A Taste of Nova Scotia

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Where is and what is Nova Scotia?

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's 10 provinces and is the furthest east except for Newfoundland. If you are coming by car from the United States, you would leave Maine to enter New Brunswick and travel in a south-easterly direction to arrive in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia is Latin for New Scotland and was named because the highlands of Cape Breton are similar to the Scottish Highlands.

We are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean except for a small stretch of land that connects us to New Brunswick. The Gulf Stream keeps our climate somewhat temperate - generally we do not go below 20F in winter and usually stay between 63F and 75F in summer.

Cape Breton Island, where you can travel the famous Cabot Trail, is connected to the mainland by the Canso Causeway. There you can also visit Fortress Louisbourg which is a historic recreation complete with soldiers, town folk and buildings of long ago.

The entire population is around 2 million and most live in the 2 cities - Halifax/Dartmouth and Sydney. This almost-island province is about 550 miles long (west to east) from Yarmouth at one end to Sydney at the other and is 60 miles wide (north to south).

Nova Scotia

Welcome
to
New Scotland

Halifax 

The Capital of Nova Scotia has a population of around 400,000 and was founded in the year 1749. In the centre of the ciy is the Citadel which was a fort that the English built to offset the strong French presence at Louisbourg. It is a large seaport which off-loads much of Canadian imports from overseas. Just like any other major city, there is lots to do here - live theatre, fine dining, concerts performed by world-famous bands (we have had the Rolling Stones, Kiss, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Cher, Paul McCartney to name a few).

Many of the victims of the Titanic are buried less than a 5 minute drive from our house. One of Canada's major naval bases is here and the Halifax Airport has won awards for the past few years as being the best medium-sized International Airport in the world. Renowned Peggy's Cove is a 40 minute drive from the city and the famous fishing town of Lunenburg is just about 1 hour away. Lunenburg is the home of the Bluenose which is depicted on the Canadian dime.

Wildlife of Nova Scotia 

Our province is home to many species of mammals and birds but don't come here looking for polar bears. You need to go to Churchill, Manitoba if you want a good chance of seeing one of them.

We have lots of white-tail deer, raccoons, porcupines, rabbits and squirrels. Bats can be easily encountered at night even in our towns and cities. Cape Breton boasts a healthy herd of moose, and seals can be seen anywhere along our coast, as can various types of whales. Bird-watchers can rest assured that they can see eagles, osprey, herons, woodpeckers, puffins and blue jays to name just a few.

Rarer, but still part of our natural balance, are black bear, coyotes, lynx, bobcat, owls and hawks. We have turtles but you need never fear alligators here.

Osprey Cam 

2 Baby Ospreys Ready to Fly
Within a few days, these baby birds will take their first flight. They are revin' up their engines now so be ready ....

Port Royal 

Port Royal was the first permanent European settlement in North America north of Florida. It was founded by Samuel de Champlain in the year 1605.

It was established as a fur-trading colony. For more than 150 years, France and England fought for control of Nova Scotia and indeed Canada. This conflict ended with two great French defeats - the taking of the Fortress Louisbourg and the capture of the fortified town of Quebec City. If you ever go to Quebec - do NOT miss visiting the old portion of Quebec City - it is amazing.

You can learn more about Port Royal (The Habitation) by checking out the link in the links module below.

The Halifax Explosion 

What happened when two ships collided in Halifax Harbour on December 6, 1917?

You get the largest man-made explosion that ever occurred prior to the Atomic Bomb.

A Belgian relief ship, the Imo, and a French ammunition ship, the Mont-Blanc collided and complelety destroyed the north-end of the city and killed over 2,000 people.

Rescue and relief work came from all over Eastern Canada but mostly from Boston. Halifax and Boston remain friends to this day and every Christmas, Halifax sends a huge tree to Boston.

For more information, we have given you a link further down this page.

Oak Island Money Pit 

The Long Lost Treasure of Captain Kidd?

Many years ago, two young lads found evidence of a recently dug hole on an island in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.

Digging into the hole, they found strange things which caused them to think that something important and valuable lay somewhere in the depths below. Once they reached a certain depth, the Atlantic Ocean "roared" in to partially fill the pit and create obstacles for further digging.

Today, more than 200 years later, the mystery remains unsolved. Most people believe it is Captain Kidd's treasure. However, some people postulate that it might be gold that the Spaniards plundered from the Incas and the Aztecs and others believe it could be the resting place of the Holy Grail.

Go to the module entitled Nova Scotia Links if you'd like to read more about this fascinating moment in our history.

Peggy's Cove 

Peggy's Cove is a fishing village famous throughout the world and can be easily reached from Halifax as it is only 30 miles away and a short 40 minute drive.

It has its own unique landscape that emcompasses the ocean, far-reaching barrens, huge rocks, small fishing boats and homes of the fisherfolk who live there.

In 1998, Swiss Air Flight 111 crashed nearby. The people of Peggy's Cove heard a huge bang in the middle of the night and were out in their boats in the wee hours of the morning but to no avail for their were no survivors.

Mary Celeste - Ship of Mystery 

Built in Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia, she was to become one of the strangest sea mysteries of all time.

In 1872, the Mary Celeste was found in the Mediterrean with no crew aboard. There were no signs of any struggle, sails were still intact and even the dishes and meals were still on the table in the cabin. Personal effects of the crew were still neatly stowed and essentials like pipes and liquid refreshment were left behind.

Seafood 

Some of the best seafood in Canada (if not North America) comes from our small province. Lobster, mussels, and clams from Nova Scotia are all at the top of their game. If you be looking for cod tongues as well, they are not so easy to find these days but when you do ... they are delicious.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention Digby Scallops .. how could I forget to mention them ???

Cabot Trail 

Found on the north-western side of Cape Breton Island, is one of the most scenic drives in North America. As you dip down and around the highlands that remind people of Scotland, you will be cooled off by breezes from the Atlantic Ocean.

In these highlands, you will find one of Canada's largest National Parks and a very large moose population. A visit to Nova Scotia is really not complete without a visit to this beautiful area.

Sable Island 

Out in the Atlantic Ocean about 200 miles from Halifax, lies a small wind-swept island called Sable Island. It is famous for 2 reasons.

The first is that there are 350 recorded shipwrecks that have occurred on or near the island.

The second is the wild horses that live on the island. Though legend has it they were survivors of early shipwrecks, the most likely true version is that a Boston merchant purchased them from Acadians who were forced to abandon their livestock when expelled from Nova Scotia. He then put some of the horses to pasture on Sable Island where they still roam free today.

Nova Scotia Links 

Halifax
Information on the capital city of Nova Scotia - Things to see and do, places to stay etc.
The Great Amherst Mystery
A True Ghost Story that took place in a small town in Nova Scotia in the late 1800's.
The Halifax Explosion
The greatest man-made explosion to ever have occurred prior to the A-Bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
The Oak Island Money Pit
What lies at the bottom of the Oak Island Money Pit - could it be Captain Kidd's treasure?
Mary Celeste - Ship of Mystery
One of the strangest sea mysteries of all time.
Fortress Louisbourg - A Living Museum
This is a real treat for history buffs - return to French Canada of the late 1700's.
Titanic
The ship that was said to be unsinkable. Many of the victims of the Titantic are buried in a Halifax graveyard.
Jerome - Mystery Man of Sandy Cove
What circumstances caused a mute man with newly-amputated legs to be abandoned on a beach in a remote area of Nova Scotia?

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by Zut_Moon

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