| I had really enjoyed my breakfast at the
| |
| | Empire Loyalists under the leadership of
|
| Garrison House B&B in Annapolis Royal,
| |
| | Sir Robert Digby. The town's economy is
|
| but my second day of explorations had
| |
| | based on two major industries: fishing
|
| begun and no time was to be wasted. I had
| |
| | (Digby is famous for its scallop fishing
|
| a big drive ahead of me and my first
| |
| | fleet) and tourism. As early as the late
|
| quick stop was at Fort Anne where I met
| |
| | 1920, a big resort called The Pines was
|
| Alan Melanson, the Parks Canada Ranger
| |
| | built on the outskirts of town, and to
|
| and expert historian who had guided the
| |
| | this day Digby is a popular tourist
|
| entertaining and informative Candlelight
| |
| | destination. One of the major attractions
|
| Graveyard Tour last night.
| |
| | in the area are the world's biggest tides
|
| He had promised me yesterday that he
| |
| | in the Bay of Fundy. Digby also hosts an
|
| would show me the Fort Anne Heritage
| |
| | annual Scallop Days Festival which
|
| Tapestry, a collective effort of more
| |
| | introduces tourists to the history and
|
| than 100 volunteers who brought 4
| |
| | heritage of the town.
|
| centuries of history to life. 95
| |
| | I strolled along the waterfront and
|
| different colours of Persian wool were
| |
| | noticed the many waterfront restaurants
|
| interwoven and stitched to form a
| |
| | that specialize in so many of Nova
|
| historic tableau that is unique in
| |
| | Scotia's marine delights including
|
| Canada. It is about 18 feet long and 8
| |
| | lobster, crabs, shrimps, scallops and
|
| feet high and even Queen Elizabeth
| |
| | various types of fish. I had a quick soup
|
| herself, on one of her travels to Canada,
| |
| | and salad at the Shoreline Restaurant and
|
| made a few official stitches in this
| |
| | enjoyed my lunch with a nice view of the
|
| tapestry. Alan himself, as a 9th
| |
| | waterfront. Less than an hour later I
|
| generation Acadian, added to the artwork
| |
| | hopped back into my car to continue my
|
| by stitching a few drops of red blood in
| |
| | journey to Yarmouth.
|
| the section on the Acadian deportation.
| |
| | The coastal road turned into a highway
|
| Pressed for time I thanked Alan and made
| |
| | which I exited at St. Bernard where one
|
| my way to another unique facility in
| |
| | of Nova Scotia's biggest stone churches
|
| Annapolis Royal: the Tidal Power
| |
| | is located. I had entered the St. Marys
|
| Generation Station. Les West who works in
| |
| | Bay area which ended up being the final
|
| the tourism office located on the main
| |
| | settlement area for many of the Acadians,
|
| floor of the power plant, gave me a quick
| |
| | French settlers who had been deported as
|
| half hour introduction to the only tidal
| |
| | part of the Great Expulsion in the mid
|
| power generating plant in Canada, one of
| |
| | 18th century. After having been deported
|
| only two in the world. Les explained that
| |
| | all over North America, many Acadians
|
| Nova Scotia uses a variety of electricity
| |
| | returned to Nova Scotia over the
|
| generating methods, including oil, gas,
| |
| | following decades. Although they did not
|
| hydro, wind and tidal power. Its
| |
| | settle in their original agricultural
|
| topography with its low-lying hills is
| |
| | farming areas, as they had been assigned
|
| not perfectly suited for hydro
| |
| | to English settlers, many Acadians
|
| generation, so during the 1970s, when oil
| |
| | located their permanent residences along
|
| prices were really high, the government
| |
| | the northwest shore of Nova Scotia and
|
| devised plans to take advantage of tidal
| |
| | became fishermen.
|
| energy.
| |
| | The Acadian settlers were devout
|
| The Annapolis Royal site was chosen due
| |
| | Catholics and many villages boast
|
| to its high tides and a permanent
| |
| | magnificent churches, many of them made
|
| causeway was built across the Annapolis
| |
| | from wood. One of the finest examples is
|
| River. A stainless steel straight-flow
| |
| | St. Mary's Church at Church Point, the
|
| turbine was installed by a Swiss
| |
| | largest wooden church in North America.
|
| engineering firm and from 1980 onward
| |
| | Its bell tower is an impressive 56 metres
|
| tidal energy was taken advantage of.
| |
| | (185 feet) high. The Centre Acadien de
|
| Today the Annapolis Royal Tidal
| |
| | Université Sainte-Anne is located right
|
| Generating Plant produces enough energy
| |
| | next to this church, and it is Nova
|
| for about 4500 homes in the area. More
| |
| | Scotia's only French language university,
|
| power is brought in as back-up when the
| |
| | right in the heart of Acadian culture.
|
| tidal power plant does not produce enough
| |
| | The entire region is called Clare and
|
| energy.
| |
| | denotes the Acadian heritage area.
|
| Les also explained that the construction
| |
| | Acadian culture is celebrated every year
|
| of the power plant and the permanent
| |
| | in August when the world's oldest
|
| barrier in the river has had significant
| |
| | festival, the Festival Acadien de Clare,
|
| effects on the eco-system in the
| |
| | celebrates Acadian heritage, traditions,
|
| Annapolis River: the river has silted up
| |
| | food and music. The Musique de la Baie
|
| considerably and sediment builds up at a
| |
| | festival takes place every year from
|
| rate of about 6 inches a month. Because
| |
| | April to August and celebrates Acadian
|
| of the significant ecological
| |
| | culture and folklore.
|
| consequences of this construction it is
| |
| | Further south, the village of Mavillette
|
| unlikely that a similar project will be
| |
| | boasts a special attraction: a 2 km long
|
| built in the future. However,
| |
| | sandy beach that attracts swimmers,
|
| electricity-generating projects that do
| |
| | surfers and sunbathers. Boardwalks across
|
| not create permanent barriers may still
| |
| | the grass-covered dunes provide access to
|
| be considered in areas of strong tidal
| |
| | Mavillette Beach which offers a great
|
| current flows. Lessons have been learnt
| |
| | view of the Cape St. Mary's fishing wharf
|
| from the realization that even though
| |
| | and lighthouse. A bird-watching platform
|
| tidal power in theory is a renewable,
| |
| | provides a good view of various
|
| green source of energy, the design of the
| |
| | indigenous and migratory birds.
|
| power plant can still have a major effect
| |
| | As the late afternoon sun was starting to
|
| on the local environment.
| |
| | cast long shadows I made my way further
|
| It was time to say goodbye to Annapolis
| |
| | south and drove along the rocky, sparsely
|
| Royal after an interesting 20 hours or so
| |
| | treed coastline and decided to follow a
|
| in this historic region and make my way
| |
| | curvy road without knowing exactly where
|
| westwards towards the Bear River Heritage
| |
| | it would take me. Fog was rolling in and
|
| and Cultural Center where I would receive
| |
| | the sky was becoming more ominous. As the
|
| an interesting introduction to Nova
| |
| | road came to a dead end I realized that I
|
| Scotia's Mi'kmaq culture (written up in a
| |
| | had arrived at the Cape Forchu
|
| separate article). I set off on my
| |
| | Lighthouse, with its rare apple core
|
| coastal drive through rolling green hills
| |
| | design, which is situated on a dramatic
|
| whose colours were just changing. Tidy
| |
| | coastline with interesting rock
|
| little villages such as Upper Clements
| |
| | formations.
|
| and Clementsport were flying by until I
| |
| | The first lighthouse was constructed here
|
| turned northwards into the Bear River
| |
| | in 1840 in order to protect vessels
|
| reserve for my visit at Bear River
| |
| | entering the Yarmouth Harbour and today
|
| Cultural and Heritage Centre.
| |
| | the complex is a historic site. The
|
| After my two hour introduction to native
| |
| | little museum and gift shop were closed
|
| culture in Nova Scotia I set off again on
| |
| | and the lighthouse appeared rather
|
| my westward drive and enjoyed the
| |
| | lonesome on its rocky outcropping. The
|
| beautiful views along the meandering Bear
| |
| | dense blanket of fog gave it a very
|
| River. I linked up with the coastal road
| |
| | mysterious appearance.
|
| again and slowly made my way into Digby,
| |
| | It was starting to get dark and it was
|
| a local fishing town and a major
| |
| | time to drive into the town of Yarmouth
|
| settlement in the area. I parked my car
| |
| | where I would be able to settle in
|
| and decided to take a quick stroll
| |
| | comfortably for the evening at the
|
| through Digby on a beautiful sunny and
| |
| | MacKinnon-Cann Inn, a unique historical
|
| warm afternoon.
| |
| | property.
|
| Digby was settled in 1783 by the United
| |
| |
|
