25 minute read
Travel: close to home, far from ordinary
Terroir de Mer: TASTE THE SEA IN EVERY GLASS
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This is the centennial anniversary year of the Bluenose, so it’s a perfect time to marvel at the bounty of the sea in Nova Scotia, the birthplace of the world’s greatest schooner. We’re talking more than seafood here, although of course there’s no better place to enjoy it than the lobster capital of the world. The influence of the sea permeates everything, right down to a glass of fine Nova Scotia wine.
Like every great wine region around the world, Nova Scotia has a distinct terroir, although in a place where you’re never further than 60 kilometres from the sea, it could be called terroir de mer. The Annapolis Valley—the province’s main wine growing region—produces some of Canada’s finest wines, in particular méthode classique sparklings. It’s the climate moderating influences of the Bay of Fundy that make bubbly perfectly suited to Nova Scotia’s growing conditions. In summer, cooling breezes flow through the Annapolis and the smaller Gaspereau valleys extending the growing season late into the fall. Those same breezes keep temperatures relatively moderate in winter. Wineries like Gaspereau, Avondale Sky, Lightfoot & Wolfville, Blomidon Estate, Luckett Vineyards and l’Acadie Vineyards produce sparkling wines as respected as any in the world.
One of Canada’s leading wineries, Benjamin Bridge has perfected classical method bubbly, as well as creative ways to share it. Enjoy superior wines like Nova 7, Brut Rosé and Brut Reserve on their new open-air vineyard terrace or through one of their intensive tasting experiences either onsite or online. Better yet, join the BB Club to have specially selected vintages not otherwise available shipped to your door.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Tidal Bay Wines is one of 24 wineries in Nova Scotia—and counting!. Hop aboard the Magic Winery Bus to discover the Nova Scotia terroir. The Flying Apron Cookery offers guest a tour of the ocean floor and then a sit down meal with a view of the incoming tide.
synonymous with Nova Scotia wine and is a key building block in the province’s sparkling wines and its appellation, Tidal Bay, named for the influence of the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundy. Offered by many local wineries, Tidal Bay is entirely blended from Nova Scotia grown varietals. It’s characteristic fresh liveliness and distinct minerality makes it a perfect pairing for that fresh Nova Scotia seafood.
On the opposite coast from the Annapolis Valley in Lunenburg, centuries of sailing knowhow earned aboard fishing schooners went into the construction of the Bluenose in 1921 and later the Bluenose II. Learn all about the great ship in the just opened Bluenose gallery at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. Taste the same level of fine craftsmanship in every sip of spirits from Ironworks, the micro distillery on the Lunenburg waterfront located in a former blacksmith shop where parts for the Bluenose were hammered into shape. Bluenose Rum is a mellow sip on its own, but it’s even better paired with Lunenburg Rum Cake from the company of the same name.
The briny ocean is also brewed into Nova Scotia beers like Beth’s Black Oyster Stout made with, yes, oysters. The maker, Sober Island Brewing in Sheet Harbour on the Eastern Shore, is named for an island near the oyster farms where some hapless sailors ran out of beer. On the South Shore in Mahone Bay, local lobster goes into every batch of seasonal Crustacean Elation Lobster Ale at Saltbox Brewing, making for an easy drinking, summer ale with a distinct brininess. In the province’s southwest corner, Boxing Rock Brewing—named for a boulder in Shelburne Harbour where captains would strand quarreling crew to settle their differences—Tantoaster porter takes its name from the local term for a storm brewing along the coast and was conceived when Hurricane Dorian swept through in 2019.
Along Nova Scotia’s North Shore, the influence of the ocean is steeped into one-of-a-kind, personalized two-litre batches of gin. At Steinhart Distillery’s weekend-long GINstitute by the Sea, participants get to create their own recipes from ingredients like juniper berry, coriander, citrus peel, cinnamon, cardamom and orange flowers, then infuse those flavours into a starter gin using miniature stills. The on-site workshop, accommodations and German themed restaurant are all located at the award-winning hilltop craft distillery overlooking the sparkling waters of the Northumberland Strait.
You can’t get any closer to the sea than when you’re on an ocean-themed culinary experience. When those enormous tides retreat into the Bay of Fundy, Flying Apron Inn & Cookery sets a communal table for their “Dining on the Ocean Floor” experience and serves up a seafood feast paired with local beers and wines including, of course, Tidal Bay. In Prospect near Halifax, join an East Coast Outfitters’ guide on a kayak paddle that transforms into a tour aboard a real lobster boat before getting dropped off at a dock for a locavore feast called the “Sea to Table Lobster Adventure.” In Baddeck on Cape Breton Island, kayak to a lighthouse and a gourmet feast beneath the full moon with chef Bryan Picard and host Angelo Spinnazola, an accomplished East Coast musician who provides the entertainment on their “Lighthouse Bites” adventure.
When it comes to food and drink beside the ocean, there’s so much more, but the best way to get to know Nova Scotia’s culinary adventures that include world class wines, spirits, beers, ciders and meads is to hit the Good Cheer Trail. Grab a GCT passport virtually from the website or in person when visiting Nova Scotia and head out on a tasting tour of Canada’s Ocean Playground where the influence of the sea is there in every glass n
GO FOR THE ROOM, Stay for the view
With over 13,000 km of coastline, social distancing happens naturally in Nova Scotia. There’s lots of room for everyone to spread out and carve out their own unique getaway. We know that Nova Scotia isn’t your typical vacation destination and where you stay doesn’t have to be your typical lodging either. From cozy wilderness cabins to glamping in yurts, domes, oTENTiks, tipis and more, Nova Scotia is home to many exciting and unusual places to spend the night. Stepping out of your comfort zone is anything but uncomfortable!
Glamping is one of latest travel trends and offers the perfect combination of nature and luxury without sacrificing the comforts of home. If you are new to the glamping scene, Cape Breton Island is a great spot to introduce yourself to it. In recent years, several locations have introduced geodesic domes, each with their own unique appeal such as Archer’s Edge Luxury Camping or Cabot Shores Wilderness Resort.
Tanya Hinkley and her family opened True North Destinations in her hometown of Pleasant Bay. She says guests are amazed by the size and space inside their luxury domes and love the coastal views — especially while relaxing in the private hot tub.
“I think our dome experience is something guests enjoy because the structures have a touch of simplicity but are finished inside with a touch of luxury. Combining the two makes it very unique.”
Nothing says “Nova Scotia” like a lighthouse. There are over 160 lighthouses dotting the coastline that capture the attention of travellers and locals alike... and there are almost as many ways to turn this fascination into an incredible overnight stay. At the Lightkeepers' Kitchen & Guest House in Cape d'Or near Advocate Harbour, stay in the original lightkeeper's residence and dine in the on-site restaurant while overlooking the world's highest tides churning in the Bay of Fundy below.
the Vicar’s View in Baddeck are lighthouse-themed units attractive to active and adventurous travellers. Each historical room overlooks the lovely Bras d’Or lake and includes a secure attached garage for storing visitors’ specialized vehicles (like motorcycles or snowmobiles) and equipment they might have taken along with them.
How about staying in a yurt for the night on your own private island? Pleasant Paddling owner Karl Marsters has worked as a sea kayak guide for nearly 15 years, and he turned his love of the ocean into a way for guests to paddle to paradise and spend the night on the edge of the Atlantic — without a soul in sight.
With amazing views of Blue Rocks, which has more islands per paddlestroke than anywhere else in Nova Scotia, the wooded two-acre island off the coast of Lunenburg has bayberry and juniper bushes, a tidal pool, lots of birds and complete privacy. “People have an affinity with islands — they love travelling to them, standing on them, sleeping on them — so this is a pretty unique experience,” says Marsters. Fall asleep stargazing through the yurt's skylight and wake up to the sounds of waves lapping, birds calling and a delicious local-sourced breakfast.
Nestled within a lush Acadian forest near the shoreline of Kejimkujik Lake, visitors can now stay overnight among one of Canada's natural and cultural treasures without having to lug around the traditional amount of camping gear. Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site has no shortage of traditional front and back country camping sites, but they are also home to 18 o’Tentiks, a spacious blend of tent and rustic cabin equipped with beds and furniture on a raised floor.
New in 2021 are five Oasis pods — tear drop-shaped accommodations on stilts offering a convertible table/bed with cushions on the main level and a suspended hammock loft above – perfect for a couple’s retreat to spend a night away under a natural canopy in a dark sky preserve.
Sleeping in a tower sounds straight out of a fairy tale, but the modern spin is that that tower is above a popular cocktail bar and distillery in one of Halifax’s trendiest neighbourhoods and mere steps to even more bars, restaurants, cideries and breweries. Compass Distillers have been running the Agricola Street Airbnb for three years now and guests love the unique
ABOVE: The Train Station Inn & Railway Dining Car is a unique boutique hotel within the historical village of Tatamagouche. PREVIOUS PAGE: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) Keji Oasis Pods at Kekimkuji National Park and National Historic Site. True North Destinations’ Boreal Domes offer incredible ocean views in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Stay in one of Vicar’s View’s three ‘lighthouse-themed’ cottage suites.
experience of sleeping above a distillery. Guests can chat with staffers about their spirits, like Noon Gun Gin and Fort George Genever — an early ancestor of gin. The two-level unit called The Tower sleeps six, with amazing views of downtown Halifax and even a rooftop deck with a BBQ.
Growing up next to the old Tatamagouche train station, Jimmie LeFrense spent his childhood delighting in the trains and making friends with the stationmaster. He was just 18 years old when he purchased the train station, which was set to be demolished, and it wasn’t until he was 32 that he was finally cleared to turn it into a B&B.
The novelty of sleeping in a restored train station put the Train Station Inn on the map, and soon LeFrense was buying up vintage cabooses and rail cars so he could add to the B&B. Every car has been renovated into deluxe accommodations reflecting its age and also carries historical significance. The dining car once carried immigrant passengers out of Pier 21 and the lobby car once belonged to Earl Grey, former Governor General of Canada.
“As soon as our guests arrive, it’s like they’re entering another era,” says LeFrense. “We saw a lot of train buffs in the early years, but now it’s a lot of families with children who love trains, and people looking for something new and different.” Tripadvisor listed the Train Station Inn as the fifth most unique hotel in the world, and Tatamgouche itself has developed into a thriving quaint community with a bustling farmers’ market, pottery studios, yarn shops, breweries, distilleries and even a meadery.
You deserve more than just the four walls of a standard hotel stay. Visit www. novascotia.com to begin planning your next getaway today! n
DISCOVERY AND ESCAPE — Five days in a canoe on the Rideau Canal
Travel restrictions over the past year have sharply curtailed vacation options that feed our appetite for natural beauty, for escape and for discovery, to learn about history, and for friendship through shared adventures. As Canadians and Ontarians, we’re fortunate to have destinations in our backyard that check all these boxes. And so it was on a warm, sunny but breezy Monday last September, my friend Bill and I slipped our canoe off the dock at Kingston Mills Lock to begin a five-day journey up the historic Rideau Canal system to Poonamalie Lock, a few kilometres below Smiths Falls. In socially-distanced Ontario, this was the perfect vacation, and September was the ideal time with river traffic light, and the bugs few and far between.
Led by Colonel John By of the British Royal Corp of Engineers, workers carved the 202 kilometre nautical route out of the wilderness. In the anxious period following the War of 1812, the waterway would allow troops and supplies from Montreal to reach Kingston and other communities in Upper Canada without being subject to possible American attack along the St. Lawrence River. The waterway is now the Rideau Canal National Historic Site, received a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2007, and remains the only full operational early 19th Century canal in North America. As Parks Canada further articulates its commitment to Reconciliation, it will be interesting to see more interpretation of the lives lived by Indigenous people in this region over the millennia.
The canoe perspective highlights the dramatic landscape changes as the marshy creeks of the St. Lawrence Lowlands transition quickly to the rock of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere; a spine of Precambrian rock of the Canadian Shield that gives way once again to farmland below Smiths Falls. The canoe route meanders through narrow river channels, across small lakes and thence on to the larger Rideau Lakes. The first third or so of the route follows the rough outline of the Cataraqui River system. Colonel By didn’t just build a canal; he created a mosaic of lakes by flooding swamps and changing the courses of waterways.
Day 1 took us 18 kms north from Kingston Mills, to the Upper Brewers lock. Padding against a stiff breeze and chop
ABOVE: On day three of their adventure, Dan and Bill approach Opinicon Lake. RIGHT: Opinicon Lake looking to the N.W. by
Thomas Burrowes, 1840, www.archives.gov.on.ca. BACKGROUND IMAGE: Mr. Samuel Clowes, "Map of the proposed Canal for uniting Lake Ontario with the River Ottawa“ surveyed in the years
1823 and 1824", 1824, Library and Archives Canada, H1/410/Rideau Canal/1824, NMC 11962 .
on Colonel By Lake, we passed Joyceville prison poised high up on the bank; I envisioned prisoners facing the river, amidst the drudgery of prison life actually appreciating their water view. Passing through a narrow serpentine gut, we entered the River Styx. Steering around stumps and deadheads (a vertically floating log), we re-entered the Cataraqui River, portaged at Lower Brewers, and landed at the upper lock station. With the exception of two other paddlers, and a large cabin cruiser tied up at mooring, we had the lock to ourselves. Pitched our tents, we prepared an easy-to-fix dinner, and talked until the mist started to rise from the water.
For the first 100 years or so of Confederation, Canal administration fell first to the Department of Railways and Canals and then to the Transportation ministry. Parks Canada took responsibility in 1972, and their friendly and knowledgeable staff does an outstanding job. Canada’s best kept secret, camping reservations can be made by bike or water-travellers at the lock stations for $5 per night per person - including real washrooms with hot water! Reservations for this paddling season now open. Further information is available at Paddling - Rideau Canal National Historic Site (pc.gc.ca)
The fog burned off quickly on day 2, as the waterway transitions from Cranberry Lake, to Little Cranberry Lake. Once known as Cranberry Swamp; Colonel By nearly died from the ‘fever’ contracted in this area. At the top of Little Cranberry, the channel narrows again, and we found ourselves amongst a series of islands. Directional signs pointed east to Seeleys Bay, and though tempted by an ice cream, we decided to forgo the additional kilometres that would add to our day. Another narrow gut brought us into Whitefish Lake, at the top of which off to the east, looms Rock Dunder, one of the highest elevations in the area and a popular hiking destination. We paddled in around Deans Island but confronted by a near sheer cliff, we couldn’t find a spot to hike in from, so we continued on to Jones Falls.
Rounding a bend to our left, the front triple-locks at Jones Falls rose into view like a cathedral of the wilderness. Off to our right were a collection of cottages and with paintpeeling but still stately, the Hotel Kenney. The locks date from the early 1830s, and the hotel from 1877. There’s a majesty to the locks that you can’t fully appreciate when walking alongside, but from the vantage point of a canoe, the granite blocks and wooden gates soar fifty feet in the air. I felt we’d been transported back in time.
The Jones Falls locks were designed to bypass a 20-metre waterfall, so rise in three tiers, with a fourth lock in behind. The stone arch dam completed in 1831, was once the largest such dam in what is now Canada, and the 3rd highest in the world. Granite blocks that comprise the dam were hauled to the site by oxen from Elgin, 9 kms away. Imagine this spectacular engineering project in the 1830s far from nowhere. The station also includes a blacksmith shop and perfectly preserved defensible blockhouse guarding the approaches. A highlight for me was watching Bill portage the canoe classic-style on his shoulders uphill for nearly 300 metres! We were blessed with beautiful sunny days - mid to high teen temps for paddling- but it was getting colder at night!
Day 3 was the shortest paddle of the trip at about 11 km but perhaps the prettiest. We entered Sand Lake; a small lake but scenic with many islands. More serpentine turns took us into the windy middle of the lake. The beauty of the canoe is that you don’t need to follow the navigational channel. So, we tacked west in behind Birch Island to find smoother water. Exploring the island’s tip, we found a short causeway with rusty culverts running underneath. Rather than paddle back down the lake or unpack the canoe for a portage, we pulled ourselves through one of culverts. I prayed that culvert would hold for 2 minutes more! Much to our chagrin, we later discovered that if we had gone another 100 metres, we would have found a safer water passage! Lunch was at Davis Lock, a very pretty spot. From Davis, it’s a short paddle through a series of islands into Opinicon Lake. We were met halfway across the lake by our host for the evening in his pontoon boat, and shielded from the wind, were escorted into the canoe dock at Chaffey’s Lock.
Rick and his wife Celine have skillfully restored the 1870s grist mill by the lock; the new copper roof gleams in the sunshine. The Mill houses an art gallery featuring original oil and watercolour paintings by Ontario artists. Artists appear throughout the season to showcase their works. Lockdowns haven’t stifled artistic creativity - be sure to check it out this summer! Dinner was fresh Rick-caught lake bass, and the evening ended with our feet up, and heads nodding in front of a crackling fire.
Chaffey’s Lock village is perfect for a walking tour. From the Mill, you cross a swing bridge with the old Lockmaster’s House on your left. Straight ahead, the green sweep of the lawns of the restored Opinicon Hotel beckons with its
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Brass Pointe Bridge is the location of one of only four remaining wooden swing bridges on the Rideau. Lunch on the sand at Murphy Point Provincial Park. A memorial to the labourers who died building the Rideau Canal. Paddling out of the locks at the Narrows. Sunrise on Colonel By Island. Approaching the fourth lock at Jones Falls.
Enhancing political and civic leadership
Earlier this month, the Ottawa Pearson Centre, a leading Canadian think tank, sponsored the Change Conference; Planning for the Unpredictable. It was a timely initiative, given the ravages of the pandemic, and it brought together a cross section of participants, including federal political leaders. The discussion focused on ideas for rebuilding a number of our country’s critical sectors, including the economy, energy, transportation, Canadian culture, the future of work, and political leadership and democracy.
When governments and businesses talk today about the post Covid-19 era, a popular refrain is the need for “building back better”. The label has a catchy, positive ring to it. The critical word is ‘better’. However, the key questions are; what defines better? And who does the defining?
As a former elected representative, I asked myself, how might this apply to political leadership in preparation for the next crisis? Let me share with you a number of thoughts.
First, at the appropriate time, the Canadian Parliament must conduct a thorough and objective postmortem on how Canada responded to the coronavirus crisis. No political theatre, just the facts. All of the facts — good, bad, and the ugly.
A special parliamentary committee, comprised of both MP’s and Senators, should be established, with relevant The Canadian Parliament
witnesses being invited to openly discuss their views and proposals, including provincial government representatives. The politicians should not fight to block certain witnesses from coming forward. The committee must be exposed to the most competent of experts, if we are to get this right.
The committee proceedings should also be televised for the benefit of the public. As well, the committee should examine whether the Canadian Government, in a national pandemic, should not lay down a robust nationwide plan, with the cooperation of the Provinces, so as to harmonize standards and goals. Many have been critical of the checker board approach that has been taken across the breath of our nation in combatting the coronavirus. In other words, do we require a united Team Canada approach?
Second, based on the input, the committee would draft and release a public report with specific recommendations on how the next crisis can be better tackled. This will no doubt spur additional debate in Parliament and across the country, thus generating more thoughtful evidence and options. Moreover, each party leader should be expected to embrace the key proposals in their respective party policy platforms. We don’t want, nor can we afford, such a report gathering dust on some bookshelf.
Third, all political parties must commit to following the prevailing scientific and health evidence during any future pandemic. This simply has to be at the center of any public action plan, despite how painful the truth may be to public policy makers. One only has to look at the province of Ontario, during this third phase of Covid-19, to understand the ramifications of free wheeling it.
Fourth, in any future calamity, political parties must refrain from playing political gamesmanship as they develop a strategic plan. Of course, politicians will disagree and offer alternative solutions, but this needs to be done in a constructive manner. Differences of opinion should only be in the best interests of the country and not, to further any political ambition. After all, a successful response to a national crisis must be all about the welfare of our nation and its people, and not its political entities.
Furthermore, the government of the day must establish a working group of political representatives from all parties, in order to consider advice from beyond government ranks, and ensure that
everyone is informed of all the details and circumstances, as soon as they break. Full transparency of information and facts is critical, as ignorance will end up costing us dearly.
Finally, we Canadian citizens also have an obligation. If governments are to base their decisions on scientific evidence, then the public must respect and obey government protocols. It’s about civic duty. If we are to be truly ‘in this together’, then there can’t be exceptions to the rules. Surely, a public health crisis must insist that everyone plays by the same rules. And failure to do so, should have significant consequences.
Personally, I would go one step further. If vaccines are deemed to be the solution, then I would make them mandatory. No ifs, ands, or buts! The only exception would be people who produce a valid medical certificate for why they can’t take a shot in the arm. This suggestion will strike some as extreme. But in a crisis where people are potentially transmitters of the disease, this measure is just common sense. It safeguards the individual, while respecting the health and safety of one’s fellow citizen. Is that not the definition of all of us ‘pulling together’?
In closing, dealing with a global pandemic is no easy feat. We see how difficult and complex this has been in Canada, and around the world. The images of a suffering and chaotic India, for example, are heartbreaking. As a global community, we must learn well the lessons from our battles with Covid-19, and execute the solutions they dictate, if we are to have the chance of quickly defeating the next invisible enemy.
When Winston Churchill was working to build the United Nations after WWII, he famously said; “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. So true!
Now, the very same applies to us today.
Will we be up for it? n
The Hon. Sergio Marchi served as a Canadian Member of Parliament, Minister, and Ambassador.
outdoor pool overlooking the lake. The pioneer cemetery includes the graves of nearly 80 labourers, primarily Irish who died building the Canal. I thought of young Irishmen disembarking ships in Quebec City, travelling to the wild forests of Upper Canada. Dying in their hundreds from malaria, black powder blasting, rock falls and the cold, they were then laid in graves marked only by a rock. Unknown in their new homeland, with their families on the Emerald Isle never to know of their fate.
Day 4 brought us fully into lake country; Indian, Clear and Newboro Lakes. Punctuated by islands, bays, points and rocks, this stretch is especially scenic. Newboro Lock marks the summit of the Rideau Canal, and is the division between the Cataraqui and Rideau Rivers. Paddling through Upper Rideau Lake. the pretty town of Westport lies off to the west. We had fortuitous timing at the Narrows as we were able to avoid a short portage by piggybacking a float through the lock with a larger boat. From there, we hugged the western shore of Big Rideau Lake for 90 minutes, and arrived at Colonel By Island
Lying in a cluster of islands several kms northwest of Portland, it was previously owned by American Daniel Arnstein, then a co-owner of Yellow Cab in New York and Chicago. He built a sprawling ‘cottage’ with large stone chimneys that leave one imaging the size of the indoor fireplaces. Once a magnet for celebrities, the building has fallen into disrepair. Now owned by Parks Canada, the island is a beautiful place to camp whether paddling the Rideau or coming over from Portland for the night. With the exception of one cabin cruiser, and a curious raccoon, we had the island to ourselves. The stars were out in full force that night, with the Milky Way brilliant in a fashion unseen in Ottawa.
Friday was the longest, most strenuous day of the week, traversing the remainder of Big Rideau Lake, past Rideau Ferry into Lower Rideau Lake. The navigation channel distance for the day is about 25kms but with the wind in our face most of the day, it felt like 30! The day’s paddle challenged us as we wove our way through islands and narrow channels with thousands of J strokes, seeking some relief from the wind in our face. Passing Murphy Point Provincial Park, the shoreline is alternately rocky with sandy beaches, one of which was a perfect stop for lunch. Following a quick stop at Rideau Ferry and a Coke, we plunged into the final stretch of Lower Rideau Lake, which is incredibly marshy at its upper reaches. Flocks of cormorants accompanied us. The final paddle strokes to Poonalmalie were leisurely and allowed us a very relaxed finish to the day, and our trip.
The Rideau waterway remains an engineering marvel, and its locks and buildings endure as architectural inheritances. But its full value transcends historical and environmental significance. Nearly two centuries on, we can experience these rivers and lakes in a very intimate fashion; not just as tourists but as citizens, and custodians. Pierre Elliott Trudeau wrote 80 years ago that, “I know a man whose school could never teach him patriotism, but who acquired that virtue when he felt in his bones the vastness of his land, and the greatness of those who founded it”. In this Covid-year, five days on the water brought me much closer to the land we call Canada n
