What Simon said.....
As for the ugly joint you really need to do a bit of flat sanding across the top face and then assess how deep and wide you need to fill. Not sure what to use as a filler as it may end up being visible under a light coloured stain. If me, I would probably use natural Timber Mate as that will soak up the stain colour when you start the staining process but it is a large section and may still remain slightly visible.