Bluenose II leaves Lunenburg dock for training exercise

The Bluenose II left theLunenburg dock on Friday morning.

The surprise sail comes just one day after Geoff MacLellan, the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal,said he would be visiting the schooner next Tuesday.

While speaking to reporters, MacLellan saidthere is still about dozen items left on the project's to-do list before regular sailing can begin.

However, Phil Watson, theBluenose II's captain, said the vessel did well in Friday's brief training exercise.

" We have to take these things in sort of small steps and train the crew to use the vessel. ... We went out today partially for them, so they could see what the boat was doing andpartiallyfor me so I couldgather somemanoeuvringdata."

Watson calls the manoeuvringdata, "Perfect, it's just what I want. It slid back in the wharf. The final test is the last 10 seconds when you're coming along side the wharf here, and we didn't scratch the paint and itmanoeuvresas we expect."

Watson said the ship handles well.

"It performs as it should. It's perfect. I'm really, really pleased with it."