Escape Pod Rambles: Nova Scotia - Glooscap Trail- Coal Mine, Fundy Tides, Fossils

July 5 - 7, 2024

After a night at the Amherst Walmart we headed to Springhill, the area that my Uncle Ken is from. First stop was to the Miners’ Memorial hiring all the men who lost their lives working the coal mines in Springhill - including some of Ken’s relatives. This area was especially dangerous because of its propensity for seismic activity that they called bumps which could push the floor up to the ceiling of the mine, killing and/or trapping miners below.

Springhill is where Anne Murray grew up

Anne and I hanging out

We toured the last mine to be open in Springhill. This was a multi-car display honoring specific miners

There were 3 significant mine disasters in this town. In 1891 there was an explosion from coal dust that killed 125 miners, some as young as 10. In 1956 an explosion from coal dust trapped 127, 88 were rescued but 39 were killed. In 1958, in one of the deepest coal mines in the world, there was a bump and 174 miners were trapped. Those where the bump collapsed were killed but 75 were rescued before the day was out. After 6 days in pitch darkness with no food or water another 12 survivors were rescued, and 8 days later the last survivors were found and rescued. 75 miners lost their lives in that disaster.

The Washroom where miners changed their clothes and had cold showers to remove some of the coal dust. Clothing was hung from the ceiling for space reasons and to let them “dry” (everything was usually damp the next day still)

The winch that brought up the cars with coal and with miners

The entrance to the mine we toured

What miserable working conditions - the ceilings were low so you had to stoop the whole time, everything was damp, and the lighting was only from your small headlight - not like the lighting in the photo

We went as far underground as the 3rd light pole beyond the van

Coal slag

I appreciated this display in a Springhill park

Drove to Nappan to visit with my Uncle Ken’s brother Hookie and his wife Brenda. Had a lovely time catching up in their screened in garage.

We have been waiting for my new credit card to arrive, as my old one was compromised, and we had used Brenda and Hookie’s address to have it forwarded. It hasn’t arrived yet so we are going to explore this area a little more intently than we intended since there is no mail on the weekend. We stopped at the little local post office and Lisa, the post mistress, said she would hold it for us when it arrives so we won’t have to wait for it’s delivery to Hookie’s.

Spent the night along the Hebert River and hoped to catch the tidal bore, but we missed the timing

Saturday we drove to the Joggins Fossil Center and explored the museum while it rained. They had cool fossils from the Coal Age.

Fun drums in their garden

Thought it was a labyrinth at first glance but it was a maze, with extinction if you took the wrong path

The Joggins cliffs

Cool seam

Cool rocks and fossils we found - its a national site so nothing can be removed

Perhaps a fish scale

Stigmaria are tree roots that have spots where filaments have branched off - quarter for size

Sigilaria, or tree bark showing where branches and scales have been

Filaments of roots

Sigilaria

Drove along the coast and spent the night outside the Age of Sail Museum.

Sunday we continued along the coast and stopped in Parrsboro

And there was delightful display at the park. During COVID isolation residents and family members from outside the community painted 380 fish to attach to weirs displayed around the town.