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| Nova Scotia is world-renowned for many things, but most of all for one natural phenomenon - the world’s highest tides. The tides ebb and flow approximately every 6 hours. | ||||
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story and photography Frank Greco The Travel Guy This may not seem exciting or even interesting, but imagine seeing a small village or harbour area where you can walk on the seabed and then six hours later the same area is engulfed in water ranging anywhere from 3 to 16 metres high. The Bay of Fundy on Nova Scotia’s west coast is dotted with many picturesque fishing villages. Their livelihood - fishing - revolves around the tides. Boats must time the tide perfectly or else they will be stranded in the Bay. When the tide recedes, docked boats rest on the seabed. It’s a picture perfect scene. One of the most dramatic locations to witness the tide rise and retreat is at Hall’s Harbour – on Nova Scotia's northwest coast – where it rises 14 metres. This tiny fishing village is known for having one of Canada’s largest lobster holding facilities, the Hall’s Harbour Lobster Pound. Its name is self-explanatory. It's a round-up area for lobsters. Bay of Fundy lobsters are shipped out all over the world from this jewel by the sea. Locals and visitors can go to a special holding tank and select a live lobster (small, medium, large, extra large or jumbo size) – then walk the lobster to the cookhouse to wait (depending on its size) as little as 20-25 minutes for their lobster to be returned, cooked to perfection. Here, I met Lowell Simpson an expert on lobsters and Hall’s Harbour. He is a resident of the area who shared some of his knowledge of 'lobsteriology' with me. For instance, one can put a lobster to sleep just by placing it on its head, curving its tail and tucking it into its midsection. Then by stroking the tail, the lobster falls asleep. This is one of those moments where you have to "see it to believe it." Lowell then surprised me by pulling out the largest lobster in the Pound weighing almost 5 kilograms. “He’s not for eating.” stated Lowell, “He’s lucky. He’s only for show and photos.” While on The Bay of Fundy shores, I learned of a thrill ride known as Tidal Bore Rafting. The word bore is an Old Norwegian word-meaning wave or swell. I visited the Tidal Bore Rafting Park situated on the Shubenacadie River where Trevor and Marty suited me up for a ride on one of their zodiac boats. Marty explained that tides from the Bay push inwards and they are squeezed by the sides of the bay. As it narrows, it creates a bore that can reach as high as 3 metres or more in the river. Once the bore passes, rapids form that also reach the same height. No sooner did he explain this to me than the sound of rushing water was heard ahead of us. As excited as I was, the actual bore that day was less than half a meter high, but the rapids that followed did not disappoint me. I was tossed, splashed and drenched. Marty later told me that the bore is the highest at the full moon. Probably the best-known areas in Nova Scotia are the historic town of Lunenburg, home of The Blue Nose II schooner, the picturesque Mahone Bay (considered one of the most beautiful towns in Canada) and Peggy’s Cove - one of the most visited spots on the Atlantic. Located approximately 50 kilometres south from the capital city of Halifax, on Nova Scotia’s East coast, the cove was named after a young girl who was the only survivor of a shipwreck in the 1800’s (as folklore would have it). She washed up on its rocky shore and was adopted by a local family. Her name was Margaret, but the locals called her "Peggy." People would visit the miracle child and would be heard saying, “Let’s visit Peggy of the Cove.” So the name stuck. Today, Peggy’s Cove has a population of about 50 people. One of the most photographed lighthouses in the world is situated on the dramatic rocks of Peggy’s Cove. It has become the iconic symbol of this area. Standing on the rocks upon which the mighty Atlantic crashes, one can see the majesty and unspoiled beauty of this area. It’s truly a photographer’s paradise. The original Bluenose schooner was built in Lunenburg (March 1921) as a racing ship that was really a fishing vessel. It has never lost a race. Alas, in 1938 the original schooner was sold to Caribbean interests where it sank in 1946 off the coast of Haiti. An exact replica was built in 1963 (the Bluenose II) primarily to promote Nova Scotia’s maritime heritage. Today, the Bluenose II operates tours out of Lunenburg. The Bluenose is also immortalized on our Canadian dime. Lunenburg has a working waterfront. Take a stroll along the water’s edge and you’ll see tall ships at anchor (including the Bluenose II), a hands-on fisheries museum, quaint restaurants, artisan shops, stylish hotels (like the Mariner King) and building styles that are centuries old. A short drive north of Lunenburg is the small town of Mahone Bay. The town is known for its natural beauty, charming streets, art galleries, specialty shops and is probably the largest producer of pewter art in Nova Scotia. Pewter is a metal that contains mostly tin. Artists create table wear, broaches, figurines, ornaments and any item you can imagine with pewter. I met Sebastien, a local artist at Amos Pewter who gave me an artistic lesson and helped me create my own pewter ornament. Amos Pewter provides hands-on workshops for visitors most of the time given by Sebastien. Further east along the coast is Halifax - the capital of Nova Scotia. One of its most impressive attractions is the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site - a star-shaped, stone fortress situated on a hilltop overlooking the city, it was constructed between 1828 and 1856. It provides the most amazing views of the town and harbour. A walk within its walls enables you to relive history. See the 78th Highland Regiment in action. Hear bagpipes play. Experience what life was like in those times. Don't miss the Royal Artillery’s noon canon firing (cover your ears, because it’s loud). The firing of the canon has become synonymous with lunch hour in Halifax. They fire on time, all the time. The citadel provides opportunities for visitors to become soldiers for a day. Don the kilt and bonnet of the 78th Highland Regiment and prepare to become a member. I greatly enjoyed my experience and even discovered the answer to a question we all have – what do they wear under their kilts? To find out, become a soldier for a day at The Citadel, but call ahead, spots are very limited. GL
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TOP: One of the many scenes along The Bay of Fundy. This is Brier Island at low tide.  Peggy’s Cove lighthouse looks like its weathered a few storms, but is still one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.  The life preserver on The Bluenose is a part of our rich Canadian history.  The small community of Peggy’s Cove is one of the few built on the province's rocky coastline.  The soldiers inside the Halifax Citadel practicing their march for all onlookers.  Lowell Simpson showing off the 5-Kilogram lobster at the Hall’s Harbour Lobster Pound - for photo purposes only. He’s a star (the lobster that is). |
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