions from adventure to upkeep, with plenty of practical boat life tips along the way—from DIY chain marking to locker organization and winter prep for liveaboards. 🔧 In This Episode: Preparing the anchor chain and rode for next season Cleaning and organizing the anchor locker Practical methods for marking chain lengths Troubleshooting condensation and winter sealing Reflections on a full year aboard and what’s next -------------------------- Episode #370 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week aboard Arabella in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Steve takes on a cozy mission while Robin is away: Mission: Warm Robin. With winter closing in and temperatures dropping fast, it’s the perfect time to prep both the boat and a special surprise for her birthday. First, a quick fix for the Dickinson diesel heater, sealing up a small exhaust leak that’s been marking the cabin overhead with soot. Then it’s on to something a bit more personal: crafting handmade winter gear using traditional and sustainable materials sourced in Canada: moose leather, beaver fur, coyote, and seal skin. Over the course of a few days, Steve designs and stitches a full set of cozy accessories: fur-lined slippers, beaver-and-coyote overmitts, and a coyote muff, all made by hand aboard the boat. The result? A heartfelt, one-of-a-kind gift to help Robin stay warm aboard Arabella, and out in the backcountry this winter. Join us for this heartwarming mix of DIY craftsmanship, boat maintenance, and life aboard in the North Atlantic. 🔧 In This Episode: • Fixing a small smoke leak in the diesel heater exhaust • Using high-temp silicone sealant for safe stove maintenance • Designing & sewing fur slippers and mitts by hand • Exploring traditional materials from Newfoundland’s Indigenous artisans • Gift reveal: Robin’s reaction to the handmade winter set -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

Join Steve and Robin aboard Arabella as they take on two unforgettable Newfoundland adventures—mountain biking the new Rocky Harbor trails and trad climbing the otherworldly Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park. From rugged terrain to pure alpine exploration with zero fixed hardware, this episode is packed with adrenaline, breathtaking views, and lessons learned the hard way. 🚲 Mountain Biking Newfoundland: Discover the new Ridgeline trail being developed by the West Coast Cycling Association in Rocky Harbor. 🧗 Trad Climbing the Tablelands: One of the few places on Earth where you can walk (and climb!) on the Earth’s mantle itself. ⛵ Life Aboard Arabella: Making the most of warm days before winter sets in on the rugged west coast of Newfoundland. If you love vanlife, sailing, climbing, or exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations, this one’s for you. 📍 Locations: Rocky Harbor, Gros Morne National Park, Tablelands, Newfoundland 🎥 Featured Activities: Mountain biking, trad climbing, sailing life 👋 Follow Our Adventures: ➡️ Subscribe for new episodes every Friday ➡️ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella ➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ #SailingArabella #NewfoundlandAdventure #GrosMorne #MountainBikingNewfoundland #TradClimbing #SailingLife #VanlifeMeetsSailing #AdventureCouple -------------------------- Episode #368 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week aboard Arabella, we’re settling into our new home for the winter—the small but mighty harbor of Corner Brook, Newfoundland 🇨🇦. While many have asked, “Why would you want to live on a sailboat through a Newfoundland winter?” we’re here to show you exactly why! From hooking up to shore power and exploring the local community to chasing snow and ice climbing adventures, Corner Brook truly ticks every box for us. ❄️⛷️ This week, Steve takes you along a rugged hike to Cedar Cove, where a massive grounded cargo ship—the MSC Baltic III—has become an unexpected landmark — and shares the wild story behind its wreck. Then, join us for a 700-foot multi-pitch rock climb, Fortress of Solitude, on their anniversary, complete with drone footage, loose rock, and a perfect “money pitch” finish high above the Newfoundland coast. 🧗‍♀️🧗‍♂️ -------------------------- 📍 In This Episode: 00:00 – Why we’re overwintering in Corner Brook 03:15 – Exploring Cedar Cove & the grounded cargo ship 07:40 – Driftwood huts, salvage operations & wildlife finds 10:10 – Our anniversary multi-pitch climb on Bearhead Trail 15:20 – The “money pitch” & wrapping up an epic climb -------------------------- Episode #367 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

Now that summer is coming to a close, it’s time for us to start winterizing our homebuilt wooden sailboat for the cold weather to come. Over-wintering in Newfoundland—on a sailboat, nonetheless—is a bold move, and one that we need to prepare for. As the temps drop, condensation in the boat is becoming a bit of a problem. It’s time to close up the portholes. Armed with a piece of cedar board and small hammer, I make my way from portfolio to portfolio, removing each screen as I go. Then, it’s time for some weatherstripping. This will help with the condensation. I tackle the project along with my trusty heat gun. This will be a nice solution until we get the boat shrink-wrapped in another few weeks. Another project is laying our Code Zero out to dry, and then packing it up and storing it properly for the winter. Filling our water tanks could become an issue this winter with how cold the Newfoundland weather can be. I have an idea for how to make filling our tanks easier and more accessible…I just need to make a quick run to the hardware store for supplies. The water will get shut off at the docks soon, but since we’re so close to the marina clubhouse, we can run a hose from the building to the boat with ease. Then, my new additions to our water tanks should make filling up easier (and faster) than ever. Now that we have a better system for filling up our water tanks, winterizing our Spectra water-maker is next on the boat work list. I flush the system, following the instructions in the manual. With the harbor expected to freeze over for the winter, we won’t be making much water. Better to take the water-maker offline completely and stored properly. As if I didn’t have enough boat work on my to-do list, Robin caught diesel fuel leaking from the overflow valve on our Dickinson Newport diesel heater. Fortunately, I can stand in as a diesel tech for the day. I think something inside the valve assembly might be stuck. There are a lot of parts and springs, but we’re going to crack into it, take it apart, and get the diesel overflow to stop dripping one way or another. Eventually, we get the heater back into tip-top shape. After all this hard work, we decided to take a day off to mosey along a highly-recommended foliage drive. The drive starts in Cox’s Cove and travels along dirt roads all the way back to Corner Brook. The foliage was at peak, and the forest looked like a celebration. It was the perfect wind-down to a week of hard work winterizing Arabella. -------------------------- Episode #366 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week, we’re moving our adventures from the ocean to the mountains: it’s time for a backpacking trip in Gros Morne National Park! With Akiva in tow, our plan is to backpack the combined Northern and Long Range Traverse. This challenging route is largely off trail, and covers about 46 miles of ground with 10,000’ of elevation gain along the way. We packed for six days, though we expect the trip to take closer to four or five. Day 1, we planned to cover good ground and make our way from the trailhead to the Long Pond Campsite. It’s about a 12-mile day with significant elevation gain, as we’ll be climbing up to the tablelands from sea level. The trail started off casual, but led to a stream crossing pretty much right away. We switched into our “super technical” water Crocs and made our way through the frigid, knee-deep water to the other side of the river. Akiva was not a fan. After the stream crossing, it was time to go up. And up. And up, up, up, up, up. Robin was a big fan. We dodged plenty of mud. We stepped in plenty more. We teetered on downed trees. We bushwhacked through tuckamore. We hung out with a few ptarmigan. And some caribou. And a caribou skull. About halfway through our first day, the rain came. And, as the rain came, the trail became harder and harder to follow. After a bit of a trail-finding detour, we made it to our first campsite where we dried off, warmed up, and filled our bellies with some high-calorie backpacking meals. We woke up to the beautiful sun peeking through the trees, drying our wet, wet gear. We splayed our gear out and had a slow morning, giving the sun as much time as possible to dry out our soggy stuff. We only had about 6 miles of ground to cover, so there was no huge rush to get to hiking. Blue skies and friendly temps made our second day one we’ll never forget. Around every corner we were privy to a breathtaking landscape unlike anything we’d ever seen before. Even with some rugged tuckamore to navigate, nothing could bring our spirits down. Navigating was a challenge, of course. We were grateful for modern technology (but don’t worry, we also have a map and a compass…and we know how to use them ;-). Discerning between the “real trail” and random caribou trails was not always straightforward! Our second campsite was second to none—and the stars!! Wow! Day 3 was another beautiful day. We got an early start, scrambled around Gilly Pond, and headed down trail towards the fjord—which was right around the corner. Just…wow. At the fjord, we connected with the Long Range Traverse, which sees more traffic and is much easier to follow. The terrain was also significantly less technical (but significantly more muddy). Mud was the theme of the day. Our shoes were muddy, Akiva was muddy, our souls were muddy… We put in a monster day. 15 miles to get from Gilly Pond to Green Island Pond…but the push was well worth it. We pulled a double because we knew some really nasty, wet weather was on its way…and staying out of it was our goal. Day 4…we stayed in our tent all day, all cuddly, warm, dry, and well-caffeinated. The weather raged. We were very, very happy to be holed up in our tent. For about 36 hours. On day 5, we woke up to dry skies…but wet everything else. The forecast also changed, calling for a bit more wet weather instead of the cold-but-sunny weather we were expecting. We poured the rainwater out from our shoes, headed out for the day, and pretty much immediately got hailed on. From hail to high winds to sunshine, day 5 was a rollercoaster of emotion. We decided to skip the summit of Gros Morne due to the wind and weather, but we have plenty of time to come back to bag that peak. At that point, we were ready for a hot shower, a hot cup of coffee, and a few rest days. -------------------------- Episode #365 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting, here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

Welcome back to Newfoundland aboard Arabella! This week, we’re traveling by land and by sea, making our final passage before winter settles in for the season. While Robin took the ferry back to Nova Scotia to shuttle the truck, I single-handed Arabella from Isle aux Morts to Codroy. Robin met me there. We had a few days to kill in Codroy while waiting for a weather window for the passage up to Bay of Islands, so we decided to check out the local Starlite trail. The views were incredible! The landscape in Newfoundland is unlike any we’ve seen before. Even Akiva seems to be quite at home here! We also walked down to the Cape Anguille Lighthouse, which was perfectly picturesque and idyllic. The last thing we had to do before making our final passage is shuttle the truck one last time. Robin drove to Corner Brook and rode her bike back to Codroy via the Trans-Canada Highway. The ride was about 90 miles long, but a strong headwind added a layer of challenge to the effort. By the time Robin pedaled into the marina at Codroy, she was very ready for a hot cup of coffee! We wasted no time setting sail—as soon as Robin got back from her ride, we dropped the dock lines and took off. The sail was smooth and uneventful, minus a needle nose fish jumping on deck in the middle of the night. We sailed past the MSC Baltic III shipwreck, and into the Bay of Islands with its steep, dramatic cliffs. Our plan was to drop anchor at Woods Island, but we needed to enter the harbor carefully—there are some uncharted rocks at the harbor entrance. Fortunately, locals had installed range markers on the hillside to help boats like us line up our approaches safely. Woods Island has a healthy moose population—we followed moose tracks through the island’s lovely network of hiking and ATV trails. We also treasure hunted along the beaches, finding sea glass and remnants from shipwrecks. After Woods Island, we head to the Bay of Islands Yacht Club, which will be home for the winter. We have not stayed in any one place for more than three weeks since last November, and Corner Brook seems like the perfect place to put down roots for a while. I break out the winter dock lines and our extra fenders, and Arabella is safe and sound for the season. In Corner Brook, we start hunting down the new Newfoundland rock climbing guidebook. We are eager to get out climbing while the weather allows! Tune in next week and join us on a backpacking trip through Gros Morne National Park. -------------------------- Episode #364 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

After sailing thousands of miles, Steve and Robin embark on the final leg of their journey—navigating their sailboat, Arabella, toward her winter home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. In this episode, they prepare for a crossing over the notorious Cabot Strait, also known as “The Chuck,” known for its unpredictable, rough waters. Despite the choppy seas and sleepless night, they make it safely to Isle aux Morts, a mountainous area steeped in maritime history and a place of stunning natural beauty. Join them as they explore the rugged, foggy coast of Newfoundland, learn about a famous historical shipwreck rescue, and prepare Arabella for a winter of rest after 500 days of continuous sailing. -------------------------- Ep. 363 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

Try Huel with 15% OFF today using my code ACORN15 at http://huel.com/ACORN15. Fuel your best performance with Huel today! Minimum order value of $75. This week, we pick up where we left off in Baddeck, NS. Robin continues learning the ropes, opting to “singlehanded” Arabella from Baddeck to Kelly’s Cove, which is the last anchorage before the open North Atlantic ocean. Robin drops the mooring and runs back to take control of the tiller, navigating the mooring field and safely steering Arabella out to the lake. She raises sail, brings Arabella to her destination for the day, and drops anchor in Kelly’s Cove. Kelly’s Cove is a quiet harbor surrounded by the hills of Cape Breton—including a network of ATV trails weaving through the mountains. With the outdoor ban lifted, we decide to do some exploring. The trails are steep and loose, and it feels so good to hike up, up, up, and up. The next day, we weigh anchor again and head into some strong currents in the narrows, but without a wind-over-current situation, we didn’t experience the wild breakers that many people have noted in this section of Bras d’Or Lake. Once into the North Atlantic, we raise sail and make way for North Sydney, NS. From North Sydney, Robin rides her bike 61-miles back to St. Peters to shuttle the truck, and I take the opportunity to tackle a few boat projects from the to-do list, starting with painting our propane tanks with TotalBoat’s TotalProtect. After the propane tanks are looking spiffy again, I tackle the next project: adding nylon rode to our anchor chain. As we head to Newfoundland, the water gets steep-to-shore in many places, and we may need 200’ or 300’ of rode to anchor safely. I consider using an anchor chain splice to connect the rode to the chain, but the fact that it cannot be removed from the chain makes it a poor fit for our needs. A Spectra soft shackle is a better connection for our set up. I get the new anchor rode system installed in the forepeak, and we’re ready to sail this wooden boat across the Cabot Strait to Newfoundland…which we do next week. See you then! -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week, we continue cruising the Bras d’Or Lakes, bringing Arabella from Macnabs Cove to Baddeck…with a lovely stop at Pellier Harbour on the way. Robin was able to get some more experience with hoisting and lowering all four of Arabella’s sails, bringing us over to Pellier Harbour in one, long, beautiful tack, with 12-13 knots of wind on the beam. As far as we’re concerned, Pellier Harbour is the greatest anchorage in the Bras d’Ors. We know there are probably a dozen other incredible anchorages, but this one just stole our hearts. It’s a unique anchorage, and a great opportunity to practice anchoring bow and stern. If we were bolder, we could have put Arabella’s bowsprit over the sandbar. But we just…couldn’t ;-) Instead, I got as close as I dared and dropped the main anchor, threw Arabella in reverse, and then dropped the stern anchor. In hindsight, I should have dropped the stern anchor on the way in, but without Robin on board (hey, someone had to be filming from land) I wouldn’t have been able to finagle it. I’m glad we had the opportunity to practice anchoring bow and stern before arriving in Newfoundland. We learned a lot in a very low-consequence way, and can bring this new boating skill on the road with us as we head to our destination for the winter. There, we’ll likely encounter a lot more anchorages like this one. Retrieving the stern anchor requires a bit of thought. With some creative rigging, I set up a system that will make for easy retrieval. Creative anchoring aside, exploring Pellier Harbour turns out to be a big tease: the water is warm and clear and beckoning for us to dive in…but it’s also FILLED to the brim with Lion’s Mane jellyfish (and they do NOT want to hang out). We loved the peace, beauty and solitude of this anchorage so much, we extended our stay by an extra day. Greatest anchorage in the Bras d’Ors… We reluctantly weighed anchor after a few nights, and the sail to Baddeck was fun and light. The harbor is just as idyllic as everything else we’ve seen in the Brad ‘dOrs (but not quite as magical as Pellier Harbour). Baddeck was home to the famous inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, so, of course there’s a museum…and of course we take a quick tour of it! After all, we had plenty of time to kill while we were waiting for a new Starlink dish to arrive (grumble grumble, harumph harumph, a story for another time), and we love a good museum. In addition to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, we were able to check out the Community Market, where we stocked up on some critical supplies: homemade croissants!! The outdoor ban also got lifted on our last day in Baddeck, and we immediately wandered into some local trails on Kidston Island where we snacked on wild blackberries and enjoyed every pine-scented inhale. It felt so good to be in the woods again…and where we’re going, there’s plenty more for us to explore. Our psych is at an all-time high! Get us to the mountains!! From Baddeck, our plan is to head over to Kelly’s Cove, an anchorage closer to the open ocean. That sets us up to make the run to North Sydney in a nice, short day. There, we’ll await our new Starlink dish and wait for a weather window to jump off to Newfoundland! -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week, with the woods ban still in place, we decide to hightail it to Newfoundland via the Bras d’Or Lakes. We’re itching to get climbing, hiking and biking again! Before we start sailing north, I took the time to do something that’s been on my to-do list for a while: calibrate our fuel dipstick. I used our Keenan Filters fuel filter to move all of our diesel into one tank, so we can use the empty tank for calibration. Leaving Terence Bay was a little emotional. It’s a bummer we didn’t get to explore all that this region has to offer, but it’s time to keep moseying to where the mountains meet the ocean (and where we can actually climb those mountains). Aboard for the run from Terence Bay to St. Peter’s is Kyle, who you might remember from when we installed our water systems during the last crazy year of the build. The sail to St. Peters—the gateway to the Bras d’Or Lakes—was full of variety and spice: we saw everything from low winds that forced us to run the engine, to 25 knot winds that put Arabella on a wild heel as she crashed through the waves. We arrived at the St. Peter’s Lock around midnight. It’s never our favorite to arrive in a new harbor at dark, but that’s how it goes with sailing sometimes. You can’t always pick your timing… At St. Peter’s, Robin meets us with the truck and jumps on board as we navigate the lock and pick up a mooring at the Lions Club Marina. We have certainly entered a different biosphere—one that is much less harsh (and much less foggy) than the cold, open North Atlantic. After a few days on a mooring, we decide to start moseying through the Bras d’Ors, heading to Macnabs Cove, where Akiva will get to have his very own island to explore. I also decide that cruising the Bras d’Or Lakes would be a good opportunity for Robin to “single hand” Arabella, so she’ll be running the show as we bump around the lakes. Past little baby lighthouses, we drop anchor in Macnabs and promptly run Akiva over to his island. Anchored in a beautiful corner of the Bras d’Or Lakes, I take the opportunity to replace and improve the painter line on our hand-built wooden dinghy, Victoria. Waking up to a missing dinghy is NOT a good time, as we’ve learned from experience. I have an idea that will add some shock absorbency to the system, which will increase the longevity of the painter line and reduce the amount of stress on the attachment point. I’m glad to have my pattern maker’s vise to help me bring my idea to fruition. Tune in next week, as we continue cruising the Bras d’Or Lakes, making way towards Newfoundland! -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week, we’re still anchored in Terence Bay, Nova Scotia…and the ban on the outdoors is still in effect. Never in a million years did we ever expect to be wishing for rain in order to go rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. Despite our disappointment, we decide to make the best of it. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic was a highly recommended attraction, so we spent a day exploring their exhibits. We started with a tour of the CSS Acadia, which was launched in 1913 as a hydrographic survey vessel, and retired in 1969—the last steam-powered Canadian service vessel still afloat. Everything on deck is massive—much bigger than anything on Arabella. After a tour of the CSS Acadia, we had to pop in and check out the kid’s boat building workshop. In the museum, we learned so much about Joshua Slocum, the first person to single-hand a sailboat solo around the world, and other sailing legends. Seeing an array of wooden sailboats—some built in as early as 1890—inspires Steve’s vision for another potential build in the future…maybe? But first, we need to finish building the one we’re currently living on… Without the temptation to go climbing, it’s a little easier to find the motivation to get boat projects done. One of the small tasks I’ve been wanting to do is put a small ceiling in behind the workbench, to prevent objects from falling behind it and into the bilge. I picked up two 1/4” sheets of red oak plywood from the local hardware store to get the job done. Measure once. Measure twice. Mark it up. Then cut… Once I get the ceiling nice and snug behind the workbench, I seal the planking, house frames, and plywood with TotalBoat’s Danish Teak Sealer, which is more of an oil than a varnish. The red oak doesn’t check all of our boxes—and we hate covering up the beautiful frames and planking—so I’ll likely find a better solution in the future. For now, though, this gets the job done. Now that boat work is out of the way, it’s time to go play on our paddleboards. A local fisherman gave us some information about a “secret” beach that is only accessible by small boat, so we decide to go check it out. The water in the cove was crystal clear, with the vibrant colors of kelp, seaweed, and small colorful stones providing plenty of optical stimulation. We had the whole beach to ourselves. The consensus is that we love Nova Scotia…but we need to keep moving to where we can get back into the woods. Blow Me Down cliff isn’t gonna climb itself next summer, and we need to get to training ;-) -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

If you can remember, back when I started this project, I was working full-time as a route setter at a local rock climbing gym. I largely set climbing aside while I built Arabella, but my goal has always been to sail Arabella to remote places where the climbing is steep and wild. Nova Scotia is not that place…but Blow Me Down—a 2,000’+ cliff face in Devil’s Bay on the south coast of Newfoundland—is. And that’s what we’re training for, starting now. I start with a mock trad lead, just getting used to having the weight of my gear on my hips and moving on the wall, and then we start blasting around to as many local crags as we can. Then, a special visitor arrives: Aaron. You remember Aaron. He was 9 years old when he started “interning” at Acorn to Arabella. He joined just on our very first motor out of Mattapoisett Harbor after launch. And now he’s here to adventure and explore from the decks of the boat he helped build. Aaron and his mom are also rock climbers, so we bring them out to Shannon Island for some oceanside climbing. Aaron sinks his teeth into a new project—climbing a route named, ‘There will be blood’, and Akiva curls up and gets comfy in his very own cave. Their visit goes by too fast, and soon we were talking about when their next trip might be—snowboarding in Newfoundland this winter? We bid Aaron adieu… …and within 24-hours, Nova Scotia closed the outdoors due to wildfire risk. No more climbing. No hiking or trail running or mountain biking. No anything in the woods. So, now what? Looks like it might be time to mosey onward towards the Bras D’or Lakes and, ultimately, Newfoundland. -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week, I move the boat and drop anchor in Terence Bay—which is surrounded by some of Nova Scotia’s best climbing areas. But Robin is still making her way back to Canada with the truck and all of our climbing gear. My rock climbing stoke will have to wait just a few more days… To get into Terence Bay, I had to navigate a narrow channel on the high end of a rising tide—otherwise we would strike bottom on some rough sounding rocks. It was disconcerting to be able to see bottom in the most shallow sections of the cut, but I made it through without seeing anything less than 4’ under our keel. Terence Bay is another beautiful anchorage. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Everything in Nova Scotia has been beautiful. Quiet, well-protected, and filled with little islands for Akiva to explore. While I wait for Robin, I dig into our Nova Scotia rock climbing guidebook and find the best and most convenient crags around. There is some bouldering and trad climbing pretty much right at the anchorage, and I decide to go scout out the climbing so we know just where to go as soon as Robin gets back. I also take the opportunity to tackle some plumbing projects on board: getting our shower installed. To do this, I needed to run hot water to the shower, hook the shower pan into the gray water tank, and seal the shower pan. Our pressurized solar shower has been fine, but with cooler weather on the horizon, having a hot shower will be a nice treat! I wrestle the plumbing together, and viola! We have a shower! Robin returns, and we waste no time—we head out to explore Sorrow’s End, a small and scenic rock climbing crag about a mile away from our anchorage. Despite some interesting navigational instructions, we find the crag…and are humbled by our fitness. We have some training to do… -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

You can still contribute to the fight against cancer at https://profile.pmc.org/bf0201 This week, we map out our passage from Shelburne to Lunenburg, NS, making sure to follow a route safely offshore enough to avoid the many shoals and exposed rocks on the south coast of Nova Scotia. After a quick read through the Nova Scotia cruising guidebook, Steve and Robin set sail around 7pm for an overnight sail. Steve keeps a watch on the sails from his bunk while Robin is on watch. It’s slow sailing, but that makes for a very comfortable sleep. The red lights we installed in the galley make operating at night a lot easier on the eyes. Having the new light wind sail—which we’ve been calling a “Code 0”—was a godsend on this passage. With winds only around 8-10 kts. (for the most part), we were able to move at a decent pace. We arrived in Lunenburg just in time to see the Bluenose II sailing through the harbor in all its glory! The Bluenose was a famous schooner for fishing and racing, but was ultimately sold and wrecked when it ran aground off the coast of Haiti in 1946. The Bluenose II, built in 1963, is a replica of the original Bluenose schooner. She has sailed the world, but mostly runs charters out of Lunenburg harbor. It was our honor to be invited out for a sail on Bluenose II. We were blown away by the magnitude of everything on board. Everything was so much bigger and grander—including the size of their crew! We strongly encourage anyone with the opportunity to sail on one of these old schooners to get out there and sail. A few other highlights from our time in Lunenburg included a long hike over to Mahone Bay, where we stumbled upon a network of Faerie Trails, as well as a visit to the local hotspot, the Knot. At this point, Robin had to head back to Massachusetts to shuttle her truck back up to Nova Scotia, and I decided to head out on my first single-handing adventure. The weather was favorable with 10-15 kt. winds off the land. A run from Lunenburg to Cub Basin felt like a palatable and low-risk first solo sail. And it was! After a few sail plan changes, I found the perfect balance for Arabella, and we had an uneventful run from Lunenburg to Cub Basin. After we safely dropped the anchor, Akiva and I enjoyed the peace and serenity of Cub Basin…and I dipped into the Nova Scotia rock climbing guidebook and set out to check out the routes on the rocky islands all around us. Now, I just have to wait (impatiently) for Robin to return with our climbing gear! -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com

This week, we’re taking Arabella international—we’re sailing from Provincetown, MA to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. But, before we go too far, we need to calibrate our NEW Pelagic autopilot. After our autopilot broke a few hours into our last multi-day offshore passage (leaving us to hand steer for three straight days and nights), Robin and I are both pretty intent on making sure the autopilot is up and running for our passage to Canada. We head out of Provincetown and into open water where we can calibrate our autopilot, and then it’s on! We set sail, including raising our new light wind sail, which we just picked up from Doyle Sails. Boy, does she sail beautifully. With 8 knots of wind, we cruised along at a comfortable 4-5 knots. Calibrating the autopilot, however, posed a bit more of a challenge. Turns out, the speaker in our VHF radio and the steel propane tank tucked away in a locker below the unit was interfering with the gyroscope in the autopilot, causing it to veer off course. We moved these disruptors, and it was smooth sailing from there on out. Well, smooth sailing in pea soup thick fog! We were a bit spooked to hear the roaring engine of fishing boats all around us, without ever actually seeing a fishing boat! Thank goodness for all the tech we have. This passage brought to you by radar and AIS! Fortunately, on our last day, the fog finally lifted and we picked up some solid wind! Thanks to a ripping current along the southwest shore of Nova Scotia, our speed was nothing too spectacular…but oh man, that was some good sailing! We sailed all the way to the Roseway River, where we dropped sail and motored into the channel that would take us to Shelburne. A quick phone call to Canadian Customs, and we got our clearance number in a matter of minutes. We had arrived! And just in time for the Dock Days fireworks display! In Shelburne, we explored the Dory Museum, and participated in some fun Dock Days events and celebrations, like the farmer’s market, antique car show, and the Festival of Lights! Canada has been a lovely stop so far. Join us next week, as we sail to and explore Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site! -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com