Adventure Travel: Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore

“Do you know what these mounds are?” the outfitter-guide asked our group of five kayakers.

No one did, so Dr. Scott Cunningham explained. “These are middens – garbage piles – left from old First Nations summer settlements. These outlying barrier islands we’re exploring provided protection from the ocean, so Mi’kmaq harvested shellfish, fish and marine animals here.”

This knowledge was a perfect fit with Cunningham’s company, Coastal Adventures. He was correct about protection from the ocean along Nova Scotia’s lesser-known Eastern Shore. After leaving base camp in Tangier (about an hour east of Halifax), we paddled through astonishingly calm waters alongside rocky harbours, beaches, and islands. Thick kelp beds, ruggedly pretty islands with sand beaches, bald eagles and seals greeted us.

Ashore, Cunningham showed us the difference between the islands’ gentler, leeward side and the severely stunted trees of the windward reaches. These were clues to the stiff winds and sometimes brutal onslaught of weather which doesn’t quite make it to the mainland.

Although I only paddled here for half a day on their Eastern Shore Islands tour, I’m longing to return, to spend a five-day combo of sea-kayaking and camping. And no worries: Coastal Adventures provides the kayaks and a comprehensive checklist of what to bring.

From paddling to surfing, Nova Scotia offers lots to keen outdoorsy types. I was astonished to hear there’s a surf school here – and my inner “water baby” couldn’t wait to go to surf school.

About a half hour from Halifax, East Coast Surf School’s Nico Manos accepts beginners like me through to pros, turning them on to surfing at Lawrencetown Beach.

With us all lined up on the beach, boards in hand, looking like seals in our black neoprene

wetsuits, he cried, “Surfing’s easy! Just lie on your board, lift your body like you’re doing a plank, swing your left leg in front of you and stand up!”

Right: “Just” is such a big word. My leg refused to co-operate while I practised on the sand, so I suspected my “technique” would go south on the water. I was right, but who cares? We three women had a blast laughing at one another’s watery face plants. Annoyingly, both of our male companions nimbly managed to get up and surf, but later admitted they’d done it before. Try it. It’s good fun and who knows, maybe you’ll tick off another sport you can enjoy.

Precisely because of its proximity to Halifax and good roads, the Eastern Shore is accessible yet feels surprisingly untouched because there are fewer tourists here than in this

EASTERN SHORE CONTACTS INCLUDE: • threeshoresnovascotia.com • eastern-shorenovascotia.com • novascotia.com • ecsurfschool.com • coastaladventures.com • heritagevillage.ca • sherbrookevillage.novascotia.ca

province’s more pastoral regions. It reminded me of the Ottawa Valley because of its natural beauty and intriguing mix of First Nations, then European exploration and settlement. Many of the farms across the rural landscape have an Acadian heritage, a French-language connection that provides another link to the National Capital Region.

After water-based sports, we were ready for terrestrial fun. Enter Liscombe Lodge Resort, where we hiked along the 10-kilometre Liscomb River trail through forests where boulders ground by glaciers dot the riverscape. We crossed a suspension bridge and found the fish ladder used to help restock Atlantic salmon (the salmon run peaks in July). Other, shorter trails beckon, and there’s wildlife to see, so pack binoculars.

For anyone interested in how the east coast developed after the Europeans arrived, the Eastern Shore boasts two excellent historical villages, featuring different eras of settlement.

Memory Lane Heritage Village animates life in the 1940s and ’50s, with interpretive staff dressed in Forties’ fashion. From learning how boats were constructed at the boathouse, to visiting the one-room schoolhouse, volunteers explain how things were done.

Equally fascinating is the sprawling Sherbrooke Village where the late 19th century springs to life. Blacksmith Tony Huntley welcomed us to try our hand at his forge. He explained, “The village blacksmith was the kingpin of the community; not only did he shoe horses and oxen, he fashioned and mended indispensable tools.”

Lingering is delightful along the Eastern Shore. Breathe deeply of the salt air, ease a kayak into the ocean, or like I did, take the plunge (literally) as you try surfing. There’s no rush. 

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