View Full Version : Maritime Provinces Visit
Either a mere 690 mile drive to Halifax via New Brunswick or a 589 mile trip via the Cat from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth,(have not decided) my spouse and I will be in the Halifax area for three days in a few weeks.
We will look for lodging in either Halifax or Lunenburg but can't decide which city would give us a better look at NS maritime history. Any opinions from our Nova Scotia forumites?
May also stay in Yarmouth if we decide on the ferry and will then take the "Lighthouse Trail" northeast.
Has anyone taken this trip from the States recently? Am I correct in my understanding that a birth certificate is the only document required ?
Thanks all,
abe
Venchka
08-12-2003, 11:53 AM
Documents: Driver's license & voter registration card works. Passport always works. Birth certificate works with a photo I.D. Bottom line: You'll need something with a photo & one other document to back up the photo I.D.
Did you investigate the car ferry out of Portland, Maine? Does the fast cat out of Bar Harbor take cars? There's a car ferry between St. John, N.B. and (I think) Digby, N.S.
Fundy National Park in New Brunswick is lovely if you're driving all the way. You could say "Hi" to John Anderson in St. Andrews, N.B. Go for a sail on the schooner he worked on in the spring. If you are feeling really extravagant, you could stay at The Algonquin hotel in St. Andrews.
Let's wait for our own mmd to offer detailed advice on what to see in N.S. You might visit the Smith's at The Dory Shop in Lunenburg for some real working boat building history.
Just three days, eh? Pity. ;) :D
Bearing in mind that I am terribly biased, if I were to come here for only three days and wanted to see history, boats, and post-and-beam construction, I would take the Cat (it is too cool technology to pass up) to Yarmouth, drive to Lunenburg, and stay there. In Lunenburg, there is the Tancook Whaler under construction at the Fisheries Museum, dories always being built at the Dory Shop (which has been in continuous operation for over a hundred years), the commercial off-shore scallop fleet on the waterfront as well as the marine railway at the end of town, good restaurants (I reccommend the Grand Banker), galleries, crafts, water tours, the prettiest - and hilliest - 9-hole golf course around, the Lunenburg Foundry (est. 1893), the reconstruction of the circa-1753 St. John's Anglican Church which was sadly severely damaged by fire in 2001, etc., etc. Within a half-hour drive are several spectacular beaches with hardly a soul around; the sea caves at The Ovens Park which was home to a gold rush in 1861; Fort Point Museum at Lahave, where Isaac de Razilly founded a colony in 1634, Ross Farm which preserves the orginal Ross family farm as a working circa-1850's farm on the original land granted to Captain William Ross to settle disbanded colonial soliers in 1816; scenic Blue Rocks fishing village, and so much more.
For official info, check out http://www.gov.ns.ca/tourism.htm and while exploring that site, click on the "Doers & Dreamers Guide" hypertext. If you have any specific questions that you can't get answered from the tourism website, fire off an e-mail to me and I'll try to help.
Here's a couple of teasers: A shot of the barque "Picton Castle" hauled out at the Marine Railway in Lunenburg. You can walk down to the slipway and watch the workers doing their stuff - no fences! Do be polite, though, and don't get in their way. Too much of that and somebody will get pissed or hurt and such accessability will come to an end.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid62/p548bbd4550c876c0b8832effd718cb85/fc230013.jpg
And this beach - Hirtle's Beach at Lower Kingsburg, about a twenty-minute drive from downtown Lunenburg. This was taken on a warm autumn Sunday - look closely at the hordes of people that aren't on the mile-long beach. ;)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid45/pc61d6866050d417daa44af1c466869f5/fcd9bdef.jpg
(P.S. - You folks insist that we have passports when we come to visit our US friends, I think it only fair that you reciprocate. Besides, it's your guys who will give you a hard time when you try to go home if you don't have ze proper papers.)
[ 08-12-2003, 01:04 PM: Message edited by: mmd ]
WOW! I thought you guys were always fogged in over there... smile.gif
It seems like it this summer, but usually, no.
reddog
08-12-2003, 04:10 PM
abe;
I'll second the vote for staying in Lunenburg.Along with the museum and boatyards they have a working waterfront which is representative of our maritime fisheries.You'll have a better chance of getting up close and personal with boats of all stripes.Yarmouth,too still has an active fishing fleet and up the coast along Hwy.103 is Shelburne.Lots of great beaches and cool water along the way.
Halifax does have the excellent Maritime Museum of The Atlantic and a few charter boats along the water front.
Earl
Thanks for all the responses.
Looks like a passport is out of the question. Would not be available before trip, and "they are not required by residents of either Canada or USA for crossborder trips" if I read the US Customs web site correctly.
The vote is for Lunenburg, and we will take the Portland overnight boat to Yarmouth, and on return the CAT to Bar Harbor. This will give us an extra day in NS.
Thanks mmd for the teaser photos. Anyone for a midweek elbow bender the week of Sept 22th?
abe
abe
At "The Knot" pub. Keith's India Pale Ale or for those who like 'em dark, Propeller Bitter Ale. Good fish 'n' chips, too.
Monday night, you say? Well, it only comes once a week, so one might as well celebrate it, eh? ;) :D
Give us a call when you land, OK?
Make mine a Propeller Bitter - I'm in tongue.gif !
(edited to add, maybe even 2 or 3!)
[ 08-13-2003, 04:08 PM: Message edited by: HR ]
I just got an email, enquiring about Red's health, from a lady in Lunenburg who has two Portuguese Water Dogs...so it must be a neat place!
Keep your eyes peeled for two gorgeous water dogs named Storm and Zephyr.
That lady would be my wife! I'm sure she could be convinced to join us for a Propeller, but unfortunately dogs aren't allowed in the Knot. And yes, Lunenburg is a wonderful place!
HA! Small town in a small world. How about some pics of the pups?
Not to hijack the thread, but they do live near Lunenburg smile.gif The top two are Zephyr (the female) and the bottom two are Storm. They are about 3 months old in the kayaking pictures and 9 months in the others. SWMBO is slightly older (but don't tell her I said that!).
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p6a2bc557be659768e728ee43b8ff8f3c/fb64f5ee.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p5ac4f289bc571eba07f7f6a988e42b2b/fb64f5f2.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p650723ca239c594a6ae0e7d4547ca913/fb64f633.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p10c22e3473d109153f7d0746b85c53c8/fb64f63c.jpg
mrs. mmd
08-13-2003, 08:02 PM
Gee everyone in those pictures look familiar!!!
Wonder where I saw them before???
Of course you guys will be enjoying the fine Nova Scotia ale when I'm back in SCHOOL!!!!! :mad:
No wonder they aren't allowed in the Pub. The bartender would get no attention. Beauties! Red sends her best.
Mrs MMD - can't imagine why they look familiar smile.gif . You'll have to call in sick and join us at the Knot!
Donn - they are beauties, and as I'm sure you know (and so does Mrs MMD), quite a handful! They send regards to Red.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid17/paef613195a4c37c422adbef68a1ac244/fdfb0dc7.jpg
What's it like in the land of the ice and snow? Do you get snowballs in your feet like I do? Do you get to go on the boats?
Oh yes, we get lots of snowballs and iceballs on our feet and all over. But it's worth it 'cause we love playing in the snow!
And boats? Of course. We just sold our 35' sailboat (of that other material) and are about to help start building an Iain Oughtred Eun Mara. We have a 38' wreck of a Cape Islander that we go fishing for mackerel (AKA training treats) on, we raced on our Windsprint at the Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Festival (we weren't really much help, since we placed fifth), and we row around in our Nutshell pram. And sometimes Donna and Howard come with us!
And of course we love swimming in the ocean to cool off!
Edited to add: Red sure is one nice looking PWD!
[ 08-13-2003, 08:42 PM: Message edited by: HR ]
Red's a canuck too. Born in Alberta. Macks as training treats...perfect! I have to keep a close eye on Red so she doesn't eat all my live bait. Snapper Blues are her favorite, but I made the mistake of turning my back on her while surf fishing once, and caught her chowing down on a 12# bluefish.
mrs. mmd
08-13-2003, 09:03 PM
AHHHHHHH..yes the tales of Storm and Zephyr..funny they don't mention stealing food...shoes...and anything else left without human guard! :D
But they sure are CUTE..and MMD junior loved them too. smile.gif
[ 08-13-2003, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: mrs. mmd ]
Fortunately, Red only steals food...like a pound of fresh raw sushi-grade tuna. :mad:
All in all, she's a sweetie.
Yes...I am a sweetie!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/pda991a642cdf119f9f0f1fbebaa9872a/fdf036a5.jpg
Syd MacDonald
08-14-2003, 09:29 PM
MMD-I was in Mahone Bay for the Boat Show and visited the museum in Lunenburg on Sunday morn. Re the Tancook Whaler, I noticed that the planks were butted on the ribs rather than on a butt block between the ribs. Are they following traditiom or is there some other reason? It was Sunday and no one to ask.
Hi, Syd. I don't know the answer to that one, I'm afraid. Curious about it, though. I'll have to go 'round to the "old fellers" and ask a few questions. In the meantime, I would suspect that it is the common method in the Tancook area, because the boatbuilder at the Museum, Cliff Zwicker, is a knowlegeable and experienced builder who grew up and trained as a boatbuilder under the watchful eyes of the old fellers in Martin's River and Mahone Bay, close by to Tancook. He worked for years with Clarence Heisler & Son, who are old-school builders of the local traditional boats. I suspect that Cliff would know what was the appropriate method for the boat.
This thread may have "gone to the dog's", thats OK; we love em and they travel well, but we will board our four sheepdogs with friends during what will now be a six day visit to Nova Scotia.
Looks likes the Oak Island Resort on the Western Shore(about 30km from Lunenburg I guess)for a Tuesday and Wednesday following a drive north from Yarmouth, then two days at the Westin in downtown Halifax and south to Yarmouth for another evening then Scotia Prince to Portland.
Now to plan a maritime itinerary around that and I will consider all of your previous suggestions.
Looking forward to the visit!
abe and brenda
Don't worry, Abe, there's cat fans here, too. smile.gif
The Oak Island Inn is a nice hotel. It was recently renovated and I've been told (I haven't been there since renos) that it is very comfortable. It looks over Oak Island, of Oak Island Mystery fame (check these links: http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/oakisl.htm , http://www.activemind.com/Mysterious/Topics/OakIsland/ , http://www.btinternet.com/~keypress/ ). You will be centrally located between Chester (old American wealth summer homes and ya-a-ahting) and Lunenburg. Daytripping to Ross Farm, Chester, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay is easy.
Let me know if you are still interested in a brew at a pub in Lunenburg. I'll send you a phone number off-line. In the meantime, if I can help by answering questions, fire away. :D
Popeye
08-22-2003, 09:32 AM
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid71/pc760e64f2e67c744d8141db8827f4017/fb9d1de3.jpg
nice dogs, but can they hover in a 30 kt cross wind?
power, power, left rudder..
Bruce Hooke
08-26-2003, 07:23 PM
One warning about the ferry from Portland, from a friend who just took it a year or so ago -- they wake you up and kick you out of your cabin at what some might consider an ungodly hour in the morning. You have to be out of your cabin an hour before docking (you can leave your PACKED luggage in the cabin), which means 7 AM for the trip to Yarmouth. And that's 7 AM AST so it's 6 AM EST, which means you have to get up at close to 5 AM your body's time. They use the time in question to prepare the cabins for the return trip.
The only objection they had to the Cat to Bar Harbor was that there is not much place to get out on deck because it's too windy (there is a small area behind the bridge but that's it), and it can be a rough ride if there is much of a sea running.
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