LaHave Islands

The LaHave Islands lie just ten miles from Lunenburg, on Nova Scotia’s scenic South Shore. That’s ten miles as the crow flies, but unless you’re actually a crow then getting there takes a bit more time than you might expect. Travel along Route 332, the Lighthouse Route, to East LaHave, and from there take the cable ferry across the LaHave River -- it leaves the eastern side of the river at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour. Turn left after leaving the ferry, and proceed no farther than the delightful LaHave Bakery before continuing on your way. It’s essential to stop at this bakery
and café to snack on fresh baked goods or enjoy delicious soups, light lunches, and a fine variety of teas, coffees, and cold beverages. You might like to pick up a loaf of bread to bring along as well; milk & honey, cheese & herb or multigrain are just some of the choices. Now that you’re properly provisioned, it’s time to continue west along the shore to Crescent Beach; the road to LaHave Islands runs parallel to the beach, behind the dunes. Take time to linger on this smooth strip of sand; although the seawater is usually too cold for swimming, it’s a great walking beach, well-used
by locals and visitors alike. During my most recent visit, there were several people wading hip-deep in the cold water, digging into the sand for surf clams (above right). They’d wisely chosen to wear wetsuits for this activity!

Back on the road, a bridge at the end of the beach/causeway leads to Bush Island, where a small but picturesque fishing harbour makes for interesting exploration. The next island is Bell Island; here you’ll find the LaHave Islands Marine Museum (top), housed in a former Methodist church. The eclectic collection of displays here pays tribute to the area’s seafaring past and to its farming history, as well as recognizing the contribution of the district’s veterans of the two World Wars. There are some fine examples of local boatbuilding, including large double dories and an example of a double-ended Bush Island boat christened the Vera Mae.

A little farther down the road lies the turnoff for Wolfe Gut, an out-of-the-way corner with lovely views of the shoreline. This is just one of the many peaceful spots that make a visit to the LaHave Islands worthwhile. The South Shore is a popular travel destination and can at times be busy and bustling during the summer months, but the LaHave Islands are a haven of calm and peaceful surroundings on a summer’s day.

Traveller or Tourist?

"The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see." -- G. K. Chesterton



If you subscribe to G. K. Chesterton's assessment of the difference between travellers and tourists, I've always been a traveller. Pre-conceived notions of what I'd encounter have always taken a backseat to the actual discovery -- the people I've met, the surprises that have lain in store, and the incredible variety of sights, sounds, smells and tastes experienced on the journey. Thirty years of travel have led me down a wonderful variety of roads and lanes, and it's a delight to be able to share some of the experiences along the way with my fellow travellers. I travel for work, but also for pleasure; the two can't be separated. Alone or in company with others, the spirit of discovery leads me on around the next bend in the road to see what lies beyond.



For me, it all boils down to the approach, summed up in another quote:

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." -- Ellen Parr

Do you travel to see what's been promised in a printed itinerary or a description on a website, or do you travel to discover and experience and satisfy a craving for the spirit of a place? Please leave a comment with your views -- I'd love to know!

Lunch by the Riverbank

Just east of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, on the banks of the Medway River, lies the little community of Mill Village. An iron bridge crosses the river in the middle of the village, and next to it, the Riverbank General Store overlooks the fast-flowing water. The store now features a variety of grocery items including free-range and organic products, a gift shop with a variety of hand-crafted goods, a farm and garden section, and a café offering freshly prepared soups and

sandwiches. The café's atmosphere is light and pleasant, with soft green and white predominating, a charming painted wood floor, and local artwork on the walls. Large windows offer views of the river, the bridge, and a small garden area outside with comfortable Muskoka-
type chairs.

This business is a local success story: it opened in August of 2011 as a project of the Queens Association for Supported Living, a Queens County initiative to give people with disabilities an opportunity to participate more

fully in their community. A steady stream of visitors drop in, some from the Queens area and some from farther afield, to enjoy an ice cream cone on a hot summer's day, chat over a delicious lunch or visit the gift shop or grocery, supporting this very worthwhile endeavor. If you find yourself on the South Shore, the Riverbank General Store is well worth a short detour through scenic Mill Village.

Dipping Kiacks

Locally sourced food doesn't get much more authentic -- or more local -- than this. Each spring along the shores of New England, Canada's Maritime Provinces, and the Great Lakes, a member of the herring family best known as Alewives make their way into their spawning streams from open water. Birds like gulls, cormorants, ospreys and herons take advantage of the buffet, and locals line the banks of the streams with dipnets to catch

a share of Nature's bounty. The fish are bony like most herring, but when smoked to soften the bones they're a great local delicacy. In southwestern Nova Scotia they're known as "kiacks", pronounced like "kayak". Years ago, no small community grocery or general store was without a wooden box of smoked kiacks being sold for a few cents each.

The kiacks arrive in early May, and the word goes out up and down the shore. These days, fishing times in each river are regulated, for periods ranging from a few hours to full days. Times are posted near the stream and are strictly enforced, so when there's no fishing the kiacks make their way upstream unimpeded. During the open hours, fishers line the banks with nets at the ready, dipping in just upstream of the rock they stand on and move it downstream with the water's flow, catching the small silvery fish as they head up-river to their spawning grounds. They're placed in tubs or crates for transport, and the best of them are set aside for salting and smoking. The rest will be used immediately for lobster bait or frozen for future use. The

spring lobster season will be in effect until the end of May so they'll definitely be put to good use -- no waste here!

Kiack season is a social event, too; there's plenty of time between runs of fish to visit, catch up with old friends, or talk about a wealth of riveting topics like politics or the weather. All to soon, the run will come to and end and the dipnets will be put away for another year. Right now though, for young and old, the riverbank is the place to take part in a tradition that's been kept alive in these parts since the first natives caught sight of the silver flash of fish in the stream.