Eastern Shore

I really needed to get out and get on the bike. I find riding really clears the old noggin and it's really fun to visit and see new places in Nova Scotia. Even though some are not totally new, it might be that I have not spent much time there. My plan was to hit the Cabot trail in Cape Breton. I only made it Canso where a friend lives though.
Cape Breton seems close but if you ride like I do and want to take all the back roads and stop for pictures etc. It takes a long time to get there. Digby is the other side of the province and even on the slab it's a good 6 hours. More like 10-12 if you sight-see.

Anyway here are some photos of the ride. First is the route I took.

Above is the second part of the route. This has the best scenery and riding for sure. Route 7 or Marine Drive, with parts of other roads that are smaller thrown in as well.

If you have any questions just ask.

As you can see just straight driving time is just over 6 hours. With stopping it's much more. Plus that is just highway driving which I hate to do , but I left late and needed to make up time. Oh well. So that got me to Canso.
It was very foggy and wet until I got to Canso where the sun was shining and it was beautiful. Windy and cool, but sunny.
It also made me realize what a beautiful road the 16 into Canso really is. Now that I have ridden it in good sunny weather it's really a must ride. Very scenic vistas around almost every corner and you ride the seaside the whole way almost.

 The sky is blown out but it was very cloudy and high contrast. But you can see the road and the open water view at the end of the curve. Lots of these.

 

 

This a view of some cottages along the shore. Those look cozy and what a nice view!

 

The history of Canso is very long and detailed. I did not know that. I figured it would be quite lean and boring, but Canso was settled or visited as early as  1518.

 

Lots of accounts of such stories like......

 

Since the 16th century, Canso has been a strategically important fishery base. It is said that the harbour of Canso was frequented by European fur traders and fishermen within a dozen years of the arrival of Columbus in America, and an attempt at settlement was made here as early as 1518.
Acadian Governor Razill built a fortified post, Fort Saint-Francois at Canso with Nicholas Le Creux, Sieur du Breuil as lieutenant.

Raid on Canso (1718) - The Squirrel Affair

Shortly after Cyprian Southack established himself at Shelburne, Nova Scotia (1715), the Mi'kmaq raided the station and burned it to the ground. In response, on 17–24 September 1718, Southback led a raid on Canso and Chedabucto (present-day community of Guysborough) in what became known as the Squirrel Affair. Southack laid siege for three days to Fort St. Louis at Chedabucto, which was defended primarily by Acadians. There were approximately 300 Acadians in the area.
On board the HMS Squirrel, Southack killed numerous Acadians and imprisoned others. On September 18, British marines landed on Lasconde's Grave and seized the entrance to Chedabucto Harbour. The following day the HMS Squirrel landed troops at Salmon River who then proceeded to the rear of the village. The HMS Squirrel made its first attempt to enter the harbour but was beaten back by the Acadian cannon fire from the fort. Later in the day the village was captured by the land troops. On September 20 the HMS Squirrel made a second, and successful, attempt to enter the harbour. Once in the harbor, the ship fired upon the fort.
On September 23, Southack pillaged and burned the village. The pillaged goods were then loaded onto several French ships that had been captured in the harbor. The following day, September 24, Southack released the Acadian prisoners onto the Canso Islands without any provisions or clothing.^[ Others fled to Isle Madame and Petit-de-Grat, Nova Scotia. He seized two French ships, and encouraged Governor of Nova Scotia Richard Philipps to fortify Canso.

Taken from.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canso,_Nova_Scotia     click on it and look around. Canso has a long colourful history.  Anyway more photos.....

 Queensport Light.

 Another view of the Queensport light.

 

The story board of the Queensport or Rook Island light.

 

 



This is the spot where a transatlantic cable came into North America. They are trying to save the building so folks can learn about the history of the trans-atlantic cable. Their website is here.

 

 

This is a small little park in Larry's River. It is Acadian mostly. It is very small.

 

 

This the church across the road. Lots of these around.

 

 

 

This was taken at Tor Bay. A very small spot on the shore. There is a small park where you can look around and walk on the beach.

 

 

This was taken near New Harbour. There are so many of these small little villages along the shore it's hard to keep them straight.

 

 

Those were taken near New Harbour as well. Very scenic.

 

 

Lots of abandoned buildings along the route. So many folks have left the area and moved on when the fishery started getting lean.

 

 

There is a ferry in Country Harbour, EXCEPT when it is taken out for maintenance. Which I was told happened the previous day. Damn.

 

The view across the water at Country Harbour ferry.

 

 

Taken along the 316. Pavement is OK but I've seen better. The area before Country Harbour was terrible. Very broken up and bumpy as the winter was harsh and created havoc with pavement. They are working on fixing it though and were out working when I went by.

 

 

Taken in Marie Joseph. Yes that's the name of the village. It is very desolate and looks completely shut down. This was here 2 yrs ago and I thought it was being cut up. Nope, just sitting there rusting. Too bad.

 

 

Taken near Necum Teuch. Ya I know, never heard of it either and I live here. Anyway very pretty.

 

 

Along route 7, Marine Drive. Has to be one of the most scenic drives I have been on, very nice.

Something I noticed as well is all along the Eastern shore, was how folks waved at you. I don't know anyone there but everyone waved. Even other drivers waved at you. Very nice.

 

 

This Port Dufferin I think. GPS didn't lock. Very scenic and there is a small store where you can buy pizza and a drink. Good too. I don't think it's Port Dufferin, but I can't figure it out. Damn.

 

  Just a local resident.

 

 

Taken along route 333 towards Peggy's Cove. It's a nice scenic view of the fishing boats and such.

 

So I went to Peggy's Cove. It's a large tourist trap but Peggy's Cove is very pretty. Not just the lighthouse, but the village as well. So I figured what the heck I'd go and see it. Not a big deal if you live in Nova Scotia, but what the hey.

 

History  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggys_Cove,_Nova_Scotia)

 

The first recorded name of the cove was Eastern Point Harbour or Peggs Harbour in 1766. The village is likely named after Saint Margaret's Bay (Peggy being the nickname for Margaret), which Samuel de Champlain named after his mother Margarite. There has been much folklore created to explain the name. One story suggests the village may have been named after the wife of an early settler. The popular legend claims that the name came from the sole survivor of a shipwreck at Halibut Rock near the cove. Artist and resident William deGarthe said she was a young woman while others claim she was a little girl too young to remember her name and the family who adopted her called her Peggy. The young shipwreck survivor married a resident of the cove in 1800 and became known as "Peggy of the Cove" attracting visitors from around the bay who eventually named the village, Peggy's Cove, after her nickname.
The village was formally founded in 1811 when the Province of Nova Scotia issued a land grant of more than 800 acres (320 ha) to six families of German descent. The settlers relied on fishing as the mainstay of their economy but also farmed where the soil was fertile. They used surrounding lands to pasture cattle. In the early 1900s the population peaked at about 300. The community supported a schoolhouse, church, general store, lobster cannery and boats of all sizes that were nestled in the Cove.
Many artists and photographers flocked to Peggys Cove. As roads improved, the number of tourists increased. Today the population is smaller but Peggys Cove remains an active fishing village and a favourite tourist destination.
Roads and several homes were badly damaged at Peggys Cove in 2003 by the extensive flooding that accompanied Hurricane Juan which also damaged the cove's breakwater. The breakwater was further washed away by Hurricane Bill in 2009, allowing waves to seriously damage a home and giftshop, and washed away one of the cove's characteristic wooden fish sheds.

This is a picture of a girl rowing around in a dory. Now you don't see that everyday, not any more.

This is Queensland beach. Very nice with sand to walk on and have a rest. It's a very popular spot. Today was thin but it wasn't very warm.

I then rode back past Bridgewater and across the #8 and home.

Thanks for looking.