While on a recent holiday in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward  
Island, I gathered some basic information that might make trip
planning easier for any trailer sailors who might want to sail the
Northumberland Straits area. This is more of the who and where type
help and I'll leave the wind, weather, tides and sail plans to you.
    The two best places to start a cruise would be Pictou, on
the N.S. side, or Charlottetown on P.E.I., as they both have ramps and
marinas.

Pictou public marina behind Ship Hector

    From Maine you can drive to Pictou in two full days through New  
Brunswick. Plan on it taking 30 minutes to an hour to get through
Canadian Customs and Immigration. You can also take the ferry from
Portland or Bar Harbor with Pictou a 5-6 hour drive from the arrival
ports Yarmouth or Digby.
    Pictou is a great little town with decent restaurants and pubs a
short walk from the public marina. A "quick stop" is also fairly
close with a big grocery maybe a mile and a half away.
    The public marina keeps 8 guest slips and has a free ramp. Rig
parking is a half block away with a maximum stay of 2 weeks. The rig
parking is in a fairly busy area (for Pictou) and two short blocks
from the RCMP station so it should be pretty safe.

     Pictou slip fees:

     Hourly  $5.00
     Daily/Overnight    $33.00 or $1.10 per foot
     Weekly $5.50 per foot (minimum $165)
     Two Weeks   $8.80 per foot (minimum $264)
     Contact: Hector Quay Visitors Marina   902-485-6960
     Email: info@townofpictou.ca   
     VHF Channel 16

The marina is very nice but does not have much more than slips. It
is pretty well protected but I did see some constant boat movement
when the wind was blowing.
    Also located in Pictou but a walk from the central area is the
private Pictou Marina. It is a full service marina, i.e., repairs,
haul outs, etc, and also a powerboat dealership. Most of the slips
are taken up during the summer but there may be a few small slips
available from time to time.  This marina also has a ramp, but no rig
parking.  It is closer to the Straits but is better protected than the
city marina.
    The owner is David Edey who was very pleasant to talk to and would
be a help with local information.  He may also have some local
charts.  The Pictou Yacht Club is adjacent to the marina (and uses
the slips there). I found it very interesting that some tourist information in Pictou included an invitation from the Pictou Yacht Club to come sail with them on their Wednesday night races, no experience necessary.  I think that is an idea that some of our sailing groups should copy.
    If you are there on a Wednesday evening or Saturday, race days, you should be able to get local information from the people at the club. I dropped in on a Wednesday evening and they gave me some general information before they got into the pre-race skippers meeting.

Pictou Marina   902-485-9155 and www.pictoumarina.com

    One could have a pleasant stay in Pictou, day sailing in the harbor
and near shore and never leave. From Pictou one can sail around the
point west to Caribou, the N.S. end of the Northumberland Ferry
crossing.  I didn't see much there but the ferry docks, but it might
be a place to overnight or duck in to get out of weather. Further
west is Tatamagoughe Harbour.
    Going east there is Merigomish Harbour and Big Island. I didn't have
time to drive onto the island but it looks like another good
destination and a good question for the locals.  Further east is
Arissaig, an old fishing port. Now it is an artificial harbor with
12-15 lobster boats and a lobster processing plant.  I would think
that you would be allowed to overnight there by asking permission of
the plant.

Arissaig lobster boat harbor    

   Another destination, out in the Strait, is Pictou Island. It is
inhabited and I was told there is a simple wharf that runs out from
the shore where boats can tie up. The dock is in the southeast lee of
the island but is open to wind and sea from any other direction.
    One can sail from Pictou across the straits to Woods Island, the PEI
end of the ferry. I think the distance is about 15 miles. The little
harbor is fairly well protected and consists of the ferry dock, a
cafeteria/gift shop for the ferry, a seafood restaurant, and a dock.
The dock had a sailboat tied up there and I believe one can at least
overnight but don't know if there are any rules or charges.
    On PEI to the east of the ferry landing are Murray and Georgetown
Harbours.  I know nothing about them other than seeing them on aerial
photos, but they look like protected harbors.  To the west towards
Charlottetown, once you get around Prim Point, are Orwell Bay and
Pownal  Bay, both bays at the ends of rivers. I've seen these from
the road and they look like they would provide shelter, however I was
told that they can be tricky to get into.

Island entrance lighthouses.

Wood Island dock next to ferry terminal

    Charlottetown, in Hillsborough Bay, has the Charlottetown Yacht Club
and Marina.  The marina has floating docks and a ramp, and the yacht
club, while not plush, has all the usual yacht club arrangements.
The marina is also in the center of Charlottetown, a short walk to
restaurants, groceries, liquor stores, etc. I talked to a marina
representative briefly while I was there and followed up with an
e-mail but they have not answered my inquiry as to slip availability,
fees, rig parking, etc.

For your direct inquiry try:
Lisa MacKinnon   Manager 902 892-9065  www.cyc.pe.ca

    I was told in Pictou that the boaters there regularly go over to
Charlottetown during the season, a distance of about 60 nautical
miles.  It is a full days sail for the bigger sailboats so it may be
a two day sail for trailer sailers.
    Charts should be available online.
    There is a Cruising Guide for Nova Scotia that is supposed to be
good but it is very expensive. Google it or check Amazon. 

For planning purposes try these sites: 

www.boatinginatlanticcanada.com   This is a general information
site for boaters and has links to more specific information.