NOVA SCOTIA- new wine country-French Acadians (loved by the Mi'Kmaq FIrst Peoples)- Nova Scotia- Atlantic Canada - incredible history- Canada- France-England wars- and the incredible gifts of First Peoples along with both agressors of new Nation of Canada (draft)-Canada's French Canadian Wine Country-Grand Pre Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia /links always/Canada Idles No More
Nova Scotians can raise a glass to the success of this industry. (STOCK)
Nova Scotians are starting to learn what sommeliers and travel writers have known for some time — we produce some pretty good wines in this province.
And our vintners have succeeded the hard way, by producing cold-climate wines from grapes grown in pint-sized vineyards.
There are no E. & J. Gallo-style wineries in Nova Scotia. The California-based Gallo family, the world’s largest wine producer, employs 6,000 people worldwide.
Nor can our wineries fall back on centuries of tradition. One legendary Italian winery, Barone Riscasoli, dates its production back to 1141.
It’s only in the last couple of decades that Nova Scotia has really developed a thriving industry — even if grapes have been grown in the province since shortly after Champlain settled into Port Royal in 1605.
Today, the sector boasts 23 wineries and 94 grape producers. Together, the grape growers and the grape stompers generate $7.3 million in wages annually. (OK, no one is stomping grapes underfoot in the Annapolis Valley, but wine-making is still a pressing business.)
This week, the Nova Scotia wine business took on more of a Bluenose feel when the province and the federal government put almost $500,000 into the establishment of a new wine laboratory at Acadia University in Wolfville.
Wines that were once shipped to Ontario and Quebec labs for analysis can now be sent to a university in the heart of Nova Scotia wine country.
The Acadia-winery partnership is apt, time-tested and true. Academics from Acadia and other Nova Scotia universities, have long helped neophyte winemakers identify the right micro-climates and the proper soils for producing grapes. In fact, grape-growing and wine-making are both knowledge industries of the first rank.
Understanding our soils and our climate were essential to the development of Nova Scotia’s ice wines, which have won awards nationally and globally.
Some of the province’s vintners have also earned their own appellation — Tidal Bay — for a distinct Nova Scotia white wine. (Think freshness, crispness and minerality.)
Travel writers and foodies are taking notice, too.
Lonely Planet praised the “boutique” wine-growing area along the Northumberland Strait, and named the Annapolis Valley one of its top travel destinations in 2012, based partially on the quality of its wines.
In short, wine is an industry that’s worthy of the modest government investment announced this week. Nova Scotians can raise a glass to the success of this industry.
Nova Scotia’s cool valleys, acidic soil provide unexpected haven for winemakers
THE CANADIAN PRESS
HALIFAX — Past the rocky, ocean-battered coastline of Nova Scotia is an unlikely tale of success: a burgeoning wine industry producing palate-pleasers that connoisseurs say can rival what Champagne, France has to offer.
Winemakers in the lush heartland of Nova Scotia’s wine industry, the Annapolis Valley, are embracing what might appear as an impossible set of conditions — cool temperatures and rocky, acidic soil — to create awardwinning white and sparkling wines that are capturing international attention.
“There’s this cardinal rule that basically dictates a great wine always has the ability to highlight the strengths of where it comes from," says Benjamin Bridge winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, who left the sun and surf of California in 2008 for Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau River.
One of about 20 Nova Scotia wineries, Benjamin Bridge is the only Nova Scotia brand selling bubblies throughout Canada. Its claim to fame is Nova 7, a pale, refreshing spritz made from grapes grown along the Bay of Fundy.
Deslauriers says part of Nova Scotia’s strength lies in its long grape-growing season where unspoiled vines can be plucked into November, allowing the fruit to retain its freshness at a moderate sugar content.
The province’s other strength is a collection of keen winemakers and proponents working behind the scenes to grow the industry, which the government said boasted sales of $15.4 million last year.
On Tuesday, Nova Scotia and Ottawa announced $487,960 over two years for a new wine research lab in the heart of the valley at Acadia University in Wolfville. The lab is meant to be a hub for food scientists, dietitians, biochemists, plant physiologists and producers of food and beverages as the province looks to make a bigger impact.
Making wine in Nova Scotia is a “high-risk, high-reward dynamic," says Deslauriers, a Quebec native who has also worked in Chile.
“We end up being somewhat of a specialized wine region much like some of the regions in Europe that are either really high in the Alps or in the northern parts of France and Germany."
Toronto wine critic Tony Aspler says the province’s wineries excel in sparkling wines and aromatic whites. Reds, however, “are more problematic in that climate."
That hasn’t stopped Nova Scotia wineries from dabbling in reds and learning what does and doesn’t work.
Gillian Mainguy of the Winery Association of Nova Scotia says early generation winemakers tried to compensate for the grapes they could grow during warm summers and long falls by producing wines that “were just way too sweet."
“It’s not unlike what both Ontario and British Columbia went through," says Mainguy, citing Ontario’s oft-ridiculed Baby Duck as an example. The sweet, sparkling, low-alcohol wine was popular in the 1970s but snubbed by connoisseurs.
She says a noticeable shift came in the early 2000s with the hiring of experienced winemakers who understood the terroir — a combination of climate, soil and terrain.
“We are making world class sparkling wines and aromatic whites that outside of a few other places in the world — Champagne, France and in the United Kingdom — can’t be rivalled anywhere else," she says.
Roger Dial is widely considered the founding father of Nova Scotia’s wine industry, having established what would become the Domaine de Grand Pre winery between the late 1970s and early 1980s.
There were “lots of doubters" in those early days, says Dial, who had previously owned a winery in California.
“We have some wonderful, huge assets now that we didn’t have back in the ‘80s and the ‘90s and that’s in the form of young, professional winemakers who are absolutely dedicated, not just to the profession and the craft, but to the place," he says.
“They want to be here, making history."
Many in the business agree a turning point came in 2012 with the creation of Nova Scotia’s very first appellation — a kind of geographic recipe. Known as Tidal Bay, it is a crisp white wine meant to accentuate the region’s cuisine, particularly seafood.
Using specific grape varieties, including 100 per cent Nova Scotia- grown grapes, a dozen wineries are producing a 2015 vintage of Tidal Bay under a strict set of standards that must be approved by an blind, independent tasting panel. Balancing the high acidity of the soil with residual sugars, Tidal Bay leaves “a nice pucker," says Mainguy.
Aspler says Nova Scotia’s wineries have shown a level of cooperation unseen anywhere else in Canada.
“To create something that could be marketed as a Nova Scotia wine, that would embrace all the wineries who want to participate, it’s a really interesting concept," he says.
Carl Sparkes, president of Jost Wineries of Malagash — the largest and longest-operating winery in Atlantic Canada — says it’s not surprising that the industry in Nova Scotia is tight knit.
“I think we are mostly farmers at heart and therefore behave through similar values," he says. “Farmers will always be there to help out a neighbour, but are not without their bickering. All in all, though, I think everyone wants to see the industry grow and prosper.
Lightfoot & Wolfville vineyard will be one of many affected by Ottawa’s announcement on Tuesday.
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Halifax drone maker SkySquirrel lands $1M
THE CHRONICLE HERALD Published April 1, 2016 - 8:17pm
SkySquirrel attracts investment from both private, public backers
Stephane Sogne, right, examines a SkySquirrel prototype in the company’s Inverness office in 2014.
Halifax drone firm SkySquirrel Technologies has closed a $1 million investment round from public and private backers.
The Hammonds Plains-based company, whose drones are used to inspect vineyards around the world, secured $500,000 from provincial venture capital agency Innovacorp and the same amount again from an undisclosed Ontario investor.
CEO and co-founder Richard van der Put told the Chronicle Herald that he planned to use the money this year to launch the next generation of drones, which will sport an improved infrared camera with four sensors able to better detect specific grape diseases and help farmers improve growing conditions.
“We’ll also be able to hit the gas on pursuing new customers in the U.S and Europe,” he said.
He said that while the company was unlikely to turn a profit for at least another year, SkySquirrel had hit its 2015 revenue target.
Founded in Cape Breton four years ago, SkySquirrel has seen its drones deployed in Canada, France, Spain, Switzerland, Chile and China.
The company, which employs eight full-timers, said its technology is similar to that used by NASA to detect water on Mars. Its drones take as many as 500 images during a single flight.
“Our clients send the images to us via the cloud and we combine them into a map,” said van der Put, an engineer who moved to Nova Scotia from the Netherlands in 2010.
“Then we use a specialized image algorithm that allows us to assess crop health. With the help of GPS positioning on their mobile devices, farmers can see where they are currently in the field and correlate that with the analysis — to pinpoint areas of concern,” he said.
Van der Put said one client managed to reduce water usage by one-third, while the technology has proven 97 per cent effective at detecting diseases like Flavesence Dorée, which mainly affects European vineyards.
It also picks up leafroll — a disease that can destroy 30 per cent to 50 per cent of a vineyard’s crop.
Treasury Board of Canada president Scott Brison chats
with Dr. Anthony Tong at Acadia University March 29 about the new wine lab.
WOLFVILLE - Nova
Scotia's growing wine industry won’t have to wait for laboratory results from
Quebec and Ontario in a few months.
The industry will
benefit from a new research lab at Acadia University in Wolfville thanks to
funding announced March 29 from the provincial and federal governments.
"Nova
Scotia's wine industry has potential for tremendous growth that will lead to
more jobs and more exports and our goal is to assist it where we can,"
said Premier Stephen McNeil.
"It's
important to have quality lab services, especially as we look to the future of
export," he said, speaking of the need to bring home research and
development.
McNeil, Treasury
Board of Canada president Scott Brison and Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell
joined Acadia president Ray Ivany and Stewart Creaser from the Wine Development
Board to announce an investment of $487,960.
"Canada is an
emerging player in the global wine market and is already recognized as a world
leader in the production of ice wines," said Brison. "This investment
will support the wine industry in Atlantic Canada, leading to future growth."
Brison called the
grape growing and wine making the fastest growing agricultural industry in Nova
Scotia.
“With the climate
and soil of this province,” he noted, “we have the potential to go to a whole
new level.
According to
Brison, not enough grapes are being produced in Nova Scotia. He called for
specific immigration programs for European countries where wine has a long
history and more efforts to marry to wine industry to tourism.
"This new lab
will allow us to contribute even more to the award-winning wine and agri-food
industries in our region," said Ivany.
"We are
pleased to have this new capacity at Acadia for the benefit of our industry
partners and our faculty and students performing research in this field.,"
Ivany said of the collaboration that led to the lab’s approval.
The Acadia
president called the Annapolis Valley the third great grape growing region in
Canada and “we’ve got to extract its maximum potential.”
The joint
financial contribution over two years is being channeled through the Growing
Forward 2 program. Growing Forward 2 is a five-year framework agreement for
agriculture, which is cost-shared 60-40 between the federal and provincial
governments.
"Having
access to lab facilities here in Nova Scotia has been identified as a priority
by the Nova Scotia Wine Development Board," said Colwell. "They know
this will help to build knowledge and expertise right here that can help the
industry grow."
Winery owners
Hanspeter Stutz and Pete Luckett were pleased by the partnership that stretches
from Ottawa to Halifax and over to Wolfville.
“It’s very
exciting,” said Luckett, “this is a giant step toward the future production of
world class wine.”
The lab, run by
Dr. Anthony Tong, will be located in the chemistry building, Elliott Hall. It
will be used for both academic research and industry collaboration and is
scheduled to open in June or July.
Did you know?
There are 23
wineries and 94 grape producers in Nova Scotia and the industry accounts for
$7.3 million in wages annually. Wineries are important to tourism with 100,000
visitors to winery properties in 2014.
Nova Scotia's
wineries produce about one million litres of wine annually and had sales of
$15.4 million in 2015.
CANADA- NOVA SCOTIA- HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS- A BIT OF HISTORY
OF NOVA SCOTIA - 1500s onwards /NELSON MANDELA Canadian Citizen loved our
Canada and the 1960s Bill of Rights /First
Peoples-Mi'kmaq/Acadians/Gaelic.../Crimean War/Segregated Schools Nova Scotia
For an account of this event, see: History of Nova Scotia Book #1: Acadia, by Peter Landry
Part 1, Early Settlement & Baronial Battles: 1605-90 Chapter 8 — The Battling Barons of Acadia
http://www.blupete.com/Hist/NovaScotiaBk1/Part1/Ch08.htm
Probably, never before, was the future so
promising. The necessary ... expulsion of the Acadians) and
augmented by the. Loyalists ... Nova Scotia School of Agriculture,
then a faculty of the Normal .... grapes are grown only to a limited
extent.
USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) pays a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her crew lined .... Here, two days before entering the harbour at Sydney, Australia, her crew stands to .... It looks to be formed by the purple-shirted members (called Grapes) of the ..... The French Acadians, having been expelled from the Canadian Maritime ...
Jan 30, 2014 ... Poutines râpées, for example,
were our gateway into the Acadian culture. ... settled in various
parts of what is now New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. ... and peaceful
community, were eventually expelled by the British. ... Yes, that's
right, the Acadians were onto this whole sweet/savoury combo long before ...
-----------
QUOTE:
THE ACADIANS.--These people, perhaps, outnumbered any other one branch of the
early settlers of Iberia parish; therefore everything pertaining to them will
be found of interest to the general reader. The following newspaper article
contains some interesting historical facts of the early Acadians:
"The province of Acadia, in the peninsula of Nova Scotia, was ceded by France
to England in 1713. The inhabitants, however, continued to expect and ,desire
reunion with France. In 1755 an expedition was fitted out in Massachusetts,
and sailed for Nova Scotia, May 20 of that year, under the command of Gen.
Moncton, and landed in June, and soon conquered the whole of the peninsula.
The Acadians doubtless sympathized with their countrymen of French descent,
and gained thereby the enmity of the British governor, who required every one
of them to take the oath of allegiance to the British crown, and at the same
time renounce allegiance to France. This the Acadians refused to do. The
British general then ordered them to instantly go oil board the British ships
and be transported to other climes. They were driven at the point of the
bayonet from their homes, and transported in British ships to Louisiana, which
then belonged to France, settled along the coast, the bayous, rivers and lakes
of Southwest Louisiana. In the hurry of embarkation, friends and relatives
were separated, and never saw each other again until they found each other in
their new home; and perhaps some were never united again on earth.
The story of 'Evangeline,' by Longfellow, was true as to its main features.
Last summer we were shown the tree under which Evangeline is said to have
rested while she was engaged in hunting for her lover. It stands upon the
banks of the beautiful Teche, and forms part of a picturesque grove of live-
oaks. The Acadians, who were brought to this country against their wills,
were descendants of French people, who emigrated from France in the
seventeenth century. Their education, opinions and principles where
provincial rather than French, by reason of their long absence from the Mother
country. Hence they brought with them to Louisiana ideas and habits formed
after the provincial pattern. Being so different in many respects from those
inhabitants of Louisiana who came to this country direct from France, they did
not mingle with them to any considerable extent, but formed communities of
their own, and lived a quiet, peaceful, and uneventful life. The name
Acadians, by which they were first known, was soon contracted or corrupted
into the term 'Cajan,' by which they are frequently known. For some reason
unknown to us many of these people object to the name Cajan. There is
certainly no disgrace in being a descendant of the innocent people who were
driven from their homes in Acadia and settled in this country; and we can see
no reason for being ashamed of the name, or of its contracted form, Cajan.
The Acadians who are still in this region are a quiet, hospitable and
accommodating people. They are entirely distinct from the descendants of
those who came to this country directly from France; but they have some of the
French characteristics, among which are politeness, vivacity, hospitality,
etc. Their educational opportunities being very meagre, many of them are
uneducated; but they show commendable zeal in availing themselves of the
improved and increasing facilities for educational advantages. They also
readily adopt the new methods and new machinery introduced by the Northern
immigration of the last few years, and are rapidly accumulating wealth and
increasing in intelligence.
These vines produce a bountiful crop of grapes every year. ..... Next came the Acadians, descendants of the French, who had long before settled in the ... The story of their expulsion from Nova Scotia by the English is~ already told in the ...
Nov 8, 2011 ... ... for 200 years to the French Acadians
before being unceremoniously ... Some of these Acadians wound up
in Louisiana where they became ... a unique pleasure to encounter these
"cold weather" grape vineyards and taste their wines. ...
Sydney, Nova Scotia, (not on the list) was our first port-of-call
after ...
... began deporting all of the French-speaking settlers
of the area in the first expulsion of the Acadians. ... The
Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia ... Eight different grape
varietals grow on thirty-five acres of hillside that provides the ... A
horrific storm blew the Hector off course before a safe landing at
Pictou in Nova.
---------
----
'I cried at the beauty of the land they lost': Archaeological dig connects Acadian descendants to tragic past
The first thing Clara Darbonne did when her car reached the Nova Scotia border was to ask the driver to stop, so she could kiss the ground.
Within hours, she was touching history, joining an archaeological dig to explore the remains of an Acadian homestead in what was known as Village Thibodeau before its inhabitants were forcibly ejected by the British two and a half centuries ago.
“I wanted to put my feet on the soil that my ancestors walked on,” the 75-year-old from the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun Country says in a soft voice, her face beaming. “I was so happy.”
I wanted to put my feet on the soil that my ancestors walked on
But, she adds, there was sadness as well. “I cried at the beauty of the land that they lost.”
That soil still clings to her latex gloves as she takes a break from helping to excavate a farmer’s field near Windsor, N.S. The archaeological dig is giving Ms. Darbonne and other descendants of the Acadians, early French-speaking settlers deported from the province in the 1750s, a rare opportunity to connect with their family’s tragic past.
About 30 members of the Thibodeau clan converged on the Shaw farm from as far away as Florida, Louisiana and California last month.
“I feel like it’s a chance of a lifetime, to be here, finding, seeing, touching articles from ancestors, personal items that they’ve used in their lives,” said Stephen Thibodeau, a computer systems engineer from Santa Rosa in California’s Sonoma Valley, as he photographed an array of buttons, rusted nails, shards of china and other treasures coaxed from the ground.
The invitation came from archeologist Sara Beanlands, whose family has farmed the rolling fields overlooking the muddy St. Croix River, about 45 minutes’ drive northwest of Halifax, for seven generations. The 160–hectare spread is now split between her uncles, David and Allen Shaw.
Incredibly, only two families have lived on the property since Pierre Thibodeau arrived in 1690: the Thibodeaus, until the 1755 expulsion by British forces scattered them and thousands of others to seaports in the American colonies to the south; and the Shaws, descendants of New England planters who settled the Acadians’ vacant lands.
Ms. Beanlands has been eager to explore the site for almost a decade, to confirm family stories an Acadian home was still standing on this spot when the Shaws arrived from Rhode Island in 1760.
She suspects her ancestors expanded the building and lived there for many decades before it was moved uphill and became a barn. It was still standing in the 1980s — she remembers playing inside as a child.
“When you think about the long history between the Thibodeaus and the Shaws, it’s quite fitting that at some point we actually lived in the same home,” she says.
This land — and, if she’s right, the remains of a single farmhouse — gives two families and two cultures a shared history that spans more than three centuries.
“I didn’t want to do [the dig] without them because everything that happens here, it’s a shared experience,” adds the 41-year-old bundle of enthusiasm.
“I wanted to come for so long,” says Sister Yvonne Thibodeau, 77, of Tracadie, N.B., a former nurse, as she wields a V-bladed trowel to scrape away soil from a line of foundation stones.
“We’re so grateful to the Shaw family to be able to get on their land.”
Tears glisten in her friend Gisèle Lavoilette’s eyes as she puts her feelings into words.
“It’s like you lost someone and, just by doing this, you’re kind of getting them back,” says the retired teacher from Charlo, N.B., whose Thibodeau ancestors escaped deportation and fled to Quebec, where disease thinned their ranks.
“Just by touching the dirt, it’s like saying, ‘You existed, and we’re sorry it happened and we’re trying to get you back on the map.’ ”
And it was a map — a crude rendering of the area drawn the year after the expulsion — that linked the Thibodeaus to this spot. It shows a cluster of houses identified as “Vil. Tibodeau” at a bend in the river.
The sketch led Dick Thibodeau from his home in Kennebunk, Me., to the Shaw farm in the 1980s. Ms. Beanlands, then a teenager, learned of his visit many years later and, together, they have documented the history of the land.
An impromptu gathering of about 150 Thibodeau descendants here in the summer of 2004, when Nova Scotia hosted the World Acadian Congress, cemented ties between the families.
“It’s a little bit overwhelming,” admits Dick Thibodeau, now 79. “Here we are, back together, on the land of our ancestors.”
Distant relations from Pine Hill, Me., Katy, Tex., and Melbourne, Fla., huddle over a patchwork of rectangular trenches on a sunny afternoon. They work with the giddiness of children, teasing one another and shouting with joy each time a new artifact comes to light.
Dick Thibodeau’s ancestor, Alexis, lived here and was deported to Pennsylvania, where many exiles died of disease or hunger; his branch of the family wound up in Quebec before settling in Maine.
While other Thibodeaus who joined the dig have no direct connection to the site, they feel the same emotional attachment.
Don Thibodeaux, a former accountant from Baton Rouge, La., (Cajuns — Acadians who migrated to Louisiana after the deportation — add an “x” to the surname), traced his line to a spot near Moncton, N.B., only to discover it’s now a bowling alley parking lot.
Hopefully this site will be remembered as an Acadian site
“So this is my land,” explains the lanky 73-year-old. “Hopefully this site will be remembered as an Acadian site down in history, so future generations can enjoy their heritage.”
The goal of Ms. Beanlands’ work this summer is to flesh out that history. Professional archeologists are overseeing the Thibodeau volunteers for the week-long family portion of the dig, and every artifact will be catalogued, studied and preserved. Some are destined for a display case at the nearby Avon River Heritage Museum.
Jonathan Fowler, a specialist in Acadian archeology, says fragments of china and other objects found so far date to the mid-18th century, and most are likely from the Planter era. But the site has also yielded tell-tale chunks of hardened clay mixed with grass. Rob Ferguson, a retired Parks Canada archeologist helping with the dig, says Acadians used the material to insulate the walls of their homes.
More artifacts from the earlier Thibodeau occupation should be found as digging progresses. They promise a better understanding of the Acadians, who left few written records, and their lost world.
“This kind of research fills in the gaps,” notes Mr. Fowler, a professor at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
“The stories that come out of the ground … can really change the way we see history.”
Some Thibodeaus spent a day or two at the dig before moving on to look up relatives and friends or to visit other Acadian sites.
The stories that come out of the ground … can really change the way we see history
Ms. Darbonne, who wore a blue and white bonnet hand-sewn by her mother, a Thibodeaux, as she searched for artifacts, stayed only one day so she could make the most of her first Nova Scotia visit. Others lingered, eager to see what would emerge as their trowels probed deeper into their family’s history.
Theresa Hebert Cronan, a retired college professor and granddaughter of a Thibodeaux, made the trip from Fayetteville, Ark., after learning of the dig from a message posted online. She was startled to meet Louis Mier, who hails from her hometown of Rayne, La., for the first time. She was even more surprised to discover his nephew is married to her niece.
Her first day as an archeologist netted a nail, two fragments of animal bone, a few shards of china — and something else.
“I found a lot of companionship,” she said. National Post
Nova Scotia: A small province that's big on adventure, culture and indulgence
With river rapids, fine wines, fresh seafood and a fascinating history to explore, you can pack a lot in to a trip, says Sarah Barrell
This had better be good. It's 30C and I'm wearing a boiler suit, a
life jacket and a pair of battered trainers that, if they have seen
better days, those days were a long time ago. As I slide down the muddy
banks of Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie River, a tidemark of thick red clay
is oozing steadily up my legs. Along with sounding somewhat
scatological, brown-water rafting so far lacks the cool factor of its
white-water counterpart. But I'm willing to give it a go. The "Shubie"
opens on to the Bay of Fundy, home to the world's highest recorded tides
which, in about 15 minutes, will funnel a bore wave down the river's
narrow channel at about 18 miles an hour.
Shubenacadie in the
local First Nation's Mi'kmaq language translates as "place where wild
potatoes grow", and as the Zodiac chugs out of the Tidal Bore Rafting
Park past brown banks, brown sand bars and brown clay cliffs,
high-octane thrills seem a distant promise. Less prosaic is local
Mi'kmaq legend, which tells how the river illustrates just how deeply
the earth inhales and exhales, twice a day. Our skipper, Amber, is
reverent about this tidal respiration. "I love brown water! It's so much
more unpredictable than white rapids." Amber hears the rumbling of the
wave long before we see it and guns the boat towards the head of the
bore, which we bump over like a sleeping policeman. I begin to wonder
what all the fuss is about.
Seconds later we plough into the
oncoming swell and it's abundantly clear what the fuss is. I'm making
much of it, although only after swallowing a face-full of salty water do
I realise I'm screaming. Ten feet high chocolate pudding waves are
pounding down on the boat's seven passengers, leaving us waist-high in
water that threatens to float us overboard. We're drenched,
disorientated and grinning like demons. For the next hour, Amber
expertly rolls us into the oncoming waves and, having released our inner
child, ends the ride at the steep banks of a muddy creek where we
belly-slide into the water and chuck handfuls of sludge at one another.
The buzz, and the muddy residue, lasts all day but once back on land,
amid the serenity of the Annapolis Valley's farms and orchards, I begin
to see just how varied Canada's second-smallest province is.
From
whale-rich waters and Celtic villages in the northern highlands of Nova
Scotia to the vibrant, even edgy, culture of its capital, Halifax, down
to the blond sand beaches of the south, this Atlantic province is
culturally hard to pin down. Around Fundy Bay, marshland and mudflats
recall the Suffolk coast, albeit on a giant New World scale. Inland
among the Annapolis Valley's clapboard houses, apple orchards and corn
silos, I could be in New England. Indeed, Boston is just a day's drive
away and the province often doubles for America's East Coast in movie
shoots. Yet in many ways it could not be more Canadian. In the Annapolis
town of Windsor, ice hockey was born on a frozen pond behind the
country's oldest private school. Quirky sports abound here.
Billboard posters flanking the town's maple-shaded pavements advertise a
Thanksgiving river boat race, a root vegetable regatta with craft
carved out of giant pumpkins.
Pumpkins aren't the only things to
thrive in Nova Scotia. On the same latitude as Bordeaux, the province
also produces award-winning wines. Most of its vineyards are
concentrated in the Annapolis Valley. At Domaine de Grand Pré, a
vineyard fêted for wines made from the local acadie grape, I stop for a
tasting. "Historically, Nova Scotians are rum drinkers," says vintner
Hanspeter Stutz. "It comes from a maritime tradition – all that trade
with the Caribbean. When I came here in the 1990s, Canada was known for
ice wine, but things are changing fast." I try everything from big reds
and a refined sparkling, to award-winning whites such as Tidal Bay and
l'Acadie Blanc, the latter perfect with local scallops, according to
Hans.
Seafood is something Nova Scotia truly excels at. Just north
of wine country, at Hall's Harbour, rolling agricultural landscape
gives way to an expanse of blue; sea and sky spiked with fishing boat
spinnakers. At the Lobster Pound, I select a wriggling crustacean from a
rudimentary tank, which is promptly cooked to order and served on the
dockside deck. Before I tuck into the modest half-pounder – the Bay of
Fundy lobsters often reach 6lb – Lowell, my waiter, demonstrates how to
stroke a lobster to sleep. He wakes the creature to have it crack muscle
shells like an overzealous castanet player: dinner and a show. From the
terrace of this sunny restaurant life appears pretty laid back. But the
job of a fisherman, while potentially lucrative, is still tough.
"Licences
for lobster traps don't come cheap: 100 traps cost C$10,000 [£6,666],"
says Lowell. "Add fuel and labour ... you have to be out there every
minute the weather allows."
In season, a fisherman's family sees
very little of them for months on end. Or, as many of the local history
books in the Pound's shop attest, they're never seen again. Along with
big tides come big storms and treacherous conditions. It was off the
coast of Nova Scotia that Titanic went down. The province played a big
part in the recovery of the ship's victims, the moving details of which
can be uncovered in the museums and graveyards of Halifax. But Nova
Scotia's maritime heritage dates back to long before this fated ocean
liner set sail. As early as the 17th century, its ports were gateways to
the New World.
Twenty minutes east, at Grand Pré I explore the
undulating coastline landscaped by French settlers in the 1600s. Then,
Nova Scotia was part of Acadia or "Acadie", a region of New France that
stretched from modern-day Québec through the Atlantic provinces to
Maine. Nova Scotia's Acadians were ingenious agriculturalists, building a
vast network of mud-bank dykes to reclaim the saltwater marshes and
transform the land from bog to breadbasket. During the Seven Years War,
the final battle in a century-long fight between the English and the
French for dominance in North America, Acadians were forcibly removed
from their promised land by the English. This summer, Grand Pré Historic
National Historic site won Unesco World Heritage designation for its
significance to Acadian culture.
The lively onsite museum tells
the story behind the expulsion of some 10,000 Acadians in the late
1700s, harrowing tales of families separated for a lifetime over
something as arbitrary as how many people the English forces could cram
on to their ships. In the grounds, visitors gather around a statue of
Evangeline, the heroine of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem. This
emigration epic tells the tale of young Evangeline going in search of
her lost lover, Gabriel. It encouraged a rare sense of identity across
disparate Acadian cultures; many had migrated as far south as Louisiana,
giving birth to America's Cajun culture (the term "Cajun" a derivation
of Acadian).
At Trout Point Lodge, a luxury wilderness retreat in
the forests of southern Nova Scotia, I meet a group that made the
reverse journey. Daniel Abel, Charles Leary and Vaughn Perret have come
from Louisiana to "Acadia" driven by a desire to bridge the two cultures
and their cuisines. An organic farmer, cookbook writer and
restaurateur, this trio represent three of only a handful of Americans
who are members of the French Cheesemakers' Guild. Their commitment to
culinary cultural exchange is putting Trout Point Lodge on the map for
gourmet tourists. I take a tour of the property's smokehouses where
local fish is cured in fragrant spruce. In the vegetable gardens native
staples such as blue potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes thrive before
being transformed with Cajun spices in the kitchens.
After an
indulgent five-course supper we grab torches and head to the river's
landing deck to stargaze under the guidance of Michael Holland, Trout
Point's resident astronomist and a local astrophysics student. The
surrounding Kejimkujik National Park became a Dark Sky Preserve in 2010
and we are treated to a black canopy, pebble-dashed with dense sprays of
stars, momentarily lit by the faintest glow of the Aurora Borealis on
the horizon. The following morning brings more natural wonders. Set on
the confluence of two boulder-strewn rivers, the lodge offers misty dawn
swims in an expanse of silky, peat-tinted water. I watch the sun rise
over old-growth Atlantic forest before warming up in the outdoor hot tub
and barrel sauna.
Later that morning, I make my way deeper into
the heart of "Keji", along the narrow, forest-fringed channels of the
Mersey River. In a couple of weeks' time, this red maple flood plain
will be ablaze with autumn colours. For now I'm content with the
forest's greens perfectly reflected in the "Mersey Tea", the same deep
tannin-stained waters found at Trout Point. A great blue heron sails up
out of the tall grass, hanging above us like a child's kite. "Nova
Scotia is a flyway for the great bird migration," says our park guide,
Paul Lalonde. The park is home to exotic species such as snowy owls, as
well as local ones including black bear, white-tailed deer, beavers and
muskrat.
I'm hoping for a sighting of Canada's most elusive
mammal, and once we cross the Canso Causeway into Nova Scotia's northern
highlands I'm granted just that. The Atlantic almost entirely surrounds
this province, but for the narrow isthmus where it joins New Brunswick.
It feels nowhere more castaway than Cape Breton. Here place names are
Celtic (Scottish immigration dates back to 1622), and vast pods of
migrating whales skirt the shore. On the Skyline Trail, one of 26 hiking
routes through the boreal forest of Cape Breton Highlands National
Park, I'm treated to a sighting of moose: mother and calf calling
through the trees with a distinctive sound that's part "moo", part old
man's cough.
After nearly two decades of travels to Canada, this
is my first wild moose sighting. The fact that it's in the scrubland
near the car park only adds to my glee; at the end of a three-hour hike,
I'd given up hope. But surprise is something I'm coming to expect of
Nova Scotia. This is a place where a visit to McDonald's is something of
a gourmet experience (the McLobster sandwich is packed with fresh
crustacean), and though it's just a five-hour flight from the UK, its
landscape could not be more New World-exotic.
I spend my final
night in Halifax, head filled with Titanic history brought to life in
the superb Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, home to one of the world's
largest and finest permanent collections of artefacts from the ship. In
the hype surrounding 2012's Titanic centenary, Nova Scotia has become
synonymous with the sinking – but for travellers that get beyond the
capital, the province offers so much more. Travel essentials Getting there
Sarah Barrell travelled with Bridge & Wickers (020-7386 4610; bridgeandwickers.co.uk)
which can arrange one-week fly-drive packages to Nova Scotia from
£1,695 per person, including return Air Canada flights from Heathrow to
Halifax, seven nights’ accommodation and car hire. A two-week fly-drive
itinerary costs from £2,580 per person. Staying and visiting there
Trout Point Lodge (001 902 761 2142; troutpoint.com) has doubles from C$185 (£120), room only. Tidal bore rafting (001 800 5657 238; raftingcanada.ca) costs from C$69 (£45) per person for a two hour trip. More information
Canada Tourism Commission: uk.canada.travel
We had gone there before; always arriving in
taxi, we had left once on foot, trekking .... Trout Point Lodge hosts the
summer and fall Nova Scotia Seafood Cooking School ... covering Acadian,
Creole, and Cajun styles along with the fundamentals of .... to fore in
Granada, born from the carmen after the expulsion of the Moors.
----------------------
Blogged:
Kentville Farm Markets-Nova Scotia Farm Markets, Kentville Library,
LIBRARIES AND BEAUTY- Nova Scotia-Garden hints and resolution for new growing
year/Kentville Farmer's Market- Annapolis Valley/RE-LOVED
Jewellry-EmilyLynnFisher/ Kentville Library-Annapolis Valley Regional
Library... do not stick us in abasement whilst u fight over new quarters...some
of us won't live to see it if u do this- Pls Town/County- do better /OPEN ARMS
- Kentville Feb. 20th- Coldest Night of the year Walk and fundraiser-please sign
up and/or walk roll those chairs for homeless and hurting
NOVA SCOTIA- The Order of Good Cheer 400 years celebrating booze
and food -Canada's First Cooks and Recipes (First Peoples)/ Celebrating Nova
Scotia Peoples history-First Immigrants /Celebrating our Mi'kmaq historical
culture/Come visit getcha Nova Scotia Canada on/CANADA students youngbloods-
getcha Canada history on /Canada's First Order of Good Cheer Trail visiting
history, wineries, breweries and fun- bring your kids and grannies 2
Nova Scotia’s cool valleys, acidic soil provide unexpected haven for winemakers
THE CANADIAN PRESS
HALIFAX —
Past the rocky, ocean-battered coastline of Nova Scotia is an unlikely
tale of success: a burgeoning wine industry producing palate-pleasers
that connoisseurs say can rival what Champagne, France has to offer.
Winemakers in the lush heartland of Nova Scotia’s wine industry, the
Annapolis Valley, are embracing what might appear as an impossible set
of conditions — cool temperatures and rocky, acidic soil — to create
awardwinning white and sparkling wines that are capturing international
attention.
“There’s this cardinal rule that basically
dictates a great wine always has the ability to highlight the strengths
of where it comes from," says Benjamin Bridge winemaker Jean-Benoit
Deslauriers, who left the sun and surf of California in 2008 for Nova
Scotia’s Gaspereau River.
One of about 20 Nova Scotia
wineries, Benjamin Bridge is the only Nova Scotia brand selling bubblies
throughout Canada. Its claim to fame is Nova 7, a pale, refreshing
spritz made from grapes grown along the Bay of Fundy.
Deslauriers says part of Nova Scotia’s strength lies in its long
grape-growing season where unspoiled vines can be plucked into November,
allowing the fruit to retain its freshness at a moderate sugar
content.
The province’s other strength is a collection of keen
winemakers and proponents working behind the scenes to grow the
industry, which the government said boasted sales of $15.4 million last
year.
On Tuesday, Nova Scotia and Ottawa announced $487,960
over two years for a new wine research lab in the heart of the valley at
Acadia University in Wolfville. The lab is meant to be a hub for food
scientists, dietitians, biochemists, plant physiologists and producers
of food and beverages as the province looks to make a bigger impact.
Making wine in Nova Scotia is a “high-risk, high-reward dynamic," says Deslauriers, a Quebec native who has also worked in Chile.
“We end up being somewhat of a specialized wine region much like some
of the regions in Europe that are either really high in the Alps or in
the northern parts of France and Germany."
Toronto wine critic
Tony Aspler says the province’s wineries excel in sparkling wines and
aromatic whites. Reds, however, “are more problematic in that climate."
That hasn’t stopped Nova Scotia wineries from dabbling in reds and learning what does and doesn’t work.
Gillian Mainguy of the Winery Association of Nova Scotia says early
generation winemakers tried to compensate for the grapes they could grow
during warm summers and long falls by producing wines that “were just
way too sweet."
“It’s not unlike what both Ontario and British
Columbia went through," says Mainguy, citing Ontario’s oft-ridiculed
Baby Duck as an example. The sweet, sparkling, low-alcohol wine was
popular in the 1970s but snubbed by connoisseurs.
She says a noticeable shift came in the early 2000s with the hiring of
experienced winemakers who understood the terroir — a combination of
climate, soil and terrain.
“We are making world class sparkling
wines and aromatic whites that outside of a few other places in the
world — Champagne, France and in the United Kingdom — can’t be rivalled
anywhere else," she says.
Roger Dial is widely considered
the founding father of Nova Scotia’s wine industry, having established
what would become the Domaine de Grand Pre winery between the late
1970s and early 1980s.
There were “lots of doubters" in those early days, says Dial, who had previously owned a winery in California.
“We have some wonderful, huge assets now that we didn’t have back in
the ‘80s and the ‘90s and that’s in the form of young, professional
winemakers who are absolutely dedicated, not just to the profession and
the craft, but to the place," he says.
“They want to be here, making history."
Many in the business agree a turning point came in 2012 with the
creation of Nova Scotia’s very first appellation — a kind of geographic
recipe. Known as Tidal Bay, it is a crisp white wine meant to
accentuate the region’s cuisine, particularly seafood.
Using
specific grape varieties, including 100 per cent Nova Scotia- grown
grapes, a dozen wineries are producing a 2015 vintage of Tidal Bay
under a strict set of standards that must be approved by an blind,
independent tasting panel. Balancing the high acidity of the soil with
residual sugars, Tidal Bay leaves “a nice pucker," says Mainguy.
Aspler says Nova Scotia’s wineries have shown a level of cooperation unseen anywhere else in Canada.
“To create something that could be marketed as a Nova Scotia wine,
that would embrace all the wineries who want to participate, it’s a
really interesting concept," he says.
Carl Sparkes, president
of Jost Wineries of Malagash — the largest and longest-operating winery
in Atlantic Canada — says it’s not surprising that the industry in Nova
Scotia is tight knit.
“I think we are mostly farmers at heart
and therefore behave through similar values," he says. “Farmers will
always be there to help out a neighbour, but are not without their
bickering. All in all, though, I think everyone wants to see the
industry grow and prosper.
Lightfoot & Wolfville vineyard will be one of many affected by Ottawa’s announcement on Tuesday.
The tragic story behind Canada’s newest World Heritage Site
A place made of equal parts
persistent human enterprise and epic human devastation, the Acadian
settlement of Grand Pré is now using its fertile land to look to the
future.
By Darcy Rhyno
17 July 2013
It is the landscape that recently won this tiny Nova Scotia farming community a place on the prestigious Unesco World Heritage List. Grand Pré, North America’s most recently inscribed site, at first glance seems like little more than a picturesque patch of the Annapolis Valley on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. But there is far more here than so pleasantly meets the eye.
To get to this rural settlement, take Route 1, also known as the Evangeline Trail, 90km north from the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax. The road is named for the fictional character of Evangeline, immortalised in the epic poem Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie, published in 1847 by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The story follows an Acadian girl as she searches for her love Gabriel, following the deportation of their people from these lands.
The Acadians were settlers who arrived in what is now Atlantic Canada in 1682, most from Poitou, a coastal province of France. They settled on the lands around the Bay of Fundy, known then as Acadia and today as New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Marshland farming became the mainstay of the Acadian economy, with locals hand-digging dykes against some of the world’s highest tides, linking the island of North Grand Pré to the mainland and forming the east and west shores of the manmade peninsula.
A peaceful place dominated by fields of crops and farmsteads, today Grand Pré is home to small wineries and bustling restaurants. However, the main attraction is the Grand Pré National Historic Site, several acres of former farmland containing landmarks and monuments important to Acadian history. Start your exploration at the modern but unobtrusive visitor centre, where the epic story of the Acadians, their lives and their deportation is told. An epic history
For 73 years, the French settlers worked hard, building farms on land once covered in forest and sea – then the Arcadians got caught up in the struggle between England and France for control of North America. Because they would not swear allegiance to the British crown, in 1755 the British deported many Acadian settlements, with Grand Pré becoming the symbol for the region-wide extradition.
Over the next eight years, le Grand Dérangement, or Great Expulsion, saw some 11,500 Acadians shipped off across the Bay of Fundy to neighbouring New England, while British authorities confiscated their property, divided families and burned their crops and homes. En route, about a third died of disease and drowning. When peace returned in 1763, many Acadians left New England for destinations as far flung as the Caribbean, France and the southern United States, including Louisiana where they became known as the “Cajuns”, a derivative of the word “Acadian”. By the following year, the British allowed Acadians to return to Maritime Canada. Many did, settling in small groups across the region and founding what is today a string of French-speaking Acadian communities. Explore the land
While few Acadians live in contemporary Grand Pré, the area is full of references to its history. The fields are owned by descendants of the Acadians turned New Englanders, and the dykes are overseen as they have been for centuries, by the Marsh Body, a collective of farmers who apprise government of the need for upkeep and repair.
The most immersive way to explore these historic and fertile lands is by bicycle; bring your own or hire one from Freewheeling Adventures. The first stop is a statue of Longfellow’s heroine outside the visitor centre, forlornly gazing over her shoulder at the church behind her, an open-to-the public memorial with many commemorative works of art and fascinating artefacts, including a replica of the ledger that lists all who were deported.
The flat country roads that run east and west from the visitor centre lead to 9km of historic dykes, passing through fields of corn, oats, barley and alfalfa. These crops are planted on deep, fertile soil hard won from the sea. Hard-packed dirt trails line the tops of the dykes; you can imagine the hard-at-work settlers building them one shovelful of soil at a time and farming the land they claimed back from the bay. Flocks of thousands of shorebirds such as plovers and sanderlings fly in unison, swinging this way and that in waves over the mud flats, attracting birdwatchers in search of a late summer spectacle.
Another interesting route is along Grand Pré Road, an easy 3km cycle from the visitor centre across flat farmland and past farmhouses to Evangeline Beach. Several small roads with names like Plover Lane, Eagle Lane and Sandpiper Lane lead down to the brick-coloured sands. At low tide when the water recedes half a kilometre into the bay, the mud flats shimmer like frosted cakes and become an endless source of ammunition for good natured mud fights that erupt among groups of shrieking kids. A modern take
Grand Pré is not all about history. Within the past three decades, vintners have planted grapes on hills around the area, taking advantage of rich soil, a suitable microclimate and southern-facing slopes. Cycling along Route 1, stop off at the Muir Murray Estate Winery, which pays homage to the lore of Grand Pré with wine names such as 755 Reserve and Fundy Tide. The on-site restaurant, appropriately named the Perfect Blend, offers up local fare, including favourites such as seafood chowder and lobster rolls.
About 1km east along Route 1 is the award-winning Le Caveau Restaurant at the Domaine de Grand Pré winery, which specialises in grapes such as L’Acadie Blanc, developed for growing conditions like those in Nova Scotia. Now the grape of choice for winemaking in this region, the tart whites produced are comparable to a crisp chardonnay. The winery has quickly racked up a long list of award-winning vintages, taking gold at the 2012 All Canadian Wine Championships for Tidal Bay, a blend that includes L’Acadie Blanc and muscat. The result is a bright, fresh, full-bodied wine, which the vintner claims reflects the coastal breezes and the cool climate.
Another 1km east along Route 1 is the rustic Tangled Gardens, a herb and flower garden that specialises in chutneys, vinegars, liqueurs and jams as well as herb jellies with such inspired flavours as garlic rosemary or raspberry lavender. With a small onsite art gallery, this is a delightful place to stop and wander about, drinking in the aromas of the herbs and the whimsy of the artwork, some of it placed about the gardens. Next door is Just Us Coffee, the last stop along Route 1 before leaving Grand Pre. This unique coffee shop is Canada’s first fair trade coffee roaster, where you can learn about fair trade at the in-store interpretive museum, and try coffees from countries as diverse as Guatemala, Ethiopia, East Timor and Rwanda.
From the roastery, the road rises steeply back toward Halifax. Dismount and look back, perhaps longingly like the statue of Evangeline you can see down below. It is as if she is searching in vain for a bygone place and time made of equal parts persistent human enterprise and epic human tragedy.
Acadian Church
ACADIAN EXPULSION FROM NOVA SCOTIA:
July 28, 1755
The French authorities were well aware of the travesties the English could
inflict upon another race or culture. A report the French Governor and the
Intendent at Quebec had submitted in 1745, ten years before the Expulsion,
stated:
"We cannot imagine that they could entertain the idea of removing those
people [the
Acadians] in order to substitute Englishmen in their stead, unless desertion
of the
Indians would embolden them to adopt such a course, inhuman as it may be."
Though these French authorities could not imagine such an inhuman act, the
English could. The event made famous by the American poet Longfellow in his poem
"Evangeline" was soon under way. In early 1755 the Acadian Deputies were
summoned to Halifax by Governor Lawrence and ordered to swear an oath of
allegiance to the British Crown. They refused, contending, as they had with
Cornwallis in 1749, that if they did so the French would set the Indians against
them and they would be massacred.
The English lost no time in responding. On July 28, 1755 Lawrence got the
full approval of Nova Scotia's Colonial Council to start dispersing the Acadians
among the American Colonies. He sent Colonel Robert Monckton to Chignecto and
Chepody, Lieutenant Colonel John Winslow to Minas, Pisiquid, and Cobequid, and
Major John Handfield to Annapolis Royal to carry out the orders.
Colonel Robert Monckton rounded up the Acadians in Chignecto, while Colonel
John Winslow ordered those at Minas to assemble at Grand Pré. They were loaded
into the holds of ships and scattered to the four corners of the world. Families
were separated, never to see one another again, and untold numbers died in
transport. This included those who had sworn allegiance to the British Crown,
there were no exceptions.
The Mi'kmaq faithfully stuck by their Acadian allies to the bitter end. Some
of the Acadians tried to escape and were aided and protected by them to the best
of their ability. They also joined forces with them to drive back the British,
as was reported by the French Governor:
The British burned the Village, including the Church at Chipoudy and was
responded
to thus. Mr. Boishebert, at the head of 125 Indians and Acadians, overtook
them at
the River Pelkoudiak, attacked and fought them for three hours, and drove
them
vigorously back to their vessels. The English had 42 killed and 45 wounded.
Mr. Gorham, a very active English Officer, was among the number of the
wounded.
We lost 1 Indian, and had three others wounded.
Many Acadians went into hiding among the Mi'kmaq and remained with them until
the British and French ended their hostilities in 1763. A group of several
hundred were hidden by the Mi'kmaq in the area known today as Kejimkujik
National Park.. See the story of Jacques Morrice, the name the English used for
him, in We Were not the Savages for more details.
**********
Text: Charles Lawrence's Acadien expulsion
orders to Captain John Handfield
Halifax 11 August 1755
Instructions for Major Handfield, Commanding his Majesty's garrison of
Annapolis Royale in relation to the transportation of the Inhabitants of the
District of Annapolis River and other French Inhabitants out of the Province of
Nova Scotia.
Sir,
Having in my Letter of the 31st of July last made you acquainted with the
reasons which Induced His Majesty's Council to come to the Resolution of sending
away the French Inhabitants and clearing the whole Country of such bad subjects,
it only remains for me to give you the necessary orders for the putting in
practice what has been so solemnly determined.
That the Inhabitants may not have it in their power to return to this
Province nor to join in strengthening the French of Canada in Louisbourg; it is
resolved that they shall be dispersed among his Majesty's Colonies upon the
Continent of America.
For this purpose Transports are ordered to be sent from Boston to Annapolis
to ship on board one thousand persons reckoning two persons to a ton, and for
Chignecto, transports have been taken up here to carry off the Inhabitants of
that place; and for those of the District around Mines Bason Transports are in
from Boston. As Annapolis is the place where the last of the transports will
depart from, any of the vessels that may not receive their full compliment up
the Bay will be ordered there, and Colonel Winslow with his detachment will
follow by land and bring up what stragglers he may meet with to ship on board at
your place.
Upon the arrival of the vessels from Boston in the Bason of Annapolis as many
of the Inhabitants of Annapolis District as can be collected by any means,
particularly the heads of families and young men, are to be shipped on board of
them at the above rate of two persons to a ton, or as near it as possible. The
tonnage of the vessels to be ascertained by the charter partys, which the
masters will furnish you with an amount of.
And to give you all the ease possible respecting the victualling of these
transports, I have appointed Mr. George Sauls to act as agent Victualler upon
this occasion and have given him particular instructions for that purpose with a
copy of which he will furnish you upon his arrival at Annapolis Royale from
Chignecto with the provisions for victualling the whole transports; but in case
you should have shipped any of the Inhabitants before his arrival you will order
five pounds of flour and one pound of pork to be delivered to each person so
shipped to last for seven days and so until Mr. Saul's arrival, and it will be
replaced by him into the stores from what he has on board the provision vessel
for that purpose.
The destination of the Inhabitants of Annapolis River and of the transports
ordered to Annapolis Bason:
To be sent to Philadelphia such a number of vessels as will transport three
hundred persons.
To be sent to New York such a number of vessels as will transport two hundred
persons.
To be sent to Connecticut such a number of vessels / whereof the Sloop Dove,
Samuel Forbes, Master to be one / as will transport three hundred persons.
And To be sent to Boston such a number of vessels as will transport two
hundred persons, or rather more in proportion to the province of Connecticut,
should the number to be shipped off exceed one thousand persons.
When the people are embarked you will please to give the master of each
vessel one of the letters of which you will receive a number signed by me of
which you will address to the Governor of the Province or the Commander in Chief
for the time being where they are to be put on shore and enclose therein the
printed form of the Certificate to be granted to the Masters of the vessels to
entitle them to their hire as agreed upon by Charter party; and with these you
will give each of the Masters their sailing orders in writing to proceed
according to the above destination, and upon their arrival immediately to wait
upon the Governors or Commanders in Chief of the Provinces for which they are
bound with the said Letters and to make all possible dispatch in debarking their
passengers and obtain certificates thereof agreeable to the form aforesaid.
And you will in these orders make it a particular injunction to the said
Masters to be as careful and watchful as possible during the whole course of the
passage to prevent the passengers making any attempt to seize upon the vessel by
allowing only a small number to be upon the decks at a time and using all other
necessary precautions to prevent the bad consequence of such attempts; and that
they be particularly careful that the Inhabitants carry no arms nor other
offensive weapons on board with them at their embarkation. As also that they see
the provisions regularly issued to the people agreeable to the allowance
proportioned in Mr. George Saul's instructions.
You will use all the means proper and necessary for collecting the people
together so as to get them on board. If you find that fair means will not do
with them, you must proceed by the most vigorous measures possible, not only in
compelling them to embark, but in depriving those who shall escape of all means
of shelter or support by burning their houses and destroying everything that may
afford them the means of subsistence in the country, and if you have not force
sufficient to perform this service, Colonel Winslow at Mines or the Commanding
Officer there will upon your application send you a proper reinforcement.
You will see by the Charter partys of the vessels taken up at Boston that
they are hired by the month; therefore I am to desire that you will use all
possible dispatch to save expense to the public.
As soon as the people are shipped and the transports are ready you will
acquaint the Commander of His Majesty's Ship therewith that he may take them
under his convoy and put to sea without loss of time.
**********
Lawrence's incursion
The following year, on Friday, 20 April 1750, Charles Lawrence with a fleet
of seven warships, decided to make an incursion into the Basin of Chignecto in
order to assess the state of the place and the reaction of the Habitants. He had
with him Charles Leblanc of Grand Pré and Mr. Landry, the deputy of the Basin of
Mines, who Lawrence forced to come aboard in order to have him try to convince
the Habitants of the region to co-operate with the English. But the expedition
was a failure.
In order to assure docility of his "guests", Lawrence had ordered Captain
Handfield, who was still commander of the Grand Pré's fort, to place in custody
Mrs. Landry and her children. Some hostages! The adventure ended with the return
of the ships on April 26 and the release of the hostages
The text and Lawrence's incursion were quoted from: http://www.handfield.ca/documentsen/appendix1.htm CLICKhttp://www.danielnpaul.com/NewBrunswickCreated-1784.html
to read about an incident where a New Brunswick Acadien family was killed and
scalped by British Rangers
Acadian Museum - Erath, Louisiana: http://www.acadianmuseum.com Click to read about American Indian
Genocide
Update June 30, 2012: The Grand Pré Landscape has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
A trip through Nova Scotia is incomplete without a visit to my other home, the Annapolis Valley. Best known as the agricultural heartland of the province and the centre of Nova Scotia’s rapidly-growing wine industry, there is easily many days’ worth of adventure to be had. When given another perfect sunny Saturday by the spring weather gods, I recruited my friend Trish (a knowledgeable wine enthusiast and road trip fan) to join me in another official Operation Hometown Traveler trip. We had a vague plan, some targets to hit, but above all, wanted to pack in as much fun as possible.
Our first stop was kind of a wrong turn down a rough road that may or may not have been mostly washed away (sorry, car rental folks!) to look for access to a nearby walking trail. We never found it, however, we did find this spectacular view of Blomidon as the morning fog burned off.
The wines of Domaine de Grand Pré
Our first proper stop was Domain de Grand Pré, timing our arrival to coincide with one of three daily tours. It was a perfect day for a wine tour (or three), and we learned a lot from our friendly and knowledgeable guides, particularly about the different kinds of grapes that fare the best in our climate to eventually become wine.
The tour was part of a $7 package, which included a tasting of six of Grand Pré’s wines: 2010 Seyval, 2011 Tidal Bay (read more about Nova Scotia’s new signature appellation), 2011 Rosé, 2009 Pete Luckett Leon Millot, 2010 Castel, and Pomme d’Or, Grand Pré’s unique dessert wine offering, made entirely from Annapolis Valley apples.
Domaine de Grand Pré is also a part of the Économusée, a network of artisanal heritage destinations across Atlantic Canada. In the museum section of the winery, there is a scent station, which let you test your nose against the various scents you discover in Grand Pré’s offerings.
Rediscovering my Acadian heritage at Grand Pré
In addition to improving our minds with knowledge about Nova Scotia wines, we took advantage of the nearby location to improve knowledge of Nova Scotia history at Grand Pre National Historic Site. Grand Pré shares the story of daily life of Nova Scotia’s Acadian community prior to its expulsion by the British in 1755, the deportation (le grand dérangement), and the modern impact. Full disclosure: I had been there before on a school trip, but it is definitely time to get closer to my Acadian roots. My grandmother was Acadian, and while my Acadian French is mostly awful, I love the Acadian people, their resilience, and their food.
We took our time going through the impressive interpretive displays, describing the history and struggles of the Acadian people and the ingenuity of their farming practices on rich land that remains the breadbasket of the province. The site is currently under consideration for a World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO, which would be an exciting development for the region and the community that has developed around the site.
It was such a beautiful day, we had to get out and spend some time wandering around the well-maintained gardens. I used to live in the Valley, and speaking from past experience, we were well into summer on this particular day, with virtually-cloudless skies, bright sun, high temperatures, and no wind.
The focal point of the grounds is the Memorial Church, approached through a series of well-cultivated paths, passing a sculpture of Evangeline, the heroine of Longfellow’s epic poem about the Acadian deportation.
Back out in the garden, we got to see the full force of spring with some of my favourite flowers, poppies, and lupins, which should be Nova Scotia’s signature road trip flower, since the sides of our roads and highways are practically blanketed in them this time of year.
A blacksmith shop and small working garden round out the site. The potager kitchen garden was a staple of Acadian farm life, and while many of the vegetables are still in progress, the herbs were up and ready to use.
Finding the Deportation Cross
Funny coincidence, when we got lost earlier in the day looking for the walking trail, we were basically on the road to the Deportation Cross, commemorating the point at which Acadians were loaded onto boats and sent off to other parts of North America. The cross is at the end of a country road, so we parked the car and walked in, along a herd of particularly curious cows. One was far more interested in us than her million-dollar view.
The cross itself is a simple tribute, along the peaceful river. It certainly wasn’t a long visit, but it helps complete the story of le grand dérangement that starts over at Grand Pré.
Phonebox in a vineyard at Luckett Vineyards
After a quick bite to eat, we made our way to Luckett Vineyards, one of Nova Scotia’s newest wineries. On the approach, you cannot miss a most unique feature: a red British phonebox among the vines.
Upon further inspection, I found Luckett’s wines literally calling to us. The phonebox holds a working retro-style payphone from the era of Maritime Telegraph & Telephone (long gone). The best part? You can make a call gratis to anywhere in North America! I called my parents, who live on the other side of the Valley, to tell them I was in a field. It was completely charming and exactly the kind of unexpected experience I hoped to find.
Inside the shop, we became better acquainted with Luckett’s extensive range of wines and fruit wines. The shop is, in fact, where the winemaking happens, and it was interesting to see both sides of the business coexisting in the space.
For the tasting, we took advantage of Luckett’s “5 tastings for $7” offer. It was my first experience with Luckett wines and I found some new favourites. Despite the order in the image below, we did drink them in proper tasting order, from white to red to dessert.
L-R: Cordelia dessert wine, Triumphe d’Alsace, Ortega, Muscat, and Tidal Bay
Gaspereau Vineyards
For the loveliness of its surroundings, Gaspereau Vineyards is one my favourite Nova Scotia wineries. Situated on the “floor” of the Gaspereau River valley, the vines extend across the grounds and up the hill. For future travel reference, if the stars align and the conditions are right, you can rent an inner tube from any number of local entrepreneurs and go “tubing“, spending the afternoon floating down the Gaspereau River. Be sure to stop in for a bottle of wine when you’re done for the day!
Low tide at Halls Harbour
Halls Harbour is a little oove at the end of a lovely drive. Before our visit, we consulted the tide table to plan our visit around low tide. Since the harbour is on the Bay of Fundy, it sees dramatic fluctuations in water level between high and low tides every six hours or so. Low tide is amusing, because the water drains out of the harbour. The boats end up sitting on dry ground, tethered to the wharf to keep from falling over, until the tide returns and they’re bobbing in 10 metre-deep (approximately 40 ft) water again.
If you’re hankering for a seafood feast, head to the lobster pound, where you can pick out, and subsequently eat, the lobster of your choice.
There is an amazing wealth of things to do with a day in the Valley. We spent the whole day seeing the sights and drinking some fine wine, missing several other items that were a part of our vague itinerary. Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to return!
Wines of Nova Scotia’s Passport to Wine Country
What’s travel without a passport? I have fallen hard for the Wines of Nova Scotia‘s passport program. So much so, one of my top goals of the summer is to visit the twelve member wineries and obtain all of the passport stamps. So far, so good, three down, nine to go and it’s only mid-June!
The Canning area was once known as Rivière de Vieux Habitants, due to its proximity to the Rivière de la Veille Habitation (Habitant River) and named for the residents of Acadie (Habitants) who cultivated the land in the region. Following the Acadian expulsion in 1755, the land was re-settled by New England Planters. This area, along the shores of the Minas Basin, was once a well known area for shipbuilding and the famous Annapolis Valley orchards. In fact, Canning was once known as Apple Tree Landing.
The first vineyards were planted on our site in 1986. At that time, the owners of the property sold all of the grapes to Jost Vineyards in Malagash, NS. After some tumultuous years of ownership, the property was purchased by the owners of Creekside Estate Winery in Niagara, ON, who were responsible for constructing the winery and extending the vineyard plantings. The wines were first commercialised under the Habitant Vineyards label, before being rebranded as Blomidon Estate Winery in 2002.
The Ramey family purchased the winery in 2007. Since taking over, they have focused on investing in the facility and increasing the production of the winery, all while improving the quality of the vineyards and the wines. Blomidon Estate Winery is now one of the rising stars of the Nova Scotia wine industry, producing exciting, terroir driven wines perfect for our local cuisine. As Craig Pinhey, Atlantic Canada’s Wine, Beer and Spirits Writer, noted in The Coast “Exciting things are happening at Blomidon these days.”
This old aboiteau sluice, recently discovered jutting from the banks of the
Cornwallis River, suggests either Acadians or Planters dyked land in the town
of Kentville. - Ed Coleman
Two events – one of major importance taking place in 1995, the other a
recent discovery that seemed insignificant at first – may be related.
In 1995, the Terry-Young house at 229 Main Street in Kentville was
designated a heritage property. About 200 years old, the house may have been
built on an Acadian cellar. Eaton’s history of Kings County mentions the
Acadian cellar on which the house stands; this, to me, suggests the possibility
Kentville was the site of other Acadian homesteads.
The other event was discovery this spring of an object protruding from the
claylike banks of the Cornwallis River in Kentville. Kings County Museum
curator Bria Stokesbury noticed the object while walking in Miner Marsh and
decided to investigate.
“Something caught my eye sticking out of the bank on the opposite side of
the river from the marsh,” Stokesbury wrote in an e-mail. “I finally took my
camera and got some pictures. It looks like an aboiteau to me.”
When I looked at the photographs Stokesbury e-mailed me, my first impression
was the same as hers - that I was looking at an aboiteau sluice. An
aboiteau is a sluice with a one-way valve the Acadians used to prevent flooding
of land they dyked. The aboiteau allows water to drain from dyked fields, but
prevents tidewater from flooding them.
Intrigued by photographs of what appeared to be the remains of an aboiteau
sluice, I decided to take a closer look at it. I walked down the side of the
river the sluice was on, and when I got close. I was surprised by what I found.
First of all, the object is an old sluice of the type once commonly used by the
Acadians to make an aboiteau functional. The sluice appears to have been
handmade, hewed out apparently from a log. This alone would indicate it is old,
but how old is difficult to say.
Secondly, the sluice protrudes from the bank of the river about a meter
below ground level, meaning it has to have been buried for a long time, perhaps
since the Acadian or Planter period. The ground nearby is really marshy, the
type of tide-flooded marsh the Acadians would have tried to reclaim by putting
in dykes and aboiteaus.
Now, as for the connection between the Terry-Young property and the old
sluice, let’s speculate that the house confirms an Acadian presence in what is
now the town of Kentville. The marshy area where the sluice was discovered
isn’t far from the Terry-Young house. If Acadians had settled in this area and
had decided to reclaim land from the tides, the nearby marshy area was a
logical place to start. Evidence of this dykeing should show up from time to
time and it has with discovery of the old sluice.
There’s more to the story. The marshy land where the sluice protrudes from
the banks of the Cornwallis River is owned by Jim and Sally Haverstock; part of
this marshy land is also the property of the Town of Kentville. The Haverstock
land, which is behind their Chestnut Place house, is bordered on the east side
by Mill Brook and on the north by the Cornwallis River.
Jim Haverstock discovered an old aboiteau on Mill Brook decades ago and you
can still see the ancient trough jutting from the bank. There’s also the
remains of an old dyke on this property, which is separate from the running
dyke constructed and maintained by the Department of Agriculture.
The Haverstock meadow was cattle pasture at least a century ago. The
late Garth Calkin recalled herding cattle when he was boy on the meadow, then
known as the Calkin Meadow, about 100 years ago.
This land was once part of a Planter grant. On Feb. 19, 1766, Jonathan
Darrow received a grant of 500 acres, land Arthur W. H. Eaton mentions in his
county history as including some of downtown Kentville. About six months later,
Darrow sold the land to James Fillis and Joseph Pierce. Fillis farmed his land,
part of which today is the town’s business section. According to Eaton, Fillis
built a house smack in the town’s business district, about where Centre Square
is today.
To sum up, from what Eaton has to say, the area in and around downtown
Kentville was farmable land we can speculate would have interested the
Acadians. Furthermore, the aboiteau on Mill Brook discovered by Jim Haverstock
and the aboiteau sluice found recently by Bria Stokesbury indicate the area
close by the town’s business section was dyked and at least two aboiteaus were
constructed. We also know, from the Terry-Young house, that Acadians once lived
close to this land.
Early attempts definitely were made on the Haverstock/town property to
reclaim tidal marsh from the Cornwallis River; but was it Acadians or Planters
who were responsible? Unless further investigations are made in that triangle
of land formed by the Cornwallis River and Mill Brook, we may never know.
ED COLEMAN: Kentville house with Acadian connections
Published on October 22, 2011
BY
ED COLEMAN
Remarking
on possible Acadian homesteads around Kentville and New Minas in his Kings
County history, Arthur W. H. Eaton notes George Terry built a house "over
a French cellar," located on what was once the Post Road.
This
property at 229 Main St. in Kentville, the Terry-Young House, was designated a
heritage property in 1995.
It's
uncertain if George Terry actually built this house, but evidence gathered from
deed searches indicates he likely did. This would make the house nearly 200
years old, establishing it as one of the oldest homes in Kentville.
Early
in the 1990s efforts were made to determine the history of this old residence
and chronicle its Planter and possible Acadian lineage. Elizabeth Tarrant-Young
instigated the search around 1992, culminating in the house being designated as
a provincial heritage property in 1995.
The
deed search mentioned above was conducted by a local historian Heather
Davidson. Davidson determined the Main Street property was part of a farm lot
first deeded to John Bishop Jr. in 1761. Over the years the property changed
hands several times.
In
1819, George Terry purchased a small section of the property and is believed to
have built the house that now stands there. As mentioned by Arthur W. H. Eaton,
the house was constructed on the remains of an Acadian cellar. The cellar,
described in several reports as a fieldstone "curved Acadian cellar,"
is part of the east side basement of the house.
In
the report she prepared for the Department of Tourism and Culture, Davidson's
deed search doesn't mention any Acadian connection with the Terry-Young house.
When she profiles the various owners of the property since 1761, however,
Eaton's reference to the Acadian cellar is quoted. Eaton may have been
speculating about the origin of the cellar but it isn't likely. According to several
sources, Eaton had a hands-on approach to the history of Kings County; that is,
he often walked the land once occupied by the Acadians, doing a few
"digs," and was able first hand to pinpoint old homesteads.
We
have to assume Eaton was correct about the Acadian origin of the basement wall
in the Terry-Young house. This makes the house unique and it probably was one
of several factors that lead to it being declared a heritage property.
More than a century elapsed after De Soto's exploration before
anyone again .... It is a natural fruit country for peaches, pears, grapes,
apricots, oranges and figs. ..... settled by the Acadians after their expulsion
from Nova Scotia by the English.
USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) pays a visit to Halifax, Nova
Scotia, with her crew lined .... Here, two days before entering
the harbour at Sydney, Australia, her crew stands to .... It looks to be formed
by the purple-shirted members (called Grapes) of the ..... The French Acadians,
having been expelled from the Canadian Maritime ...
Say It With Sailors!
By Dave O’Malley
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is perhaps the most dangerous
place on earth to work. The Navy ratings who work there risk death in
any number of ways—propeller strikes, engine intake ingestion, ordnance
explosion, fuel fire, arrestor cables removing limbs, aircraft losing
control and on and on. Every few minutes a 35,000 pound airplane
literally crashes to the deck, airplanes are moving, propeller discs are
threatening decapitation or de-limbing. People are everywhere. Flame,
heat, deafening noise, fumes, toxins and danger are omnipresent. On top
of all this are layered high winds, driving rain, a heaving deck and
even the dark of night. It’s not the place to be if you are preoccupied
by something other than the one part you have in this choreographed
mayhem. It’s not the place to be if you are not aware of your
surroundings.
So why, then, is it that the aircraft carrier’s flight deck can also
become a thousand foot long, thousand sailor-strong, sentimental
Hallmark greeting card? How can the most dangerous working environment
also be the same place that a crew can send a message to a little boy
dying of cancer, or birthday greetings to a Queen, or even just letting
their mothers know they are thinking of them? I am speaking of the
long-entrenched and truly weird practice of the aircraft carrier
spell-out. Tim Dubé, military historian and former Navy cadet, explains
the history of the spell-out: “This is an evolution of the custom of
‘manning the rails,’ itself an evolution of ‘manning the yards’ when
sailors would climb the masts and position themselves along the spars or
yards to render honours. It’s also done as a form of honour when
entering a harbour to show no hostile intent—if you are manning the
rails, you can’t be manning the guns. With aircraft carriers not really
having rails, it would make sense to ‘say it with sailors,’ particularly
if there was a bridge to pass under like the Golden Gate Bridge at San
Francisco.”
The art of arranging large groups of sailors on the deck of an aircraft
carrier is a practice long entrenched in the world of carrier
operations. It is not known when this practice began, but a recent
article in the Smithsonian’s Air & Space website suggested
it may have started around the end of the Second World War. To be fair,
they admitted it may have been earlier, but they were not sure. In my
quest to find photographs of aircraft carrier flight deck spell-outs, I
came across one photograph of the USS Lexington (CV-2) with her
decks cleared of aircraft and a few hundred of her sailors turned out
in dress whites and lined up quite artistically to spell-out the word
NAVY. I probably will never know if this is the first example of a
spell-out on a carrier deck, but the date is nearly ten years before the
end of the war—1936 to be exact. The early date and the fact that they
are spelling out perhaps the most simple of all words a navy crew could
spell (NAVY) leads me to postulate that this may be one of the first
deck spell-outs. This is the earliest image I
was able to find on the internet of an aircraft carrier carrying out a
“flight deck spell-out.” Here, USS Lexington (CV-2), the first
of the Lexington-class carriers, spells out NAVY—the most basic of words
known to the United States Navy. It is possible, because of the
simplicity of the message and the early date—17 September 1936—that we
are looking at one of the first, if not the first, examples of the
flight deck spell-out. Lexington is dead in the water off Long Beach, California. Photo: U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 67420) via navsource.org The practice has come a long way since
then. Today, it is a tradition that every carrier in the US Navy, and
indeed in most aircraft carrier-equipped navies of the world, carries
out. The first time it was thought of, I can imagine the Captain of the
ship (let’s just say it was Lexington) thinking to himself,
“I’ve got a floating parade ground 888 feet long and 107 feet wide. I
have 2,800 bored sailors and airmen. I have a ship’s photographer and
any number of aircraft that can climb above this deck. What can I do to
create a photo that will get attention for the Lady Lex, the
Navy and my crew?” My guess is it went something like that but now,
nearly 80 years later, it is a tradition practiced by every crew of
every aircraft carrier in every navy. Even the submariners are doing
it... but one can imagine the limitations a submarine forces on
creativity. Not so the carrier.
In the 1930s, as it still is today, the aircraft carrier was the height
of technology, a magnet for the press, politicians, the curious, the
young ladies and the young men of America. Just as soon as the first
flight deck spell-out photo was taken, there is no doubt that it
appeared in Navy magazines like “All Hands” and was a huge hit with
local and national newspapers. Copying the idea was guaranteed to
happen. By war’s end, carriers returning home were sending flight deck
spell-out messages to their home ports or new ports of call.
My earliest memory of seeing a carrier flight deck spell-out was the now
famous image of America’s first nuclear-powered carrier and her
attendant nuclear powered task force steaming together at high speed
across the ocean with the massive deck of USS Enterprise
hosting a thousand or more sailors in brilliant white uniforms formed up
to spell out E=mc2, the famous mass-energy equivalence formula, first
proposed by Albert Einstein and considered a fundamental formula of the
Nuclear Age. Alongside steamed two other ships of the line that were
also powered by the atom—USS Long Beach and USS Bainbridge. The ships were demonstrating the capabilities on the new Navy by circumnavigating the planet without refuelling. Enterprise’s
deck was immense, the aircraft—Vigilantes, Crusaders and Skyhawks—were
all arranged in an artistic arrowhead design. The formation of the
letters and number was perfection. The sun was shining. It blew my mind.
Over the past few months, I had been researching a couple of stories
about aircraft carriers and began to come across many photographs of
this strangely compelling practice of getting ship’s crews to form
letters on the decks to send messages to people on shore. I started
collecting them in a folder. Then I came across a page on Wikipedia
where someone had collected scores of these photographs in one place,
many of which I had in my folder. These photos also had US Navy press
release-style captions attached, indicating that the media or public
affairs people of the US Navy often got involved in these spell-outs...
at least after the fact.
I also went repeatedly to a site called navsource.org,
an excellent unofficial website which has collected statistics, cruise
logs, photographs and anecdotes of nearly every ship ever to sail with
the United States Navy. It is an astonishing collection of information
and images and certainly one of the better, if not the best, site of
this type I have found. I highly recommend a visit to the site, as it
will draw you in for hours on end.
Scouring the entries for every aircraft carrier, I found many fine
examples of the spell-out. I also noticed a few things. Escort carriers
rarely were the canvas for a spell-out. Spell-outs on decks devoid of
aircraft are not nearly as impressive as ones with aircraft. Some were
exquisitely perfect, while others were remarkably sloppy. Some carriers
were more active in the practice than others. The one thing that was
common to all of these images was the clear message of pride in one’s
ship and one’s navy.
Here now, for your enjoyment, are only some of the many photographs of
aircraft carrier spell-outs I was able to discover over the past year.
Every day I find others, and perhaps this can be the repository for as
many as people can find. If you have other examples and would like them
added to this story, send me a shot (700 pixel wide minimum) and a
caption that tells what ship, where, when and possibly why and I will
endeavour to add them.
There is an old marketing slogan used
by florists worldwide that has been in use for years: “Say it with
Flowers!” The carrier-equipped navies of the world have a better way to
express sympathy, love, admiration, pride, patriotism and
commemoration—they SAY IT WITH SAILORS!
Dave O’Malley, with thanks to Navsource.org and Kevin Nesdoly
The Port Of Call Shout-Out
For me, the greatest and most powerful of the great carrier flight
deck spell-outs are those that give a massive shout-out to the ports of
call they are arriving at or departing from. They are crowd favourites
indeed. Like a rock star who shouts out “Hey Ottawa! We’re happy to be
here tonight!” or “Hey Des Moines! Those Iowa girls are the cutest!” or
“What’s up Green Bay, how about them Packers?” a carrier shout-out is
never interpreted as manipulative and is always embraced by the
community. Often the carrier creates the spell-out while approaching the
city, passing under her bridges, below her lofty buildings. This is
designed to get as much attention as possible... perhaps to get the word
out to the pretty girls.
The ship usually puts up their own aircraft or helicopter, but sometimes
newspaper photographers will take their own photographs from a bridge
or high point. Regardless, the photographs are soon to appear in the
port’s daily newspapers and, more often than not, are picked up in
others across the country.
Here, starting with some good old hometown Canadian shout-outs, are some
of the finest I could find on God’s gift to the curious—the internet.
When I started searching for
aircraft carrier flight deck spell-outs, I was hoping to find a few that
related to Canada. The Royal Canadian Navy operated only three carriers
after the Second World War—Warrior, Magnificent and Bonaventure. While I found a couple of deck spell-outs on HMCS Bonaventure, I would also have to rely on American carriers for some Canadian content. Here USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
pays a friendly visit to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1960, shortly
after her recommissioning, and her crew makes us proud by spelling out a
shout-out to their neighbours from the north. Photo: US Navy and usscoralsea.net
I added this image of the same deck spell-out of USS Coral Sea
in Vancouver to illustrate why 90% of the photographs in this story are
taken from the port side of the carrier—the island superstructure
blocks out the message, making for a poor photograph. Photo: US Navy and usscoralsea.net
USS Valley Forge
(CVS-45) pays a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her crew lined up
in navy blue uniforms and white gob hats spelling out “HELLO HALIFAX” on
her flight deck, 10 July 1959. Valley Forge, flying the flag
of Rear Admiral John S. Thach (creator of the Thach Weave, a combat
flight formation that could counter enemy fighters of superior
performance, and later the big blue blanket, an aerial defense against Kamikaze attacks),
was accompanied by the rest of Task Force ALFA, including seven
destroyers and two submarines. Altogether, about 4,000 US Navy sailors
were in Halifax for the six-day visit. The bars down by the waterfront
must have been hopping during those six days. Photo: US Navy via
history.navy.mil
In the summer of 1962, aircraft carrier USS Intrepid
(CVS-11) sailed up the St. Lawrence River and paid a port visit to La
Belle Ville de Québec. Certainly the young sailors aboard must have
enjoyed this most beautiful of all Canadian cities and its beautiful
girls. On leaving, most of her crew turned out on deck to spell out
MERCI QUÉBEC—even remembering to add the “accent aigu” over the first E
of Québec. On deck are aircraft of Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 56
(CVSG-56). You can bet this photo was in Québec’s newspapers the next
day! Photo: US Navy
teristics of Nova Scotia", which ran in The
Acadian Magazine; or Literary Mirror ( Halifax) in ... and by the
latter as the land of the olive and grape".7 Such exaggerations
were, .... Before 1824 was out, Haliburton wrote to Wiswall, "I
feel like the man ..... expulsion of the french neutrals in 1755 may
afford material f...
------------
The
Colors of Fall in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley by Colleen Fliedner Close your eyes and
picture a place that’s so beautiful, so full of fall colors
that it takes your breath away. Imagine lakes and rivers that look
like a Paul Bunyan-sized painter dipped his giant brushes in them
– crimson, orange, gold, and green, swirled by currents and
rippled by the wind, melding them into an exquisite artist’s
palate.
I went to Nova Scotia’s
Annapolis Valley in early October because I was told that the fall
in this part of Canada was especially picturesque ; and I was not
disappointed! This region of Canada’s Atlantic province is where
the harvest season is celebrated with dozens of special events and
festivals. Quaint towns separated by countless miles of fields, an
amazing array of some of North America’s oldest historical sites,
rustic fishing villages, gorgeous inns, wineries, and excellent restaurants
bring visitors to the region year-round. But during the fall months,
add to that appealing assortment of attractions the splendor of vibrantly
colored leaves and a plethora of pumpkin fests, and you have a perfect
holiday in northwest Nova Scotia. But would I find my ideal autumn
backdrop in this delightful area? I arrived in Halifax on a rainy day in early
October packed for cold weather. By the next morning, the sky was
clear and the temperature had warmed to the high sixties (about 18
Celsius). After walking around the waterfront, I joined friends for
lunch at Salty’s,
a lovely waterfront restaurant with sweeping views of Halifax Harbor.
This was my second trip to Nova Scotia. Peeling
off my jacket as I walked back to my rented car, I remembered that
it had been comfortably warm here three years earlier when I came
on vacation in late October. Not that it doesn’t rain in Nova
Scotia this time of the year. Bring an umbrella and warm jacket to
be on the safe side. THE BAY OF FUNDY COAST The locals say that you’re never far
from the sea, no matter where you are in Nova Scotia. It’s no
wonder, then, that fishing has played such a tremendous role in the
local heritage, culture, and economy. Seafood is abundant, both in
restaurants and markets throughout Canada’s “Seacoast
province”; and its lobster meat is famous for its delicate flavor
because of the cold ocean temperatures. Heading northwest from Halifax, only a slight
detour from my final destination in the Annapolis Valley, I was determined
to visit a genuine fishing village. Less than an hour later, I was
at Hall’s Harbour, a seaport community of about 40 residents
on the Bay of Fundy Coast. At the Lobster
Pound and Restaurant overlooking the water, a brief lesson
in all-things-lobsters is given to visitors: how and where they’re
caught, how they’re cooked, and how to identify fresh versus
pre-frozen lobsters. There’s a fish-themed gift shop, and the
restaurant features all sorts of seafood, though lobster sandwiches
— the tail meat, sauce, and lettuce on a big hoagie roll, remains
the favorite. Tourists from the cruise ships come by the busload to
dine at the rustic, knotty pine walled seaside eatery. Besides the Lobster Pound and Restaurant, Hall’s
Harbour Village has several artists’ studios, a small nautical
museum, and a quaint general store. A half-dozen fishing boats are
tied up at the wooden docks, their crews making necessary repairs
before their next stint at sea. The Bay of Fundy is truly one of the wonders
of the natural world, as this is where the highest tides on Earth
are found. When the tide is coming in, the water can rise as fast
as an inch a minute, reaching a depth of over 50 feet in a relatively
short time. When the tide is out, fishing boats in places like Hall's
Harbour lie on their sides on the muddy bottom until the water returns.
It’s truly an amazing natural phenomenon. WINDSOR My stomach filled with lobster and French
fries, I headed west. My next stop was Windsor, called the “little
town of big firsts,” located about 45 minutes from the heart
of Halifax. It was in Windsor that hockey was reportedly born more
than 200 years ago. There’sa fun museum dedicated to the fast-paced sport,
where visitors can learn everything about hockey’s beginnings,
and as Canada's national sport. In October, Windsor is a sleepy and community-oriented
village that definitely gets into the Halloween mood. Houses and businesses
are decorated with pumpkins, strings of orange lights, and most amazingly,
with pumpkin lanterns for street lights. Locally grown giant pumpkins
are carved and displayed in the business district. White church steeples
poke above a forest of green, yellow and orange trees. This is the
quintessential postcard town that I had hoped to find. Passing by
neighborhoods of historic houses — Victorians, clapboard, and
small mansions once owned by sea captains, identifiable because of
the “widow’s walk” architecture — I was reminded
of how few really architecturally and hnd historically significant
homes are left in Southern California where I live. These weren’t
the mass produced, tract-style houses I’d grown up with. Each
was beautifully crafted, with immaculately manicured gardens and bursts
of marigolds in the planters. Pumpkins, cornstalks, and hay bales
decorated the front steps and the porches. This was Canada’s Thanksgiving weekend,
and the Halloween goblins and witches would join the fall decorations
once Thanksgiving was over. With so many amenities and less than an
hour's drive to Halifax, it’s no wonder that people from all
over North America are retiring to Windsor, or at least, buying second
homes there. After enjoying a blueberry beer at the Spit
Fire Arms British Pub, I drove to a rural area to visit
the home and pumpkin farm belonging to Howard
Dill, the man who has become synonymous with growing
the giant orange gourds. He was the first farmer to perfect the art
of raising pumpkins to gargantuan sizes, winning competitions with
400+ pound pumpkins for years — another first claimed by this
rural community. Seeds from Dill’s monstrous pumpkins are sold
around the world. Not only can visitors see the pumpkins growing in
the patches, there’s a delightful gift shop where pumpkin products
and even seeds are sold. This part of the Annapolis Valley is home to
the annual Windsor-West
Hants Pumpkin Weigh-Off, a popular festival held in early
October that includes live entertainment, music, and lots of contests.
For instance, there’s a competition for pumpkin carving, pumpkin
painting, and pumpkin desserts. (The latter is my personal favorite!).
The highlight of the festival is the weigh-off and awards presentation.
And what, I wondered, do they do with all of
those huge pumpkins after the Weigh-Off? Howard Dill explained that
the following weekend, the pumpkins are cut into globular boats and
hauled to a nearby lake for…what else? An
annual pumpkin regatta! Not surprising is that there’s
even more celebrating going on, with music, dancing, crafts, a parade,
a scavenger hunt for the kids, and, of course, the race itself, when
contestants hear the famous words, “Gentlemen and Ladies. Start
Your Pumpkins!” The
Pumpkin Festival and its wide-ranging array of events
continues throughout the month, ending with Halloween. WOLFVILLE As much as I hated to leave Windsor, it was
time to move onto my next stop: Wolfville, a charming town situated
in the middle of a patchwork of green and gold fields. Apples, blueberries,
pumpkins, and wine grapes grow abundantly in this fertile agricultural
region of Nova Scotia. A trip to one of the many farmers’ markets
is a great addition to the day. This is the home of Acadia
University, founded in 1838. The town is filled with
historic properties, and a walking tour map is available from the
local Tourism Bureau (or by visiting the
town’s website). It’s easy to see why Wolfville is a popular
weekend getaway for residents of Halifax. For the rest of us who are
just visiting the area, it’s a great place to spend a few days.
In fact, it’s location makes it ideal as a hub for day trips
to the Annapolis Valley. GRAND PRÉ And speaking of day trips, a short drive from
Wolfville is the historic site of Grand
Pré. Between 1682 and 1755, this area was a large
Acadian settlement. (The Acadians were the first and original settlers
in what was then La Nouvelle France, a French Colony in North
America.) The Grand Pré Museum chronicles the lives of the
Acadian people and their expulsion from Nova Scotia by the English
from 1755 to 1762, an extremely poignant story and one of the skeletons
in the cipboard of Canadian history. I had heard about the Cajuns
of Louisiana — love the music and the food — but I didn’t
realize that their ancestors were among the Acadians deported from
this part of Nova Scotia. The next stop was at Fox
Hill Cheese House, a family-owned and operated farm that
raises its own cows and produces its own delicious brand of cheese.
It’s a small operation with a tasting room, where their cheeses
and yogurts can be sampled and purchased. Unfortunately, they don’t
mass produce their products, nor do they ship them to the United States!
I bought a small block of my favorite flavor, sundried tomato and
herbs fused into white cheddar, munching on it until it was time for
lunch. There was one more stop to make before proceeding
to a well-known restaurant,
Between the Bushes, which is literally situated smack
in the middle of blueberry fields that stretched as far as I could
see. I had read about a wonderful sweet apple wine that was available
at Domaine de Grand
Pré, a winery owned and operated by a family of
Swiss immigrants. I had to check it out. It was fall, after all, and
apple wine somehow seemed appropriate for the season. After tasting
numerous types of the Domaine de Grand Pré’s wine, it
was their ice wines and that “apple pie in a bottle,”
produced only by this winery, that were my favorites. Before returning to the inn to rest, I drove
to the historic Prescott
House Museum, named for Charles Prescott, who was responsible
for bringing over 100 varieties of apple to the province. Remarkably,
many of his groves still exist. Museum staff and volunteers busily
prepared for the big Halloween party that was to be held that evening
at the house. On my way back to the Blomidon Inn, the striking
historic mansion where I stayed for several nights (see Inns below),
I saw a sign for “The Tangled Garden.” I simply had to
check it out! The
Tangled Garden is a lovely art gallery, herb garden,
and gift shop, where you can purchase jellies, vinegars, oils, and
other products that have been fused with the herbs grown in owners’
gardens. It’s well worth a visit. KENTVILLE This area celebrates the Annapolis Valley’s
Pumpkin Festival by creating “Pumpkin People.” There were
a couple dozen displays scattered around town during my visit, though
it was still early in October and others were likely to pop up throughout
the month. The Pumpkin People are literally that: scarecrow-like,
stuffed clothing with carved pumpkins for heads. Some are quite elaborate,
like a wedding scene on the lawn of one large home. The local park
has an elaborately “dressed” group of Pumpkin People marching
in a parade, complete with “horses” and a band. Kentville is just over an hour from Halifax
and has become the province’s most populated town. And for good
reason! Not only is it gorgeous country, the houses that sprawl across
the town’s hills are beautiful. Kentville celebrates the Autumn
Festival with numerous events that can be found at The
Valley Pumpkin Fest. ANNAPOLIS ROYAL About an hour west of Wolfville is Annapolis
Royal, the earliest permanent settlement in North America. The town
was established over 400 years ago by French colonists, who built
Port Royal, a fur trading colony on the Bay of Fundy coast. Costumed
interpreters, some of whom are direct descendants of the first settlers,
explain the area’s fascinating history and lead tours of the
Habitation,
a re-construction of the settlement established in the area by Samule
de Champlain. Located at the water’s edge in the heart
of town, Fort
Anne is Canada’s oldest national historical site.
Fort Anne is located in the downtown district and within easy walking
distance of most of the inns. There are tours of the building and
grounds, where numerous battles between the French and British took
place during the 17th and 18th centuries. I thoroughly enjoyed the night time cemetery
walk at the adjacent Garrison Graveyard, the oldest English cemetery
in Canada . Under the light of the waning moon, I joined a group of
about 50 men, women, children, and a half dozen leashed dogs. Our
guide, Alan Melanson, was dressed in a black cape and French felt
cap. He began the tour with dramatic flair. “Ashes to ashes,
dust to dust,” he said, opening his hand to reveal a dark gray
mound. A boy in the front row, approximately 12 years of age, gasped.
“Those aren’t some dead guy’s ashes, are they?”
he asked, his eyes wide with worry. The crowd roared with laughter,
as the guide reassured him that they weren’t. Then Alan added
in a dire tone that all of us eventually succumb to the earth. With
that, we silently followed him for the short walk to the cemetery,
carrying lanterns to illuminate the way. This wasn’t a ghost
walk by any means; nor was it scary. It was simply a way for the guide
to share stories of the people buried there. Of course, it was the
Halloween season, and imaginations can run wild. More than one person
in the crowd swore they saw or felt something strange going on. The Historical
Association of Annapolis Royal offers walking tours of
the town. There are historical museums, theaters, historic mansions,
an old lighthouse, and more to hear about on these excursions. This
organization has done a phenomenal job saving historical properties,
and a stroll around Annapolis Royal is evidence. In a community of
just over 500 residents, there are 131 historical buildings. With so much to see and do in this area, it’s
difficult to pick and choose when you’re on a tight schedule.
But the Historic
Gardens are wonderful, and I highly recommend allowing
at least an hour to walk through the 17-acre botanical collection.
Don’t miss the snack shop, the rose maze, and the ponds. The
interpretive center contains displays showing how the Acadian people
constructed massive dykes out of materials, including chunks of soil
and roots from the Salt Marshes, to reclaim the land from the sea.
Then take the “Dykewalk” along Allain’s River salt
marshes, surrounded by remnants of old Acadian dykes. In spite of
the fact that it was October, there were still quite a few flowers
in bloom. KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK By now, the weather was a glorious 75 degrees
(about 22 Celsius); perfect for a hike. While I had seen countless
landscapes that were beautiful, I was still hoping to find that perfect
place that I had imagined. My “ah ha” moment came at Kejimkujik
National Park (nicknamed Keji for obvious reasons), which
is about a 30-minute drive from Annapolis Royal and a must-see for
anyone in the area. The Mersey River winds through the area, tumbling
over piles of granite rocks, creating small waterfalls. As I walked along the trail that skirts the
river, I was suddenly swept back into my daydream. The images I had
envisioned of autumn in Nova Scotia were real, right there in the
Kejimkujik National Park. The changing leaves — brilliant red,
gold, and carrot-orange — reflected on the ponds and across
the pools of water at the head of the waterfalls. It was too late
in the season for the usual groups of canoers and kayakers, so the
dark green water was undisturbed, except for the ripples created by
the cool morning breeze. I snapped countless photos, pictures that
would hopefully capture at least a smidgen of the beauty that spread
out before me in a glorious carpet of color. This was a place where
one could sit and contemplate; picnic; write poetry or a novel; or
spend a day with loved ones in the utter quiet of nature. This was
truly beautiful Nova Scotia. On the edge of the National Park, the Mersey
River Chalets offer cabins and teepees (yes, the “Indian”
kind) for rent in a beautiful setting. And each cabin — in fact,
the entire resort — is set up to accommodate people in wheelchairs.
Not only are the cabins and their bathrooms wheelchair accessible
(they have wheel-in showers), there’s a dining room overlooking
the river for those who prefer not to cook their own meals. There were plenty of campers throughout the
park. Most amazing were the Halloween decorations at each camp site,
an annual contest sponsored by the Friends of the National Park. But
it was time to leave this piece of paradise and head back to Annapolis
Royal. All good things must come to an end, and the
next morning I had to drive back to Halifax. This time, I traveled
along the Atlantic Coast, making a few brief stops at the ubiquitous
Tim Horton’s dougnut shops for coffee and a snack. I’ll
return to Nova Scotia again next year for the fall foliage, pumpkin
fests, and wonderful food, but will allow more time to explore some
of the wonderful seaside communities on Nova Scotia’s Atlantic
Coast.
THE INNS
There are hundreds of inns throughout
the Annapolis Valley. I stayed at three and highly recommend all of
them. Be aware that B&B’s are smaller than inns and often
don’t have their own bathrooms. Go to www.novascotia.com
to find listings.
Halliburton
House Inn, 5184 Morris Street, Halifax
Located in Halifax’s downtown only a block from the water’s
edge, this lovely inn is convenient to the harbor area and many of
the finest restaurants in the city. Speaking of restaurants, Stories,
the small restaurant located inside the inn, is reportedly excellent,
though it was closed by the time I checked in. By the way, the almond
scones served for breakfast were terrific. Blomidon
Inn, Wolfville. (902) 542-2291
Built in the 1880s, the Blomidon Inn was once a privately-owned mansion.
With the old-world charm of England, the Blomidon is furnished in
period décor. Each room has a small television and a whirlpool
bathtub. The restaurant is open for dinner, featuring specialties
prepared by the owner’s son, award-winning chef, Sean Laceby.
Jim Laceby, who owns the inn with his wife and sons, explained that
the Blomidon is a “Signature Inn,” which means it has
received top ratings for both the accommodations and the restaurant.
The Laceby family is a very hands-on team, and they made my stay quite
memorable.
Hillsdale House
Inn, 519 St.George St., Annapolis Royal (902) 532-2345
This lovely old inn is remarkably big and conveniently located to
the downtown district. It’s about a 5-minute walk to the Historic
Gardens, and about 10 minutes to the heart of town. The rooms are
beautifully furnished and include flat screen televisions, a modern
touch that contrasts with the rest of the antique furnishings. The
inn’s proprietors, Paul and Val, offer the best breakfasts I’ve
had in a long time. Everything is homemade, including the breads and
several types of jams. Val’s apple-sausage breakfast quiche
is fabulous! THE RESTAURANTS Between
the Bushes, off of Highway 101 in the Annapolis Valley.
(902) 582-3648
This Southern Californian has never had tastier quesadillas than the
smoky chicken version of this Mexican dish served at Between the Bushes.
The restaurant is literally in the middle of fields of blueberries.
Needless to say, many of the offerings include blueberries, like the
blueberry compote served with each lunch and the blueberry vinaigrette
salad dressing that came with the quesadilla. Good food. Oh, and did
I mention that blueberries are good for you? Blomidon
Inn, Wolfville, 1-800-565-2291
The food is excellent and includes gourmet dishes prepared seasonally.
Pumpkins, blueberries, and apples are incorporated into sauces, dressings
and delicious desserts. A must when visiting this region. Garrison
House Inn, 350 St. George St., Annapolis Royal (902)
532-5750
This historic inn has seven guest rooms and a lovely restaurant downstairs
that’s open to the public. The food is excellent and incorporates
seasonal produce and fish caught in local waters. I enjoyed the seared
scallops: big, fresh, and tender in a delicious sauce. Eating in the
historic surroundings provides an ambiance that’s like stepping
back in time. Located directly across the street from Fort Anne, how
about dining at the Garrison Inn, then going to the Graveyard Tour
at the Fort? It’s a great way to spend the evening. Hall’s
Harbour Lobster Pound, 10 miles north of Kentville on
Route 359 (902) 679-5299
A favorite stop for tourists and locals who want an excellent and
reasonably priced seafood meal. The restaurant is closed during the
winter. Hillsdale
House Inn, 519 St.George St., Annapolis Royal (902) 532-2345
While the Hillsdale doesn’t have a regular restaurant, be sure
to check with them to see if they’re having one of their international
dinners or other food-related events while you’re in town. The
food is delicious, and Paul and Val regularly offer special evenings
that include serving dinner. M
& W Restaurant (and Variety Store), Route 8, ¼
mile from Kejimkujik National Park
On the way back to Annapolis Royal from Kejimkujik National Park,
I stopped for lunch at M & W Restaurant, a roadside diner and
variety store that services campers who need groceries, firewood or
other supplies in the nearby national park. The food was good, homemade,
and includes a selection of vegetarian dishes. The African peanut
soup was wonderful, as was the apple blueberry pie. Would you believe
there were peanut butter and onion sandwiches on the menu? Hmmm…. Salty’s
Restaurant, 1869 Upper Water St., Halifax (902) 423-6818
Waterfront dining at its finest. Sweeping views of Halifax Harbour,
one of the deepest natural harbors in North America. Very good seafood
of all types, and delicious desserts, too. Tempest
Restaurant, 117 Front St., Wolfville (902) 542-0588
This is the most upscale restaurant in the area, with a menu filled
with the chef’s unique specialties. The menu included a great
deal of fresh seafood caught in local waters. The food is excellent
and well worth the slightly higher prices.
Crossing over from New Brunswick
into Nova Scotia, I turned onto the Sunrise Trail - the road along
the south shore of the Northumberland Strait from Tidnish to the Canso
Causeway. It derives its name because as you're driving along it in the
morning, you go the whole way with the sun in your eyes. Whether or not that is
the reason, I'll certainly vouch for it being a fact. I wondered that if you
drove along it in the opposite direction, whether it would be called the Sunset
Trail.
Along here were several wineries
- presumably vinyards one would think. Imagine that, growing grapes in areas
where the temperature is capable of falling well below minus 30 degrees
Celsius.
As I drove along the Sunset
Highway, I encountered a large ocean-going ship sailing towards me up the
Northumberland Strait in the general direction of Prince Edward Island and the
upstream St.Laurence area. It was too far away for me to get in a good shot,
but after a few miles, fate intervened and presented me with a small road on my
left that looked like it might go down to the shoreline.
It goes without saying that I
went to find out and after a short distance, during which my little road had
transformed itself into a typical Canadian dirt track, I fetched up on the
shoreline at Heather Beach, between Tidnish and Port Howe.
One day, and pretty soon I
reckon, I'm going to have to treat myself to a decent SLR digital camera with
telephoto lens and the like, because then I can make the most of the distance
shots that present themselves. My little Fuji is okay for many occasions, but
it's just not up to photos like this, unfortunately. (In
fact I had to pass through many stages of despair and wait longer than
anticipated - January 2007 - in fact, before a digital SLR" came into my
hands)
At least the weather was keeping
fine though, as you can tell. What you can't tell is just how freezing cold
windy it was. Mind you, it was right at the end of November so I guess I was
lucky that it was like this and not six feet deep in snow.
These next two photographs show
the beach itself and the wooden holiday chalets that abound all around here at
Heather Beach. You can see the place was totally deserted. There wasn't a soul
around at all.
I imagine it would be a totally
different story in the middle of summer.
Heather Beach is the kind of
place that looks like it would be absolutely heaving with people. Taking one's
summer holidays in November and December does have some things going for it.
While I was parked up here, I
carried out a quick inventory, and came to the conclusion that supplies were
getting rather low, and that ready cash was even lower. I needed to find a bank
and some shops.
PUGWASH
Although there were isolated
pockets of Europeans living amongst the Mi'kmaq here, the area was settled in
the mid 18th Century by colonists from New England. This trickle became a flood
after the American War of Independence, and the town of Pugwash was founded
here on this tidal inlet.
Its wealth was based on shipbuilding and lumber, but the shipbuilding didn't
last for very long. The railway arrived here at the end of the 19th Century but
the expected prosperity didn't arrive with it. Finally, a series of four major
fires and a devastating flood destroyed what wealth remained.
The wealth of the town today comes mainly from lobster fishing. The inlet marks
the frontier between two fishing zones whose periods of exploitation do not
overlap. Hence the residents just move their boats across the inlet and apply
for a licence in the second zone, and they can fish for twice as long. Licenses
here that cost a couple of hundred dollars have been known to change hands for
as much as 100,000 dollars
There's also an underground salt mine here. It's the only salt mine in Nova
Scotia and with the demise of the coal industry, it's the only underground mine
here these days. It made me feel quite at home because as you know, I used to
live in Winsford, and my father worked for many years at "British
Salt" in Middlewich. The mine is probably the largest employer here, and
they reckon it can keep working at its current output for over 100 years.
One thing that I found quite
remarkable here in Pugwash was that the street signs are all bilingual - in
English and Gaelic! However no-one was speaking Gaelic in the town as far as I
could hear and there were no adverts in Gaelic in any of the local shop
windows.
Another thing that was
remarkable was the range of shops. The good side was that I found a hardware shop
that sold inter alia some screwdriver socket driver bits of quarter-inch,
three-eights, and half-inch. I've been looking for these for years. Now the
shop has two sets less, and Paul and I have one set each. The bad side was that
there didn't seem to be a decent grocer's shop where I could buy some of my
lunch food. And I had a good look around as well!
One thing though about Pugwash -
I was unable to find any trace of Seaman Staines and Roger the Cabin Boy. There
was no point in hanging around waiting so I set off in search of food.
I drove out of town along the
river and then rejoined the main highway to follow the coast through the Gulf
Shore Provincial Park out to Fox Harbour. This would bring me back to Highway 6
via the Fox Harbour Provincial Park.
Fox Harbour itself is the
typical collection of chalets, caravans and so on all hidden in a pine wood. It
looked really nice there and would be a really great place to stay in summer I
reckon. Now, it was absolutely deserted.
On the way down to here though
was a forest surrounded by a thick metal fence which gave it the air of being a
government establishment or similar place given the amount of money having been
spent on the fence. I'd certainly give a dollar to find out what's going on
behind it. If you have any ideas, then.
TATAMAGOUCHE
One thing I noticed on my
travels was that there are very few active railway lines in the Maritimes.
Prince Edward Island has none at all, as far as I'm aware. All the non-trunk
lines seem to have been closed down, such as this abandoned railway line that I
came across near Tatamagouche.
The line was known as "The Short Line" and was built in the 1880s
from Oxford Junction, about 50 kilometres away between Truro and Amherst. Its
purpose was to feed the industry and the lumber traffic around the
Northumberland coast, as well as to connect with the Prince Edward Island ferry
at Pictou. Passenger service ceased in 1960 and freight in 1972, long before
the great cull of rural railway lines in Canada in the 1980s. The last train on
the line actually passed by in 1986, appropriately bogging down in a snowdrift.
A little way further down the
road is the town of Tatamagouche. Here, the old railway station building is
still standing, together with about 200 metres of track and 7 or 8 assorted
cabooses and carriages. At first glance I reckoned that it was some sort of
museum or exhibition. There weren't any engines, unfortunately. In fact, I
didn't see a single preserved railway locomotive during my entire journey
around Canada, which contrasted rather poorly with my trip around the USA the previous
summer when I couldn't move without tripping over them.
In fact, it turns out that the
carriages and the station building form a hotel where travellers can stay in
"deluxe accommodations reflecting the age of the railway car"
according to the hotel's website.
It's clearly way outside my price bracket, though, and in any case there's bags
of daylight and I had a lot to do.
On the main road just up the
hill from the railway station was a reasonably-large supermarket. At last I was
able to buy myself a baguette and some salad. I was pretty hungry by now.
WOOD ISLANDS FERRY
Thirty miles further on from
Tatamagouche is the small town of Caribou. This was where I was heading, and
for an obvious reason. I said
previously that there was another way than the Confederation Bridge
to cross over to P.E.I., and this is by the seasonal ferry that plies its trade
between Caribou and Wood Islands for the "Northumberland Lines". In
November and December it's still sailing, so I couldn't resist the opportunity
to make the crossing by boat.
If your thing is for Nova Scotia
and Nova Scotia only, then you just read straight on. Those of you following me
on the optional excursion to Prince Edward Isle need to come this way. We'll
all meet up back here in a short while.
PICTOU
So now that we're all back at Caribou
after our little trip to Prince Edward
Isle, the first task was to find a motel for the night. It was quite
late, and it had also begun to absolutely lash it down with this cold, icy rain.
The New Glasgow - Stellarton conurbation looked like it might be the best bet,
so that was the direction that I took. However on arriving at the roundabout at
the top of the hill (rare things in North America, roundabouts. I've only ever
encountered one other in the whole
of my travels around the USA) where there is the turn-off to Pictou, I
discovered a motel that had not closed for the season. No sense in driving any
further. Wise decision too - the Lionstone Inn did me a good deal - 49 dollars
plus tax - and was good value for money.
There was a pleasant restaurant
"the name of which I've forgotten" in Pictou where I had an excellent
meal. There didn't seem to be very much else going on in the town however.
One thing, though. I reckon that
the Monty Python
team must have visited northern Nova Scotia. Go into any restaurant around here
and ask for the menu. They don't have menus in this part of the world but
simply explain what's on offer. And it's easy.
Eric "Well,
what've you got?"
Waitress "Well,
there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and fish; egg bacon and fish;
egg bacon sausage and fish; fish bacon sausage and fish; fish egg fish fish
bacon and fish; fish sausage fish fish bacon fish tomato and fish; ...."
Vikings "fish
fish fish fish..."
Waitress "...fish
fish fish egg and fish; fish fish fish fish fish fish baked beans fish fish
fish..."
Vikings "fish!
Lovely fish! Lovely fish!"
One thing I noticed though was
the awful smell. I wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed to be coming from
here on the left. You'll need to ... er ... enlarge the thumbnail (click on it)
to see it properly.
Yes - it was dark around here.
And still raining quite heavily.
The town of Pictou played a very
important role in the history of the Maritime provinces. Visited regularly by
the French in the early days of their explorations, it was a settlemnt of the
Mi'kmaq indians. The first European settlers were actually transplanted from
New England in 1767 in much the same way as happened at Pugwash, but its fame
dates from 1773 when the first Highland Scots, who gave this area much of its
character, arrived on the "Hector" after their displacement from
Scotland following the Jacobite revolution of 1745.
It was at one time quite an important seaport, but in modern times the
increasing size of shipping as well as the general decline in coastal trade
means that those golden days are over.
Apart from the
"Hector" Pictou has another claim and not surprisingly it involves
fish - well, seafood at any rate. In 1924 an American team of flyers led by
Lieutenant Lowell Smith set out from Seattle to be the first to circumnavigate
the globe by air. They flew westwards via Asia and Europe, and Pictou was their
first landfall back on the mainland of North America. They celebrated by buying
two dozen lobsters - at a cost of one dollar.
Next morning I went back into
town to get a better view of whatever it was I saw, or rather, smelt the
previous evening, and take a photograph if it was anything interesting, which
it was and so I did, as you can see.
I bet you are still none the
wiser? It is in fact a pulp and paper mill, owned by Kimberley Clark, across on
the other side of the inlet from Pictou harbour. It's probably where the paper
in your toilet and the rolls in your kitchen come from.
I'm still not sure why I didn't
take any photos of the town or of the motel where I stayed. It was still
raining quite heavily, but that can't have been the reason. After all, it's
never stopped me before. But thinking about it again, I'm not sure what there
was to photograph. Probably I should have photographed my restaurant, which I
seem to recall was a nice, heavy granite type of Scots Victorian construction
of the type you'd see in Inverness or Aberdeen.
Leaving Pictou, I drove over the
causeway in the direction of Trenton, Port Glasgow and Stellarton. These towns
were formerly big mining communities with some of the thickest seams in the
world, and renowned for steel making, but the heavy industries have long since
gone leaving the towns dependent on small manufacturing and service industries.
My interest however was in the
"Albion" - a steam locomotive of 1854, "Samson" - a steam
locomotive of 1839 and the oldest in Canada, and the three old locomotives from
the heyday of steam power in the Maritimes, all of which are on display
somewhere around here. However, after two hours of searching and not seeing a
single signpost or other clue, I lost patience and headed back eastwards and up
the coast in the driving rain.
I must have been in a bad mood
that morning.
But be that was it may, seven
years later I was back in New Glasgow. In much better weather and in much
better health, I made much more of a determined effort to find these steam
locomotives. And do you know what? I actually found them as well .
and wasn't it worth the wait?
Meanwhile, back in 2003 again I
drove up along the coast heading eastwards in the vague direction of
Antigonish, through the townships of Lismore, Knoydart and Arisaig, the latter
township and harbour which you can see in the photograph on the left. This was
taken from the road at the top of the hill overlooking the bay.
The names of the townships
around here bear witness to the Scottish Highland origins of the settlers who
came here after the clearances subsequent to the failed Jacobite rebellion of
1745.
But in much of this area of
Canada, it has to be said, the Scots participated in their own version of the
clearances, taking over the land and the farms of the French Acadian settlers
who were expelled from the area following the fall of Canada to the British.
All of this is reminiscent of more modern events where European Jews, fed up of
being kicked about all over Europe, avenge themselves by invading another
country and start to kick the innocent and defenceless inhabitants about all
over Palestine. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
ARISAIG
On the left is a photograph of
harbour at Arisaig, looking back up the hill to where I'd taken the previous
photograph. It's yet another harbour totally empty of boats.
The township of Arisaig was
first settled by a party of Scottish immigrants from the Morar region of
Scotland who came here towards the end of the eighteenth century. The town is
named after the Arisaig that is a small township on the west coast of Scotland
at the southern edge of the White Sands of Morar, near the seaport of Mallaig.
Here at Arisaig in 1792 was founded the first Scottish Catholic church in Nova
Scotia, and its site in the harbour area is today marked by a cairn. The large
modern-day church is situated a couple of hundred metres inland by the side of
the main road in what constitutes the modern township.
The area is today renowned for its mineral rocks and fossils, which have
fascinated collectors over the centuries.
Just a couple of miles further
down the road is Malignant Cove. This was named after a British warship, the
"Malignant", that ran aground here during the American War of
Independence. Although most of the crew survived the wreck, many died of
exposure before they reached safety up the coast at Pictou. Its name was
officially changed to Milburn in 1915, but it never caught on.
Here I turned off the main road
to follow the coast road to Antigonish. It had been raining throughout the
morning, but you can see on the photograph that a famous storm was brewing up
and it was very shortly to get even wetter. This last day or so I'd been really
unlucky with the weather when you consider how nice it had been just two days
earlier
Standing in the middle of the
road and acting as if he owned the place was a rather large deer. I didn't know
who was more surprised, the deer or myself, but he had the wits about him to
amble off fairly sharpish before I could get the camera ready. And I was to
have an even closer encounter than this with members of the Canadian wildlife
later on on my journey, but more of this
anon.
Next stop was along the coast at
Cape George Point. This is at the mouth of St.George's Bay which lies between
North-East "mainland" Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island and provides
a sheltered anchorage for Antigonish and the Strait of Canso (in the days when
you used to be able to sail through the Strait).
Looking down the coast from here
you can see out and across St.George's Bay to Cape Breton Island and some of
the many coves on the north-west coast of the island around Judique, Port Hood
and Mabou. Mind you, the rainfall, mist and low cloud make visibility really
poor, and you need to click on the thumbnail to see the enlarged version of the
photograph to get a better appreciation of the view. They reckon that on a
really good day you can see over to Prince Edward Isle. Not much chance of that
today, unfortunately.
CAPE GEORGE POINT LIGHTHOUSE
At Cape George Point there's
also a lighthouse. In fact there's been a lighthouse on this site since 1861,
when the first one was built as a sort-of appendage to a wooden house. It burnt
down in 1907 and the second was built in 1908 at a cost of $3098, and included
a separate keeper's house. It was completely reconstructed in 1968 to form the
one in the photograph.
The lighthouse was automated in 1968 and the keeper's house was demolished.
Interestingly, throughout its period of operation of 107 years as a manned
station, it only ever had four lighthouse keepers.
I have to say that it's an excellent spot to build a lighthouse - we're 360
feet above sea level here. The lighthouse itself is 54 feet 6 inches high.
The road from Cape George Point
down to Antigonish was really nice and curvy, going up and down round bends
through trees. It was really picturesque and would have been quite impressive
in decent summer weather. But, of course, not much chance of that today either.
Here's a photograph of
Ballantyne's Cove in St.George's Bay, just a short distance down the road. It's
named for a Scottish immigrant, David Ballantyne, who settled in the area in
the early years of the nineteenth century. Situated on the quayside here is the
Bluefin Tuna Interpretive Centre which, needless to say, was closed for the
season.
This reminded me of the eternal
dispute I'd been hearing on the radio during my voyage concerning tuna fishing
rights - how the Nova Scotia fishermen had been allocated more tons of tuna per
licence than the Prince Edward Islanders, a fact which had caused a great deal
of upset for the latter. There are supposed to be 24 boats which work full-time
out of here but I haven't a clue where they all were when I called here
Maybe they're all out full-time
working.
D-oh!
Ballantyne's Cove is also well-known for its contribution to the pioneer days
of the local Co-operative movement, there being even today the "North Bay
Fishermen's Co-op" here.
By now the storm that had been
threatening for the last hour had broken with a vengeance and the rain was
coming down in sheets. There was no way I was getting out of the car for a
wander around Antigonish - that would have to wait for the way back. I was
certain that I'd be coming back this way.
Nevertheless, I drove into the
town from around the back and across the railway line, and made a brief stop at
a "Subway" for a sandwich and a coffee. Then I set off out of the
town to pick up the road back around the other side of St.George's Bay. A
temporary upset as I had to wait in an enormous traffic queue on Highway 104
waiting for a major road accident to be cleared. The rain was so fierce it gave
the car a really good wash.
The road around the bay brought
me to Bayfield Beach.
This area was formerly settled
by the Acadians in the early days of the 18th Century. It's claimed to be a
very popular, well sheltered beach, but it wasn't today, as you can see from
the photograph. Nothing but storm, and rain and spray, and grey clouds. If
you're concerned about the lack of photographs of the journey, ask yourself the
following question - "would you get out of your car to take photographs on
a day like this?".
It goes without saying that
there's a Provincial Park here, with all the usual camping facilities for RVs
and campers that that entails.
It was only mid-afternoon but in
the storm the light was going fast, as you can tell. So I left Bayfield Beach
and drove along the old highway, passing through Tracadie, which was settled by
Acadians in the latter half of the 18th century, and Monastery, which is famous
for its monastery of the Augustinian order founded in 1825. From here, I had to
follow the old road around a series of diversions before eventually arriving
back at the Trans Canada Highway, Highway 104. This was the road that was going
to take me over the Canso Causeway and onto Cape Breton Island.
Right turn at the
end of the road, driver! Right- ho!
-1493- §Pope Alexander VI issues a bull dividing
the world in half.
-1497- §Cabot
plants a flag at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain, Cape Breton.
-1518- §The Frenchman, Baron de Lery, landing
cattle, attempts to settle Sable Island.
-1522- §A French corsair off the cape of St.
Vincent takes a Spanish ship sailing home from New Spain; the source of Spain's
riches is thus discovered.
-1524- §Gómez and Verrazzano make their voyages
up the Noth American coast.
-1534- §April 20, 1534; Jacques
Cartier sails from St. Malo. §May 27, 1534; Cartier enters the Strait
of Belle Isle. §July, 1534; Cartier is off Prince Edward
Island. §September 5th, 1534; Cartier and his men
are back at St. Malo.
-1535- §May 19th, 1535: Cartier sails from St.
Malo for his second trip to the new World; this time with three ships and 110
men; this time they took 50 days to cross the Atlantic. §Cartier over winters at Quebec.
-1536- §July, 1536: Cartier is heading back to
St. Malo.
-1541- §Cartier is back at Quebec and
overwinters once again.
-1542- §Spring of 1542: Cartier returns back to
France leaving his co-adventurer, Roberval, to spend the following winter
(1542-3) at Quebec.
-1563- §"Unsuccessful" (1583-65)
Huguenot colony in Florida.
-1582- §Richard Hakluyt
publishes Divers Voyages which brings to the public's attention
(to a greater extent) that discoveries are to be made by sailing over the great
ocean to the west.
-1583- §Sir Humphrey Gilbert (1537-83), the English Muscovy Company, the Squirrel
and the Golden Hind, and an English expedition to Newfoundland.
-1584- §Sir Walter Raleigh dispatches Captain
Philip Amidas and Captain Arthur Barlow to America and Virginia is discovered.
-1585- §April 9th, 1585: The English expedition
under Grenville sails from Plymouth and there is established the short lived
Roanoke Island settlement.
-1587- §May of 1587: Another group of 117
English settlers arrived at Roanoke Island; no one knows what happened to them,
presumably they perished.
-1593- §The French king, Henry the IV,
hithertofore a leader of the protestant forces, signs the Edict at Nantes. In the process, Henry formally
professes himself to be a member of the Church of Rome.
-1598- §Marquis de la Roche in an abortive
attempt to colonize New France, on sighting Sable Island, dropped off 40 men
from his small crowded boat with a view of going back to get them once his
smaller crew had located a more likely spot in New France; a storm blew up and
de la Roche, in a very wrecked condition, arrived back in France. Five years
later, finally, somebody in France thought to go check, and, during September,
1603, 17 wretched survivors were found and returned to France.
-1599- §The East
India Company and Sir Thomas Smith.
Significant
Historical Happenings By Year: 1600-4.
-1600- §Conditions in England as the 17th century
enters: Locke
and Bacon.
§The entire eastern coast of American consisted
of three geographical districts: Acadia, Virginia and Florida.
-1601- §Ships
of the East India Company, having set sail in 1601, arrive off the
shores of Sumatra during June of 1602; by September the ships are back at
England filled with "cinnamon, pepper and cloves."
-1602- §Captains
Bartholomew Gosnold and Bartholomew Gilbert set sail for the Americas in the Concord
and Dartmouth. They visit Martha's Vineyard. §Sebastiÿn
Vezcaíno, a Spaniard, sails the Pacific ocean, and up the coast of present day
California.
-1603- §This
year, 1603, marks the death of Queen Elizabeth and the end of the period
brilliant Tudor period, a period during which England emerged as a world power.
§March
20th, 1603: The English captain, Martin Pring, sets the sails of the Discovery
and the Speedwell and during the summer explore the Long Island Sound
area. By October these small sailing vessels were back at their home port,
Bristol. §September,
1603: The 17 wretched survivors of the de la Roche's 1598 abortive expedition
are taken off Sable Island and returned to France where they gain an audience
with the king and proceed to tell him of their five years on that barren island
of sand off the coast of Nova Scotia, Sable Island. §December
18th, 1603, royal letters patent is received by Monsieur de Monts.
-1604- §February
8th, 1604: De Monts forms a fur trading company. §March
7th, 1604: De Monts sails from Havre-de-Grâce (Le Havre). §May
6th, 1604: De Monts arrives at Le Port du Rossignol. §May
19th, 1604: Champlain sets off from Port Mouton in a long boat with a small
crew, leaving de Monts and the larger vessel behind; his instructions are to
find a temporary winter quarters for the expedition. Having gone as far as the
future site of Port Royal, Champlain returns within three weeks time to Port
Mouton. §June
24th, 1604: de Monts arrives at the mouth of the St. John. §August
31st, 1604: Poutrincourt sails for France leaving de Monts, Champlain and their
men (79 in total) to spend the winter at St. Croix.
The Canning area was once known as Rivière de Vieux Habitants, due to its proximity to the Rivière de la Veille Habitation (Habitant River) and named for the residents of Acadie (Habitants) who cultivated the land in the region. Following the Acadian expulsion in 1755, the land was re-settled by New England Planters. This area, along the shores of the Minas Basin, was once a well known area for shipbuilding and the famous Annapolis Valley orchards. In fact, Canning was once known as Apple Tree Landing.
e first vineyards were planted on our site in 1986. At that time, the owners of the property sold all of the grapes to Jost Vineyards in Malagash, NS. After some tumultuous years of ownership, the property was purchased by the owners of Creekside Estate Winery in Niagara, ON, who were responsible for constructing the winery and extending the vineyard plantings. The wines were first commercialised under the Habitant Vineyards label, before being rebranded as Blomidon Estate Winery in 2002.
e Ramey family purchased the winery in 2007. Since taking over, they have focused on investing in the facility and increasing the production of the winery, all while improving the quality of the vineyards and the wines. Blomidon Estate Winery is now one of the rising stars of the Nova Scotia wine industry, producing exciting, terroir driven wines perfect for our local cuisine. As Craig Pinhey, Atlantic Canada’s Wine, Beer and Spirits Writer, noted in The Coast “Exciting things are happening at Blomidon these days.”
" came into my
hands) 
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