Nova Scotia - Halifax

Today we loaded Roxy in the car and headed down the coast towards Peggy's Cove. The Peggy's Cove Area follows along route 333 from West Dover and includes the villages of Peggy's Cove, Indian Harbour, Hackett's Cove and Glen Margaret. The area remains an active area of working fishing villages with all that accompanies that activity. Fishermen come and go, lobster traps and fish nets decorate the wharves and roadside, and fishing boats come and go from the local wharf.

On the way down to Peggy's Cove is the SwissAir Memorial Site. On

September 2, 1998 Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Halifax Stanfield International Airport at the entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay. All 229 people on board perished. The crash site was 8 km / 5 mi from the shore, not far from Peggy’s Cove in the South Shore region. It was the second-deadliest air accident to occur in Canada. An investigation by Canada’s Transportation Safety Board determined that a fire, sparked by arcing in the MD-11 aircraft’s electrical system, resulted in a catastrophic failure of the plane’s main operating systems.

This regularly scheduled flight was popular with United Nations officials, researchers and scientists and was known as the “UN Shuttle.” Some of the passengers were leaders in their fields. Jonathan Mann, a pioneer in the global campaign against AIDS, his wife Mary Lou Clements-Mann, also a world renowned AIDS

researcher and vaccine scientist, Pierre Babolat, head of the French sports equipment maker Babolat, and Pierce Gerety, a senior official with the UN Refugee Agency, were some of the notable passengers travelling to Geneva. The plane also routinely carried valuables to and from the financial capitals of the United States and Switzerland, and this flight was no different. In the cargo hold that night were millions of dollars of banknotes, jewellery and diamonds, as well as a painting by Pablo Picasso. A short walking trail (160 m) leads to a monument in memory of the people who lost their lives can be found at the Swissair Memorial Site.

Down the road from the memorial is Peggy’s Cove, famed for its picturesque and typically East-Coast profile with houses perched along a narrow inlet and on wave-washed boulders facing the Atlantic.

Nova Scotia is home to over 160 historic lighthouses and these majestic beacons can be found throughout the province. Peggy's Point Lighthouse is one of Nova Scotia’s most well-known lighthouses and may be the most photographed in Canada. Located in the quaint fishing village of Peggy’s Cove along the South Shore, Peggy’s Point Lighthouse was built in 1915.

Our next stop is further down the coast - Mahoney Bay. It is an island speckled bay and one of the most charming bays in Nova Scotia. Mahoney Bay is known for it Churches. The three churches are in line along the bay road and can be seen from across the water. The churches date back to 1861, Trinty United Church, St. John's Lutheran, and St. James Anglican Church.

The Mahone Bay is known for The Mystery of Oak Island. I am not sure if it is the same as the current TV series or not, but it has long been a place for treasure hunters. The Oak Island mystery refers to stories of buried treasure and unexplained objects on Oak Island in Nova Scotia. Since the 19th century, a number of attempts have been made to locate treasure and artifacts. In addition to treasure, theories about artifacts present on the island include Marie Antoinette's jewels, Shakespearean manuscripts and religious artifacts. The Island is now owned by the government of Nova Scotia and one of the world's greatest mysteries and longest treasure hunts continues to this day.

We had found a great spot for lunch - Oh My Cod, but unfortunately it was closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So it was off to the local pub for fish and chips. Pretty reasonable priced and not too bad of a meal.

Next stop..Lunenburg. It is sited on a hilly peninsula between two harbours and is one of the most attractive towns in Nova Scotia; with is beautifully restored homes and painted exteriors in bold primary colours. With its excellent harbour (a protected inner arm of the Atlantic) Lunenburg became one of Nova Scotia's premier fishing ports and shipbuilding centres in the 19th century.

Lunenburg quickly became known as a major shipbuilding centre, with local mills supplying the wood needed to build some of the most impressive sailing ships ever designed. Among these was the famous Bluenose, a fishing and racing schooner built in 1921 that would remain undefeated in international racing for 17 years. The Bluenose lives on on the Canadian dime, while her replica, the Bluenose II has gone on to act as Nova Scotia’s sailing ambassador around the world and continues to call Lunenburg home.

As the use of wooden vessels fell in favour to steel steamships, the town evolved to become a modern ship repair and outfitting port, especially during the First and Second World Wars and to the Province’s trawler fleet. Today, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia is very much a town where the past meets the present. Seventy percent of the original buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries continue to greet visitors with their colourful facades. As a result, the town has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a fitting tribute to the lasting history nestled alongside this tranquil harbour.

Today, Lunenburg's port remains a tall ship meca; with old and new ships from around the world continue to arrive for repairs, ship fitting.

We meandered thought the historical streets and admired the views from the hillsides. The Bluenose II was finished for the season, but

we could walk up to it's sides and take in the activities of everyday life that occurs at the still active port.

On our way back to Halifax we took the main highway back into town. Time to get out of the drizzly rain and cool breezes that continues to follow us from PEI!