EXPERIENCING THE SOUTH SHORE
SEE THE LIGHT
There’s no shortage of lighthouses in Nova Scotia: in fact, the province has more than 160, and none stands taller—figuratively speaking, at least—than the 15.25-m (50-ft.) one at Peggy’s Cove (www.peggyscove region.com). Erected in 1915, the Peggy’s Point Lighthouse is understandably a favourite among shutterbugs. Rising alone above a water-worn granite shelf with waves lashing in the background, it creates a rugged, camera-ready vignette that is at once poignant and picturesque. The hard-working hamlet this icon towers over is equally photogenic. Bobbing fishing boats, colourful buoys, salt-bleached jetties, weathered shanties—all provide ample photo ops. Further down the South Shore’s Lighthouse Route, 12 other beacons are ready for their close-up as well—including the Fort Point Lighthouse in Liverpool and Seal Island Lighthouse in Barrington, both of which you can climb for panoramic shots.
SET SAIL
The Municipality of Chester, covering some three dozen communities, offers much in touristic terms (www.tourismchester.ca). In the eponymous anchor town, for example, options range from watching professional productions at the Chester Playhouse to teeing off at the Chester Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 70 course notable for tight fairways and fabulous ocean views. Yet it would be a shame to leave without feeling the salt spray in your face because the
surrounding waters promise some of the Eastern Seaboard’s top sailing opportunities. Each summer, the town proudly hosts Canada’s largest fixed keel regatta, which is widely regarded to be one of the continent’s greatest sailing events. In 2019, it kicks off at the venerable Chester Yacht Club on August 14 (www.chesterraceweek.com). If you’d rather relax on the water than race over it, the area has seasonal charter and tour-boat operators, too.
GO FOR THE GOLD
Blessed with a string of stunning 19th century churches, the wee town of Mahone Bay is a tranquil locale (www.mahonebay. com). Of course, that wasn’t always the case. The body of water for which it is named was long popular with pirates and privateers; and the word “Mahone” actually comes from the type of low-lying ship they preferred. Treasure seekers can still explore camouflaged coves or paddle around the bay’s 350-plus islands—the best known being Oak Island, reputedly a favourite hiding spot for the infamous Captain Kidd and now the subject of The History Channel’s hit reality program, The Curse of Oak Island (www.oakislandtours.ca). You’ll have more luck, though, unearthing precious items in the studios and galleries onshore. Considering Mahone Bay only has about 1,000 residents, it boasts a disproportionately large number of craftspeople whose wares are highly coveted.
FIND OUT ABOUT FISH
Founded in 1753, Lunenburg was once a world-class fishing and shipbuilding centre, and reminders of its past are everywhere apparent (www.explore lunenburg.ca). Lampposts in the UNESCOdesignated Old Town are decorated with marine life and working wharves continue to hum with activity. Fittingly, the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is the signature attraction here (fisheries museum.novascotia.ca). Formerly a fish processing plant, the brilliant red building houses aquariums devoted to native species and engaging themed exhibits. Dockside, you can tour a saltbank schooner and steel-hulled trawler, then talk to “old salts” who are often on hand to demonstrate traditional skills and tell a few fish tales. The museum is also home to Bluenose II, a replica of the legendary locally-built schooner which was the North Atlantic fleet’s fastest vessel in the 1920s and 30s (bluenose.novascotia.ca).
GET BACK TO NATURE
Over 13,770 sq. km (5,316 sq. mi.) of this province’s pristine terrain has been earmarked as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (www.swnovabiosphere.ca) and, for travellers, its focal point is Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site (www.parks canada.gc.ca/keji). Encompassing a sprawling tract of interior woodland and a sandy seaside adjunct located 90 minutes away, “Keji”—as it’s affectionately known by Nova Scotians and tongue-tied tourists—is ideal for hikers, bikers, canoeists, campers, birdwatchers, stargazers and, in winter, snowshoers and cross-country skiers. You can explore its wild side independently or on guided treks. More interested in human nature? In summer, you can help build a traditional birchbark canoe, see a Mi’kmaq encampment or take a tour to spy some of the park’s 500-odd ancient petroglyphs. Carved in stone, the last of these bear witness to Keji’s original inhabitants.
SET THE SCENE
Film buffs visiting Shelburne can be forgiven for thinking the place looks vaguely familiar (www.town.shelburne.ns.ca). You see, it has served as a location for movies and miniseries like Roland Joffé’s The Scarlet Letter and a Moby Dick remake starring William Hurt and Ethan Hawke. In both cases, the historic harbour town doubled as New England, but more recently it featured prominently in a truly Canadian saga: The Book of Negroes. Based on Lawrence Hill’s novel—published in the U.S as Someone Knows My Name—the Roots-like TV adaptation details the period following the American Revolution when Loyalists poured in and neighbouring Birchtown blossomed into North America’s largest free black settlement. Brush up on the backstory at the Shelburne Museum Complex and the compelling Black Loyalist Heritage Centre (www.shelburnemuseums.com; www.blackloyalist.com).
CATCH A WAVE... OR A LOBSTER
Established as a lodge for outdoorsmen in 1928, the beloved White Point Beach Resort near Liverpool feels like a self-contained community in its own right (www.white point.com). Now combining contemporary accommodations with a classic cottagecolony vibe, it has legions of Haligonian fans—some drawn by the beach, others by the ubiquitous bunnies. Folks from away, converse ly, relish the breadth of locally inspired activities available, from sand castle building to sea-centric spa sessions. Active types can even try “hanging ten” at year-round surfing classes. Those interested in edibles, meanwhile, can learn about lobstering during the November-to-May fishing period by lending a hand aboard a lobster boat and later dining on the day’s catch. Another option is to simply devour the king of crustaceans at events hosted by the resort each February during the regional Lobster Crawl (www.lobstercrawl.ca).
Such a rich range of experiences makes the South Shore hard to resist for many reasons in all seasons.