Day 6: Costal South Shore/Laying Low in Lunenburg

Lunenburg, Canada

After a quick breakfast Halifax, we got on the road to make our way down the southern shore. We love the surrounding evergreens, and many inlets along the drive. Our first stop was at the famous Peggy’s Cove. After driving through some foggy areas along the way, this area was clear and sunny when we first arrived. It was heavily crowded with many other tourist (this is the first time we’ve experienced anywhere with a crowd), but still a beautiful site. We enjoyed walking along the various rock structure surrounding this simple and traditional lighthouse. While listening to the waves crashing on the rocks, fog suddenly started to surround the area. It’s amazing just how quickly the view had changed. The first light house in Peggy’s Cove was built in 1868. It was a large house with the light on top which was the home for the keeper and his family. During World War II it was used by the Royal Canadian Navy as a radio station. The current lighthouse was completed in 1916 and was managed until 1958 when I became fully automated. As we walked back to the top of the hill near the parking lot, the fog had almost already dissipated. We decided to have lunch right at Sou’Wester (thanks for the recommendation, Kathy!) before exploring the rest of the surrounding village. Bryan had fish & chips, and I had soup and salad before we took in the sites this interesting little (I mean extra little with a whopping population of 35) fishing town. Is cove was home to a marine artist and sculpture, William deGarthe. In 1977 he began to sculpt a large granite cliff behind his home to depict the community fisherman and their families as a tribute to their lives and livelihood. Unfortunately he passed away in 1983 before he was able to complete this project. The remains of it are still lovely and can be seen at the center of the cove. We also love seeing all the evidence of what a fisherman town this was… Several more lobster cages, various boats ranging from good to wrecked condition, and numerous shells/crab and lobster claws, and even whale bones! As we stared into the water, it quickly became very clear to us. We even got to see crabs, fish, and lobsters running/swimming across the floor of the cove. Supposedly this cove even has seahorses in it, but we are unable to spot any. During our visit here, the fog continued to roll in and out intermittently. Before leaving from the area, we stopped by the nearby Swissair memorial. In September of 1998 Swissair flight 111 crashed in the ocean offshore near Peggy’s Cove (St. Margaret’s Bay). Unfortunately, all passengers were lost, hence this uniquely designed memorial. We continued down the southern coast, and made our way into the colorful city of Lunenburg. Before reaching our Inn, we made a stop at the Lunenburg Academy. This impressive Victorian Victorian-style structure is still utilized as a primary school. We simply enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and evening strolling through this town that is most similar to an original British colony. Amongst our sightseeing, we came across a local distillery called Ironworks. They made a variety of spirits and flavored liqueurs, including pear brandy, apple-based vodka, an array of rums, and our personal favorite strawberry rhubarb liqueur (this is either going to make an outstanding dessert or cocktail when we return home). We had to make a stop at the Grand Banker for dinner, once we learned of their Lunenburger… A six ounce burger topped with crab & lobster meat, fresh mozzarella, spinach, and a bacon wrapped scallops on top of the bun. It was as delicious as it sounds, but certainly kept us full for the evening. However, as we got ready to make the walk to the other side of the waterfront to catch the sunset over the colorful city we were instructed we had to stop at Sweet Treasures for their homemade ice cream. I couldn’t pass up their homemade waffle cone and pistachio ice cream. It was so good that after taking my first lick I actually asked for a second scoop (this is a first for me ever!) 🙂 We enjoyed about a mile and a half stroll to take in the scenes of Lunenburg at night. Unfortunately the sunset was not as colorful as expected, but still made for a picturesque ending to our evening. Looking forward to a little more downtime in this peaceful village tomorrow morning. Ps. We’re staying in a very charming Inn (Smuggler’s Inn) right in the heart of the city.