Sailing Directions: Nova Scotia (Atlantic Coast) and Bay of Fundy

James R. Midwinter was senior assistant secretary to the Cabinet and
inspector general of the Foreign Service before his appointment as
Canadian ambassador to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

This is the definitive work on coastal navigation in the area it covers.
It contains everything the Canadian Hydrographic Service knew about
sailing conditions, hazards, aids to navigation, and shore facilities to
the date of publication. However, “First Edition” is a bit of a
misnomer: actually this book supersedes a 1985 edition that was
cancelled. Much of the previous work’s information is repeated here,
and the format remains the same.

The book divides naturally into two parts: first, a general description
of the area’s geographic and navigational features, including tides,
currents, ice conditions, and the weather to expect in various seasons;
and second, a detailed account of the coast and its harbors. There is
little about shoreside attractions, and nothing about the availability
or quality of lodging, restaurant fare, or shopping. This is not a
tourist guide; rather, it is a navigational aid for commercial ship
operators and serious cruising sailors.

Within these limitations, the information is complete and reliable,
especially when supplemented by the periodic Notices to Mariners, to
which it recommends the serious user subscribe. Many low-angle aerial
photographs of harbor approaches complement the text. These are very
helpful, even though their reproduction quality is poor, and, in this
reviewer’s opinion, they give an exaggerated impression of bleakness
throughout.