Nova Scotia’s Southwest Coast

After two days of very windy and stormy weather, the forecast improved.  We departed Brooklyn Marina near Liverpool as the sun began to rise.

The Nova Scotia Coast west of Halifax is known for its rugged and beautiful coastline with picturesque villages and island filled bays.  We had looked forward to seeing this coast as we cruised along its rocky shores.  It was not to be.  As we cruised out of Liverpool Harbor the fog again descended.

It remained foggy until we arrived at our destination, Shelburne Harbor.  We were in the mooring field outside of the marina before we were able to see the marina itself.  Fortunately, the moored boats showed up on radar so we knew they were there.  Shelburne is a picturesque village founded in 1783 by loyalists who fled the United States at the close of the Revolutionary War.  It is most recently noted for shipbuilding.  Many of the buildings in this quaint village were restored in 1994 courtesy of Hollywood in preparation for the filming of the ‘The Scarlet Letter’.  A sense of history permeated as we wandered the streets of this charming seaside town.

Cox Warehouse circa 1902

John C Williams Dory Shop on the Left

Looking Back

Coopers Inn

One of our working theories has always been that with enough wind, fog could not sustain itself.  This theory has been disproven in Nova Scotia.  The wind blew strongly and the fog persevered  allowing for beautiful afternoons before returning each evening to threaten our morning departure.  On September 2^nd the conditions were as good as we felt they would get and we departed Shelburne Harbor.  We were thrilled to see the Sandy Point Lighthouse; it had not been visible as we had entered the harbor.   

Soon we were off shore and back in the fog, the scenery much like that of the last few days.  This very scenic coast of Nova Scotia was obliterated by the fog. 

In the Fog the View Never Changes (View From Behind )

Our destination was Yarmouth where we arrived at low tide. 

East Cape Lighthouse

Yarmouth Light

It was very interesting to see the accommodations made for the tidal range of roughly 14 feet. The ramp at the marina is an example of this; half of it was the usual ramp while the other half consisted of steps which were useful when the ramp was so steep that it was difficult to walk up from the dock to the shore. 

Half Steps, Half Ramp

It is in Yarmouth where we will wait for a good weather window for our crossing of the Gulf of Maine. 

The Boats Waiting Patiently in the Fog