Nova Scotia

Yesterday we lined up with other cars, motor homes, big rigs and motorcycles for the big ferry across the Bay of Fundy to Digby.  The ferry makes one trip each day most of the year, and has operated since about 1825- almost 200 years.  Boats and ships were the only way to travel before railroads and cars. 

We stopped at Port Royal, a reconstructed french trading settlement from 1604- this was a pallisade (buildings on for sides of a courtyard) that was built from hand-sawn boards.  The men who constructed it were mostly sailors who knew how to build ships- so the beams and boards were fit without nails using dowls.  It really looked like a giant castle-fort; perhaps we should build our cabin in the woods using the pallisade design, with a large room on one side for the common rooms and the other three side for separate sleeping rooms.  They were mainly trading European goods for furs from the native (friendly) people, and a ship would come once each year bringing supplies, fresh men (signed up for 1-year contracts) and would take back a load of furs.  It all went well for about 15 years until a raiding party from Jamestown (British ship) took all the supplies and burned it down- just because the French and English were at war-not a nice ending. These people were in the wilderness and should have helped each other survive and thrive together. The history of the Atlantic Provinces sounds hard- French and British settlers not getting along and changing governments several times and finally in 1755 the British deported about 10,000 French settlers (Acadians) out of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick- some returned to France and some went to Quebec and some to Louisiana (Cajun).  

And we also stopped at the only tidal power plant in North America- it was built as a prototype for building a giant dam across the Bay of Fundy (a 1960s idea).  This test turbine has worked well for 30 years, but studies have shown that blocking the Bay of Fundy would have big effects on the ecosystem and fish and whales- and also the suspended sediment (sand) would destroy the turbine blades.  The small plant blocks a small bay with clear water- maybe a few more of these can be built- but maybe they will use wind power like other coastal places. Then we drove to Halifax- and are staying at the historic Waverley Inn (1876) that has great wood work and furniture. We spent the day driving around the coast of Nova Scotia.  It's almost an island and since we came on a ferry we think it must be an island.

We drove down the peninsula to a place called Lunenberg.  It's story is that the British higher ups wanted to even out the religion in the colony (French Catholics) so Protestants were recruited from Germany, Switzerland and Holland to come here and get their passage paid as well as get a plot of land, lumber and nails to build a house plus 6 sheep, a goat and a pig or a cow and something else which I can't quite remember.  That's because Judy signed us up for the sheep, goat and pig (so we can have bacon).  Their big industry is fishing.  They are a UNESCO world heritage site because all of the streets are still laid out the way they were.  It's a very colorful place.  We've been taking lots of pictures of the great old houses and such. 

We also went to a fishing museum which was fairly interesting for Judy and very interesting for me.  We had a tour of a modern 1962 trawling ship, with a captain who fished for 40 years tell us about the ship we were looking at and it was pretty amazing.  We were glad we weren't fishermen.  They worked 12 days on (3 days out, fishing for 5 days, 3 days back from Newfoundland banks where the cod fish were highest quality- no worms) and 36 hours off, seemingly all year.  He showed us pictures with the boat covered with ice and snow.  We both thought that was crazy. 

Then we went to a picturesque place called Peggy's Cove.  It has big sloping rocks down to the water and cute houses plus a lighthouse.  We took pictures and walked around (a kid's playland with all of the rocks-sorry you weren't all there) and managed not to get swept away by the rogue waves although there didn't seem to be any waves at all today.

We got back to town and walked around a farmers market building that's only open until 3 (missed that) and then the wharf nearby which had some restaurants.  We ate at one that used to be a shipbuilding/repair warehouse and had a good meal.  I had bacon wrapped scallops.  Scallops are almost no calories and all good so they had to wrap bacon around them to make up for that. Last night when we arrived at the Waverley Inn we walked down to the Henry House (below) for a 40th anniversary dessert- gingerbread with ice cream and carmel sauce and coffee for me- to celebrate our safe arrival and God's gracious goodness towards us for these 40 years together.    We give thanks for He is good!  It happens that the old house was converted to a restaurant 40 years ago.  We have both had 40 years of good times together.