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by Sheena Masson July 1 was the launch of the first official water trail in Atlantic Canada. About 50 people gathered early in Lunenburg to send off the small flotilla on a nine-day "cruise" to Halifax. The idea was to get a first-hand experience of some trail sites and water conditions and better understand the needs of different types of boats. The flotilla included about 10 kayaks, a small sloop, and the NS Sea School sail boat, Dorothea, and some canoes who joined us for the first leg including Dusan Sodek and family. We were joined the next day by a 40-foot schooner, Dorothy Louise, along as a support and safety boat. We had a lovely day paddling through Blue Rocks to an island out in the Rackets. The second day we paddled in and out of the fog to Oak Island Inn stopping at a lovely crescent beach on Backman's Island for lunch, a popular anchorage. It was a real change of pace for this hardcore outdoor group to lounge in the hot tub and pool at the Inn but we adjusted well. Then 14 of us (including the crew of the schooner and friends) sat down to a spread in the dining room. The next morning, some left to paddle/sail to Tancook Island while three of us took the ferry. After lunch at Carolyn's Cafe, we paddled to Little Tancook and explored the island roads, then paddled to Blandford. Here we had a warm welcome at the Candle on the Water B&B where we were given the run of the place and comfy beds with beautiful old quilts. We cooked our dinner in the backyard "wilderness style" (now becoming a distant memory) followed by a bonfire. Day Four started out very foggy as the group headed out around New Harbour. Two boats came in at Southwest Cove before the crossing of St. Margaret's Bay to Indian Harbour. Luckily the fog lifted before the crossing though the usual swells were there. The group rendezvous-ed at the King Neptune Campground for a rainy night of camping with our schooner and the small sloop berthed nearby at the government wharf. The paddlers set off next day in the fog but it soon lifted replaced by gusting winds for the trip past Peggy's Cove to Prospect. Here we stayed at the home of Sue Browne, project coordinator and the group enjoyed an evening sail aboard the schooner. Day Six we had a calm sunny day to paddle through the myriad of narrow channels and inshore islands to Lower Prospect where we stayed on Ryan's Island. Dusan Sodek arrived by kayak for a short visit. The following day we were treated to clear vistas of the granite cliffs and barrens of the Terence Bay Wilderness Area as we paddled along to Sambro. After a night at the home of another group member, the remaining paddlers set off for MacNab's Island, our final night. I took the opportunity spend a day on the schooner and sleep, er... sail. We pulled into Wreck Cove where many other boats were moored, explored the island and camped on the beach. Dusan again showed up (with wine and strawberries) for the evening bonfire and campout. The final day was a short paddle to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic for a reception where many curious tourists looked over our gear-laden kayaks and asked about the Trail. Artist Alberta Martin was again on hand with her coastal paintings of areas along the Trail. The trip was great fun and an invaluable source of information for future planning. The guidebook will soon be available (August) for a small fee. This year it will be produced as a photocopy with maps as well as available to download on your computer as a PDF file (Portable Document File) for which you need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free on the Internet). It will be updated every year (funding pending). Contact us at seatrail@istar.ca or at 852-3082 for a copy. We have a web site up at www.trails.gov.ns.ca |