Grand Pré and Blomidon Provincial Park

 July 10, 2024  

Drove by the dykes to Grand-Pré National Historic Site  

Acadians are primarily descended from approximately 50 southwestern French families who settled in the Port-Royal area 1636 - 1650s. Nova Scotia and Atlantic Provinces were caught in the various wars between the French, British, and the American colonies for years. The Acadians always declared neutrality and traded with all parties, but in 1755 the British, not trusting their neutrality, decided that those who refused to swear unconditional allegiance to the Crown were to be expelled. More than 10,000 Acadians were dispersed throughout the American colonies, England, and France. Several ships of the expelled sank, killing all aboard. Some in the American colonies made their way to the Spanish Catholic colony of Louisiana. At the end of the Seven Years War with France some of the expelled returned to join the small number of who had hidden and escaped expulsion and rebuilt their Acadian community.

Grand Pré

Henry Wordsworth Longfellow’s poem Evangeline brought the plight of the Acadians into popular culture and sympathy 

Statue of Evangeline and the Memorial Church

Statue of Longfellow

The site of the Acadian cemetery of the Grand-Pré parish of Saint-Charles-des-Mines. The stones are from foundations found in the area.

Well

An aboiteau used to reclaim salt marshes. Earthen dykes were built with an aboiteau - a wooden sluice built into the dyke with a clapet, or wooden valve, that was closed by the pressure of the sea water.

Evangeline Beach at low tide

Sweet window 

Next was Blomiden Provincial Park and Cape Split. We arrived just as the fog was rolling in and the ability to see across the bay become nil.

Little Cove

Stopped in Hall’s Harbour for lobster and fish and chips

Here there are only restrictions on how small a lobster can be taken 

Funny tshirt

Drove to Hampton Harbor for the night

Loved the rocks on this beach

High tide vs low tide

Settled in for the night

Truro and Burntcoat, Nova Scotia

July 8 & 9, 2024

Drove to the post office in Maccan for 9 am to see if my replacement credit card had come in. It hadn't. So we decided to explore a bit further. We drove to Truro, picked up a few groceries, and drove to the Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre. Millbrook is a Mi'kmaq community located within Truro. The First Nations Mi'kmaq fought to have a location close to where they worked and lived, not in some remote area, and were successful. This is a thriving community. Matthew enjoyed going through the Centre but I was exhausted and chose to nap instead. 

Images from the Centre

We then headed to Victoria Park to hike to the waterfall.

Clever sign

This 175 stair climb, Jacob's Ladder, was only the beginning! We eventually went up and down 582 steps to see the falls and rushing river. 

We drive back to Maccan and parked for the night at a nature preserve along the Herbert River. The water playing over the bottom as the tide went out was fascinating. 

And the sunset was lovely. 

Next morning we were back to see Lisa at the Post Office. I think she was almost as excited as we were to see that my “overnight” mail had arrived - 11 days late. We said our thanks and goodbyes and headed out, finally untethered. 

First stop was South Maitland at the  Fundy Tidal Interpretive Center where the old Dominion Atlantic Railway bridgeonce stood. Now it's a place to watch the tidal bore. Unfortunately it's at the point where the moon's phase means the pull is is less and the Bore is smaller. 

It was fun to see the Zodiac boats ride the incoming tide.

Then it was off to the town of Burntcoat and the Burntcoat Head Park. This place experiences the most dramatic tidal differences - up to a 53.5 foot difference! We hit it close to high tide and didn't want to hang around 6 hours for low tide. 

During low tide you can walk to this island. 

Cool formations in the rocks

This backpack is full of first aid supplies and is just left there down by the water.

Cool fog formation. We are experiencing a lot of fog! 

Our stop for the night is Horton Ridge Brewery in Wolfville. This place is interesting because the grow and floor malt their own grain. 

Matthew and I enjoyed a flight while snacking on our That Dutchman's cheese and crackers and playing a few rounds of cribbage before settling in for the night.