Bluenose II 2016 sailing season begins in Lunenburg

The Bluenose II's summer season officially began Friday when the schooner tookits first passengers out on the water in Lunenburg, N.S.

The sailing ambassador has a crew ofsix full-time and 12 young people, recruited from around the province and across Canada.

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Capt.Phil Watson told CBC's Information Morning the balance of the season will be spent in the home port of Lunenburg, but sailings are planned for other communities such as North Sydney, Baddeck and Halifax.

First trip to Iona

"We try to spread ourselves [out] as best we can," he said.

For the first time, the vesselwill sail to Iona, on the Bras d'Or Lake in Cape Breton. The schooner will be there from July 17 to July19.

Watson said for those who get on board in Lunenburg, there is no such thing as a typical sail because they're dependent on the wind.

"On a good, windy day we might get out as far as Cross Island, which is right at the mouth of Lunenburg Bay," he said.

"If there's no wind, then we might drift around or slowly motor with the sails up."

Steering problems resolved

But ideally, they want people to experience a full sailing.

"That's the full point of the ship, is the chance to let people feel what it was like in the 20s and 30s when these vessels were sailing," Watson said.

Despite earlier, well-documented problems with the steering, Watson says they'veall been resolved.

"She's 100 per cent. We've been through all kinds of checks and balances. We're not going to take it out if it's not 100 per cent, so she's ready to go," he said.

The Bluenose II has sailings twice a day at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for two hours each.